Amelia’s Magazine | Space Beads: Ancient Egyptian Artefacts Made From An Iron Meteorite

Egyptian-Meteor-by-Kit-Wags
Space Beads by Kit Wags.

It’s been awhile since I last had the opportunity to attend a lecture, but last weekend I went to the Royal Observatory in Greenwich for a talk about Space Beads – the title alone being enough to tickle my fancy.

Sarah-Gillett-I-think-I-am-an-ominous-decoration-2014
Tapestry by Sarah Gillett.

egyptian-meteroite-jewelry-space beads
The space beads in question are ancient Egyptian beads dug up from the graves in Gerzeh in 1911, the same year that a large and notable meteorite fell to the earth in the same area of Egypt. The Gerzeh beads have long fascinated archaeologists and scientists as the are made of iron, yet date from the Pre-Dynastic period some 5,000 years ago, long before the earliest example of iron work in Egypt. It has recently been confirmed that these curious beads were made from thin sheets or iron taken from just such a meteorite.

Leonid Meteor Shower over Niagara Falls, 1833
Leonid Meteor Shower over Niagara Falls, 1833.

Meteorite shower engraving, 1848
Meteorite shower engraving, 1848.

Meteor_Crater_Near_Winslow_Arizona
The afternoon opened with a wonderful talk about meteorites given by Marek Kukula, public astronomer at the Royal Observatory. I was chuffed to discover that I was the only one in the room who has visited the giagantic Meteor Crater in Arizona, on a road trip with my parents in the 80s when I lived in the USA. Our visit was notable for our idiocy – we decided to walk the enormous rim in the midday sun, not a good idea in a desert. The most exciting thing I learnt from Marek was that on very rare occasions the tail of a comet will shed a glorious meteorite shower across the entire sky as it grazes the earth’s atmosphere, as happened in 1860, and have since discovered the wood cuts to prove it (great inspiration for my open brief, That Which We Do Not Understand) Apparently we can never know when this will happen again until the occasion is upon us. I am now hoping and praying to see such a wondrous sight in my lifetime! I can only imagine how other worldly it must have appeared to more ancient peoples.

Meteoriten 1838-Keller
egpytian_museum_cairo_Bat-goddess
Which brings me back to our Space Beads. Our next speaker was Alice Stevenson, who has a PhD in the study of the graveyard where the beads were found. She talked about what life was like during the Pre-dynastic era, and the possible meaning and use of the beads, which were obviously worn by someone of some repute. They were found alongside a depiction of the horned cow god Bat with stars above her head: pure speculation could lead us to believe that the beads themselves a very special representation of the heavens.

pallasite meteor
Glorieta-Pallasite Meteor
During a break we were invited to hold sections of different meteorites, some of them older than the planets themselves (gulp, how does one even process such information?) Some of these lumps of rock were exceptionally heavy – I particularly marvelled at the sample of Pallasite Meteor, which contains fragments of Olivine gems (otherwise known as Peridot).

Engraving of the Ochansk meteorite over Perm
Engraving of the Ochansk meteorite over Perm.

Diane Johnson experimental archaeology predynastic space beads
Diane Johnson’s experimental archaeology, making predynastic space beads.

Thirdly we were introduced to planetary scientist Diane Johnson of the Open University, who has combined her love of meteorites and Egypt in an intensive study of the beads. Experimental archaeology has led her to conclude that the beads were made using thin slices of iron that were banged out of the meteorite and then rolled into tubes, rather than forged in a furnace (which shatters the delicate meteorite structure). Her modern day space bead, worn on a simple cord, was beautiful and unusual.

Matthew Luck Galpin meteorite-space beads
Lastly artist Matthew Luck Galpin talked about the use of meteorites in his series of Anvilled Stars. He agreed with Diane that the process of banging them into flattened shapes was a highly therapeutic process that was as important as the final outcome, a highly tactile object reminiscent of an astrolabe, some of which are scattered without explanation around the observatory galleries.

Meteor over Shetland Isles
Meteor over Shetland Isles.

At the end of the chat we had a chance to visit the galleries to view some amazing examples of meteorite. It was great to hear an expert talk about treasures such as the Nakhla Meteorite, which is actually a piece of Mars. The space beads themselves are housed in the Petrie Museum, which I have never even heard of. This is an Egyptian museum attached to UCL, with a super interesting roster of events. I wonder when I can get away to my next lecture…

Categories ,#TWWDNU, ,1860, ,Alice Stevenson, ,Anvilled Stars, ,Arizona, ,Astrolabe, ,Bat, ,Diane Johnson, ,Egypt, ,egyptian, ,Experimental Archaeology, ,Gerzeh, ,Kit Wags, ,Lecture, ,Marek Kukula, ,Mars, ,Matthew Luck Galpin, ,Meteor Crater, ,Meterorites, ,Nakhla Meteorite, ,Ochansk meteorite, ,Olivine, ,Open University, ,Pallasite Meteor, ,Peridot, ,Petrie Museum, ,Pre-Dynastic, ,Royal Observatory, ,Sarah Gillett, ,Shooting Stars, ,Space Beads, ,That Which We Do Not Understand, ,UCL, ,Year of Meteors

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Amelia’s Magazine | The Many Sides: An interview with founder Rita Sheth

The Many Sides Fashion Illustration By Toni Morris
The Many Sides Fashion Illustration By Toni Morris.

You come from a corporate background – why did you decide to branch out and set up The Many Sides and what were you able to bring to the process from your former career?
I set up the business because I found I was no longer excited by what was on offer on the high street – I wanted to bring more unique, well made clothes to people that were also frustrated by the high street as well as the ‘slap on a monogram’ ethos which we see from established labels. As such it was kind of a labour of love! Basically I wanted to connect creative designers with women who wanted to express themselves through creative fashion!
I think from my former career I am able to bring a level of professionalism and attention to detail which is important. It also helps to be able to structure a deal which is important when thinking about different ways you can do business.

The Many Sides Swim
I like the thinking behind your name, can you explain a bit more about what The Many Sides means to you?
The Many Sides references the many sides of a woman. I found as a corporate professional I would have a persona at work and then lots of different other sides for all the other roles I play and the many interests I have. I wanted to develop a brand that resonated with a similar kind of woman. A woman that has many sides and many interests – one of which desires creative self expression and uses fashion as a vehicle to do that.

The Many Sides floral lookbook
Where are your designers from and how do you discover them and bring them on board?
My designers come from a variety of countries from South Korea, Denmark, Greece and the UK among others. I discover them through various means, trade shows, desk based research, instagram…. and now designers get in touch with me too as they like what I am doing and want to be featured on a platform that is selective and well curated. I won’t sell anything I don’t like or where the quality is sub par. I always look for a story behind the designers inspiration that cohesively carries through to their aesthetic. Though each collection may vary, there needs to be something distinctive and ‘signature’ about the designers concept.

The Many Sides Spring Sterling Silver Neckpiece
The Many Sides sterling silver lookbook
Please could you introduce us to a few of your designers…. and let us know a bit about why you have chosen them.
The designers are an eclectic bunch – each with their own distinctive style. A few of the designers we stock are:

The Many Sides Chichia Jumpsuit
The Many Sides ChichiaJacketandTrousers copy
Chichia – Her designs are influenced by African print and in particular she uses the local Khanga fabric to make the clothes. She makes the clothes using local labour in Tanzania to give back to her homeland. I really like the colour and the unique use of cut outs as well as the representation of the culture via the fabrics used.

