Amelia’s Magazine | Pick Me Up Contemporary Graphic Art Fair 2011: Mokita Symposium

amos_plastic_workshop_london-portrait
Wisdom of Caleb bare leaves

James Jarvis spoke at Mokita, approved where he was asked to address the role of illustration in commerce. The insights below have been put together from comments he made both in his talk and in the following conversation with others on the panel of Mokita.

James Jarvis Degree Show poster
James Jarvis’ Brighton Degree Show poster.

A character artist.
The baggage of being an illustrator is confusing so he prefers to think of himself as a graphic artist. It’s a journey into self awareness. He recently found his old degree graduation poster and realised that you can see his style developing even then, information pills when it was all done by hand. He has become very well known for drawing funny characters in depressing situations but he doesn’t like being seen as a character artist only.

Sole Inspector by James Jarvis
Sole Inspector by James Jarvis.

He knew the route.
James’ mother was an art history tutor and he knew he wanted to be an illustrator from an early age. The plan was to make kids books but nobody wanted his work and editorial art directors thought he was too kiddy in style, so he was stuck in no mans land. But he was accepted within the skateboarding world, where his work was discovered by the forward thinking art directors at The Face. He was lucky in that his images were companions to the articles, and he didn’t really have to answer any briefs. The magazine was a massively influential shop window that gave him credibility in the mainstream.

Caleb toys by James Jarvis for Amos
Caleb toys by James Jarvis for Amos.

ATP Amos concert poster
An Amos collaboration with ATP music festival.

People just want funny characters.
From working with The Face he became involved with clothing brand Silas, and together they created a toy to publicise the brand. It became an object in its own right and soon after he started Amos, his own toy making company; it doesn’t make him much money but he is involved with lots of other projects as a result: he now makes films, t-shirts and curates music festivals. He wants his characters to be more than just toys, avatars for a more substantial world. Even now though, many years later, advertisers still just want to buy into his associations with Streetwear culture and The Face; everyone wants a potato head character. For instance he’s currently working on something to celebrate the 125th anniversary of Coca-Cola. Only the most enlightened art directors ask for something different and new: most just want something he produced a long time ago so it’s up to him to keep pushing ideas forward.

James Jarvis lino printJames Jarvis lino printJames Jarvis lino printJames Jarvis lino printJames Jarvis lino print
James Jarvis lino prints.

Self publish for sanity.
Making products is a different world to the one of illustration. He started to make ‘plastic illustrations’ from his toys but soon found that he was getting farther and farther away from his unmoderated link to thought. So much intermediate process meant he was at danger of losing his core spirit. To keep sane he now maintains a practice of self published work, which he publishes online. For example he’s been very disciplined, creating The Wisdom of Caleb, a daily cartoon strip for 150 days (this has now been taken offline). He rejoices if he gets a few hundred hits – but it’s important to build up an audience over time, and if you keep your conviction then the work will find that validity. The comic strips are very basic, with no retouching.

James Jarvis lino work
Working with lino print.

Back to basics.
He’s been inspired by Roger Hargreaves to create some very minimal characters. He has also been creating a lino print every week in editions of seven, which provides a grassroots connection with his audience that is direct and democratic. He sells the prints directly and finds there’s an honesty in taking them to the post office himself.
He’s aware that he’s “highly involved with filling the world with plastic” and it makes him quite uncomfortable. He likes the simplicity and honesty of making things by hand at home, such as resin figures – and using the web to sell them direct. This kind of work never felt accessible when he was at college.

wisdom of caleb worksheetWisdom of Caleb safe squirrelWisdom of Caleb
Cartoons for the Wisdom of Caleb.

His greatest hits.
He has sold 10,000 toys over the years and he’s grateful for that because there’s a bond with his audience. He would be stupid not to engage with what people want. But James also concedes admits that he has been massively lucky – tons of people at college were better drawers, and his success has been as much down to circumstance as being clever.

James Jarvis hosts the Amos Miniature Plastic Workshop at KK outlet in Hoxton between 6-31 May, 2011.

Wisdom of Caleb bare leaves

James Jarvis spoke at Mokita, page where he was asked to address the role of illustration in commerce. The insights below have been put together from comments he made both in his talk and in the following conversation with others on the panel of Mokita.

James Jarvis Degree Show poster
James Jarvis’ Brighton Degree Show poster.

A character artist.
The baggage of being an illustrator is confusing so he prefers to think of himself as a graphic artist. It’s a journey into self awareness. He recently found his old degree graduation poster and realised that you can see his style developing even then, web when it was all done by hand. He has become very well known for drawing funny characters in depressing situations but he doesn’t like being seen as a character artist only.

Sole Inspector by James Jarvis
Sole Inspector by James Jarvis.

He knew the route.
James’ mother was an art history tutor and he knew he wanted to be an illustrator from an early age. The plan was to make kids books but nobody wanted his work and editorial art directors thought he was too kiddy in style, so he was stuck in no mans land. But he was accepted within the skateboarding world, where his work was discovered by the forward thinking art directors at The Face. He was lucky in that his images were companions to the articles, and he didn’t really have to answer any briefs. The magazine was a massively influential shop window that gave him credibility in the mainstream.

Caleb toys by James Jarvis for Amos
Caleb toys by James Jarvis for Amos.

ATP Amos concert poster
An Amos collaboration with ATP music festival.

People just want funny characters.
From working with The Face he became involved with clothing brand Silas, and together they created a toy to publicise the brand. It became an object in its own right and soon after he started Amos, his own toy making company; it doesn’t make him much money but he is involved with lots of other projects as a result: he now makes films, t-shirts and curates music festivals. He wants his characters to be more than just toys, avatars for a more substantial world. Even now though, many years later, advertisers still just want to buy into his associations with Streetwear culture and The Face; everyone wants a potato head character. For instance he’s currently working on something to celebrate the 125th anniversary of Coca-Cola. Only the most enlightened art directors ask for something different and new: most just want something he produced a long time ago so it’s up to him to keep pushing ideas forward.

James Jarvis lino printJames Jarvis lino printJames Jarvis lino printJames Jarvis lino printJames Jarvis lino print
James Jarvis lino prints.

Self publish for sanity.
Making products is a different world to the one of illustration. He started to make ‘plastic illustrations’ from his toys but soon found that he was getting farther and farther away from his unmoderated link to thought. So much intermediate process meant he was at danger of losing his core spirit. To keep sane he now maintains a practice of self published work, which he publishes online. For example he’s been very disciplined, creating The Wisdom of Caleb, a daily cartoon strip for 150 days (this has now been taken offline). He rejoices if he gets a few hundred hits – but it’s important to build up an audience over time, and if you keep your conviction then the work will find that validity. The comic strips are very basic, with no retouching.

wisdom of caleb worksheetWisdom of Caleb safe squirrelWisdom of Caleb
Cartoons for the Wisdom of Caleb.

Back to basics.
He’s been inspired by Roger Hargreaves to create some very minimal characters. He has also been creating a lino print every week in editions of seven, which provides a grassroots connection with his audience that is direct and democratic. He sells the prints directly and finds there’s an honesty in taking them to the post office himself. He’s aware that he’s “highly involved with filling the world with plastic” and it makes him quite uncomfortable. He likes the simplicity and honesty of making things by hand at home, such as resin figures – and using the web to sell them direct. This kind of work never felt accessible when he was at college.

James Jarvis lino work
Working with lino print.

His greatest hits.
He has sold 10,000 toys over the years and he’s grateful for that because there’s a bond with his audience. He would be stupid not to engage with what people want. But James also concedes admits that he has been massively lucky – tons of people at college were better drawers, and his success has been as much down to circumstance as being clever.

amos_plastic_workshop_london-portrait
James Jarvis hosts the Amos Miniature Plastic Workshop at KK outlet in Hoxton between 6-31 May, 2011.

Pick Me Up runs until Sunday 27th March.

Wisdom of Caleb bare leaves

James Jarvis spoke at Mokita, decease where he was asked to address the role of illustration in commerce. The insights below have been put together from comments he made both in his talk and in the following conversation with others on the panel of Mokita.

James Jarvis Degree Show poster
James Jarvis’ Brighton Degree Show poster.

A character artist.
The baggage of being an illustrator is confusing so he prefers to think of himself as a graphic artist. His job is a journey into self awareness. He recently found his old degree graduation poster and realised that you can see his style developing even then, when it was all done by hand. He has become very well known for drawing funny characters in depressing situations but he doesn’t like being seen as a character artist only.

Sole Inspector by James Jarvis
Sole Inspector by James Jarvis.

He knew the route.
James’ mother was an art history tutor and he knew he wanted to be an illustrator from an early age. The plan was to make kids’ books but nobody wanted his work and editorial art directors thought he was too kiddy in style, so he was stuck in no mans land. But he was accepted within the skateboarding world, where his work was discovered by the forward thinking art directors at The Face. He was lucky in that his images were companions to the articles, and he didn’t really have to answer any briefs. The magazine was a massively influential shop window that gave him credibility in the mainstream.

Caleb toys by James Jarvis for Amos
Caleb toys by James Jarvis for Amos.

ATP Amos concert poster
An Amos collaboration with ATP music festival.

People just want funny characters.
From working with The Face he became involved with clothing brand Silas, and together they created a toy to publicise the brand. It became an object in its own right and soon after he started Amos, his own toy making company; it doesn’t make him much money but he is involved with lots of other projects as a result: he now makes films, t-shirts and curates music festivals. He wants his characters to be more than just toys, avatars for a more substantial world. Even now though, many years later, advertisers still just want to buy into his associations with Streetwear culture and The Face; everyone wants a potato head character. For instance he’s currently working on something to celebrate the 125th anniversary of Coca-Cola. Only the most enlightened art directors ask for something different and new: most just want something he produced a long time ago so it’s up to him to keep pushing ideas forward.

James Jarvis lino printJames Jarvis lino printJames Jarvis lino printJames Jarvis lino printJames Jarvis lino print
James Jarvis lino prints.

Self publish for sanity.
Making products is a different world to the one of illustration. He started to make ‘plastic illustrations’ from his toys but soon found that he was getting farther and farther away from his unmoderated link to thought. So much intermediate process meant he was at danger of losing his core spirit. To keep sane he now maintains a practice of self published work, which he publishes online. For example he’s been very disciplined, creating The Wisdom of Caleb, a daily cartoon strip for 150 days (this has now been taken offline). He rejoices if he gets a few hundred hits – but it’s important to build up an audience over time, and if you keep your conviction then the work will find that validity. The comic strips are very basic, with no retouching.

wisdom of caleb worksheetWisdom of Caleb safe squirrelWisdom of Caleb
Cartoons for the Wisdom of Caleb.

Back to basics.
He’s been inspired by Roger Hargreaves to create some very minimal characters. He has also been creating a lino print every week in editions of seven, which provides a grassroots connection with his audience that is direct and democratic. He sells the prints directly and finds there’s an honesty in taking them to the post office himself. He’s aware that he’s “highly involved with filling the world with plastic” and it makes him quite uncomfortable. He likes the simplicity and honesty of making things by hand at home, such as resin figures – and using the web to sell them direct. This kind of work never felt accessible when he was at college.

