Amelia’s Magazine | Christmas Gift Ideas 2013: Fashion

Snowy Owl scarf by Nkoyo

Snowy Owl scarf by Nkoyo.

In the first of my Christmas gift round ups I give you the best ideas for lovers of bespoke high end fashion from a selection of talented up and coming designers. All of them will be selling on my new website when it launches in the New Year, but in the meantime you can buy from their own websites, I do hope you will support them and buy your loved one something special to treasure for years to come (or perhaps hint to your loved one what you would like…) Here are my recommended picks: be quick, Christmas is not far off now.

Ever Rêve - Vida dress

The Vida Dress by Ever Rêve features a stunning geometric print in soft flowing silk crepe de chine. Michelle Urvall-Nyren developed her trademark patterns through a fascination with her grandmother’s batik dresses, and I love the way she mixes strong lines with flattering shapes. Order yours for a bargain £175 quick! Read more about Ever Rêve here.

Nkoyo snowy owl silk scarf

If you are looking for an accessory rather than a garment how about an illustrated piece from Nkoyo? I am just a little bit in love with this Snowy Owl scarf which comes in a cosy winter mix of wool lawn and silk with a fringed edge, and is yours for just £120. Read more about Nkoyo in this interview with designer Alice Nyong.

Jano_Jumper_Anna Popovitch

The Jano silk jersey jumper by Anna Popovich has a luxe lace sleeve detail and makes perfect winter wear for lovers of all things bespoke and beautiful. Order it now for a reduced price of £195 until January, and with free shipping in the UK. In fact the whole collection is beautiful, so I urge you to check it out. I will be interviewing Anna Popovich soon.

Beautiful Soul AW13-Mi Playsuit

Beautiful Soul is offering free worldwide delivery up until Christmas. I recommend the cute and sexy Mi Playsuit which comes in silk georgette in the Ladybird Black statement print of big blossomy hydrangeas. The plunging neckline means it can be dressed up or down for day to night wear: what a stunning outfit for a loved one. It costs £360 here. Read more about designer Nicola Woods in this interview from 2012.

Vita Gottlieb lizard scarf

Finally, Vita Gottlieb‘s Lizard scarf comes in a subtle beige and brown colour and features a hand painted watercolour design that is printed in Como, Italy. Como is the centre of printed textiles in Italy where I spent 3 months working in a small studio during my degree (random fact). This scarf comes in a micromodal wool mix so it can be worn in all seasons, and costs £195. Read my recent interview with Vita Gottlieb here.

Next up, my recommended jewellery gift ideas. Stay tuned!

Categories ,Alice Nyong, ,Anna Popovitch, ,Beautiful Soul, ,Como, ,Ever Rêve, ,Everreve, ,Italy, ,Jano silk jersey jumper, ,Ladybird Black, ,Lizard scarf, ,Mi Playsuit, ,Michelle Urvall Nyrén, ,Nicola Woods, ,Nkoyo, ,Snowy Owl, ,Vida Dress, ,Vita Gottlieb

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Amelia’s Magazine | Pick Me Up Graphic Arts Festival 2013: A Review of Illustration Collectives

Pick Me Up London 2013 review- day job victoria willmott
Bird by Victoria Willmott.

In the upstairs section of the Embankment Galleries at Pick Me Up are housed a plethora of hand-picked collectives, some of which have had a presence in previous years, some of which are new for 2013. The section begins with a superb display by Day Job, a collaboration between ten recent Camberwell graduates who share a studio in Peckham, South London, some of whom I recognised.

Pick Me Up London 2013 review- Charlotte Mei
Charlotte Mei‘s idiosyncratic pottery was a stand out feature at her graduate show: for Pick Me Up she has created a whole fleet of cars, characterful naked ladies in contorted positions, a pizza with strange toppings and a host of other animals. Brilliant stuff!

Pick Me Up London 2013 review-Charlene Man
I loved all of the prints by Charlene Man, and I was also tempted by her pastel painted wooden blocks for Snarfle, but feared he might chew the patterns off.