The Many Sides leather skirt yohan kim
Yohan Kim – Our South Korean designer. He has a rock and roll, gothic style. He uses a lot of leather, studs and heavy detailing, embellishment and embroidery. I really love the intricacy of the pieces. The pictures online don’t do the items enough justice! The pieces are very handcrafted and deeply worked – for example one of the leather skirts is texturised on one side and has studs on the other side. No regular leather skirt!

Tuxedo Jacket
Alice’s Pig – Our London based designer who is influenced by Alice in Wonderland and girly vintage tea party looks. Lots of 50′s style dresses and feminine cuts. I love this designer as the pieces are very wearable but have a subtle twist that still makes the items unique. The kimono trousers and tuxedo jacket are a case in point – they are both staple pieces but not boring and each have a little something extra to make them memorable.

The Many Sides kimono lookbook
What have been the biggest difficulties and triumphs in setting up your own business?
The biggest difficulty is in bridging the gap between online and offline. I am currently looking at ways to make the clothes more accessible offline as its still important to some customers be able to touch and feel the clothes. The main thing I am proud of has been in getting so much positive feedback from customers, bloggers and designers. People in the industry as well as the customer seem to really like the clothes and more importantly are willing to spend their hard earned money buying them – its so rewarding when someone genuinely loves a purchase.

The Many Sides - Spring Edit Bag2
Can you tell us more about your spring edit selection and what informed your choices?
It is a mixture of clothes good for the current weather – florals and light weight fabrics. However as the weather in England is so changeable there are also some jackets on there too. Having said that all of the clothes can be worn any time of year – I don’t approve of the fast fashion movement and want to slow things down by always having clothing on there for all occasions and all weather.

The Many Sides Spring Edit Ceramin Necklace
I also included some colourful accessories including some contemporary jewellery pieces that would go well with day time spring/summer looks to reflect the new season and hopefully the beginning of sunshine! Looking ahead we also have a great new swimwear designer that does very unique designs to flatter every shape which also comes in made to measure sizes.

The Many Sides slate_crag_ring_on_hand
The Many Sides Spring Ceramic_Ring
What next for the Many Sides?
As I mentioned I want to explore different ways to bring the clothes to customers in a more direct way. This is something I am looking at right now. I also want to carry on delighting customers with the unique product offering which I intend to keep growing with time. Essentially, I hope to grow the business through word of mouth – that’s the dream!

Check out Rita Sheth‘s unique selection of clothing and accessories for yourself on The Many Sides. Rita Sheth was a contributor to my 10th anniversary book That Which We Do Not Understand.

Categories ,#TWWDNU, ,Alice’s Pig, ,Chichia, ,fashion, ,Global Fashion, ,Indie Fashion, ,interview, ,Rita Sheth, ,That Which We Do Not Understand, ,The Many Sides, ,Toni Morris, ,Yohan Kim

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Amelia’s Magazine | Tent London 2014: Lighting, Furniture, Jewellery and Interior Design

melanie porter sheep
Continuing my very late review of the 2014 edition of Tent London, here is some wonderful furniture, lighting, jewellery and other finds.

Melanie Porter
First of all, Snarfle astride a knitted rocking sheep (top) by Melanie Porter, who is also responsible for these sophisticated shadow lights woven with metallic thread.

Haidee Drew
These lovely ceramic ducks are by Haidee Drew.

Sevak Zargarian
Sevak Zargarian made these beautiful porcelain bowls, and has recently completed some awesome pendant lights for Heals.

turner furniture
These stunning inlaid wood cabinets are by Turner Furniture.

Christine Meyer-Eaglestone
More amazing marquetry in a mirror surround by Christine Meyer-Eaglestone.

Dan Heath studio
Daniel Heath created this Memphis inspired printed wood coffee table using a new printing process. I just love the pattern and what an innovative idea!

Nicholas Collins
And now for something pretty unique: Tumbling Blocks glass plates by Nicholas Collins.

Korinna Mei Veropoulou
The London Met University took a stand at Tent, and I particularly liked this fluoro illustration by Korinna Mei Veropoulou.

Melody Rose
Flying acrobats featured on the new range of Melody Rose china mugs.

Chromatic jewellery
Chromatic jewellery by Inca Starzinksy gives a new twist to perspex.

Kolormundo
On a similar tip are these colour wheel balls by Kolormondo, created to help designers.

Summer will be back
I first met the lovely Lisa of Summer Will Be Back when I visited her studio in Copenhagen. These origami mobiles are a beautiful addition to her print based ranges. I am very impressed by how prolific Lisa is.

Manufract
Manufract jewellery from Germany features some unusual broken maple and resin pendants.

Andrew Luddick
At the Irish showcase I was drawn to playful ceramics by Andrew Luddick.

Woodenleg
These fun ‘Chalet’ tables are by Woodenleg.

Louise tucker
Cardiff based Louise Tucker makes gorgeous woven lampshades.

Clare Millard
This geometric optical jewellery is by Clare Willard, currently stocked in the Design Museum.

Claire Loderheads
Humorous ceramics by Claire Loder stood out as hand made craft objects in a more design orientated show.

From Africa
These stylish monochrome woven lampshades (I sense a theme) are From Africa.

Glassmania czech
glassmania
Glassmania was a fun stand featuring unusual and playful designs by students from the Academy of Arts in Prague.

Korean metal gongs
These giant metal gong balls were an eye catcher at the Korean showcase.

Alfred and Wilde
Finally, I absolutely love the Platonic Solids inspired collection by new brand Alfred and Wilde from designer Simon Mitchell. These mugs come in 5 designs and are fired with dishwasher safe 9ct gold. I had a great chat with Simon, who still works two days a week in a marketing job to support his dream to run his own design brand. Simon contributed writing about the Platonic Solids for my 10th anniversary book That Which We Do Not Understand, and I recently interviewed him here.

All of these images were first shared on my instagram feed.

Categories ,2014, ,Academy of Arts, ,Alfred and Wilde, ,Andrew Luddick, ,Christine Meyer-Eaglestone, ,Claire Loder, ,Clare Willard, ,Daniel Heath, ,From Africa, ,Furniture, ,Glassmania, ,Haidee Drew, ,Inca Starzinksy, ,Irish showcase, ,jewellery, ,Kolormondo, ,Korinna Mei Veropoulou, ,Lighting, ,London Met University, ,Louise Tucker, ,Manufract, ,Melanie Porter, ,Melody Rose, ,Nicholas Collins, ,Platonic Solids, ,Prague, ,review, ,Sevak Zargarian, ,Simon Mitchell, ,Summer Will Be Back, ,Tent London, ,That Which We Do Not Understand, ,Truman Brewery, ,Tumbling Blocks, ,Turner Furniture, ,Woodenleg

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Amelia’s Magazine | Tent London 2014: Textiles and Surface Design

Zoe Murphy
Yes yes it’s been 6 months since the 2014 edition of Tent London but straight after the show I became ridiculously busy with my 10th anniversary Kickstarter project, That Which We Do Not Understand. I have always wanted to share my finds properly, some of whom I have already profiled at length on this website, and I’m sure this little collection will offer some refreshing and exciting inspiration.