James Jarvis lino work
Working with lino print.

His greatest hits.
He has sold 10,000 toys over the years and he’s grateful for that because there’s a bond with his audience. He would be stupid not to engage with what people want. But James also concedes admits that he has been massively lucky – tons of people at college were better drawers, and his success has been as much down to circumstance as being clever.

amos_plastic_workshop_london-portrait
James Jarvis hosts the Amos Miniature Plastic Workshop at KK outlet in Hoxton between 6-31 May, 2011.

Pick Me Up runs until Sunday 27th March.

Wisdom of Caleb bare leaves

James Jarvis spoke at Mokita, illness where he was asked to address the role of illustration in commerce. The insights below have been put together from comments he made both in his talk and in the following conversation with others on the panel of Mokita.

James Jarvis Degree Show poster
James Jarvis’ Brighton Degree Show poster.

A character artist.
The baggage of being an illustrator is confusing so he prefers to think of himself as a graphic artist. His job is a journey into self awareness. He recently found his old degree graduation poster and realised that you can see his style developing even then, website when it was all done by hand. He has become very well known for drawing funny characters in depressing situations but he doesn’t like being seen as a character artist only.

Sole Inspector by James Jarvis
Sole Inspector by James Jarvis.

He knew the route.
James’ mother was an art history tutor and he knew he wanted to be an illustrator from an early age. The plan was to make kids’ books but nobody wanted his work and editorial art directors thought he was too kiddy in style, so he was stuck in no mans land. But he was accepted within the skateboarding world, where his work was discovered by the forward thinking art directors at The Face. He was lucky in that his images were companions to the articles, and he didn’t really have to answer any briefs. The magazine was a massively influential shop window that gave him credibility in the mainstream.

Caleb toys by James Jarvis for Amos
Caleb toys by James Jarvis for Amos.

ATP Amos concert poster
An Amos collaboration with ATP music festival.

People just want funny characters.
From working with The Face he became involved with clothing brand Silas, and together they created a toy to publicise the brand. It became an object in its own right and soon after he started Amos, his own toy making company; it doesn’t make him much money but he is involved with lots of other projects as a result: he now makes films, t-shirts and curates music festivals. He wants his characters to be more than just toys, avatars for a more substantial world. Even now though, many years later, advertisers still just want to buy into his associations with Streetwear culture and The Face; everyone wants a potato head character. For instance he’s currently working on something to celebrate the 125th anniversary of Coca-Cola. Only the most enlightened art directors ask for something different and new: most just want something he produced a long time ago so it’s up to him to keep pushing ideas forward.

James Jarvis lino printJames Jarvis lino printJames Jarvis lino printJames Jarvis lino printJames Jarvis lino print
James Jarvis lino prints.

Self publish for sanity.
Making products is a different world to the one of illustration. He started to make ‘plastic illustrations’ from his toys but soon found that he was getting farther and farther away from his unmoderated link to thought. So much intermediate process meant he was at danger of losing his core spirit so to keep sane he now maintains a practice of self published work, which he publishes online. For example he’s been very disciplined, creating The Wisdom of Caleb, a daily cartoon strip for 150 days (this has now been taken offline). He rejoices if he gets a few hundred hits – but it’s important to build up an audience over time, and if you keep your conviction then the work will find that validity. The comic strips are very basic, with no retouching.

wisdom of caleb worksheetWisdom of Caleb safe squirrelWisdom of Caleb
Cartoons for the Wisdom of Caleb.

Back to basics.
He’s been inspired by Roger Hargreaves to create some very minimal characters. He has also been creating a lino print every week in editions of seven, which provides a grassroots connection with his audience that is direct and democratic. He sells the prints directly and finds there’s an honesty in taking them to the post office himself. He’s aware that he’s “highly involved with filling the world with plastic” and it makes him quite uncomfortable. He likes the simplicity and honesty of making things by hand at home, such as resin figures – and using the web to sell them direct. This kind of work never felt accessible when he was at college.

James Jarvis lino work
Working with lino print.

His greatest hits.
He has sold 10,000 toys over the years and he’s grateful for that because there’s a bond with his audience. He would be stupid not to engage with what people want. But James also concedes admits that he has been massively lucky – tons of people at college were better drawers, and his success has been as much down to circumstance as being clever.

amos_plastic_workshop_london-portrait
James Jarvis hosts the Amos Miniature Plastic Workshop at KK outlet in Hoxton between 6-31 May, 2011.

Pick Me Up runs until Sunday 27th March. A more in depth article about Mokita will follow shortly!

Wisdom of Caleb bare leaves

James Jarvis spoke at Mokita, sales where he was asked to address the role of illustration in commerce. The insights below have been put together from comments he made both in his talk and in the following conversation with others on the panel of Mokita.

James Jarvis Degree Show poster
James Jarvis’ Brighton Degree Show poster.

A character artist.
The baggage of being an illustrator is confusing so he prefers to think of himself as a graphic artist. His job is a journey into self awareness. He recently found his old degree graduation poster and realised that you can see his style developing even then, about it when it was all done by hand. He has become very well known for drawing funny characters in depressing situations but he doesn’t like being seen as a character artist only.

Sole Inspector by James Jarvis
Sole Inspector by James Jarvis.

He knew the route.
James’ mother was an art history tutor and he knew he wanted to be an illustrator from an early age. The plan was to make kids’ books but nobody wanted his work and editorial art directors thought he was too kiddy in style, more about so he was stuck in no mans land. But he was accepted within the skateboarding world, where his work was discovered by the forward thinking art directors at The Face. He was lucky in that his images were companions to the articles, and he didn’t really have to answer any briefs. The magazine was a massively influential shop window that gave him credibility in the mainstream.

Caleb toys by James Jarvis for Amos
Caleb toys by James Jarvis for Amos.

ATP Amos concert poster
An Amos collaboration with ATP music festival.

People just want funny characters.
From working with The Face he became involved with clothing brand Silas, and together they created a toy to publicise the brand. It became an object in its own right and soon after he started Amos, his own toy making company; it doesn’t make him much money but he is involved with lots of other projects as a result: he now makes films, t-shirts and curates music festivals. He wants his characters to be more than just toys, avatars for a more substantial world. Even now though, many years later, advertisers still just want to buy into his associations with Streetwear culture and The Face; everyone wants a potato head character. For instance he’s currently working on something to celebrate the 125th anniversary of Coca-Cola. Only the most enlightened art directors ask for something different and new: most just want something he produced a long time ago so it’s up to him to keep pushing ideas forward.

James Jarvis lino printJames Jarvis lino printJames Jarvis lino printJames Jarvis lino printJames Jarvis lino print
James Jarvis lino prints.

Self publish for sanity.
Making products is a different world to the one of illustration. He started to make ‘plastic illustrations’ from his toys but soon found that he was getting farther and farther away from his unmoderated link to thought. So much intermediate process meant he was at danger of losing his core spirit so to keep sane he now maintains a practice of self published work, which he publishes online. For example he’s been very disciplined, creating The Wisdom of Caleb, a daily cartoon strip for 150 days (this has now been taken offline). He rejoices if he gets a few hundred hits – but it’s important to build up an audience over time, and if you keep your conviction then the work will find that validity. The comic strips are very basic, with no retouching.

wisdom of caleb worksheetWisdom of Caleb safe squirrelWisdom of Caleb
Cartoons for the Wisdom of Caleb.

Back to basics.
He’s been inspired by Roger Hargreaves to create some very minimal characters. He has also been creating a lino print every week in editions of seven, which provides a grassroots connection with his audience that is direct and democratic. He sells the prints directly and finds there’s an honesty in taking them to the post office himself. He’s aware that he’s “highly involved with filling the world with plastic” and it makes him quite uncomfortable. He likes the simplicity and honesty of making things by hand at home, such as resin figures – and using the web to sell them direct. This kind of work never felt accessible when he was at college.

James Jarvis lino work
Working with lino print.

His greatest hits.
He has sold 10,000 toys over the years and he’s grateful for that because there’s a bond with his audience. He would be stupid not to engage with what people want. But James also concedes admits that he has been massively lucky – tons of people at college were better drawers, and his success has been as much down to circumstance as being clever.

amos_plastic_workshop_london-portrait
James Jarvis hosts the Amos Miniature Plastic Workshop at KK outlet in Hoxton between 6-31 May, 2011.

Pick Me Up runs until Sunday 27th March. A more in depth article about Mokita will follow shortly!


Mokita by Catherine Askew.

Mokita was billed as a chance to discuss the role of illustration today and specifically what it means to be an illustrator, more about and how that definition is changing. Compared with fine art the applied art discipline of illustration is indeed under-critiqued, side effects so I was keen to take part in the discussion and hear what others have to say. Convened by illustration lecturers Geoff Grandfield, viagra Roderick Mills and Darryl Clifton, from departments at Kingston University, Brighton University and Camberwell College of the Arts, this was destined to have a highly theoretical flavour. We were presented with a lovingly put together booklet on arrival in the bowels of Somerset House, but then, really, would you expect anything less?! Inside it politely asked that shy audience members should text questions to the panel – a nice touch.

Adrian Shaughnessy by Harriet Fox
Adrian Shaughnessy by Harriet Fox.

Proceedings kicked off with an introduction from Adrian Shaughnessy, who describes himself as a self-taught graphic designer. He co-founded Varoom, writes for numerous publications and is now a visiting professor at the RCA. Mokita is a Papua New Guinean word that means “the truth we do not talk about” and as Adrian said, “the subject never gets discussed, it’s as if illustration has a permanent Mokita moment.” How often do illustrators discuss what they actually do? As Darryl would later state, there are no textbooks on the subject: instead you’re more likely to discover books on how to airbrush, or more recently, how to photoshop. Adrian described how graphic designers can hide behind typefaces, layout and rules, whilst illustrators must reveal themselves, appearing naked from the get-go. Interestingly, all of his recent students at the RCA have chosen to work on projects for social good, an area which he believes is becoming increasingly important. We were assured that this would not be a whinging session, though “most commissioners are mean as hell, blind and defective” – I do hope I don’t fall into this category.

Mokita 2011-booklet

Next up Darryl Clifton raised the idea that commerce is not the only context for illustration – a hypothesis that I would have thought was pretty obvious. But I think that what he was really getting at is that where once illustrators relied on relatively expensive technology nowadays it is now possible to disseminate images cheaply without the aid of large corporations – through zines and online for example. Both he and Geoff were keen to emphasise that the discipline of illustration gives a good visual education for life: an illustrator must learn to construct a rich inner world, interpret ideas, experiment and problem solve: all transferable skills even if there is no obvious job market for a graduating illustrator.

James Jarvis gave an intriguing talk about how he sees himself as an illustrator in the context of the commercial world, which included the intriguing fact that he prefers to call himself a graphic artist because it encompasses a wider range of possibility (witness the subtitle of Pick Me Up) You can read a summary of this talk on this blog.

Roderick Mills by Harriet Fox
Roderick Mills by Harriet Fox.