Pick Me Up London 2013 review - human after all tshirt
Pick Me Up London 2013 review - Human After All
Human After All is the latest brainwave from Danny Miller and friends. As promotion for their newly launched creative agency they are hosting a space where you can construct your own #facestamp, to be applied to a t-shirt, with eye-catching results.

Pick Me Up London 2013 review-zombie collective maggie li
Pick Me Up London 2013 review- frann preston gannon

Zombie Collective is five illustrators: their interactive cog machine is a splendid addition to the gallery, spitting out gifts for lucky punters. Maggie Li‘s beautiful house print really caught my eye, as did this politely sleeping fox by Frann Preston-Gannon. Also for sale, some sweet acrylic treats.

Pick Me Up London 2013 review- print club london
Print Club London are hosting the main room with a chance to help create a ‘living wallpaper’ drawn by the likes of Fred Butler and Margot Bowman. It looks like the just the place to hang out with the kids: give Snarfle a few years and we’ll be there!

Pick Me Up London 2013 review- nelly duff dan hillier
Pick Me Up London 2013 review- nelly duff sweet toof
Pick Me Up London 2013 review- various and gould nellyduff
Columbia Road‘s Nelly Duff gallery have created perhaps the most spectacular room, where artworks and specially commissioned wall decals on a ‘flower show’ theme combine to stunning effect. Of particular note: Dan Hillier‘s foil blocked lady, curlicued skulls courtesy of Sweet Toof, and a skull print by Various and Gould (seen above in situ on a doorway just off Brick Lane).

Pick Me Up London 2013 review- soma gallery peskimo
Back for a second year running Soma Gallery are showcasing a wide selection of prints by long running collaborators such as Peskimo and Tom Frost, as well as newbies such as Telegramme Studio and Hazel Nicholls. I particularly loved these 3D wooden gum ball artworks by Peskimo.

Pick Me Up London 2013 review-el famoso
Unlimited Collective is a print company based in Brighton. Taking pride of place in their busy space is a huge yellow tattooed man, complete with hipster moustache. All over tattoos continue to be the badge of the uber cool, but if you’re too chicken to go the whole hog yourself then artwork by El Famoso might be just the ticket instead.

Jessie Ford black bear on bike
I was so taken by a black bear on a tiny tricycle by Jessie Ford that I bought one on a whim – it will go up in Snarfle‘s room: something more to growl at.

Pick Me Up London 2013 review- helen musselwhite
Pick Me Up London 2013 review-Emily Robertson
Pick Me Up London 2013 review-matt saunders
Pick Me Up London 2013 review- lesley barnes
Handsome Frank is an illustration agency that has done a great job of snapping up brilliant up and coming illustrators, including many that have featured in these pages (Lesley Barnes, Tim McDonagh, Sarah Maycock). Some of my favourite works on display at their interactive stand include a stunning paper gatehouse by Helen Musselwhite, a curious character by Emily Robertson, sleeping log gremlins by Matt Saunders and a wonderful knight on a horse by Lesley Barnes.

Read my review of Pick Me Up Selects here, and if you are unable to check out Pick Me Up in person make sure you check out all the talent above online. Full listing information here.

Categories ,#facestamp, ,2013, ,Camberwell College of Arts, ,Charlene Man, ,Charlotte Mei, ,Collectives, ,Columbia Road, ,Dan Hillier, ,Danny Miller, ,Day Job, ,El Famoso, ,Embankment Galleries, ,Emily Robertson, ,Frann Preston-Gannon, ,Fred Butler, ,Handsome Frank, ,Hazel Nicholls, ,Helen Musselwhite, ,Human After All, ,illustration, ,Jessie Ford, ,Lesley Barnes, ,Maggie Li, ,Margot Bowman, ,Matt Saunders, ,Nelly Duff, ,Peskimo, ,Pick Me Up, ,Pick Me Up Selects, ,Print Club London, ,Sarah Maycock, ,Snarfle, ,Soma Gallery, ,Somerset House, ,Sweet Toof, ,Telegramme, ,Telegramme Studio, ,Tim McDonagh, ,Tom Frost, ,Unlimited Collective, ,Various and Gould, ,Victoria Willmott, ,Zombie Collective