Zoe murphy cushions
From Mexico to Margate was inspired by Zoe Murphy’s summer travels, and is the perfect vehicle for her zingy colour ways. Used to great effect on these cacti fabric designs on cushions. Spot also the Snarfle ghost hand.

Seven Gauge Studios
I love the new geometric woven fabric designs by Seven Gauge Studios.

Room 39
This wonderful new bedding and cushion collection is by Room 39. Designer Petra was also very helpful on the subject of crowdfunding, having funded the fragment bedding range through this method herself.

Sian Elin
Sian Elin excels in the creation of upbeat geometric designs such as these wonderful duotone cushions.

Louise Wilkinson
Louise Wilkinson cushion
As always I adore the designs of Louise Wilkinson, whose new fabrics are a touch folkloric, a touch Scandinavian and a touch of chintz: lots of fruits, vegetables and strange little animals.

Louise Wilkinson hedgehog
I think this gold hedgehog wall decal is out of this world, but she only made them as one offs for Tent. Don’t you reckon they would sell like hot cakes?!

Lorna Syson
It was great to see new designs by Lorna Syson mixing up birds and geometric designs: I’ve since discovered her new Broom and Bee design, which is absolutely magic – check her website to see it.

Otago Design mat
We spent some time admiring coir circle mats made in Africa for Otago Design.

Sonya rugs
Amazing crazy cool bright rugs are by Sonya Winner.

Rose sharp jones
I adore the subtle crochet cushion designs of Rose Sharp Jones: one of a new wave of crafters bringing this traditional technique into the 21st century.

Occipinti
occipinti textiles
Embroidery hoops are a wonderful showcase for fabrics by Occipinti. Find out more about the designer in my recent interview.

Tracey Tubb
These very clever and original origami wall coverings are by Tracey Tubb.

Natalia Yanez
Natalia Yanez utilises a combination of crochet and local Chilean basketweave techniques in her beautiful and unusual structures. Very clever!

candid fabric
These fabulous tropical fruit fabrics are by Hannah Rampley for Candid Fabric – a new project to support emerging graduate textile designers.

Beldi rugs
Beldi rug vintage
I am just a little bit in love with vintage Moroccan Beldi Rugs. These rag rugs cost a fortune but are ever so glorious.

Parris Wakefield additions
Paris Wakefield Additions has released a stunning new fabric design. Since last September I have had the honour of working with Sarah Parris, who produced a beautiful print for my special That Which We Do Not Understand 10th anniversary gold leaf range, available here.

Fanny Shorter
Fanny Shorter skirt
As always I love tropical loveliness by Fanny Shorter, looking wonderful in a pencil skirt made with her fabric.

Kitty McCall
Last but not least, I am enthralled by the colourful abstract designs of Kitty McCall. This fabric looks like a surreal mountainscape.

Read about furniture, lighting and other odds and sods here! All of these images were first shared on my instagram feed.

Categories ,2014, ,Beldi Rugs, ,Broom and Bee, ,Candid Fabric, ,craft, ,crochet, ,Fanny Shorter, ,From Mexico to Margate, ,Hannah Rampley, ,instagram, ,Interior Design, ,Kitty McCall, ,Lorna Syson, ,Louise Wilkinson, ,Natalia Yanez, ,Occipinti, ,Otago Design, ,Paris Wakefield Additions, ,review, ,Room 39, ,Rose Sharp Jones, ,Sarah Parris, ,Seven Gauge Studios, ,Sian Elin, ,Snarfle, ,Sonya Winner, ,surface design, ,Tent London, ,textiles, ,That Which We Do Not Understand, ,Tracey Tubb, ,Truman Brewery, ,Zoe Murphy

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Amelia’s Magazine | OPEN BRIEF for ARTISTS: Amelia’s Magazine Colourful Colouring Companion

Amelia's Magazine issue 4 cover colouring in
Have you noticed the huge trend for colouring books aimed at adults? It hasn’t escaped my notice: I included a series of colouring in pages in issue 4 of Amelia’s Magazine way back in 2005, complete with a scratch ‘n’ sniff cover and a free set of smelly branded pens to colour in those pages (above). 10 years on the concept has gone mainstream, and the time is right to contribute something a bit different to the market: a beautifully curated colouring book that features the work of multiple contributors who are working in diversely different but appealing styles. I will include artwork that features a wide range of themes, creating a book that goes beyond the feel of most pretty decorative colouring books. I want this book to appeal as much to men as it does to women! (and I therefore encourage lots of male artists to contribute).

Amelia's Magazine issue 4 Zakee Shariff colouring in pages
Zakee Shariff, Amelia’s Magazine issue 4.

Amelia's Magazine issue 4 Birgitte Lund colouring in pages
Birgitte Lund, Amelia’s Magazine issue 4.

And the most exciting part about this project? Each artist will get two opposing pages to play with, just as they did back in 2005. One side of the book will showcase a fully coloured image, and the opposite page will showcase a similar or related image designed for colouring in. It’s a great chance for artists to get their work seen and admired by a wide new audience – all images will be credited and there will be a back section where short bios and links for all featured artists are shared. Let your imagination run riot.

Amelia's Magazine issue 4 Serge Seidlitz colouring in pages
Serge Seidlitz, Amelia’s Magazine issue 4.

Amelia's Magazine issue 4 Colin Henderson colouring in pages
Colin Henderson, Amelia’s Magazine issue 4.

I have already conducted a bit of market research on my social media feeds to gauge enthusiasm for a colouring in book and here are just a few of the responses: I think we’re onto a winner!

‘Sounds so fun’
‘I’d buy it for sure’
‘Heck yes, I’d love to be involved’
‘I’d love to draw something! I would also love to buy a copy!’
‘Yes! I loved this back in 2005. And would love another similar issue today! x’
‘I’ve just completed two commissions for adult colouring books, they’re so popular right now go for it, I’d love to contribute!’
‘Would love to pop five on my Christmas gift list!’
‘I remember this! Great idea!’
‘Definitely, great idea! Would tick two of my obsession boxes…’
‘definitely! Perfect idea!’
‘sounds like a fantastic idea. I hope you decide to go for it, it would be a great project & I’d love to buy one.’
‘It’s a brilliant concept. Like a colouring compendium of up and coming artists.’

Amelia's Magazine issue 4 Jim Stoten colouring in pages
Jim Stoten, Amelia’s Magazine issue 4.

Technical Details:
Please read before you start your artwork! I cannot include artwork that is not correctly put together for the book.

Specifications:
The full colour page of your artwork should be designed to appear on the left hand side of the book (so please remember that some of the artwork may disappear into the gutter on the right hand side). Please note that this is the reverse of how it appeared in issue 4.

The colouring in page should be designed to appear on the right hand side of the book (ditto, some of the artwork may disappear into the gutter at the left side). Please make sure you create this page using a fine liner pen and make sure your lines are solid and can be coloured in easily (no pencil or brush lines please). Lots of small intricate spaces to colour in are good, but it’s okay to intersperse these with larger areas of plain ground.