We then moved onto a debate on ‘self-authorship’ between Roderick Mills and Peepshow illustrator and former Amelia’s Magazine contributor Luke Best. I found Illustrator as Author, new paradigm or death of a discipline? a confusing and circuitous conversation. As Luke rightly pointed out, the illustrator as author is not a new concept. Some people seemed particularly riled by the success of the Four Corners Books, which famously works with fine artists rather than illustrators to re-imagine famous texts, including Vanity Fair (my boyfriend has a copy, it is very beautiful) and Dracula.

mokita1-by-catherine-askew
Mokita by Catherine Askew.

I think the main issue is that illustrators would ideally like to be accorded the same amount of responsibility for interpretation of a story or idea – something which is clearly the case in the Four Corners projects. As a member of the audience pointed out, the best thing would be if a dual voice spoke to the reader: an eloquent marriage of equal weight – as is afforded the soundtrack for the movie Taxi Driver.

Vanity Fair published by Four Corners. Illustrations by Donald Urquhart
Vanity Fair published by Four Corners. Illustrations by Donald Urquhart.

Adrian told us that American illustrator Brad Holland was famously asked to illustrate for Playboy, which not only offers an amazing shop window but pays well too – yet he refused to do so unless he had the same brief to work from as the author. Periodically we returned to the theme of illustrator as mediator for ideas about social engagement: and it was pointed out that this has a long long history.

Norman Rockwell - Christmas Homecoming, 1948
Norman Rockwell – Christmas Homecoming, 1948.

Geoff Grandfield then led us on a whistlestop tour of the Theory of Illustration, which was a potted history of its use across the years, from the Egyptian Book of the Dead, via illuminated manuscripts, William Blake’s Line of Beauty and on to the propaganda images of Norman Rockwell. Throughout time the role of illustration has been to act as a visual memory, inform us of abstract ideas and critique personal, social and political relationships across language boundaries. Illustration has an especially important role in the development of children, for whom characters are invented to communicate all sorts of ideas.

Roald_Dahl_Day_Children
Children by Quentin Blake.

In a perfect world there is a symbiotic relationship between author and image maker – just think of Roald Dahl and Quentin Blake – its often hard to separate their visions. The most recent incarnation of illustration rose in popularity alongside the rise of print media from the 1950s onwards. There followed a discussion with Sam Arthur, one of the founding members of Nobrow Press, who was drafted in to replace Simone Lia at the last moment. You can read about this conversation in my separate blog.

Mokita by Catherine Askew
Mokita by Catherine Askew.

We finished off the day with a panel discussion: Do we need a theory of illustration? Again, a bit of a confusing title given that we’d just had a potted guide. For this all six men sat in a row at the front of the room, with Adrian adjudicating from the side. It was postulated that illustration needs a structure to become a transformational experience that will allow illustrators to engage with ideas outside themselves. I think that’s over-complicating the matter – most illustrators work intuitively and that’s the very beauty of their drawings – as Darryl said, the very diffuseness of the topic may be a benefit, allowing the idea of what illustration is to remain malleable.

Mokita 2011-James Jarvis
One of the more minimal pieces by James Jarvis.

After an audience member introduced himself as happy to say he was an illustrator James Jarvis conceded that he might actually be happy to call himself an illustrator again too. “The trouble is that you feel like you are at the bottom of the pile as an illustrator… but it’s not important what I call myself anyway, I change my ideas all the time.” It was mentioned that often an illustration degree is the last place to teach really good drawing skills, but Geoff and Darryl feel that the subject still needs greater structural depth. I think maybe there’s a book that needs to be written, and who better to work on it than these two? Sam counteracted that it shouldn’t really be necessary to know where it comes from… “shouldn’t the work do the talking?” which I have to say is my opinion too. No amount of theoretical framework is going to ensure a good illustration alone, though it may well be helpful in an illustrator understanding their place and method of working within a historical context.

Mokita 2011-sketching

In the past five years the popularity of illustration has grown exponentially, mainly because of the huge amount of self-initiated work now available online – something which worries Roderick Mills. He feels that illustrators should be careful how they represent themselves, self-editing way more before posting work online. Because illustrators are always evolving, even when they graduate, they should ensure there is enough time for self-reflection or we run the risk of being “paralysed by vacuous images with which we have no attachment.” Yes, by all means be careful what you represent in a proper online portfolio and in mailouts but this isn’t an opinion I agree with – I think it’s brilliant that illustrators put their work online, especially on blogs, where it’s possible to see the development of their work over time, a very exciting thing to watch.

Mokita by Catherine Askew
Mokita by Catherine Askew.

As the symposium drew to a close Geofrey Zeel asked why there were no women on the panel. Then, to my absolute delight, two other women commented, saying “maybe because we’re not at the pub with you?” and “it feels like a boys’ club” – both phrases that I had been thinking myself (Geoff admitted that Mokita came about via conversations in the pub) and intended to write in this piece. To disbelieving gasps from the audience Roderick stated that “maybe it’s the male ego, more outward going”. Geoff assured everyone that he had tried his hardest to get more females on the board. This isn’t strictly true – I volunteered to take part but when Simone Lia dropped out they asked Nobrow to join the panel. I love Nobrow’s work but given the lack of women and the fact that most of my work is based on the power of illustration to inspire social change I think that was a pretty weird decision. I do think it’s shocking that more was not done to address what was a totally male representation of a subject that is made up of more than 50% female practitioners.

Mokita by Paper Peggy
Mokita by Paper Peggy.

The first Mokita symposium was an interesting starting place but I feel it could be so much more: the audience was predominantly students (all busily sketching away) and lecturers, and it would have been nice to feel that practitioners too were present and welcome as well as other interested parties, and that more discussions could have been had in smaller groups, especially when it came to some of the more nebulous topics that went around in circles – to which surely the audience (whom were mostly silent apart from a vocal few) would have been able to contribute just as much as those up front.

I also felt that hardly anything was done to address the rise of illustration on the internet – perhaps because some of those running the conference have very narrow profiles online and don’t engage with it much themselves. Here’s hoping that the next Mokita will be bigger, more interactive, more ambitious and open in its scope…. and led in tandem with some inspiring women from the field.

Mokita 2011-Valerie Perezon
Valerie Perezon.

You can read another blog about this event here: by former Amelia’s Magazine art editor Valerie Perezon, who like me was perturbed by the lack of females present.

You can read my review of Pick Me Up here, it’s open until Sunday 27th March.

Categories ,Adrian Shaughnessy, ,Book of the Dead, ,Brad Holland, ,Brighton University, ,Camberwell College of the Arts, ,Catherine Askew, ,Darryl Clifton, ,Donald Urquhart, ,Dracula, ,Four Corners, ,Four Corners Books, ,Geoff Grandfield, ,Geofrey Zeel, ,Harriet Fox, ,illustration, ,James Jarvis, ,Kingston University, ,Line of Beauty, ,Luke Best, ,Mokita, ,Nobrow Press, ,Norman Rockwell, ,Paper Peggy, ,Papua New Guinea, ,Peepshow, ,Pick Me Up, ,Playboy, ,Quentin Blake, ,rca, ,Roald Dahl, ,Roderick Mills, ,Sam Arthur, ,Simone Lia, ,Symposium. Somerset House, ,Taxi, ,Theory, ,Valerie Perezon, ,Valoche Designs, ,Vanity Fair, ,Varoom, ,William Blake, ,Zeel

Similar Posts:






Amelia’s Magazine | Pick Me Up Contemporary Graphic Art Fair 2011: Mokita Symposium

amos_plastic_workshop_london-portrait
Wisdom of Caleb bare leaves

James Jarvis spoke at Mokita, approved where he was asked to address the role of illustration in commerce. The insights below have been put together from comments he made both in his talk and in the following conversation with others on the panel of Mokita.

James Jarvis Degree Show poster
James Jarvis’ Brighton Degree Show poster.

A character artist.
The baggage of being an illustrator is confusing so he prefers to think of himself as a graphic artist. It’s a journey into self awareness. He recently found his old degree graduation poster and realised that you can see his style developing even then, information pills when it was all done by hand. He has become very well known for drawing funny characters in depressing situations but he doesn’t like being seen as a character artist only.

Sole Inspector by James Jarvis
Sole Inspector by James Jarvis.

He knew the route.
James’ mother was an art history tutor and he knew he wanted to be an illustrator from an early age. The plan was to make kids books but nobody wanted his work and editorial art directors thought he was too kiddy in style, so he was stuck in no mans land. But he was accepted within the skateboarding world, where his work was discovered by the forward thinking art directors at The Face. He was lucky in that his images were companions to the articles, and he didn’t really have to answer any briefs. The magazine was a massively influential shop window that gave him credibility in the mainstream.

Caleb toys by James Jarvis for Amos
Caleb toys by James Jarvis for Amos.

ATP Amos concert poster
An Amos collaboration with ATP music festival.

People just want funny characters.
From working with The Face he became involved with clothing brand Silas, and together they created a toy to publicise the brand. It became an object in its own right and soon after he started Amos, his own toy making company; it doesn’t make him much money but he is involved with lots of other projects as a result: he now makes films, t-shirts and curates music festivals. He wants his characters to be more than just toys, avatars for a more substantial world. Even now though, many years later, advertisers still just want to buy into his associations with Streetwear culture and The Face; everyone wants a potato head character. For instance he’s currently working on something to celebrate the 125th anniversary of Coca-Cola. Only the most enlightened art directors ask for something different and new: most just want something he produced a long time ago so it’s up to him to keep pushing ideas forward.

James Jarvis lino printJames Jarvis lino printJames Jarvis lino printJames Jarvis lino printJames Jarvis lino print
James Jarvis lino prints.

Self publish for sanity.
Making products is a different world to the one of illustration. He started to make ‘plastic illustrations’ from his toys but soon found that he was getting farther and farther away from his unmoderated link to thought. So much intermediate process meant he was at danger of losing his core spirit. To keep sane he now maintains a practice of self published work, which he publishes online. For example he’s been very disciplined, creating The Wisdom of Caleb, a daily cartoon strip for 150 days (this has now been taken offline). He rejoices if he gets a few hundred hits – but it’s important to build up an audience over time, and if you keep your conviction then the work will find that validity. The comic strips are very basic, with no retouching.

James Jarvis lino work
Working with lino print.

Back to basics.
He’s been inspired by Roger Hargreaves to create some very minimal characters. He has also been creating a lino print every week in editions of seven, which provides a grassroots connection with his audience that is direct and democratic. He sells the prints directly and finds there’s an honesty in taking them to the post office himself.
He’s aware that he’s “highly involved with filling the world with plastic” and it makes him quite uncomfortable. He likes the simplicity and honesty of making things by hand at home, such as resin figures – and using the web to sell them direct. This kind of work never felt accessible when he was at college.

wisdom of caleb worksheetWisdom of Caleb safe squirrelWisdom of Caleb
Cartoons for the Wisdom of Caleb.

His greatest hits.
He has sold 10,000 toys over the years and he’s grateful for that because there’s a bond with his audience. He would be stupid not to engage with what people want. But James also concedes admits that he has been massively lucky – tons of people at college were better drawers, and his success has been as much down to circumstance as being clever.