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Amelia’s Magazine | ELCAF 2014 review

ELCAF 2014-oval space

A few weeks I popped along to the third ELCAF held at the Oval Space, which is a trendy new venue in a semi derelict part of Bethnal Green between Hackney Road and the canal. There were abundant creative types enjoying the late afternoon sunshine on the long balcony which overlooks one of the rusting gas towers, and inside a chaotic and slightly bawdy atmosphere reigned. Here’s what I saw:

ELCAF 2014-studio hato
Studio Hato invited attendees to play comic strip consequences in the entrance hallway.

ELCAF 2014-magic capes
Lesley Barnes fashion illustration
Thereza Rowe Hearts ELCAF
Near the entrance I discovered two old Amelia’s Magazine friends sharing a table and a publishing imprint, Magic Capes. I love Lesley Barnes’ new range of fashion illustrations for the V&A, and am looking forward to reading Thereza Rowe’s Hearts book with Snarfle soon.

ELCAF 2014-isabel greenberg
Corn Dollies by Isabel Greenberg featured on a print and these cute badges.

ELCAF 2014
I was drawn like a magnet to Madalena Matoso’s amazing swimming pool print on the Planeta Tangerina stand.

ELCAF 2014-mythical creatures
There are some fantastic contributors to this Mythical Creatures zine, including Bonbi Forest’s Lee May Foster-Wilson.

ELCAF Katherina Manolessou
I love Katherina Manolessou’s reworking of the toddler’s favourite tune Zoom Zoom Zoom, featuring a fluffy red monkey and other lovely creatures.

ELCAF 2014-Otto Graphic
I was really taken by work from Otto Graphic, an illustrator and screen printer who is influenced by the Constructivists and Polish poster art.

ELCAF 2014-Inuit
Inuit is an Italian bookshop and printworks, selling knitted lungs and cacti alongside beautiful risoprints.

ELCAF 2014-el famoso
El Famoso
It was great to meet the El Famoso brothers Rich and Chris Fairhead, who work together on their illustrations – read about their recent exhibition here.

ELCAF 2014-Day Job
Day Job activity book
Next door it was a pleasure to meet the Day Job girls, who very kindly gifted me their Activity Book (above) to share with Snarfle.

Benjamin Wright badges
Benjamin Wright’s wonderful laser cut badges featured Darth Vadar and a Ninja Turtle.

ELCAF 2014-Sam Taylor
ELCAF 2014-ELCAF 2014-Sam Taylor and co
Sam Taylor and co were particularly boisterous when I stopped by, perhaps a given when you take a closer look at the styles on their stand.

ELCAF 2014-Brolly Lolly
The Brolly Lolly collective is comprised of MA graduates from the Cambridge School of Art, presumably not including the small and very industrious helper on hand – I loved these strange plant prints on a zine by Melissa Castrillon.

ELCAF 2014-matthew horse
Wonderful fruit and vegetable prints are by the inimitable Matthew the Horse.

ELCAF 2014-Babak Ganjei
And finally, but by no means least, it was ace to catch up with Babak Ganjei, who continues to turn his talents to eccentric comic strips (you may remember I featured one of his early stories in the print version of Amelia’s Magazine way back). Roll on ELCAF 2015!