Please make sure your pages work together: they could make up one large image when viewed together, or tell some kind of story next to each other. They should not be based on the exact same image. Please have fun with this concept; this will not be a twee colouring in book, so please get inspired by ideas beyond the usual. And of course, have fun with colour…

Size, Bleed, File type:
This book will be the same size as all my publications: 200mm wide x 245mm high. However you should produce your original artwork so it would fit an A2 sheet; 400mm x 490mm at a 300 dpi resolution.

Please also include a 3mm area of bleed around your artwork, as it will be printed full bleed in the book. This is a 3mm zone that you do not mind losing parts of when the pages are cut to size (so don’t include anything important).

Each of your two images should therefore be sized 406mm wide x 496mm high at 300 dpi, which includes the 3mm bleed zone around each side.

Create your colour artwork using the CYMK colour mode for lithograph printing and save as a tiff or psd file. Please create the line art for your colouring in page using the Grayscale mode in Photoshop or as an Illustrator file. The line art should be very black please.

Exclusivity:
Your artwork should be created exclusively for this project: please share tasters on social media using the hashtag #ameliasccc but do not share the full piece online until the book is published if you are chosen for inclusion.

Amelia's Magazine issue 4 Luke Best colouring in pages
Luke Best, Amelia’s Magazine issue 4.

Send Me:
Please title your email ARTWORK FOR AMELIA’S MAGAZINE COLOURING BOOK.

Please ensure your artworks are labelled with your name or I may lose them.

Please send me a small version of your artwork: my Gmail account cannot cope with large files, so please ensure you resize each page to be no larger than 1MB. If you are shortlisted I will ask you to send a larger file via Wetransfer.

Website and Social Media:
You must have a professional active presence on social media channels, preferably on at least twitter, facebook and instagram.

Please include all relevant links in your email, including a link to the personal website which best showcases your work.

Please do start sharing news on the project using the hashtag #ameliasccc. I’d love to see your progress on twitter and instagram.

Words:
Please send me a 100 word description of your artwork: including inspiration, process and meaning if applicable.

Please also send me 100 word biography.

Amelia's Magazine issue 4 Babak Ganjei colouring in pages
Babak Ganjei, Amelia’s Magazine issue 4.

Credit:
All artists will receive a complimentary copy of the book. If the book is taken up by a publisher I will endeavour to agree some kind of payment for all featured artists: but please note that if I self publish this book I will not be able to offer any payment. *So I can’t promise anything at this stage.*

Deadlines:
You have all summer long to work on your images, but please submit your artwork to art@ameliasmagazine.com by Friday 28th August 2015. My plan is to publish this book before Christmas, making it the perfect gift item for all those who have recently discovered (or rediscovered) the joy of colouring in, but are looking for something a bit different from the average offering.

Publishing Plans:
At present I anticipate self-publishing this book through Kickstarter in the same way as I did with my limited edition 10th anniversary celebration book That Which We Do Not Understand: now sold out. However I am also actively looking for a publisher who understands my vision and is able to better promote and distribute this book once it is published. I don’t know which way it will go at this stage, but suffice to say that if you are a publisher or work for one and would be interested in chatting with me then do get in touch: I’d love to talk.

Disclaimer:
I am nearly 38 weeks pregnant and hopeful this birth will go well and I can get back to work as soon as possible, but there’s always the potential for unforeseen problems, and if something does happen then I will have to postpone this project. So I am just putting that thought out there: I could not wait to post this brief and look forward to seeing what you produce.

Categories ,#ameliasccc, ,Adult Coloring Book, ,Adult Colouring, ,Adult Colouring Book, ,Amelia’s Magazine, ,Babak Ganjei, ,Birgitte Lund, ,Colin Henderson, ,Coloring, ,Coloring In, ,Colourful Colouring Companion, ,Colouring, ,Colouring Book, ,Colouring In, ,illustration, ,Jim Stoten, ,Kickstarter, ,Luke Best, ,Open brief, ,Serge Seidlitz, ,Special Colouring Companion, ,That Which We Do Not Understand, ,Wetransfer, ,Zakee Shariff

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Amelia’s Magazine | OPEN BRIEF for ARTISTS: Amelia’s Magazine Colourful Colouring Companion

Amelia's Magazine issue 4 cover colouring in
Have you noticed the huge trend for colouring books aimed at adults? It hasn’t escaped my notice: I included a series of colouring in pages in issue 4 of Amelia’s Magazine way back in 2005, complete with a scratch ‘n’ sniff cover and a free set of smelly branded pens to colour in those pages (above). 10 years on the concept has gone mainstream, and the time is right to contribute something a bit different to the market: a beautifully curated colouring book that features the work of multiple contributors who are working in diversely different but appealing styles. I will include artwork that features a wide range of themes, creating a book that goes beyond the feel of most pretty decorative colouring books. I want this book to appeal as much to men as it does to women! (and I therefore encourage lots of male artists to contribute).

Amelia's Magazine issue 4 Zakee Shariff colouring in pages
Zakee Shariff, Amelia’s Magazine issue 4.

Amelia's Magazine issue 4 Birgitte Lund colouring in pages
Birgitte Lund, Amelia’s Magazine issue 4.

And the most exciting part about this project? Each artist will get two opposing pages to play with, just as they did back in 2005. One side of the book will showcase a fully coloured image, and the opposite page will showcase a similar or related image designed for colouring in. It’s a great chance for artists to get their work seen and admired by a wide new audience – all images will be credited and there will be a back section where short bios and links for all featured artists are shared. Let your imagination run riot.

Amelia's Magazine issue 4 Serge Seidlitz colouring in pages
Serge Seidlitz, Amelia’s Magazine issue 4.

Amelia's Magazine issue 4 Colin Henderson colouring in pages
Colin Henderson, Amelia’s Magazine issue 4.

I have already conducted a bit of market research on my social media feeds to gauge enthusiasm for a colouring in book and here are just a few of the responses: I think we’re onto a winner!

‘Sounds so fun’
‘I’d buy it for sure’
‘Heck yes, I’d love to be involved’
‘I’d love to draw something! I would also love to buy a copy!’
‘Yes! I loved this back in 2005. And would love another similar issue today! x’
‘I’ve just completed two commissions for adult colouring books, they’re so popular right now go for it, I’d love to contribute!’
‘Would love to pop five on my Christmas gift list!’
‘I remember this! Great idea!’
‘Definitely, great idea! Would tick two of my obsession boxes…’
‘definitely! Perfect idea!’
‘sounds like a fantastic idea. I hope you decide to go for it, it would be a great project & I’d love to buy one.’
‘It’s a brilliant concept. Like a colouring compendium of up and coming artists.’

Amelia's Magazine issue 4 Jim Stoten colouring in pages
Jim Stoten, Amelia’s Magazine issue 4.

Technical Details:
Please read before you start your artwork! I cannot include artwork that is not correctly put together for the book.

Specifications:
The full colour page of your artwork should be designed to appear on the left hand side of the book (so please remember that some of the artwork may disappear into the gutter on the right hand side). Please note that this is the reverse of how it appeared in issue 4.