James Jarvis hosts the Amos Miniature Plastic Workshop at KK outlet in Hoxton between 6-31 May, 2011.

Wisdom of Caleb bare leaves

James Jarvis spoke at Mokita, page where he was asked to address the role of illustration in commerce. The insights below have been put together from comments he made both in his talk and in the following conversation with others on the panel of Mokita.

James Jarvis Degree Show poster
James Jarvis’ Brighton Degree Show poster.

A character artist.
The baggage of being an illustrator is confusing so he prefers to think of himself as a graphic artist. It’s a journey into self awareness. He recently found his old degree graduation poster and realised that you can see his style developing even then, web when it was all done by hand. He has become very well known for drawing funny characters in depressing situations but he doesn’t like being seen as a character artist only.

Sole Inspector by James Jarvis
Sole Inspector by James Jarvis.

He knew the route.
James’ mother was an art history tutor and he knew he wanted to be an illustrator from an early age. The plan was to make kids books but nobody wanted his work and editorial art directors thought he was too kiddy in style, so he was stuck in no mans land. But he was accepted within the skateboarding world, where his work was discovered by the forward thinking art directors at The Face. He was lucky in that his images were companions to the articles, and he didn’t really have to answer any briefs. The magazine was a massively influential shop window that gave him credibility in the mainstream.

Caleb toys by James Jarvis for Amos
Caleb toys by James Jarvis for Amos.

ATP Amos concert poster
An Amos collaboration with ATP music festival.

People just want funny characters.
From working with The Face he became involved with clothing brand Silas, and together they created a toy to publicise the brand. It became an object in its own right and soon after he started Amos, his own toy making company; it doesn’t make him much money but he is involved with lots of other projects as a result: he now makes films, t-shirts and curates music festivals. He wants his characters to be more than just toys, avatars for a more substantial world. Even now though, many years later, advertisers still just want to buy into his associations with Streetwear culture and The Face; everyone wants a potato head character. For instance he’s currently working on something to celebrate the 125th anniversary of Coca-Cola. Only the most enlightened art directors ask for something different and new: most just want something he produced a long time ago so it’s up to him to keep pushing ideas forward.

James Jarvis lino printJames Jarvis lino printJames Jarvis lino printJames Jarvis lino printJames Jarvis lino print
James Jarvis lino prints.

Self publish for sanity.
Making products is a different world to the one of illustration. He started to make ‘plastic illustrations’ from his toys but soon found that he was getting farther and farther away from his unmoderated link to thought. So much intermediate process meant he was at danger of losing his core spirit. To keep sane he now maintains a practice of self published work, which he publishes online. For example he’s been very disciplined, creating The Wisdom of Caleb, a daily cartoon strip for 150 days (this has now been taken offline). He rejoices if he gets a few hundred hits – but it’s important to build up an audience over time, and if you keep your conviction then the work will find that validity. The comic strips are very basic, with no retouching.

wisdom of caleb worksheetWisdom of Caleb safe squirrelWisdom of Caleb
Cartoons for the Wisdom of Caleb.

Back to basics.
He’s been inspired by Roger Hargreaves to create some very minimal characters. He has also been creating a lino print every week in editions of seven, which provides a grassroots connection with his audience that is direct and democratic. He sells the prints directly and finds there’s an honesty in taking them to the post office himself. He’s aware that he’s “highly involved with filling the world with plastic” and it makes him quite uncomfortable. He likes the simplicity and honesty of making things by hand at home, such as resin figures – and using the web to sell them direct. This kind of work never felt accessible when he was at college.

James Jarvis lino work
Working with lino print.

His greatest hits.
He has sold 10,000 toys over the years and he’s grateful for that because there’s a bond with his audience. He would be stupid not to engage with what people want. But James also concedes admits that he has been massively lucky – tons of people at college were better drawers, and his success has been as much down to circumstance as being clever.

amos_plastic_workshop_london-portrait
James Jarvis hosts the Amos Miniature Plastic Workshop at KK outlet in Hoxton between 6-31 May, 2011.

Pick Me Up runs until Sunday 27th March.

Wisdom of Caleb bare leaves

James Jarvis spoke at Mokita, decease where he was asked to address the role of illustration in commerce. The insights below have been put together from comments he made both in his talk and in the following conversation with others on the panel of Mokita.

James Jarvis Degree Show poster
James Jarvis’ Brighton Degree Show poster.

A character artist.
The baggage of being an illustrator is confusing so he prefers to think of himself as a graphic artist. His job is a journey into self awareness. He recently found his old degree graduation poster and realised that you can see his style developing even then, when it was all done by hand. He has become very well known for drawing funny characters in depressing situations but he doesn’t like being seen as a character artist only.

Sole Inspector by James Jarvis
Sole Inspector by James Jarvis.

He knew the route.
James’ mother was an art history tutor and he knew he wanted to be an illustrator from an early age. The plan was to make kids’ books but nobody wanted his work and editorial art directors thought he was too kiddy in style, so he was stuck in no mans land. But he was accepted within the skateboarding world, where his work was discovered by the forward thinking art directors at The Face. He was lucky in that his images were companions to the articles, and he didn’t really have to answer any briefs. The magazine was a massively influential shop window that gave him credibility in the mainstream.

Caleb toys by James Jarvis for Amos
Caleb toys by James Jarvis for Amos.

ATP Amos concert poster
An Amos collaboration with ATP music festival.

People just want funny characters.
From working with The Face he became involved with clothing brand Silas, and together they created a toy to publicise the brand. It became an object in its own right and soon after he started Amos, his own toy making company; it doesn’t make him much money but he is involved with lots of other projects as a result: he now makes films, t-shirts and curates music festivals. He wants his characters to be more than just toys, avatars for a more substantial world. Even now though, many years later, advertisers still just want to buy into his associations with Streetwear culture and The Face; everyone wants a potato head character. For instance he’s currently working on something to celebrate the 125th anniversary of Coca-Cola. Only the most enlightened art directors ask for something different and new: most just want something he produced a long time ago so it’s up to him to keep pushing ideas forward.

James Jarvis lino printJames Jarvis lino printJames Jarvis lino printJames Jarvis lino printJames Jarvis lino print
James Jarvis lino prints.

Self publish for sanity.
Making products is a different world to the one of illustration. He started to make ‘plastic illustrations’ from his toys but soon found that he was getting farther and farther away from his unmoderated link to thought. So much intermediate process meant he was at danger of losing his core spirit. To keep sane he now maintains a practice of self published work, which he publishes online. For example he’s been very disciplined, creating The Wisdom of Caleb, a daily cartoon strip for 150 days (this has now been taken offline). He rejoices if he gets a few hundred hits – but it’s important to build up an audience over time, and if you keep your conviction then the work will find that validity. The comic strips are very basic, with no retouching.

wisdom of caleb worksheetWisdom of Caleb safe squirrelWisdom of Caleb
Cartoons for the Wisdom of Caleb.

Back to basics.
He’s been inspired by Roger Hargreaves to create some very minimal characters. He has also been creating a lino print every week in editions of seven, which provides a grassroots connection with his audience that is direct and democratic. He sells the prints directly and finds there’s an honesty in taking them to the post office himself. He’s aware that he’s “highly involved with filling the world with plastic” and it makes him quite uncomfortable. He likes the simplicity and honesty of making things by hand at home, such as resin figures – and using the web to sell them direct. This kind of work never felt accessible when he was at college.

James Jarvis lino work
Working with lino print.

His greatest hits.
He has sold 10,000 toys over the years and he’s grateful for that because there’s a bond with his audience. He would be stupid not to engage with what people want. But James also concedes admits that he has been massively lucky – tons of people at college were better drawers, and his success has been as much down to circumstance as being clever.

amos_plastic_workshop_london-portrait
James Jarvis hosts the Amos Miniature Plastic Workshop at KK outlet in Hoxton between 6-31 May, 2011.

Pick Me Up runs until Sunday 27th March.

Wisdom of Caleb bare leaves

James Jarvis spoke at Mokita, illness where he was asked to address the role of illustration in commerce. The insights below have been put together from comments he made both in his talk and in the following conversation with others on the panel of Mokita.

James Jarvis Degree Show poster
James Jarvis’ Brighton Degree Show poster.

A character artist.
The baggage of being an illustrator is confusing so he prefers to think of himself as a graphic artist. His job is a journey into self awareness. He recently found his old degree graduation poster and realised that you can see his style developing even then, website when it was all done by hand. He has become very well known for drawing funny characters in depressing situations but he doesn’t like being seen as a character artist only.

Sole Inspector by James Jarvis
Sole Inspector by James Jarvis.

He knew the route.
James’ mother was an art history tutor and he knew he wanted to be an illustrator from an early age. The plan was to make kids’ books but nobody wanted his work and editorial art directors thought he was too kiddy in style, so he was stuck in no mans land. But he was accepted within the skateboarding world, where his work was discovered by the forward thinking art directors at The Face. He was lucky in that his images were companions to the articles, and he didn’t really have to answer any briefs. The magazine was a massively influential shop window that gave him credibility in the mainstream.

Caleb toys by James Jarvis for Amos
Caleb toys by James Jarvis for Amos.

ATP Amos concert poster
An Amos collaboration with ATP music festival.

People just want funny characters.
From working with The Face he became involved with clothing brand Silas, and together they created a toy to publicise the brand. It became an object in its own right and soon after he started Amos, his own toy making company; it doesn’t make him much money but he is involved with lots of other projects as a result: he now makes films, t-shirts and curates music festivals. He wants his characters to be more than just toys, avatars for a more substantial world. Even now though, many years later, advertisers still just want to buy into his associations with Streetwear culture and The Face; everyone wants a potato head character. For instance he’s currently working on something to celebrate the 125th anniversary of Coca-Cola. Only the most enlightened art directors ask for something different and new: most just want something he produced a long time ago so it’s up to him to keep pushing ideas forward.

James Jarvis lino printJames Jarvis lino printJames Jarvis lino printJames Jarvis lino printJames Jarvis lino print
James Jarvis lino prints.

Self publish for sanity.
Making products is a different world to the one of illustration. He started to make ‘plastic illustrations’ from his toys but soon found that he was getting farther and farther away from his unmoderated link to thought. So much intermediate process meant he was at danger of losing his core spirit so to keep sane he now maintains a practice of self published work, which he publishes online. For example he’s been very disciplined, creating The Wisdom of Caleb, a daily cartoon strip for 150 days (this has now been taken offline). He rejoices if he gets a few hundred hits – but it’s important to build up an audience over time, and if you keep your conviction then the work will find that validity. The comic strips are very basic, with no retouching.

wisdom of caleb worksheetWisdom of Caleb safe squirrelWisdom of Caleb
Cartoons for the Wisdom of Caleb.

Back to basics.
He’s been inspired by Roger Hargreaves to create some very minimal characters. He has also been creating a lino print every week in editions of seven, which provides a grassroots connection with his audience that is direct and democratic. He sells the prints directly and finds there’s an honesty in taking them to the post office himself. He’s aware that he’s “highly involved with filling the world with plastic” and it makes him quite uncomfortable. He likes the simplicity and honesty of making things by hand at home, such as resin figures – and using the web to sell them direct. This kind of work never felt accessible when he was at college.