Categories ,2013, ,Activity Book, ,Babak Ganjei, ,Benjamin Wright, ,Bonbi Forest, ,Brolly Lolly, ,Cambridge School of Art, ,Darth Vadar, ,Day Job, ,East London Comic Arts Festival, ,El Famoso, ,ELCAF, ,hearts, ,Inuit, ,Isabel Greenberg, ,Katherina Manolessou, ,Lee May Foster-Wilson, ,Lesley Barnes, ,Madalena Matoso, ,Magic Capes, ,Matthew the Horse, ,Melissa Castrillon, ,Mythical Creatures, ,Ninja Turtle, ,Otto Graphic, ,Oval Space, ,Planeta Tangerina, ,review, ,Rich and Chris Fairhead, ,Sam Taylor, ,Snarfle, ,Studio Hato, ,Thereza Rowe, ,Zoom Zoom Zoom

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Amelia’s Magazine | Camberwell College of Arts: Mixed Special Illustration Graduate Show 2012 Review

Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
Painting by Charlotte Mei.

This year’s graduate shows are nearly upon us so what better way to kick off the new season than with a reminder of some of the brilliant talent that I discovered last year. (And failed to blog about back then, due to the demanding needs of a very small baby. Now I just have a slightly larger very demanding baby, but at last I’ve found the time to catch up.) Mixed Special was the great name given to the show from Camberwell College of Arts illustration graduates, many of whom have gone on to create new collaborative projects. Since it’s been so long in the making this review will also pick up on what’s been happening for some graduates in the year since their show.

Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
First up, the fun work of Lewis Wade Stringer, who created an ‘added value’ burger out of silicone, acrylic and plywood. Shown vacuum packed as a finished object, I imagine that in it’s separate pieces it would hold great appeal for small children. The burger theme continues to be strong in Lewis’ life – you can purchase his burger tote bag, delivered in a disposable carton with bespoke sticker, over here on Burgerac.

Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
I wonder if an obsession with the 80s will continue to be a major influence amongst the graduates of the more progressive illustration courses this summer. Aaron Ziggy Cook is a member of the Day Job illustration collective, who showcased a stunning array of goodies at Pick Me Up in April. His love of 80s iconography and painterly pastels is evident in a series of interior themed designs.

Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
Charlotte Mei is another member of Day Job, as happy playing around with clay as she is with a paintbrush. A sense of humour is a key component of her wonderfully tactile clay creations. At Pick Me Up I was particularly taken with her human and vehicle sculptures; and a plethora of editorial jobs undertaken since graduation testify that her unique creations are in demand. She was also part of the marvellous Jiggling Atoms exhibition that took place last October.

Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
Completely Unexpected Tales by Holly Mills are a series of illustrations based on short stories by Roald Dahl which combine delicate swathes of watercolour, fine line detail and integral typography. Holly won the V&A student illustrator award in 2012. Confusingly, there is another Holly Mills illustrator, based in Melbourne (also well worth checking out).

Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
Hasmita Hirani was inspired by the Mahabharata epic poem to doodle a series of narrative scenes across large sheets of paper – read an interview about her process here. Hasmita has recently collaborated with old friend Hana to create Rolled Paper Pencils featuring beautiful abstract designs in bright colours, available at the brilliant Poundshop.

Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
Ellie Denwood‘s End of the Line are a series of eery atmospheric monochrome prints based on trips to the end of the Underground Line.

Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
Emily Jane McCartan is another illustrator who made use of the ceramics facilitates at Camberwell, covering clumpy clay shapes with big daubs of paint; her gouache prints for What the Moon Brings feature the same painterly splodges as her ceramic glazes. Her mission, to encourage a 70s craft revival. I like it! You can buy some of Emily’s wonderful creations on Etsy here.

Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
Phoebe Stella Garrick Summers‘ modern take on medieval maps features pubs rather than churches at the centre of daily life. Her interests lie in art psychotherapy.

Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
A strange bandaged man accompanied by foxes hovers by the bin bags outside a closed shop: The Tumbleweave Series by Sarah Wharton is based on the invention of a modern folklore. I’d love to know what Sarah is up to now.

Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
I like the simplicity of mushrooms by Katie Johnston. More recently I admired her stuffed rocking horse head, on display at Pick Me Up with Day Job.

Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
Miranda Sofroniou created Arctic themed wallpaper which she also decoupaged onto a chair frame. She is currently working on her third children’s book.

Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
The Infinite Space by Acktarr Khedoo was an intense psychedelic installation that used neon colours, hanging shapes and sparkling textures to create a playful experience, all lit by UV. It was a lot of fun to explore: it’s a shame I can’t figure out what he is up to now.

Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
Amelia’s Magazine contributor Kristina Vasiljeva produced bold skeins of Peckham inspired African fabric which showcased her love of fashion illustration.

Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
Ben Woodcock‘s Bibotelli is a series of intriguing graphics suggesting snippets of narrative; another strongly 80s influenced body of work.

Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
Beautiful painted miniatures by Isabella Toledo were inspired by A Journey Around My Room.

Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
Yet more 80s style from Ellie Andrews, this time combining a rounded airbrushed style with a pastel palette & plenty of colour shading, some produced as risograph prints. One of her designs was used for the launch of Boxpark in Shoreditch. Check out some of Ellie’s latest work in It’s Nice That.


Using animation Daniel Clarke created an ode to J.G. Ballard‘s short story Chronopolis – depicted here in sombre darks and swirling pastels, viewed through a round porthole. Daniel’s obsession with architectural form is evident in his work with Day Job.

Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
Tim Cockburn used fine black pen to describe a monster eating the city. He is now part of the Brothers of Stripe collective, who showed at Pick Me Up.

Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
Brigid Deacon showed drawing and objects in a contemporary cabinet of curiosities that merges her interest in comic art, the grotesque and erotic art. She has since become involved in People of Print.

Kraggy Mixed Special
This 80s-tastic palm tree t-shirt design by Kraggy was adapted as a repeat pattern for his website. Buy the look here.

ruxandra ene bird
Ruxandra Ene‘s intricate and eye-catching depiction of Utopia was inspired by William MorrisNews from Nowhere.

Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
Ella McLean chose the environs of Peckham as the basis for a great risograph zine created using her favoured palette of limited colours. She too is now part of the great Day Job collective: make sure you check them out.

It’s been great to check back in on the illustrators I liked nearly a year ago and find out what some of my favourites are doing now… but it begs the question of what to do with old websites, blogs and social media feeds. Quite a few of the illustrators above have not updated their websites with anything new in a whole year: perhaps an indication that illustration has been left behind? Some twitter feeds built expressly for the promotion of student shows are dead as a dodo, but I was pleased to see that someone is sporadically maintaining the @MixedSpecial feed to promote last year’s graduates. University of Brighton students have taken over the feed created by the previous year and are continuing to tweet full pelt with a new name @carparkshow: surely the best way to make use of a ready made following for the newest batch of graduates. I look forward to what 2013 brings…

Categories ,80s, ,@MixedSpecial, ,A Journey Around My Room, ,Aaron Ziggy Cook, ,Acktarr Khedoo, ,Arctic, ,Ben Woodcock, ,Bibotelli, ,Boxpark, ,Brigid Deacon, ,Brothers of Stripe, ,Burgerac, ,Camberwell College of Arts, ,Charlotte Mei, ,Chronopolis, ,Completely Unexpected Tales, ,Daniel Clarke, ,Day Job, ,Ella McLean, ,Ellie Andrews, ,Ellie Denwood, ,Emily Jane McCartan, ,end of the line, ,Folklore, ,Hana, ,Hasmita Hirani, ,Holly Mills, ,illustration, ,Isabella Toledo, ,J.G. Ballard, ,Jiggling Atoms, ,Katie Johnston, ,Kraggy, ,Kristina Vasiljeva, ,Lewis Wade Stringer, ,Mahabharata, ,Miranda Sofroniou, ,Mixed Special, ,News from Nowhere, ,Peckham, ,People of Print, ,Phoebe Stella Garrick Summers, ,Pick Me Up, ,Risograph, ,Roald Dahl, ,Rolled Paper Pencils, ,Ruxandra Ene, ,Sarah Wharton, ,The Infinite Space, ,The Poundshop, ,The Tumbleweave Series, ,Tim Cockburn, ,University of Brighton, ,utopia, ,va, ,What the Moon Brings, ,William Morris

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Amelia’s Magazine | Camberwell College of Arts: Mixed Special Illustration Graduate Show 2012 Review

Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
Painting by Charlotte Mei.

This year’s graduate shows are nearly upon us so what better way to kick off the new season than with a reminder of some of the brilliant talent that I discovered last year. (And failed to blog about back then, due to the demanding needs of a very small baby. Now I just have a slightly larger very demanding baby, but at last I’ve found the time to catch up.) Mixed Special was the great name given to the show from Camberwell College of Arts illustration graduates, many of whom have gone on to create new collaborative projects. Since it’s been so long in the making this review will also pick up on what’s been happening for some graduates in the year since their show.

Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
First up, the fun work of Lewis Wade Stringer, who created an ‘added value’ burger out of silicone, acrylic and plywood. Shown vacuum packed as a finished object, I imagine that in it’s separate pieces it would hold great appeal for small children. The burger theme continues to be strong in Lewis’ life – you can purchase his burger tote bag, delivered in a disposable carton with bespoke sticker, over here on Burgerac.

Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
I wonder if an obsession with the 80s will continue to be a major influence amongst the graduates of the more progressive illustration courses this summer. Aaron Ziggy Cook is a member of the Day Job illustration collective, who showcased a stunning array of goodies at Pick Me Up in April. His love of 80s iconography and painterly pastels is evident in a series of interior themed designs.

Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
Charlotte Mei is another member of Day Job, as happy playing around with clay as she is with a paintbrush. A sense of humour is a key component of her wonderfully tactile clay creations. At Pick Me Up I was particularly taken with her human and vehicle sculptures; and a plethora of editorial jobs undertaken since graduation testify that her unique creations are in demand. She was also part of the marvellous Jiggling Atoms exhibition that took place last October.

Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
Completely Unexpected Tales by Holly Mills are a series of illustrations based on short stories by Roald Dahl which combine delicate swathes of watercolour, fine line detail and integral typography. Holly won the V&A student illustrator award in 2012. Confusingly, there is another Holly Mills illustrator, based in Melbourne (also well worth checking out).

Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
Hasmita Hirani was inspired by the Mahabharata epic poem to doodle a series of narrative scenes across large sheets of paper – read an interview about her process here. Hasmita has recently collaborated with old friend Hana to create Rolled Paper Pencils featuring beautiful abstract designs in bright colours, available at the brilliant Poundshop.

Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
Ellie Denwood‘s End of the Line are a series of eery atmospheric monochrome prints based on trips to the end of the Underground Line.

Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
Emily Jane McCartan is another illustrator who made use of the ceramics facilitates at Camberwell, covering clumpy clay shapes with big daubs of paint; her gouache prints for What the Moon Brings feature the same painterly splodges as her ceramic glazes. Her mission, to encourage a 70s craft revival. I like it! You can buy some of Emily’s wonderful creations on Etsy here.

Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
Phoebe Stella Garrick Summers‘ modern take on medieval maps features pubs rather than churches at the centre of daily life. Her interests lie in art psychotherapy.

Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
A strange bandaged man accompanied by foxes hovers by the bin bags outside a closed shop: The Tumbleweave Series by Sarah Wharton is based on the invention of a modern folklore. I’d love to know what Sarah is up to now.

Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
I like the simplicity of mushrooms by Katie Johnston. More recently I admired her stuffed rocking horse head, on display at Pick Me Up with Day Job.

Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
Miranda Sofroniou created Arctic themed wallpaper which she also decoupaged onto a chair frame. She is currently working on her third children’s book.

Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
The Infinite Space by Acktarr Khedoo was an intense psychedelic installation that used neon colours, hanging shapes and sparkling textures to create a playful experience, all lit by UV. It was a lot of fun to explore: it’s a shame I can’t figure out what he is up to now.

Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
Amelia’s Magazine contributor Kristina Vasiljeva produced bold skeins of Peckham inspired African fabric which showcased her love of fashion illustration.

Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
Ben Woodcock‘s Bibotelli is a series of intriguing graphics suggesting snippets of narrative; another strongly 80s influenced body of work.

Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
Beautiful painted miniatures by Isabella Toledo were inspired by A Journey Around My Room.

Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
Yet more 80s style from Ellie Andrews, this time combining a rounded airbrushed style with a pastel palette & plenty of colour shading, some produced as risograph prints. One of her designs was used for the launch of Boxpark in Shoreditch. Check out some of Ellie’s latest work in It’s Nice That.


Using animation Daniel Clarke created an ode to J.G. Ballard‘s short story Chronopolis – depicted here in sombre darks and swirling pastels, viewed through a round porthole. Daniel’s obsession with architectural form is evident in his work with Day Job.

Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
Tim Cockburn used fine black pen to describe a monster eating the city. He is now part of the Brothers of Stripe collective, who showed at Pick Me Up.

Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
Brigid Deacon showed drawing and objects in a contemporary cabinet of curiosities that merges her interest in comic art, the grotesque and erotic art. She has since become involved in People of Print.

Kraggy Mixed Special
This 80s-tastic palm tree t-shirt design by Kraggy was adapted as a repeat pattern for his website. Buy the look here.

ruxandra ene bird
Ruxandra Ene‘s intricate and eye-catching depiction of Utopia was inspired by William MorrisNews from Nowhere.

Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
Mixed Special Camberwell illustration 2012
Ella McLean chose the environs of Peckham as the basis for a great risograph zine created using her favoured palette of limited colours. She too is now part of the great Day Job collective: make sure you check them out.

It’s been great to check back in on the illustrators I liked nearly a year ago and find out what some of my favourites are doing now… but it begs the question of what to do with old websites, blogs and social media feeds. Quite a few of the illustrators above have not updated their websites with anything new in a whole year: perhaps an indication that illustration has been left behind? Some twitter feeds built expressly for the promotion of student shows are dead as a dodo, but I was pleased to see that someone is sporadically maintaining the @MixedSpecial feed to promote last year’s graduates. University of Brighton students have taken over the feed created by the previous year and are continuing to tweet full pelt with a new name @carparkshow: surely the best way to make use of a ready made following for the newest batch of graduates. I look forward to what 2013 brings…

Categories ,80s, ,@MixedSpecial, ,A Journey Around My Room, ,Aaron Ziggy Cook, ,Acktarr Khedoo, ,Arctic, ,Ben Woodcock, ,Bibotelli, ,Boxpark, ,Brigid Deacon, ,Brothers of Stripe, ,Burgerac, ,Camberwell College of Arts, ,Charlotte Mei, ,Chronopolis, ,Completely Unexpected Tales, ,Daniel Clarke, ,Day Job, ,Ella McLean, ,Ellie Andrews, ,Ellie Denwood, ,Emily Jane McCartan, ,end of the line, ,Folklore, ,Hana, ,Hasmita Hirani, ,Holly Mills, ,illustration, ,Isabella Toledo, ,J.G. Ballard, ,Jiggling Atoms, ,Katie Johnston, ,Kraggy, ,Kristina Vasiljeva, ,Lewis Wade Stringer, ,Mahabharata, ,Miranda Sofroniou, ,Mixed Special, ,News from Nowhere, ,Peckham, ,People of Print, ,Phoebe Stella Garrick Summers, ,Pick Me Up, ,Risograph, ,Roald Dahl, ,Rolled Paper Pencils, ,Ruxandra Ene, ,Sarah Wharton, ,The Infinite Space, ,The Poundshop, ,The Tumbleweave Series, ,Tim Cockburn, ,University of Brighton, ,utopia, ,va, ,What the Moon Brings, ,William Morris

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