The colouring in page should be designed to appear on the right hand side of the book (ditto, some of the artwork may disappear into the gutter at the left side). Please make sure you create this page using a fine liner pen and make sure your lines are solid and can be coloured in easily (no pencil or brush lines please). Lots of small intricate spaces to colour in are good, but it’s okay to intersperse these with larger areas of plain ground.

Please make sure your pages work together: they could make up one large image when viewed together, or tell some kind of story next to each other. They should not be based on the exact same image. Please have fun with this concept; this will not be a twee colouring in book, so please get inspired by ideas beyond the usual. And of course, have fun with colour…

Size, Bleed, File type:
This book will be the same size as all my publications: 200mm wide x 245mm high. However you should produce your original artwork so it would fit an A2 sheet; 400mm x 490mm at a 300 dpi resolution.

Please also include a 3mm area of bleed around your artwork, as it will be printed full bleed in the book. This is a 3mm zone that you do not mind losing parts of when the pages are cut to size (so don’t include anything important).

Each of your two images should therefore be sized 406mm wide x 496mm high at 300 dpi, which includes the 3mm bleed zone around each side.

Create your colour artwork using the CYMK colour mode for lithograph printing and save as a tiff or psd file. Please create the line art for your colouring in page using the Grayscale mode in Photoshop or as an Illustrator file. The line art should be very black please.

Exclusivity:
Your artwork should be created exclusively for this project: please share tasters on social media using the hashtag #ameliasccc but do not share the full piece online until the book is published if you are chosen for inclusion.

Amelia's Magazine issue 4 Luke Best colouring in pages
Luke Best, Amelia’s Magazine issue 4.

Send Me:
Please title your email ARTWORK FOR AMELIA’S MAGAZINE COLOURING BOOK.

Please ensure your artworks are labelled with your name or I may lose them.

Please send me a small version of your artwork: my Gmail account cannot cope with large files, so please ensure you resize each page to be no larger than 1MB. If you are shortlisted I will ask you to send a larger file via Wetransfer.

Website and Social Media:
You must have a professional active presence on social media channels, preferably on at least twitter, facebook and instagram.

Please include all relevant links in your email, including a link to the personal website which best showcases your work.

Please do start sharing news on the project using the hashtag #ameliasccc. I’d love to see your progress on twitter and instagram.

Words:
Please send me a 100 word description of your artwork: including inspiration, process and meaning if applicable.

Please also send me 100 word biography.

Amelia's Magazine issue 4 Babak Ganjei colouring in pages
Babak Ganjei, Amelia’s Magazine issue 4.

Credit:
All artists will receive a complimentary copy of the book. If the book is taken up by a publisher I will endeavour to agree some kind of payment for all featured artists: but please note that if I self publish this book I will not be able to offer any payment. *So I can’t promise anything at this stage.*

Deadlines:
You have all summer long to work on your images, but please submit your artwork to art@ameliasmagazine.com by Friday 28th August 2015. My plan is to publish this book before Christmas, making it the perfect gift item for all those who have recently discovered (or rediscovered) the joy of colouring in, but are looking for something a bit different from the average offering.

Publishing Plans:
At present I anticipate self-publishing this book through Kickstarter in the same way as I did with my limited edition 10th anniversary celebration book That Which We Do Not Understand: now sold out. However I am also actively looking for a publisher who understands my vision and is able to better promote and distribute this book once it is published. I don’t know which way it will go at this stage, but suffice to say that if you are a publisher or work for one and would be interested in chatting with me then do get in touch: I’d love to talk.

Disclaimer:
I am nearly 38 weeks pregnant and hopeful this birth will go well and I can get back to work as soon as possible, but there’s always the potential for unforeseen problems, and if something does happen then I will have to postpone this project. So I am just putting that thought out there: I could not wait to post this brief and look forward to seeing what you produce.

Categories ,#ameliasccc, ,Adult Coloring Book, ,Adult Colouring, ,Adult Colouring Book, ,Amelia’s Magazine, ,Babak Ganjei, ,Birgitte Lund, ,Colin Henderson, ,Coloring, ,Coloring In, ,Colourful Colouring Companion, ,Colouring, ,Colouring Book, ,Colouring In, ,illustration, ,Jim Stoten, ,Kickstarter, ,Luke Best, ,Open brief, ,Serge Seidlitz, ,Special Colouring Companion, ,That Which We Do Not Understand, ,Wetransfer, ,Zakee Shariff

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Amelia’s Magazine | OPEN BRIEF for ARTISTS: Amelia’s Magazine Colourful Colouring Companion

Amelia's Magazine issue 4 cover colouring in
Have you noticed the huge trend for colouring books aimed at adults? It hasn’t escaped my notice: I included a series of colouring in pages in issue 4 of Amelia’s Magazine way back in 2005, complete with a scratch ‘n’ sniff cover and a free set of smelly branded pens to colour in those pages (above). 10 years on the concept has gone mainstream, and the time is right to contribute something a bit different to the market: a beautifully curated colouring book that features the work of multiple contributors who are working in diversely different but appealing styles. I will include artwork that features a wide range of themes, creating a book that goes beyond the feel of most pretty decorative colouring books. I want this book to appeal as much to men as it does to women! (and I therefore encourage lots of male artists to contribute).

Amelia's Magazine issue 4 Zakee Shariff colouring in pages
Zakee Shariff, Amelia’s Magazine issue 4.

Amelia's Magazine issue 4 Birgitte Lund colouring in pages
Birgitte Lund, Amelia’s Magazine issue 4.

And the most exciting part about this project? Each artist will get two opposing pages to play with, just as they did back in 2005. One side of the book will showcase a fully coloured image, and the opposite page will showcase a similar or related image designed for colouring in. It’s a great chance for artists to get their work seen and admired by a wide new audience – all images will be credited and there will be a back section where short bios and links for all featured artists are shared. Let your imagination run riot.

Amelia's Magazine issue 4 Serge Seidlitz colouring in pages
Serge Seidlitz, Amelia’s Magazine issue 4.

Amelia's Magazine issue 4 Colin Henderson colouring in pages
Colin Henderson, Amelia’s Magazine issue 4.

I have already conducted a bit of market research on my social media feeds to gauge enthusiasm for a colouring in book and here are just a few of the responses: I think we’re onto a winner!

‘Sounds so fun’
‘I’d buy it for sure’
‘Heck yes, I’d love to be involved’
‘I’d love to draw something! I would also love to buy a copy!’
‘Yes! I loved this back in 2005. And would love another similar issue today! x’
‘I’ve just completed two commissions for adult colouring books, they’re so popular right now go for it, I’d love to contribute!’
‘Would love to pop five on my Christmas gift list!’
‘I remember this! Great idea!’
‘Definitely, great idea! Would tick two of my obsession boxes…’
‘definitely! Perfect idea!’
‘sounds like a fantastic idea. I hope you decide to go for it, it would be a great project & I’d love to buy one.’
‘It’s a brilliant concept. Like a colouring compendium of up and coming artists.’

Amelia's Magazine issue 4 Jim Stoten colouring in pages
Jim Stoten, Amelia’s Magazine issue 4.

Technical Details:
Please read before you start your artwork! I cannot include artwork that is not correctly put together for the book.

Specifications:
The full colour page of your artwork should be designed to appear on the left hand side of the book (so please remember that some of the artwork may disappear into the gutter on the right hand side). Please note that this is the reverse of how it appeared in issue 4.

The colouring in page should be designed to appear on the right hand side of the book (ditto, some of the artwork may disappear into the gutter at the left side). Please make sure you create this page using a fine liner pen and make sure your lines are solid and can be coloured in easily (no pencil or brush lines please). Lots of small intricate spaces to colour in are good, but it’s okay to intersperse these with larger areas of plain ground.

Please make sure your pages work together: they could make up one large image when viewed together, or tell some kind of story next to each other. They should not be based on the exact same image. Please have fun with this concept; this will not be a twee colouring in book, so please get inspired by ideas beyond the usual. And of course, have fun with colour…

Size, Bleed, File type:
This book will be the same size as all my publications: 200mm wide x 245mm high. However you should produce your original artwork so it would fit an A2 sheet; 400mm x 490mm at a 300 dpi resolution.

Please also include a 3mm area of bleed around your artwork, as it will be printed full bleed in the book. This is a 3mm zone that you do not mind losing parts of when the pages are cut to size (so don’t include anything important).

Each of your two images should therefore be sized 406mm wide x 496mm high at 300 dpi, which includes the 3mm bleed zone around each side.

Create your colour artwork using the CYMK colour mode for lithograph printing and save as a tiff or psd file. Please create the line art for your colouring in page using the Grayscale mode in Photoshop or as an Illustrator file. The line art should be very black please.

Exclusivity:
Your artwork should be created exclusively for this project: please share tasters on social media using the hashtag #ameliasccc but do not share the full piece online until the book is published if you are chosen for inclusion.

Amelia's Magazine issue 4 Luke Best colouring in pages
Luke Best, Amelia’s Magazine issue 4.

Send Me:
Please title your email ARTWORK FOR AMELIA’S MAGAZINE COLOURING BOOK.

Please ensure your artworks are labelled with your name or I may lose them.

Please send me a small version of your artwork: my Gmail account cannot cope with large files, so please ensure you resize each page to be no larger than 1MB. If you are shortlisted I will ask you to send a larger file via Wetransfer.

Website and Social Media:
You must have a professional active presence on social media channels, preferably on at least twitter, facebook and instagram.

Please include all relevant links in your email, including a link to the personal website which best showcases your work.

Please do start sharing news on the project using the hashtag #ameliasccc. I’d love to see your progress on twitter and instagram.

Words:
Please send me a 100 word description of your artwork: including inspiration, process and meaning if applicable.

Please also send me 100 word biography.

Amelia's Magazine issue 4 Babak Ganjei colouring in pages
Babak Ganjei, Amelia’s Magazine issue 4.

Credit:
All artists will receive a complimentary copy of the book. If the book is taken up by a publisher I will endeavour to agree some kind of payment for all featured artists: but please note that if I self publish this book I will not be able to offer any payment. *So I can’t promise anything at this stage.*

Deadlines:
You have all summer long to work on your images, but please submit your artwork to art@ameliasmagazine.com by Friday 28th August 2015. My plan is to publish this book before Christmas, making it the perfect gift item for all those who have recently discovered (or rediscovered) the joy of colouring in, but are looking for something a bit different from the average offering.

UPDATE: DEADLINE EXTENDED until midnight Monday 14th Sept 2015. Thank you so much to over 60 artists who have submitted work so far, I have received some wonderful colouring in pages. My baby girl arrived 18 days after her due date so she is only 4 weeks old at the time of writing, and in order to ensure this book showcases a diverse range of styles I am keeping the brief open for a further two weeks. I am especially keen to receive innovative and thought provoking narrative artwork with lots of decorative detail to colour in: think landscapes, surreal, buildings, gardens, outer space, tattoo art, underwater, fashion, people, dinosaurs, monsters, stories. And if you are a guy please do get involved! I can’t promise anything but I will be showing the top entries to a major colouring book publisher who is interested in working with me.

Publishing Plans:
At present I anticipate self-publishing this book through Kickstarter in the same way as I did with my limited edition 10th anniversary celebration book That Which We Do Not Understand: now sold out. However I am also actively looking for a publisher who understands my vision and is able to better promote and distribute this book once it is published. I don’t know which way it will go at this stage, but suffice to say that if you are a publisher or work for one and would be interested in chatting with me then do get in touch: I’d love to talk.

Disclaimer:
I am nearly 38 weeks pregnant and hopeful this birth will go well and I can get back to work as soon as possible, but there’s always the potential for unforeseen problems, and if something does happen then I will have to postpone this project. So I am just putting that thought out there: I could not wait to post this brief and look forward to seeing what you produce.

Categories ,#ameliasccc, ,Adult Coloring Book, ,Adult Colouring, ,Adult Colouring Book, ,Amelia’s Magazine, ,Babak Ganjei, ,Birgitte Lund, ,Colin Henderson, ,Coloring, ,Coloring In, ,Colourful Colouring Companion, ,Colouring, ,Colouring Book, ,Colouring In, ,illustration, ,Jim Stoten, ,Kickstarter, ,Luke Best, ,Open brief, ,Serge Seidlitz, ,Special Colouring Companion, ,That Which We Do Not Understand, ,Wetransfer, ,Zakee Shariff

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Amelia’s Magazine | Introducing True Romance: Print Designs chosen for an exhibition curated by East End Prints

True Romance East End Prints Flyer
I am really pleased to share the designs that have been chosen by East End Prints to appear as part of the True Romance exhibition opening today at 70 Paul Street (full listing info here). Helen Edwards of East End Prints has picked the following work, made in response to my Valentines Art Open Brief, to feature on a specially curated wall alongside the rest of her prints. She will offer the ones which are best received during the show a publishing deal to be sold online, and all works will also be available to buy at True Romance. Scroll down to read more about the inspiration behind these pieces and the process of creating them. I’ll be sharing the rest of the designs that were sent in over the following week.

Wuthering Heights by Ashley Le Quere
Ashley Le Quere: Wuthering Heights
My submission is based on Wuthering Heights. I wanted to create something that was a bit whimsical as well referring to what happens in the story, so I started to draw icons that I thought represents parts of the book and the different parts of the story and I loved this quote! It feels very deep and reflects the obsessive, passionate and doomed romance that is the focus of the book. I hand drew the text so it would feel like the diary that Catherine writes about Heathcliff. I think that the texture in the ink reflects the stormy and miserable nature of the book but wanted the icons to be quite whimsical.

Ashley Le Quere is an Illustrator and Surface Pattern Designer. You can see more of her work here.

onlyloversleftalive_by_Carly_Watts
Carly Watts: Only Lovers Left Alive
My illustration is based on Jim Jarmusch’s ‘Only Lovers Left Alive’. The movie is based on two, centuries old vampire lovers called Adam and Eve. Adam is a musician who reconnects with Eve after a period of separation after he becomes depressed and melancholy. I wanted to create a highly stylised and graphic piece that would capture the main themes of the movie, Adam’s darkness, his love of music, and the quest to find where we fit into society. On a more visual level, Adam is primarily dressed in dark colours, and Eve in light throughout the course of the film; I thought this could be portrayed well through the guitar graphic.

See more work by Carly Watts here.

Death Valley Illustration Annie Hall
Death Valley Illustration: Annie Hall
The poster is designed to resemble a minimalist book cover, and includes the most romantic quote from the film, delivered in Woody’s inimitable style.  The paired back design also reflects the way that both of the characters approach their relationship throughout the film, and the cold reasoning that Alvy uses to reflect back on their time together.  The glimmers of romance in the film are shown by the sparing use of the vibrant pink. The fonts used were Rockwell, Futura and Georgia.

Gavin Shepherdson of Death Valley Illustration has been working as a freelance illustrator and designer since graduating from an Animation degree in 2009. See more work here.

emma russell casablanca
Emma Russell: Casablanca
For this print, I started by making line drawings of Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman at various points in the airport scene of Casablanca. I added colour and hand drawn type. As I worked I pared down and simplified the image until the two figures made a single silhouette framing Bogart’s parting words.

Emma Russell is a London-based freelance illustrator specialising in line drawings, flat colour, patterns and 3D paper sculptures. Her work often features unlikely champions, jokes and puns, memory, animals and fairy tales. Find Emma at www.helloemma.co.uk 

Jessica_Courtney_Tickle_My_Fair_Lady
Jessica Courtney-Tickle: My Fair Lady
I have recreated the film poster for the 1964 film and musical, ‘My Fair Lady’. At the heart of this love story there are (in my opinion) two very different characters with very different morals, lifestyles and ideas about falling in love. I wanted to describe how free and expressive Eliza the flower girl is compared to the upper classes who are shocked by her accent and way of life. But as you can see if you look closely at Professor Higgins he is actually intrigued by her character rather than put off. The florals are inspired by the very first scene of the film where Eliza is selling flowers in Covent Garden Market. This is the very first place the two characters meet. I created the work using gouache which I then scanned in and played around with on the computer. I added some digital colouring to give the poster more vibrancy and a smoother texture. I was most inspired by vintage picture book illustrations and posters which are rich in colour and character.

See more work by Freelance Illustrator and Designer Jessica Courtney-Tickle here.

jordana_globerman_edward_scissorhands
Jordana Globerman: Edward Scissorhands
Growing up, I thought Edward Scissorhands was the most romantic film. It captures the fairy-tale feeling of a first love so perfectly. I created my homage to this wonderful film with a mix of media, laying out and ink drawing first before incorporating elements of collage and painted-in details. Different brush work was used to achieve the splashed figure of Edward and the lightly falling snow. I wanted to capture both how the town begins to see Edward and how Kim sees Edward. His figure looms ominously, evoking the fear he instills in the town toward the end of the film. Despite this, Kim can only think of him with a real love and devotion, which is why I made this same figure of Edward hunched into the shape of a heart. This was a fun image to create because the film is so nostalgic and romantic to me. I enjoyed playing with different textures and line quality to create a graphic, yet painterly poster.”

See more work by Jordana Globerman here.

Katie Edwards - True Romance
Katie Edwards: True Romance
I love animals, who doesn’t, I decided they were a great way to convey the idea of Love, Affection and Companionship. I think most people could relate to the imagery I used and feel some emotions. Using traditional photographic and screen printing techniques to produce my conceptual screen prints, which are occasionally combined with collage or freehand textures. My work is largely influenced by the animal world focusing on photographic representation, what images symbolise and their use metaphorically. Objects are often isolated and placed in unusual compositions to result in a surreal, humorous or thought-provoking illustration. Animals often feature in my illustrations because they are very symbolic, as they don’t change with time or technology. They will always stay the same, and so will their symbolic meanings.

See more work from Katie Edwards here.

lindsay_lombard_the_notebook
Lindsay Lombard: The Notebook
The Notebook is one of my all time favourite love films, I love the setting of the film and the whole premise of the movie. The first quote that came to mind from the film was ‘If you’re a bird, I’m a bird’; meaning I’ll be whatever you need me to be to allow us to be together. I then set about creating the imagery – I developed some pencil drawings of two birds taking to flight. I then scanned these in, and set them upon a light background just to soften them slightly. I wanted the placement of the birds to be a representation of them flying freely away together. I added text and the cut out of an open book at the bottom, I tried drawing the book first but I couldn’t get the right amount of detail into the image so I decided to go with a white cut out – I think it works well to have the suggestion of a book but not be too obvious about it.

See more work by Lindsay Lombard here.

La-vie-en-rose by Sophie-Heywood
Sophie Heywood: La Vie En Rose

La Vie En Rose is probably my favourite love song. The melody is enchanting and somewhat haunting, uplifting yet sad, and I feel it conveys the different emotions of being in love more accurately than any other song. I love the original Edith Plaf version, but I think the Louis Armstrong version is my favourite rendition. When painting the hand drawn lettering, I let the soulful vocals dictate the shape of the composition. I wanted to create something simple, yet with an eye-catching pop of colour, creating a piece that can easily be framed and hung in someone’s home. The trouble with the theme of Valentines is creating something timeless and relevant all year long, but I feel this song is something everyone can relate to.

See more work by Sophie Heywood here.

All are welcome to attend the Private View on Thursday 12th February, 6-9pm. Don’t forget, the exhibition also features the beautiful gold leaf prints made for That Which We Do Not Understand.

Categories ,180, ,Annie Hall, ,Ashley Le Quere, ,Carly Watts, ,Casablanca, ,Death Valley Illustration, ,East End Prints, ,Edward Scissorhands, ,Emma Russell, ,Film Posters, ,Gavin Shepherdson, ,Helen Edwards, ,Jessica Courtney-Tickle, ,Jim Jarmusch, ,Jordana Globerman, ,Katie Edwards, ,La Vie en Rose, ,Lindsay Lombard, ,Movie Posters, ,Movie Prints, ,My Fair Lady, ,Only Lovers Left Alive, ,Sophie Heywood, ,That Which We Do Not Understand, ,The Notebook, ,True Romance, ,Wuthering Heights

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Amelia’s Magazine | Meet Cristian Grossi: Featured Artist from That Which We Do Not Understand

Amelias_magazine_TWWDNU_Cristian_Grossi_ver_sacrum
Cristian Grossi lives in Italy, where he works on a plethora of art, design and fashion projects. He studied computer science and his bold graphic style is influenced by modernism, art nouveau, a love of nature and magical folk stories. Ver Sacrum was inspired by a night spent in hospital, when Cristian began to relate the behaviour of the human body to the Turing Machine. He imagined two demiurges implanting apparatus to combine with body parts, the unknown becoming part of the known in our flesh.

cristian-grossi-ver-sacrum-zoom
Your image was inspired by a night spent in hospital, how has its creation helped you heal?
About a month ago I was in the hospital, my dad had very delicate surgery. I thought about how fallacious the body is, and the perfection of the mathematical modeling of the inorganic systems that I studied at the university. Take for example the Turing Machine, it’s complete. My demiurges mysteriously assemble a perfect body, a system that is in balance. Maybe they are creating the perfect body for my dad.

cristian-grossi-ledas-myth
cristian-grossi-mostrum-horribilis
How long did it take to put together and what elements does it contain?
The image is made of more than 300 anatomical drawings showing human body organs and membranes (among them pancreas, lungs, brain, testicles and yet the liver, intestine, bone and fetuses). I am celebrating the Jugendstil (art nouveaux) style, affected with contemporary digital contaminations. 33 working days were required to develop my allegory for the creation of human beings. Ver Sacrum features two female demiurges putting together a newborn.

the-madras-adventure-cristian-grossi
the-blue-sea-comes-tropical
What is your working process?
I start my drawings using pencil and Chinese ink on paper, then add elaborations to them on the computer. I believe that the transition to digital is a mandatory step for all contemporary designers because scanning images is a key step to fix ideas.

cristian-grossi-the-blue-sea-comes-tropical-isadora
cristian-grossi-the-blue-sea-comes-tropical-flora
What is your favourite subject matter and why?
I’m attracted to all that is kitsch. The surplus has always attracted me, and I think that is part of my Jugendstil nature. The strange thing is that I’m passionate about everything that goes beyond, and all that’s missing: the moment before death, of a sneeze, the cavities of the times in the dialogues of a conversation. I believe that the completeness is not interesting.

cristian-grossi-madreperla
cristian-grossi-minimondi
You have recently had an exhibition – can you share some of this work and explain what it was about?
Yes, I have just had an exhibition of video art and textiles. I design fabrics for some Italian fashion brands and themes always stretch into other artistic projects such as video art, books and installations. The latest project is a study of the roots of the Liberty style typical of my city, Salsomaggiore Terme, with an attempt on my part to recover and re-elaborate the details in a new artistic language.

cristian-grossi-insekta-phasmatodea
cristian-grossi-insekta-moodboard
cristian-grossi-insekta-blattodea
You are a very busy designer: what other jobs have you completed recently, and what are you most looking forward to working on in the coming months?
Yes, I am very busy. This Christmas around 18,000 Italian families will receive my ball which has been illustrated for a non-profit, so I’m very excited. In a few months my new collection of scarfs and bags for a big fashion brand will be released, and I have been involved in mood boards, ideas and stylistic direction. I have also designed a series of posters to promote art exhibitions in Italian museums and festivals and a series of limited edition stationery.

cristian-grossi-die-jugestil-organico
cristian-grossi-pinko-scarf
Where are the best places to go for creative inspiration online in Italy?
Italian creativity is very special. Fashion, architecture and design are born in Milan, and it is there that these are processed. But Milan is a city sad and cynical, so I think the source of true creativity is in the provinces. The typical is very genuine, if you can hang out for the provinces to discover new enzymes, you understand the genuineness of color, flavor and shape. So if you want to take a shower of true creativity Italian go to festivals in Emilia, eats local food, meet local people. Check out online projects such as gnambox which covers food that is typical of the Italian tradition, or weloooooveit (www.weloooooveit.com) which celebrates all that is cool of Italy, or Dolce & Gabbana’s Swide, which offers the best of the sweet life.

cristian-grossi-the-god-03
cristian-grossi-the-god-02
Read more about Cristian’s Ver Sacrum here and secure your gold leaf fine art print here.

Categories ,#TWWDNU, ,Anatomical, ,art nouveaux, ,Cristian Grossi, ,gnambox, ,illustration, ,Italian, ,Jugendstil, ,Salsomaggiore Terme, ,Swide, ,That Which We Do Not Understand, ,Turing Machine, ,Ver Sacrum, ,weloooooveit

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Amelia’s Magazine | Meet Daria Hlazatova: Featured Artist from That Which We Do Not Understand

Amelias_magazine_TWWDNU_daria_hlazatova_the_empress
Daria Hlazatova is a Ukraine based artist who has contributed to Amelia’s Magazine for many years. Her wonderful hand drawn pen and ink artworks are full of beautiful detail, creating a dream like world that the viewer can get lost in. Daria is inspired by music and folk tales because she believes that music and stories create paths to the deepest realms of the imagination and self-cognition. She hopes that her vision of The Empress will have a meditative, calming effect on the viewer, helping to untie the knots of anxiety as easily as she disentangles the red ribbon in her hands. Daria is also showing with Atomica Gallery as part of a group exhibition this December.

of the oceans blue by daria hlazatova
of the oceans blue by daria hlazatova

Your piece The Empress was inspired by many different ideas. How did you piece them all together and how long did it take to draw?
The Empress took me a week to draw (what with my 3 jobs and other interruptions), adding details as I went along. It’s pretty much a nocturnal drawing – that’s when I had time to complete it.

team by daria hlazatova
team by daria hlazatova

Much of your artwork is inspired by your love of music, what are you listening to at the moment and how is it influencing your drawing?
I have been listening to Radiohead and Atoms for Peace a lot – it was an epic return to my teenage love of Thom Yorke’s music. I think he knows a little more about emotions than the others. Also, a lot of medieval chant and polyphony. 

serafina by daria hlazatova
serafina by daria hlazatova

What new zines have you got in the pipeline?
I’m accumulating illustrations based on Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials. If I get a chance and have funds to get them printed, I’ll be very happy.

Lyra by daria hlazatova
Lyra by daria hlazatova

I know the economic situation is quite bad in Ukraine at the moment (not to mention everything else that is going on) – how has this changed the way you are able to live and work at the present time?
The situation has always been like that. We have always had a huge gap between the poor and the very rich. It’s only recently that Ukraine has come up in the news due to the revolutionary movement. I’d rather not talk about the economic situation, as it will only look like complaining. Still, Ukrainian people are known to be able to adapt to even the strictest conditions and that’s what we are doing now – everyone’s trying to carry on. After all, it depends on how you look at it. For some, our situation will appear dystopian, for those with the sense of humour and optimistic nature it will look like another challenge. It could be worse, right? And anyway, everybody’s more concerned now about the war rather than money or food or art, unfortunately.

dream energy by daria hlazatova
dream energy by daria hlazatova

How did you get involved with the Prisma collective and what will you be exhibiting at the upcoming group show?
I was with PRISMA from the very beginning, when Kaspian Shore had this wonderful idea to create an artist collective. PRISMA is a great company to be in, a diverse and uber-talented bunch of people; I am very proud to be part of it. I have one artwork for our upcoming group show Wonder Winterland at the Atomica gallery.

get it on by daria hlazatova
get it on by daria hlazatova

You recently visited the UK to talk with Atomica Gallery about your show, what was the highlight of your visit?
The whole visit was a highlight. Working part-time in a travel agency, I have this priceless opportunity to travel on business once in a while. It’s a wonderful chance to see the world. As I didn’t have much free time, I only sneaked up to meet the lovely girls at the Atomica Gallery and leave my artwork there – I’m very excited about taking part in PRISMA group show this December.  

Read more about The Empress on Daria’s blog here and secure your copy of The Empress featuring real gold leaf now, it’s selling fast… with 50% of profits going to the artist.

Categories ,Atomica Gallery, ,Atoms for Peace, ,Daria Hlazatova, ,his dark materials, ,Kaspian Shore, ,PRISMA, ,radiohead, ,That Which We Do Not Understand, ,The Empress, ,TTWDNU, ,Ukraine, ,Wonder Winterland

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