James Jarvis lino work
Working with lino print.

His greatest hits.
He has sold 10,000 toys over the years and he’s grateful for that because there’s a bond with his audience. He would be stupid not to engage with what people want. But James also concedes admits that he has been massively lucky – tons of people at college were better drawers, and his success has been as much down to circumstance as being clever.

amos_plastic_workshop_london-portrait
James Jarvis hosts the Amos Miniature Plastic Workshop at KK outlet in Hoxton between 6-31 May, 2011.

Pick Me Up runs until Sunday 27th March. A more in depth article about Mokita will follow shortly!

Wisdom of Caleb bare leaves

James Jarvis spoke at Mokita, sales where he was asked to address the role of illustration in commerce. The insights below have been put together from comments he made both in his talk and in the following conversation with others on the panel of Mokita.

James Jarvis Degree Show poster
James Jarvis’ Brighton Degree Show poster.

A character artist.
The baggage of being an illustrator is confusing so he prefers to think of himself as a graphic artist. His job is a journey into self awareness. He recently found his old degree graduation poster and realised that you can see his style developing even then, about it when it was all done by hand. He has become very well known for drawing funny characters in depressing situations but he doesn’t like being seen as a character artist only.

Sole Inspector by James Jarvis
Sole Inspector by James Jarvis.

He knew the route.
James’ mother was an art history tutor and he knew he wanted to be an illustrator from an early age. The plan was to make kids’ books but nobody wanted his work and editorial art directors thought he was too kiddy in style, more about so he was stuck in no mans land. But he was accepted within the skateboarding world, where his work was discovered by the forward thinking art directors at The Face. He was lucky in that his images were companions to the articles, and he didn’t really have to answer any briefs. The magazine was a massively influential shop window that gave him credibility in the mainstream.

Caleb toys by James Jarvis for Amos
Caleb toys by James Jarvis for Amos.

ATP Amos concert poster
An Amos collaboration with ATP music festival.

People just want funny characters.
From working with The Face he became involved with clothing brand Silas, and together they created a toy to publicise the brand. It became an object in its own right and soon after he started Amos, his own toy making company; it doesn’t make him much money but he is involved with lots of other projects as a result: he now makes films, t-shirts and curates music festivals. He wants his characters to be more than just toys, avatars for a more substantial world. Even now though, many years later, advertisers still just want to buy into his associations with Streetwear culture and The Face; everyone wants a potato head character. For instance he’s currently working on something to celebrate the 125th anniversary of Coca-Cola. Only the most enlightened art directors ask for something different and new: most just want something he produced a long time ago so it’s up to him to keep pushing ideas forward.

James Jarvis lino printJames Jarvis lino printJames Jarvis lino printJames Jarvis lino printJames Jarvis lino print
James Jarvis lino prints.

Self publish for sanity.
Making products is a different world to the one of illustration. He started to make ‘plastic illustrations’ from his toys but soon found that he was getting farther and farther away from his unmoderated link to thought. So much intermediate process meant he was at danger of losing his core spirit so to keep sane he now maintains a practice of self published work, which he publishes online. For example he’s been very disciplined, creating The Wisdom of Caleb, a daily cartoon strip for 150 days (this has now been taken offline). He rejoices if he gets a few hundred hits – but it’s important to build up an audience over time, and if you keep your conviction then the work will find that validity. The comic strips are very basic, with no retouching.

wisdom of caleb worksheetWisdom of Caleb safe squirrelWisdom of Caleb
Cartoons for the Wisdom of Caleb.

Back to basics.
He’s been inspired by Roger Hargreaves to create some very minimal characters. He has also been creating a lino print every week in editions of seven, which provides a grassroots connection with his audience that is direct and democratic. He sells the prints directly and finds there’s an honesty in taking them to the post office himself. He’s aware that he’s “highly involved with filling the world with plastic” and it makes him quite uncomfortable. He likes the simplicity and honesty of making things by hand at home, such as resin figures – and using the web to sell them direct. This kind of work never felt accessible when he was at college.

James Jarvis lino work
Working with lino print.

His greatest hits.
He has sold 10,000 toys over the years and he’s grateful for that because there’s a bond with his audience. He would be stupid not to engage with what people want. But James also concedes admits that he has been massively lucky – tons of people at college were better drawers, and his success has been as much down to circumstance as being clever.

amos_plastic_workshop_london-portrait
James Jarvis hosts the Amos Miniature Plastic Workshop at KK outlet in Hoxton between 6-31 May, 2011.

Pick Me Up runs until Sunday 27th March. A more in depth article about Mokita will follow shortly!


Mokita by Catherine Askew.

Mokita was billed as a chance to discuss the role of illustration today and specifically what it means to be an illustrator, more about and how that definition is changing. Compared with fine art the applied art discipline of illustration is indeed under-critiqued, side effects so I was keen to take part in the discussion and hear what others have to say. Convened by illustration lecturers Geoff Grandfield, viagra Roderick Mills and Darryl Clifton, from departments at Kingston University, Brighton University and Camberwell College of the Arts, this was destined to have a highly theoretical flavour. We were presented with a lovingly put together booklet on arrival in the bowels of Somerset House, but then, really, would you expect anything less?! Inside it politely asked that shy audience members should text questions to the panel – a nice touch.

Adrian Shaughnessy by Harriet Fox
Adrian Shaughnessy by Harriet Fox.

Proceedings kicked off with an introduction from Adrian Shaughnessy, who describes himself as a self-taught graphic designer. He co-founded Varoom, writes for numerous publications and is now a visiting professor at the RCA. Mokita is a Papua New Guinean word that means “the truth we do not talk about” and as Adrian said, “the subject never gets discussed, it’s as if illustration has a permanent Mokita moment.” How often do illustrators discuss what they actually do? As Darryl would later state, there are no textbooks on the subject: instead you’re more likely to discover books on how to airbrush, or more recently, how to photoshop. Adrian described how graphic designers can hide behind typefaces, layout and rules, whilst illustrators must reveal themselves, appearing naked from the get-go. Interestingly, all of his recent students at the RCA have chosen to work on projects for social good, an area which he believes is becoming increasingly important. We were assured that this would not be a whinging session, though “most commissioners are mean as hell, blind and defective” – I do hope I don’t fall into this category.

Mokita 2011-booklet

Next up Darryl Clifton raised the idea that commerce is not the only context for illustration – a hypothesis that I would have thought was pretty obvious. But I think that what he was really getting at is that where once illustrators relied on relatively expensive technology nowadays it is now possible to disseminate images cheaply without the aid of large corporations – through zines and online for example. Both he and Geoff were keen to emphasise that the discipline of illustration gives a good visual education for life: an illustrator must learn to construct a rich inner world, interpret ideas, experiment and problem solve: all transferable skills even if there is no obvious job market for a graduating illustrator.

James Jarvis gave an intriguing talk about how he sees himself as an illustrator in the context of the commercial world, which included the intriguing fact that he prefers to call himself a graphic artist because it encompasses a wider range of possibility (witness the subtitle of Pick Me Up) You can read a summary of this talk on this blog.

Roderick Mills by Harriet Fox
Roderick Mills by Harriet Fox.

We then moved onto a debate on ‘self-authorship’ between Roderick Mills and Peepshow illustrator and former Amelia’s Magazine contributor Luke Best. I found Illustrator as Author, new paradigm or death of a discipline? a confusing and circuitous conversation. As Luke rightly pointed out, the illustrator as author is not a new concept. Some people seemed particularly riled by the success of the Four Corners Books, which famously works with fine artists rather than illustrators to re-imagine famous texts, including Vanity Fair (my boyfriend has a copy, it is very beautiful) and Dracula.

mokita1-by-catherine-askew
Mokita by Catherine Askew.

I think the main issue is that illustrators would ideally like to be accorded the same amount of responsibility for interpretation of a story or idea – something which is clearly the case in the Four Corners projects. As a member of the audience pointed out, the best thing would be if a dual voice spoke to the reader: an eloquent marriage of equal weight – as is afforded the soundtrack for the movie Taxi Driver.

Vanity Fair published by Four Corners. Illustrations by Donald Urquhart
Vanity Fair published by Four Corners. Illustrations by Donald Urquhart.

Adrian told us that American illustrator Brad Holland was famously asked to illustrate for Playboy, which not only offers an amazing shop window but pays well too – yet he refused to do so unless he had the same brief to work from as the author. Periodically we returned to the theme of illustrator as mediator for ideas about social engagement: and it was pointed out that this has a long long history.

Norman Rockwell - Christmas Homecoming, 1948
Norman Rockwell – Christmas Homecoming, 1948.

Geoff Grandfield then led us on a whistlestop tour of the Theory of Illustration, which was a potted history of its use across the years, from the Egyptian Book of the Dead, via illuminated manuscripts, William Blake’s Line of Beauty and on to the propaganda images of Norman Rockwell. Throughout time the role of illustration has been to act as a visual memory, inform us of abstract ideas and critique personal, social and political relationships across language boundaries. Illustration has an especially important role in the development of children, for whom characters are invented to communicate all sorts of ideas.

Roald_Dahl_Day_Children
Children by Quentin Blake.

In a perfect world there is a symbiotic relationship between author and image maker – just think of Roald Dahl and Quentin Blake – its often hard to separate their visions. The most recent incarnation of illustration rose in popularity alongside the rise of print media from the 1950s onwards. There followed a discussion with Sam Arthur, one of the founding members of Nobrow Press, who was drafted in to replace Simone Lia at the last moment. You can read about this conversation in my separate blog.

Mokita by Catherine Askew
Mokita by Catherine Askew.

We finished off the day with a panel discussion: Do we need a theory of illustration? Again, a bit of a confusing title given that we’d just had a potted guide. For this all six men sat in a row at the front of the room, with Adrian adjudicating from the side. It was postulated that illustration needs a structure to become a transformational experience that will allow illustrators to engage with ideas outside themselves. I think that’s over-complicating the matter – most illustrators work intuitively and that’s the very beauty of their drawings – as Darryl said, the very diffuseness of the topic may be a benefit, allowing the idea of what illustration is to remain malleable.

Mokita 2011-James Jarvis
One of the more minimal pieces by James Jarvis.

After an audience member introduced himself as happy to say he was an illustrator James Jarvis conceded that he might actually be happy to call himself an illustrator again too. “The trouble is that you feel like you are at the bottom of the pile as an illustrator… but it’s not important what I call myself anyway, I change my ideas all the time.” It was mentioned that often an illustration degree is the last place to teach really good drawing skills, but Geoff and Darryl feel that the subject still needs greater structural depth. I think maybe there’s a book that needs to be written, and who better to work on it than these two? Sam counteracted that it shouldn’t really be necessary to know where it comes from… “shouldn’t the work do the talking?” which I have to say is my opinion too. No amount of theoretical framework is going to ensure a good illustration alone, though it may well be helpful in an illustrator understanding their place and method of working within a historical context.

Mokita 2011-sketching

In the past five years the popularity of illustration has grown exponentially, mainly because of the huge amount of self-initiated work now available online – something which worries Roderick Mills. He feels that illustrators should be careful how they represent themselves, self-editing way more before posting work online. Because illustrators are always evolving, even when they graduate, they should ensure there is enough time for self-reflection or we run the risk of being “paralysed by vacuous images with which we have no attachment.” Yes, by all means be careful what you represent in a proper online portfolio and in mailouts but this isn’t an opinion I agree with – I think it’s brilliant that illustrators put their work online, especially on blogs, where it’s possible to see the development of their work over time, a very exciting thing to watch.

Mokita by Catherine Askew
Mokita by Catherine Askew.

As the symposium drew to a close Geofrey Zeel asked why there were no women on the panel. Then, to my absolute delight, two other women commented, saying “maybe because we’re not at the pub with you?” and “it feels like a boys’ club” – both phrases that I had been thinking myself (Geoff admitted that Mokita came about via conversations in the pub) and intended to write in this piece. To disbelieving gasps from the audience Roderick stated that “maybe it’s the male ego, more outward going”. Geoff assured everyone that he had tried his hardest to get more females on the board. This isn’t strictly true – I volunteered to take part but when Simone Lia dropped out they asked Nobrow to join the panel. I love Nobrow’s work but given the lack of women and the fact that most of my work is based on the power of illustration to inspire social change I think that was a pretty weird decision. I do think it’s shocking that more was not done to address what was a totally male representation of a subject that is made up of more than 50% female practitioners.

Mokita by Paper Peggy
Mokita by Paper Peggy.

The first Mokita symposium was an interesting starting place but I feel it could be so much more: the audience was predominantly students (all busily sketching away) and lecturers, and it would have been nice to feel that practitioners too were present and welcome as well as other interested parties, and that more discussions could have been had in smaller groups, especially when it came to some of the more nebulous topics that went around in circles – to which surely the audience (whom were mostly silent apart from a vocal few) would have been able to contribute just as much as those up front.

I also felt that hardly anything was done to address the rise of illustration on the internet – perhaps because some of those running the conference have very narrow profiles online and don’t engage with it much themselves. Here’s hoping that the next Mokita will be bigger, more interactive, more ambitious and open in its scope…. and led in tandem with some inspiring women from the field.

Mokita 2011-Valerie Perezon
Valerie Perezon.

You can read another blog about this event here: by former Amelia’s Magazine art editor Valerie Perezon, who like me was perturbed by the lack of females present.

You can read my review of Pick Me Up here, it’s open until Sunday 27th March.

Categories ,Adrian Shaughnessy, ,Book of the Dead, ,Brad Holland, ,Brighton University, ,Camberwell College of the Arts, ,Catherine Askew, ,Darryl Clifton, ,Donald Urquhart, ,Dracula, ,Four Corners, ,Four Corners Books, ,Geoff Grandfield, ,Geofrey Zeel, ,Harriet Fox, ,illustration, ,James Jarvis, ,Kingston University, ,Line of Beauty, ,Luke Best, ,Mokita, ,Nobrow Press, ,Norman Rockwell, ,Paper Peggy, ,Papua New Guinea, ,Peepshow, ,Pick Me Up, ,Playboy, ,Quentin Blake, ,rca, ,Roald Dahl, ,Roderick Mills, ,Sam Arthur, ,Simone Lia, ,Symposium. Somerset House, ,Taxi, ,Theory, ,Valerie Perezon, ,Valoche Designs, ,Vanity Fair, ,Varoom, ,William Blake, ,Zeel

Similar Posts:






Amelia’s Magazine | Exhibition Review: A World of Glass – Nathalie Djurberg and Hans Berg at Camden Arts Centre

Nathalie Djurberg A World of Glass - Andy Peake
Photography by Andy Keate.

The Nathalie Djurberg exhibition at the Camden Arts Centre greets you with a rainbow-like ceiling installation, before plunging you into an altogether darker space.

Nathalie Djurberg A World of Glass Andy Peake
In the middle of the first room, three large tables are lit, displaying hundreds of glasslike objects – vessels, urns, vases and household cutlery. Djurberg has said she wanted to create a shipwreck effect, but another way of describing the translucent odds and ends collection is that it’s like stumbling upon the Snow Queen’s dining room. It was tempting to reach out and touch the objects, painstakingly produced from manmade materials, but I held back, convinced they might break.

Nathalie Djurberg A World of Glass Andy Peake
Nathalie Djurberg a World of Glass Andy Peake
Photography by Andy Keate.

At either end of the room two different films are projected, displaying images of creatures from fairytales and myths: bulls, elks, foxes and horses. These animals are in fact puppets moulded from clay, and the attention to detail Nathalie Djurberg has paid in terms of their movements, textured fur and colour means that they are compelling to watch. In one film, a horse brays over a naked woman and in another, a woman is licked by what looks like an ox, melting, speaking and interacting with the animal at the same time.

Nathalie Djurberg A World of Glass Zach Feuer Gallery New York Gio Marconi Milan
Nathalie Djurberg A World of Glass Zach Feuer Gallery New York Galleria Gio Marconi Milan Collection of Hadle
Nathalie Djurberg A World of Glass Zach Feuer Gallery New York Galleria Gio Marconi  Milan Collection
Images directly above and following courtesy of Zach Feuer Gallery New York, Galleria Gio Marconi Milan.

Both films are primal, with much gnashing of jaws, reminding me of Roald Dahl’s book Dirty Beasts. Limbs are lost and subconscious desires considered, but there are no firm morals or outcomes. Rather, this is an exploration about what it might be like to be trapped in a parallel universe made of glass.

Nathalie Djurberg A World of Glass Zach Feuer Gallery New York Galleria Gio Marconi Milan Collection
Nathalie Djurberg A World of Glass
But these are only the visual aspects. In the background, Hans Berg’s soundtrack starts with a gentle electronic pulse which builds throughout the duration of the five-minute-long films. The percussive soundscape is interspersed with glass taps and smashes, holding the installation together in a perfect balance. At the main entrance to the Camden Arts Centre, you can watch a recorded interview between Djurberg and Berg. It supports what is made clear in this exhibition –that this is a magnificent partnership between two artists who truly understand and complement one another’s work.

Nathalie Djurberg A World of Glass Zach Feuer Gallery New York Galleria Gio Marconi Milan Collection
Nathalie Djurberg A World of Glass Zach Feuer Gallery New York Galleria Gio Marconi Milan Collection
Around the corner is another room containing further objects and two additional films. Here, crocodiles emerge from a bubbling jelly cocoon, and a naked body is hidden within a hippo’s mouth. Scrawled speech bubbles declare ‘I will eat youre leftovers’, which is both amusing and terrifying in a violent, shaky picture. Opposite, we can watch a proverbial bull in a china shop, including miniature versions of the glassworks actually on display. It comes to a bloody end after cutting itself on broken glass, and the frame is flooded with red.

Nathalie Djurberg A World of Glass Zach Feuer Gallery New York and Galleria Gio Marconi Milan Collection
Djurberg’s installation is enthralling, a kind of playful goriness in vibrant colour. If you’re interested in finding out more about her previous works, be sure to check out Jenny Roper’s 2009 Venice Biennale review for Amelia’s Magazine.

YouTube Preview Image
An interview with Nathalie Djurberg and Hans Berg at the Walker Arts Center.

YouTube Preview Image

With free admission and the chance to watch further Nathalie Djurberg films in the Reading Room, you’ll want to get along while you can: on until 8 January 2012 at the Camden Arts Centre, London. Read our full listing here.

Categories ,Andy Peake, ,animals, ,art, ,Camden Arts Centre, ,Collection of Hadle, ,Dirty Beasts, ,Galleria Gio Marconi Milan, ,Glass, ,Hans Berg, ,Jenny Roper, ,Nathalie Djurberg, ,Reading Room, ,review, ,Roald Dahl, ,Snow Queen, ,Sound installation, ,video, ,Walker Arts Center, ,Zach Feuer Gallery New York

Similar Posts:






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

Similar Posts:






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

Similar Posts:






Amelia’s Magazine | Camberwell College of Arts: Ovo Show Illustration Graduate Show 2011 Review – Downstairs 1

alice_stanley
Illustration by Alice Stanley.

Now, dosage finally, it’s time for my second round of blog posts featuring the best of Ovo Show from Camberwell College of Arts illustration graduates (read the first review of Ovo Show here). This time let’s head downstairs at the Red Gallery. I’m going to have to split this into two because it’s such a beast…

Camberwell College of Art illustration graduate show 2011-Sam TaylorCamberwell College of Art illustration graduate show 2011-sam taylorCamberwell College of Art illustration graduate show 2011-sam taylorCamberwell College of Art illustration graduate show 2011-sam taylor
Turning into the cavernous downstairs space it was the work of Sam Taylor that grabbed my attention – nutty vignettes of a splodgyily painted bird on a skateboard, floating boobs (not sure what that means!) and portraits of gnarled and wrinkled characters against primary coloured backgrounds. His is a land where beards hold the same intellect as brains.

Camberwell College of Art illustration graduate show 2011-Tom Dorkin Camberwell College of Art illustration graduate show 2011-Tom Dorkin
Across the way Tom Dorkin had created some beautiful fine line drawings of some equally idiosynrcratic characters: a sailor checked his binoculars as his woollen jumper unraveled. He had also dissected a plane and a ship in fine detail. Follow Tom Dorkin on Twitter.

Camberwell College of Art illustration graduate show 2011-Iriini Kalliomaki Camberwell College of Art illustration graduate show 2011-Iriini Kalliomaki Camberwell College of Art illustration graduate show 2011-Iriini Kalliomaki Camberwell College of Art illustration graduate show 2011-Iriini Kalliomaki
Iriini Kalliomaki specialised in oddball characters, created in tiny perfection from what looked like paper mache – twins, a big haired granny, pouchy cheeked man with an apron – all placed in photographic situations for her book The Racing Granny. Also on display was the flying car in which Granny races.

Camberwell College of Art illustration graduate show 2011-Gemma Whittaker Camberwell College of Art illustration graduate show 2011-Gemma Whittaker
Gemma Whittaker produced some pretty ceramic bowls featuring daubed drawings of cats and elephants.

Megan Sinclair Georgy Porgy cards
Megan Sinclair Georgy Porgy rats
Megan Sinclair Georgy Porgy
Megan Sinclair‘s 3D paper cutouts featured rat racing, a card game and a boy in a garage being yelled at by his mum. The vignettes were taken from Roald Dahl‘s Georgy Porgy, a short story for adults. Follow Megan Sinclair on Twitter.

Camberwell College of Art illustration graduate show 2011-Bea WilsonCamberwell College of Art illustration graduate show 2011-Bea Wilson

Bea Wilson had produced an enigmatic fill, Arkham, which was inspired by fictional landscapes.

Camberwell College of Art illustration graduate show 2011-Hollie Limer Camberwell College of Art illustration graduate show 2011-Hollie Limer
Hollie Limer also played with paper cutouts, which she had placed inside a darkened room to create an eery monotone landscape… I think they were supposed to be seen by moody candlelight but the set was pitch black when I visited.

Camberwell College of Art illustration graduate show 2011-Karin Söderquist Camberwell College of Art illustration graduate show 2011-Karin Söderquist Camberwell College of Art illustration graduate show 2011-Karin Söderquist Camberwell College of Art illustration graduate show 2011-Karin Söderquist
Also on the paper front Karin Söderquist showed a large pipe smoking man and a traditional Scandinavian scene. Very clean and cool.

alice_stanley_Camberwell College of Art illustration graduate show 2011-alice_stanley_Camberwell College of Art illustration graduate show 2011-alice_stanley_
Alice Stanley‘s narrative pencil drawings were very different from her wonderful knitted animals, much more moody and evocative than a cute little mouse, but then I imagine that knitting was a bit of a relaxing respite from school work.

Rosie Eveleigh wavesRosie Eveleigh Satre NauseaRosie EveleighCamberwell College of Art illustration graduate show 2011-Rosie EveleighCamberwell College of Art illustration graduate show 2011-Camberwell College of Art illustration graduate show 2011-Rosie EveleighCamberwell College of Art illustration graduate show 2011-Camberwell College of Art illustration graduate show 2011-Rosie EveleighCamberwell College of Art illustration graduate show 2011-Camberwell College of Art illustration graduate show 2011-Rosie Eveleigh
Rosie Eveleigh did some awesome abstract work on paper, ceramics and on mini hanging woven carpets. I think the textile design seen in the last photo is also hers. Someone tell me if it isn’t!

UPDATE: The final picture shows work by Hannah Whitfield (she really needs to get that website going on!)

Still one more blog to go…

Categories ,3D, ,Alice Stanley, ,Arkham, ,Bea Wilson, ,Camberwell College of Arts, ,ceramics, ,film, ,Gemma Whittaker, ,Georgy Porgy, ,Hannah Whitfield, ,Hollie Limer, ,Iriini Kalliomaki, ,Karin Söderquist, ,knit, ,Ovo Show, ,Papercut, ,Red Gallery, ,Roald Dahl, ,Rosie Eveleigh, ,Sam Taylor, ,Scandinavian, ,textiles, ,Tom Dorkin

Similar Posts:






Amelia’s Magazine | Camberwell College of Arts: Well Said Illustration Degree Show 2013 Review

Well Said illustration show brochures
Nigh on a month ago the latest batch of talented graduates from the Camberwell College of Arts illustration degree course put on their standalone show at The Rag Factory, a big white warehouse space that offers the perfect blank canvas. It also happens to be fantastically close to my home, making it a super easy destination for me. I was sad to have missed the Brighton University illustration degree show this year due to a family break in Pembrokeshire, but since the Car Park Show was held in deepest darkest Fulham it’s doubtful I would have made it anyway. There’s a reason why so many shows are held in East London: a huge amount of creatives live and work around here, and there are an awful lot of graduate shows to see.

Camberwell illustration Well Said show 2013 invite
The students from Well Said show ensured I knew the dates of their exhibition by sending me this delightful illustration package: there’s nothing like a tangible invite to build excitement. And as ever, they had produced a wonderful promotional book, seen above attractively piled on the floor. Predictably, this was a very strong showing from one of the best illustration courses in the country. Here’s what I found.

Sophia Parvinmehr camberwell
This exploration of the nervous system is by Sophia Parvinmehr.

Yiran Huang Camberwell
Yiran Huang Camberwell close up
Yiran Huang Camberwell business cards
Yiran Huang made this huge mandala type pattern that looks equally good in close up. She had also made possibly the best business cards ever: hand drawn cats, each in different poses. Love them. May have taken three.

Camberwell installation
Ruta Daubure
This brilliantly oddball installation is by Ruta Daubure, whose optical set designs for opera act like a strange human camouflage.

Carim Nahaboo bumble bee
This beautifully drawn bumble bee is by Carim Nahaboo. Bees are everywhere this year, which means they are obviously on people’s minds. Given the number of dead bees I’ve seen recently, this is definitely a good thing.

Siwei Tao- Schiz Camberwell
Siwei Tao Camberwell
Schiz by Siwei Tao is wonderfully odd, as is this strange image of detached arms in pots…

Lauren Doughty, Man from the South by Roald Dahl
Lauren Doughty
I love this narrative painted illustration by Lauren Doughty, based on Man from the South by Roald Dahl. Her work is just so fabulously sploshy, and I so dig that 80s influence on the colour palette.

Susan Calvert installation
Susie Calvert
Susan Calvert made this installation of wonderful painted wooden landscapes, which she showed alongside this gigantic oil pastel abstract.

Sam Marot 'British Empire' prints
lion poster image by Sam Marot
Sam Marot‘s ‘British Empire‘ prints tackled a thorny subject to produce some interesting work, including this striking lion poster.

Footballer by jack_sachs
Hello sexy lady! Jack Sachs
The jovial abstracted footballer is by Jack Sachs, as is this ‘sexy lady’ which mimics the typical pose of a page three lass. When I posted this image on instagram it caused a bit of a stir; but I don’t find Jack’s depiction offensive or irritating, rather it appears to question a fixation with everyday sexualisation in a knowing and humorous way.

Wedges and Ledges by Rich de Courcy south bank
Wedges and Ledges by Rich de Courcy
I absolutely adored this brilliant screen printed book by Rich de Courcy. Wedges and Ledges was inspired by a love of skateboarding in London, paying homage to much loved places such as the threatened skatepark under the brutalist South Bank arches, now immortalised in bright colours (sign the petition to save it here). I so wanted to take one of these little beauties home.

Cosmic Omelette mobile by Saara Karppinen
This Cosmic Omelette mobile by Saara Karppinen was inspired by a Finnish creation myth.

crafty display by Kim smith happy
Kim Smith of Art Equals Happy had put together a beautiful crafty display that ably showcased her beautiful handspun wares. I especially love her hand-written watercolour typography. See more on her website here.

embroidery with frogs by Titi Lee. London Underground
Upstairs I encountered an astonishing and large embroidered appliqué covered with jocular frogs by Titi Lee (this is a close up). This surreal vignette is based on her experience of using the London Underground.

Jessica Weijia Zhang - based on Edward Lear
Jessica Weijia Zhang had produced this slightly crackers illustration based on poems by Edward Lear.

Lucy Swan religious inspired illustrations
Lucy Swan‘s intricate line illustrations tackled the uncomfortable relationship between religion and money.

Magical eye print by Freya Faulkner
Pottery by Freya Faulkner
And finally, this magical eye print was one of an awe inspiring display put together by Freya Faulkner, titled Annihilation is Nigh: Cult of the Big Bang. Her rhythmical artwork and fabulous illustrated ceramics reflect the warring factions of matter and antimatter in brilliant narrative style.

My last graduate review will feature the artwork of University Arts Bournemouth Illustration students; coming soon! Remember, most of my creative finds can be viewed first if you follow my instagram feed.

Categories ,2013, ,Annihilation is Nigh: Cult of the Big Bang, ,Art Equals Happy, ,Brick Lane, ,Brighton University, ,British Empire, ,Camberwell College of Arts, ,Car Park Show, ,Carim Nahaboo, ,Cosmic Omelette, ,Degree Show, ,Edward Lear, ,Freya Faulkner, ,graduate, ,illustration, ,Jack Sachs, ,Jessica Weijia Zhang, ,Kim Smith, ,Lauren Doughty, ,Lucy Swan, ,Man from the South, ,review, ,Rich de Courcy, ,Roald Dahl, ,Ruta Daubure, ,Saara Karppinen, ,Sam Marot, ,Schiz, ,Siwei Tao, ,Sophia Parvinmehr, ,south bank, ,Susan Calvert, ,Susie Calvert, ,the rag factory, ,Titi Lee, ,University Arts Bournemouth, ,Wedges and Ledges, ,Well Said, ,Yiran Huang

Similar Posts:






Amelia’s Magazine | Camberwell College of Arts: Well Said Illustration Degree Show 2013 Review

Well Said illustration show brochures
Nigh on a month ago the latest batch of talented graduates from the Camberwell College of Arts illustration degree course put on their standalone show at The Rag Factory, a big white warehouse space that offers the perfect blank canvas. It also happens to be fantastically close to my home, making it a super easy destination for me. I was sad to have missed the Brighton University illustration degree show this year due to a family break in Pembrokeshire, but since the Car Park Show was held in deepest darkest Fulham it’s doubtful I would have made it anyway. There’s a reason why so many shows are held in East London: a huge amount of creatives live and work around here, and there are an awful lot of graduate shows to see.

Camberwell illustration Well Said show 2013 invite
The students from Well Said show ensured I knew the dates of their exhibition by sending me this delightful illustration package: there’s nothing like a tangible invite to build excitement. And as ever, they had produced a wonderful promotional book, seen above attractively piled on the floor. Predictably, this was a very strong showing from one of the best illustration courses in the country. Here’s what I found.

Sophia Parvinmehr camberwell
This exploration of the nervous system is by Sophia Parvinmehr.

Yiran Huang Camberwell
Yiran Huang Camberwell close up
Yiran Huang Camberwell business cards
Yiran Huang made this huge mandala type pattern that looks equally good in close up. She had also made possibly the best business cards ever: hand drawn cats, each in different poses. Love them. May have taken three.

Camberwell installation
Ruta Daubure
This brilliantly oddball installation is by Ruta Daubure, whose optical set designs for opera act like a strange human camouflage.

Carim Nahaboo bumble bee
This beautifully drawn bumble bee is by Carim Nahaboo. Bees are everywhere this year, which means they are obviously on people’s minds. Given the number of dead bees I’ve seen recently, this is definitely a good thing.

Siwei Tao- Schiz Camberwell
Siwei Tao Camberwell
Schiz by Siwei Tao is wonderfully odd, as is this strange image of detached arms in pots…

Lauren Doughty, Man from the South by Roald Dahl
Lauren Doughty
I love this narrative painted illustration by Lauren Doughty, based on Man from the South by Roald Dahl. Her work is just so fabulously sploshy, and I so dig that 80s influence on the colour palette.

Susan Calvert installation
Susie Calvert
Susan Calvert made this installation of wonderful painted wooden landscapes, which she showed alongside this gigantic oil pastel abstract.

Sam Marot 'British Empire' prints
lion poster image by Sam Marot
Sam Marot‘s ‘British Empire‘ prints tackled a thorny subject to produce some interesting work, including this striking lion poster.

Footballer by jack_sachs
Hello sexy lady! Jack Sachs
The jovial abstracted footballer is by Jack Sachs, as is this ‘sexy lady’ which mimics the typical pose of a page three lass. When I posted this image on instagram it caused a bit of a stir; but I don’t find Jack’s depiction offensive or irritating, rather it appears to question a fixation with everyday sexualisation in a knowing and humorous way.

Wedges and Ledges by Rich de Courcy south bank
Wedges and Ledges by Rich de Courcy
I absolutely adored this brilliant screen printed book by Rich de Courcy. Wedges and Ledges was inspired by a love of skateboarding in London, paying homage to much loved places such as the threatened skatepark under the brutalist South Bank arches, now immortalised in bright colours (sign the petition to save it here). I so wanted to take one of these little beauties home.

Cosmic Omelette mobile by Saara Karppinen
This Cosmic Omelette mobile by Saara Karppinen was inspired by a Finnish creation myth.

crafty display by Kim smith happy
Kim Smith of Art Equals Happy had put together a beautiful crafty display that ably showcased her beautiful handspun wares. I especially love her hand-written watercolour typography. See more on her website here.

embroidery with frogs by Titi Lee. London Underground
Upstairs I encountered an astonishing and large embroidered appliqué covered with jocular frogs by Titi Lee (this is a close up). This surreal vignette is based on her experience of using the London Underground.

Jessica Weijia Zhang - based on Edward Lear
Jessica Weijia Zhang had produced this slightly crackers illustration based on poems by Edward Lear.

Lucy Swan religious inspired illustrations
Lucy Swan‘s intricate line illustrations tackled the uncomfortable relationship between religion and money.

Magical eye print by Freya Faulkner
Pottery by Freya Faulkner
And finally, this magical eye print was one of an awe inspiring display put together by Freya Faulkner, titled Annihilation is Nigh: Cult of the Big Bang. Her rhythmical artwork and fabulous illustrated ceramics reflect the warring factions of matter and antimatter in brilliant narrative style.

My last graduate review will feature the artwork of University Arts Bournemouth Illustration students; coming soon! Remember, most of my creative finds can be viewed first if you follow my instagram feed.

Categories ,2013, ,Annihilation is Nigh: Cult of the Big Bang, ,Art Equals Happy, ,Brick Lane, ,Brighton University, ,British Empire, ,Camberwell College of Arts, ,Car Park Show, ,Carim Nahaboo, ,Cosmic Omelette, ,Degree Show, ,Edward Lear, ,Freya Faulkner, ,graduate, ,illustration, ,Jack Sachs, ,Jessica Weijia Zhang, ,Kim Smith, ,Lauren Doughty, ,Lucy Swan, ,Man from the South, ,review, ,Rich de Courcy, ,Roald Dahl, ,Ruta Daubure, ,Saara Karppinen, ,Sam Marot, ,Schiz, ,Siwei Tao, ,Sophia Parvinmehr, ,south bank, ,Susan Calvert, ,Susie Calvert, ,the rag factory, ,Titi Lee, ,University Arts Bournemouth, ,Wedges and Ledges, ,Well Said, ,Yiran Huang

Similar Posts:






Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with Eleanor Percival: Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion featured artist.

eleanor percival atalanta 5
The delicate artwork of Eleanor Percival translates beautifully into her colouring book image of a heavily tattooed lady plucking a pear. Here she talks about her love of fiction, Renaissance paintings and good quality watercolours.

eleanor percival in studio
eleanor percival spread
What would be the story of your tattooed lady?
I think she’s a tattooist herself, but a bit of a psychic too. She can see her clients’ true natures and tattoos them with symbols of their characters, good or bad. She’s covered herself with images that represent who she is (I got very caught up in the meanings of tattoos while I was developing this piece, and even added in a couple that would mean something to me if I ever had the guts to get one). She would probably be very sought after, but would also get into trouble with those who didn’t like her representation of them.

eleanor percival fftmc
Who are your favourite writers and why?
I love strangeness in fiction, the uncanny – Roald Dahl’s short stories for adults seem to be set in the real world, then something knocks the story off-kilter and it feels like another universe. Virginia Woolf is always great but Orlando is, without doubt, my favourite of her books: the way the character moves through history (and genders) is written so cleverly that it barely seems odd at all.

eleanor percival poppies
Where did you do your BA and MA courses and what were the best things you learnt on them?
I did my BA at UCA Maidstone, which sadly has been closed down since. The course had been famously good since the sixties, so attracted wonderful staff. They really taught us to have clear motivations in our work – ‘Why have you used red here?’ ‘What does it symbolise?’ ‘What will viewers associate with it?’ Etc. They were also fantastic at driving home to us the practicalities of being an illustrator – how to promote ourselves, how to approach clients, even how to do our accounts. I loved it. I chose to do an MA at Camberwell because I wanted to free up a little, and to refine my style. I’m no Jackson Pollock, but my work has loosened up so much, and I’m more confident.

eleanor percival atalanta 1
Who is Atalanta and what attracted you to her story? (see also the opening image)
I knew from the beginning of my MA that I wanted to do a project around fairy tales or mythology, but I also wanted to champion a female character who wasn’t a feeble little princess or a conniving vamp. While I was researching endless Greek myths, a woman called Atalanta kept cropping up. She was always described as the strongest fighter and the fastest runner, and was featured in lots of famous stories, but I’d never heard of her before. So I did some more reading and amalgamated all of the bits I could find about her into my own narrative. She and her lover are turned into mountain lions in the end, but I made this into a happy-ever-after for them.

eleanor percival colouring in 1
What kind of references to art history can we expect to see in your art if we look closely?
The strange perspectives and proportions that I love are definitely influenced by Renaissance paintings. They used an obsessive mathematical approach that left a lot of imagery looking quite other-worldly and, though I don’t go anywhere near a ruler when I’m working out a composition, I try to recreate that slightly wonky effect. Indian Miniatures have crept in too – the space is very organised in most of my paintings, details are purposeful and sparse. And my figures often have very gestural poses too.

eleanor percival alicante
How do you arrange your workspace and what does typical work day look like?
My studio is a tiny spare room in the flat I share with my husband in Brixton. It’s absolutely crammed with books, old work and art materials, and my desk takes up about half the room. My working day is usually much the same: I’m at my desk with a cup of tea by nine but rarely start painting immediately; I look at artsy blogs, catch up on my e-mails and make to-do lists until I’m in the right mood. I’ll then work for the rest of the day (though I often find I’ve been staring out the window for ten minutes). At the end of a project I often find I need a day wandering around a museum or gallery to refresh.

eleanor percival atalanta 2
Why is it so important to you to embark on personal projects and what have you been doing most recently in this arena?
Every experienced illustrator I’ve ever met has underlined to me how important it is to do personal projects. It’s inevitable that when working with an art director, you find yourself doing little things that you wouldn’t do if left to your own devices. And that’s an important practice, but it’s also crucial that you do projects that are more essentially yours – things only you would think of doing in that particular way. I’ve been working on my own little colouring-in book recently. I wanted to have a break from working in colour, and also from doing projects with causes! It’s very simple, barely even a narrative, just an introduction to a character who lives in a cottage and loves gardening. I’m also putting together a line of greetings cards to sell in some local independent shops.

eleanor percival thank you card
Where will we be able to buy your greeting cards, and can you share a preview with us?
I’ve got a couple of designs for sale at Green & Stone on the Kings Road already, but I’m going to be approaching shops in Brixton Market.

eleanor percival ice-skaters
What is it that you particularly love about watercolour and where did you learn how to use it properly?
On my BA I didn’t have a clue about materials – I just grabbed whatever was close to hand – but after I graduated I got a part-time job in a beautiful old art supplies shop and learned all about the properties of watercolours, fine brushes and paper. With my discount I could afford to gradually build up a collection of really good quality paints and other materials. I use Schmincke and Daniel Smith paints mostly – they have really intense colours and granulate beautifully. I love that watercolour has a life of its own; you have a certain amount of control before you apply the brush, then the paint does whatever it wants – it just rolls around on the paper. But equally, it’s a lovely medium for creating delicate little details.

eleanor-percival-recipe1
Which cook’s recipes would you most like to illustrate and why?
Definitely my friend Milli Taylor’s, because I know how amazing her cooking is! I love the way she put ingredients together, and the flavours she creates. She’s brilliant at making her dishes look beautiful too – as she says in her book ‘we eat with our eyes’.

eleanor-percival-fruit-salad-recipe
Can you tell us anymore about your own colouring book plans?
I’m going to print a small edition to take to a few children’s book publishers and hopefully find someone who wants to sell it for me! My plan is that, over time, I can build up a series of stories about the same character that are fun to read as well as colour in.

eleanor percival colouring in 2
I love how every illustrator featured in Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion creates such different work. Make sure you grab your copy of this limited edition colouring book once the campaign goes online on Kickstarter!

Categories ,#ameliasccc, ,Adult Coloring Book, ,Adult Colouring Book, ,Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion, ,Atalanta, ,Brixton, ,Camberwell College of Art, ,Coloring, ,Coloring Book, ,Colouring, ,Colouring Book, ,Daniel Smith, ,Eleanor Percival, ,Green & Stone, ,interview, ,Milli Taylor, ,Orlando, ,Roald Dahl, ,Schmincke, ,UCA Maidstone

Similar Posts:






Amelia’s Magazine | Kotki Dwa introduce the video for new single Poison, created with Plastic Horse

Poison_kotki dwa
Poison is typically and beautifully Kotki Dwa – a jaunty, melodic bounce fest of a song based upon the theme of Poison…. I asked singer Alex Ostrowski about the clever video which accompanies their new release.

YouTube Preview Image
What is your poison?
Pineapple Juice.. Ahhhhhhhh

What’s going on in your new video? You’ve overlaid all sorts of interesting images. What effect were you hoping to achieve and how did you do this?
The song is quite all-over-the-place lyrically and we wanted to reflect that somehow. Our friends Plastic Horse made the video with us, they’re pretty bonkers. We looked a lot at the old title sequence for Roald Dahl‘s Tales Of The Unexpected – brilliant. I suppose the video itself is kind of hallucinatory and poisoned, that’s the idea. Bit delusional.

Kotki Dwa poison video lady
Kotki Dwa poison video
Explain: Canaries, mines, breaking waves, clowns, roulette, Saturn’s rings.
They used to take canaries down mines to detect toxic gases like methane and carbon monoxide. Because the little birds are more sensitive than humans, they’d get poisoned first, giving humans enough time to get out of there. Pretty sad. The waves are about a book I read called Night Haunts that explains what goes on at night in the sewers under the city to prevent these giant grease balls from blocking up the place. Imagine. Clowns = weekend leisure (check out Slava’s Snow Show when you have a minute). Roulette wheel is kind of for Roald Dahl’s Tales of the Unexpected. And Saturn comes from the Planetarium, a personal favourite. Go.

Kotki Dwa poison video canary
Kotki Dwa poison video saturn
What has Kotki Dwa got planned for 2012?
We’re bursting with excitement about this year. We’ve been working on a new album for the last year and a bit, and we’re currently recording it. But there’s a pretty big twist about how we’re going to release it. All secret for now, but big announcements to make at the end of March! Album due this Summer :)

Kotki Dwa poison video police
Posion by Kotki Dwa was released on the 12th March 2012. Get your copy from bandcamp now!

Categories ,Alex Ostrowski, ,Canaries, ,Clowns, ,Kotki Dwa, ,Night Haunts, ,Planetarium, ,Plastic Horse, ,Poison, ,Polish, ,review, ,Roald Dahl, ,Saturn, ,single, ,Slava’s Snow Show, ,Tales Of The Unexpected, ,video

Similar Posts: