interview – Page 17 – AmeliasMagazine

Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with illustrator David Doran

TheWeekendsStartHereSpots_DavidDoran1

Illustrator David Doran is a recent graduate of Falmouth University and was one of the standout graduate illustrators discovered at the 2014 shows (read more in my New Blood review)… I caught up with him to talk inspiration from the USA, working with new clients and how to engage with the commercial world before graduation.

DavidDoran_Studio
How has your recent trip around America informed your work?
It was great to get out and about, see new sights and meet new people. Illustration is one of the few jobs that you can do from pretty much anywhere. After finishing University, my girlfriend and I felt the need to travel to new places. We had a few contacts in New York, Boston, Portland and San Francisco, and decided that it was the perfect time for us to just head off. I met with clients at newspapers and magazines, and together we also managed to meet up with other creative people. It was great to make more personable relationships with clients I’d been working with and to realise how international illustration and the industry is. Visually, the American landscape is incredibly inspiring. We took a few days to drive down the Highway 101 from Portland OR to San Francisco, taking in the wild coastline.

NYTimes-Upshot_DavidDoran
NY Times

Why have you decided to stay in Falmouth after graduation – what are the benefits of staying put? (other than the fabulous scenery!)
After seeing other places and spending time in a lot of cities, Falmouth felt like the most perfect place to return to. There’s something very unique about the town, it has a brilliant close-knit, creative community and there’s nothing quite like being so near to the coast!

WIRED_DavidDoran
WIRED

How do you like your studio space set up?
I’m really enjoying having a studio. After a few years of working from home, I found that it was important for me to get out of the house in the morning and to have a routine of going to a different place to work. It also helps with the work/life balance. I try to stick to normal working hours, but occasionally a deadline will mean that there are a few late nights! My studio is set amongst other creative spaces, with architects, artists, jewellery designers, graphic designers and a print studio all working either side of me. There’s also a ping-pong table nearby, which is the highlight of every day.

TheWeekendsStartHere_DavidDoran3
The Weekends Start Here

What or who have been your biggest influences in illustration?
I’ve mentioned this a few times before, but travel posters from the early 20th century have always been a large influence visually. I enjoy the traditional printing techniques and love seeing how tactile the posters feel. There’s plenty of contemporary illustrator’s making really great work at the moment, but I find inspiration from a wide range of artist’s, including Eric Ravillious, David Hockney, Barbara Hepworth, Mark Rothko and Henri Mattise, to name a few!

NYTimesBookReview_DavidDoran
NY Times Book Review

During your degree what was the best way of learning about commercial world of illustration?
There are so many resources available for students to learn about the commercial world of illustration, such as the libraries, illustration annuals, creative magazines and websites. I read lots of interviews with illustrators, art directors and graphic designers, and was always fascinated with the commercial world and the process of a job. Most tutors at Universities will also have a wealth of knowledge about the commercial world and the different areas within illustration, so it’s always worth making the most of them and asking as many questions as you can!

TheQuarterly_DavidDoran
The Quarterly

You have unsurprisingly had a lot of success, despite having only graduated last year – what tips would you give other illustrators graduating this year?
Get your work ‘out there’ and seen as much as possible. Attend the graduate shows and make conversation with people, the people that commission work are regular people and putting a face to a name is always helpful. There may be quiet moments once you graduate, but you never know what you’ll be commissioned for in the near future, so keep on going! I think it’s important to keep your illustration work interesting for yourself by working on personal projects whenever there’s the opportunity between projects. I find this can complement my commercial work and keeps me inspired to make more work. As an illustrator you’ll often be working as part of a team with art directors and designers, which is great, but your personal projects are a nice opportunity to be in complete control of one area of your work.

TheWeekendsStartHere_DavidDoran2
The Weekends Start Here

How did you get involved with the project to illustration London: The Weekends Start Here and what was the process in researching and creating the images in the book?
Elen Jones, an editor at Ebury (Penguin Random House), got in touch with me last summer. She had seen my work at one of the London graduate shows and thought my work would fit nicely with the book concept. The process was very natural and collaborative: I was sent Tom Jones’ manuscript and I went through selecting what I’d most like to illustrate. There were a few places I hadn’t visited before, but Tom was able to help with his photographs from the research for the book. We had a meeting where we went over the list of illustrations and checked that we matched the criteria. Once we’d settled on the pictures, it was simply a case of making sketches for each of the illustrations and then working with Sophie Yamamoto, the designer at Maru Studio, to make the right adjustments to the illustrations. I then went through the list one by one making the final images. I was still in the States while I working on the book and Sophie was in Japan, while Elen was still in London, so we became quite an international working team… The time zones were very confusing! It was great to work on a larger scale project, especially compared to editorial projects, and it’s now very satisfying to be able to hold the final book and stumble upon it in bookstores.

TheWeekendsStartHere_DavidDoran1
The Weekends Start Here

What has been your favourite editorial project of recent months and why?
I enjoy almost all editorial projects, I think there’s always the possibility to make an interesting image and the process of getting to that right image can be really fun. The added adrenaline of tight deadlines means that there’s always something new to be getting on with and keeps the work fresh. A recent editorial project that I particularly enjoyed was creating a series of illustrations for the next issue of Smith Journal magazine, based in Australia, which should be coming out very soon! The magazine has a great aesthetic and the articles had a large amount of scope for concepts; the images came together very naturally.

TheWeekendsStartHere_DavidDoran4
The Weekends Start Here

What are you working on next and what would your ideal project of the future be?
I’m currently working away on editorial projects and am slowly developing a children’s picture book of my own in between jobs. It’s in its very early stages, but hopefully one day it will be revealed to the world… watch this space! I would love to explore publishing more and work on book covers in the future. I’m excited to continue working on editorials and developing concepts too!

Written by Amelia Gregory on Tuesday May 5th, 2015 9:21 pm

Categories ,Book Review, ,David Doran, ,Ebury, ,Elen Jones, ,Falmouth, ,Falmouth University, ,Highway 101, ,illustration, ,illustrator, ,interview, ,Maru Studio, ,New Blood, ,NY Times, ,Smith Journal, ,Sophie Yamamoto, ,The Quarterly, ,The Weekends Start Here, ,Tom Jones

Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with paper artist Rebecca J Coles

Rebecca J Coles

All photos provided courtesy of Rebecca J Coles

Where did you grow up, and are there aspects of your childhood which you see as being influential on your work?
I was born in Bath, we moved to Yorkshire a few years later until I was ten, and then returned to Wiltshire which is where I grew up. The only aspect from my childhood which I can see as being influential to my work is that I was always creative as a child. My mother was an infant school teacher and very artistic, so it was natural to be making something whether it was a den in the garden or cutting out paper and making collages.

Rebecca J Coles
You now live in Frome, Somerset – what is it like to be living and working as an artist there?
Frome is a wonderful town, and is quite the creative hub. There are artists of all disciplines, musicians and writers who live here, and we are lucky enough to have two theatres, the Black Swan Arts and Rook Lane Arts, both of which continually host new exhibitions, the artisan market that is held monthly, along with independent boutique shops which all make the town quite special, encouraging a genuine interest in the artistic field.

Rebecca J Coles
With a Masters in Constructed Textiles from the Royal College of Art, London and a specialisation in woven textiles, how did your studies inform your later work?
In response to my current work, a friend from the Royal College of Art said ‘well that makes sense‘. Referring to the comparison in that my work is still labour intensive and repetitive. As a weaver, threading the loom was a process you either enjoyed or hated. I loved the process. It was somewhat therapeutic, even though viewed as tedious, and that repetitive notion is ever apparent in my current paper art… cutting out hundreds, if not thousands of butterflies, then pinning them, then positioning them onto their specific heights on the pins, and then positioning them on the board where they will stay.

Rebecca J Coles
How would you describe what you do as an artist?
I’m an artist who creates paper assemblages which are encased in box frames. I focus on the reinvention of entomological cataloguing, display and the play of shapes.

Rebecca J Coles
Previously, you have mentioned your fascination with the process by which three-dimensional forms materialise from flat sheets of paper – can you tell us more about this transformation? And how did you decide on paper as your medium of choice?
Using paper was such an intuitive decision. It is such a malleable medium, and the childhood practice of folding a piece of paper in half and cutting out a butterfly to show symmetry seemed apt when experimenting for my current work. I used to cut out sections of my sketch books at college, and became interested in seeing how you, as the viewer, can be made to observe something that’s not actually there, or focusing on a small section of the overall image which becomes a different when it’s dissected. Using pages from magazines became quite integral to my work….

Rebecca J Coles
Tell us about the process of creating your pieces, are they carefully planned with distinct stages, or do they come together organically?
It depends! Some are very much planned from the colour palette, size and shape, and the end result depicts the original idea. Others are organic. Most start with a colour story….I collect the paper to be used, and then start cutting out the butterflies. I then decide whether I think the butterflies should be positioned on the base, or at the top of the pins, and then I start to build the piece. If I am creating a series of work, such as ‘Stamps’, because they require butterflies of all shapes and sizes, I may spend a week solely cutting them out, to then create the pieces later.

Rebecca J Coles
Butterflies feature across the art of many cultures – how did you come to choose them as one of the focuses of your work, what do they symbolise for you?
I’m afraid they don’t symbolise anything for me apart from being a beautiful silhouette to work with. I used to work in a boutique that sold feathered butterfly garlands, so when I started to cut out paper, I started cutting out an incredibly naive butterfly silhouette… and when I returned to this idea, I started to focus on their true shape.

Rebecca J Coles
Your pieces are obviously delicate, involving a great deal of repetition and close attention to detail – what are the challenges associated with this, and how do you manage?
I once suffered with RSI (repetitive strain injury) which made me realise that I must alternate my work and that I can’t cut out all the time for long periods of time. I just alternate the processes of my work now.

Rebecca J Coles
Are there any particular artists whose work you admire or turn to for inspiration?
Artists I admire would include Wycliffe Stutchbury and Helen Beard. I wish I had her illustrative skills…..

You have exhibited extensively throughout the UK over the past year. How did you begin exhibiting your work and what have been some of the highlights?
I approached a gallery in Bath who accepted my work, and have continued to showcase my art since. I then exhibited at Origin (the Contemporary Craft Fair in London) last year which led a lot of galleries approaching me. I was fortunate enough to have the London gallery, Mark Jason, select some of my work to take to the art fairs, which has been great.

Rebecca J Coles
Do you have a particular goal or hope for the pieces you produce?
My only goal is to continue selling my work, and that I continue to push forward my ideas. I hope to work on a much larger scale whether it be framed pieces or an installation piece.

Are you able to share with us any plans for 2012?
I am hoping to exhibit in Australia earlier this year, which would be a great opportunity to showcase my work internationally…. and I do have several ideas for new work….so watch this space….

Visit Rebecca’s website www.rebeccajcoles.co.uk for further details.

Written by Caitlin Sinclair on Wednesday January 18th, 2012 2:17 pm

Categories ,Bath, ,Black Swan Arts, ,Butterflies, ,Contemporary Craft Fair, ,Frome, ,Helen Beard, ,interview, ,Mark Jason, ,Paper Art, ,Rook Lane Arts, ,Royal College of Art, ,Wiltshire, ,Wycliffe Stutchbury, ,Yorkshire

Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with Amy Lord and Rebekah Whitney of Lord Whitney

Lord Whitney by Liam Henry.

Lord Whitney are not your average design team: within the space of just a few years, this unique partnership between trained graphic designers Amy Lord and Rebekah Whitney has carved out an eye-catching niche within the worlds of set design, art direction and prop making – all from their base – an old mill in Leeds. They have just relaunched their website and are busy preparing for an exhibition created with the help of illustrator Jack Hudson: an entire back catalogue of LP covers designed to promote the sounds of fictitious musical artists. ‘The exhibition will launch you into a sonic time warp where only the best bits from an era rich in music and visuals are permitted. Doves will cry. Hair will spontaneously perm.’ I decided to find out more…

Lord Whitney. Photo by Liam Henry
Lord Whitney. Studio photography by Liam Henry.

How did you two meet and decide to work together, and what creative (and other) parameters did you decide on when you created Lord Whitney?
We met at University studying Graphic Art and Design in Leeds where the first project we ever worked on together was creating a giant 3D theatre set, combining our skills in photography and illustration. As well as a distinctive style we shared a sense of humour, a vision of what we wanted to do and big dance moves! It was the first time that either of us had worked in this way and we never looked back.

Lord Whitney_ELECTRIC BOY
In 2009, Lord Whitney was formed with the enjoyment of creating, working for ourselves and constant curiosity in mind as key elements. We consider the last 4 years to be the biggest adventure of our lives, it has taken us to some weird and wonderful places and we have had some great experiences.

Lord Whitney Skeleton
Your work encompasses illustration, photography and set design: how do you balance the various elements, especially when responding to a brief from a client?
Essentially when we work on a commission basis, the brief generally dictates the most suitable response, so the balance can vary a lot. It’s nice on a day-to-day basis to have that variation as we never do the same thing twice. For our own briefs it’s much more about playing around, being instinctive and having fun with creating work. It’s a very natural process that’s usually determined by what we get most excited about that day.

Lord Whitney Skeleton
What narrative or symbolic elements keep reappearing in your work and why?
Our work often involves elements of our childhoods – whether conscious or subconscious. We enjoy the escapism, child-like-ness, playful and enjoyable elements, which is part of us not taking life too seriously! Other themes do seem to creep into our work regularly – fairytales, nonsense, magic, the surreal. We’re always keen to take people outside of their normal world.

Lord Whitney - Anatomy of a Lion
Do you have other people working with you full time or do you bring various creatives in to work with you on different challenges? What kind of things do you look for from a team member?
Over the years we’ve worked with a lot of different people, generally something just clicks with certain people, which is why we enjoying collaborating. We’re surrounded by so many skilled people, including other artists and studios, which really enriches the quality of all our work.

Lord Whitney_LIAM_HENRY
We recently have had two additions to our little team. A project manager and assistant are with us part time who support the everyday running of the studio, allowing us to focus on the creative side of our work. We also have a good relationship and contacts with students and graduates, as the support and experience we can offer them (as well as vice versa) is something we feel strongly about. Leaving University as an artist is a daunting prospect.

Mock 'n' Roll by Lord Whitney and Jack Hudson
You have recently collaborated with illustrator Jack Hudson, how did that come about and where can people see the results?
Jack has been a friend of ours for a while and we have always admired his work. So when he suggested a new challenge we jumped at the chance. Jack came up to our studio last October for four fun, paint-fuelled days, which was so great just to get stuck into something of our own. I think it really fired something up in us both. Jack has just come up again to work on a new project with us, ‘Mock ‘n’ Roll‘. Together we have created an entire back catalogue of LP cover designs for a series of fictitious musical artists. This will be exhibited at the Leeds Gallery from 27th April – 7th May. This exhibition will launch you into a sonic time warp where only the best bits from an era rich in music and visuals are permitted.

Lord Whitney_LIAM_HENRY
Can you describe your studio set up?
We are surrounded by collections of weird and wonderful objects, paint palettes, old junk, props we’ve made, and always with a cup of tea at hand.

Lord Whitney_Studio
In 2011 we were lucky to find and take over the top floor of an old leather mill just out of Leeds city centre. Partly due to financial and practical reasons, but mainly from our own curiosity, we searched empty buildings high and low before falling in love with the place we now call home. This year we are hoping to open the studio to more events, exhibitions and getting other artists into the space, which is something we’re really excited about. We also intend to complete our vision of turning part of our studio into a real life tree-house!

Lord Whitney_Christmas
Thanks for your Christmas postcard set, which comprised of a variety of photos depicting possible christmas disasters: what inspired this alternative Christmas message?
Creating Christmas cards every year is one of our favourite projects. This years concept came from talking about past Christmas quiz’s (a staple event in both the Lord & Whitney households) and remembering some absurd, but true, facts about christmas accidents. Once we’re in stitches (no pun intended!) it usually means we have the right concept. We figured that if we found it funny and surprising, other people might too. A lot of our work relates to our playful interest in dark humour and how slightly sinister situations can be funny.

Lord Whitney_Christmas
You are based in Leeds and are firm advocates for creative talent based in the North – why and how has this become integral to your work?
A lot of it comes down to stubbornness! We really love living in the North and it was a conscious decision to stay here post-Uni. Not a lot would happen here if everybody decided to go to London, which seems to be the natural step/what most graduates veer towards. The art scene in Leeds is really starting to evolve and we love being a part of that. On a practical level it also means there isn’t as much pressure financially, which allows us more freedom creatively and in our decision making.

Lord Whitney_Portrait
I hear you have some exciting new plans to launch a new bar called Society of Sorts: can you tell us a bit more about it?
It’s in the early stages at the moment but is something we’re really excited about. The uniqueness of the bar will be down to it being a cooperative run by creatives. The concept focuses on bringing together a group of people with very different backgrounds and talents to work together on a new venture for us all. We love working collaboratively so this is a dream project for us.

Essentially Society of Sorts is a bar where music and arts events are key to push for the bar to become a truly cultural venue; evolving from day to evening, seasonally and through the variety of events. There will be a whole range of things happening – from live music based nights with specialist DJs or bands to talks and screenings. We can hold gatherings and parties but also exhibitions, food based events, secret nights and even bedtime stories. We’re all keen for it to have a sort of secret society vibe offering a very different bar experience, especially from what we are used to in the North. Keep an eye out for some intriguing visuals and symbols popping up all over the city of Leeds and beyond!

Lord Whitney_MOOSE
Which festivals and events will you be doing this year? Any top tips for those still undecided about what to attend?
Body & Soul in Ireland is one of the best small independent festivals we worked at last year. It’s one of those festivals that’s great if you are looking for something different, which we love. We’re really into those smaller festivals where you feel like you could discover anything, and fits in with our love for experiences out of normal life. Beacons in Yorkshire is a great little festival which is local to us and is growing and becoming more ambitious each year, we’re sure to be there!

Lord Whitney Spirit Animal
You are planning a big exhibition based on Folklore and traditions in the north: why do you find these so intriguing and what is the most outrageous custom we might not know about?
We’re interested in reminiscing on the past, and unfortunately not that many people widely take an interest in history. We think it’s important to know about where you come from, but the topic is also very visually exciting to us (vivid imagery, eccentric British, nonsensical, which we love). Historical aspects and traditions developing as folklore is an intriguing subject to us. Especially when it can include anything from a ‘long sword dance’ to a Yorkshire pudding boat race!

Lord Whitney with JackHudson - A Step Into The Third Dimmension
Lord Whitney with Jack Hudson – A Step Into The Third Dimension.

Your new website has just launched: what does it feature?
We’ve had our heads down working hard for over a year, so we thought it was definitely time to showcase our most up to date work. Expect to see Nonsense, giant eyeballs and steps into new dimensions!

Lord Whitney with Jack Hudson – A Step Into The Third Dimension.

What would you say sets Lord Whitney apart from other creatives working in a similar realm?
Location is one thing, as there isn’t really anyone doing the same thing in this region. Also our process of working – collaborative, inclusive, playful, fun, friendly and not taking ourselves too seriously. There’s a big cross-over of different techniques and mediums which means we are not limited to one way of working, making us adaptable to each project rather than specialised in just one field. We’re artists with a studio mentality.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Friday April 5th, 2013 1:27 pm

Categories ,3D Design, ,A Step Into The Third Dimension, ,Amy Lord, ,Art Direction, ,Beacons, ,Body & Soul, ,festival, ,Graphic Art and Design, ,interview, ,Jack Hudson, ,leeds, ,Leeds Gallery, ,Liam Henry, ,Lord Whitney, ,Mock ‘n’ Roll, ,Rebekah Whitney, ,Set Design, ,Society of Sorts

Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with illustrator Faye West, as featured in Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration

(Commision which came about from Amelia's Mag feature) by faye west
Commission which came about from Amelia’s Magazine feature, by Faye West.

Faye West‘s whimsical watercolours first came to my attention nearly four years ago when she had just graduated from university. Since then a lot has changed, but her unique take on fashion illustration remains the same – beautiful, timeless and finally gaining the recognition it deserves. Since appearing in Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration 2011 has been a busy year for Faye and 2012 looks set to be even more so, with a big move to London imminent. Time to check in with one of Amelia’s Magazine’s most prolific and delightful contributors…

My Fave 'Amelia's' piece by Faye West
Faye West‘s favourite illustration for me. This was to illustrate the Gossypium dress and bag that comes free with issue 10 of Amelia’s Magazine, and appears in Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration.

You first came to my attention several years ago when you delivered some gorgeous (and yummy) hand decorated cupcakes to my door – what prompted the idea and what persuaded you to get in touch again last year?
My London College of Fashion friends finished their Fashion Journalism degree with a bit more of a clue in what was going on than I had (Faye studied at Fashion Promotion and Illustration at University for the Creative Arts), and knew Amelia’s Magazine was highly illustrative so we devised a plan to woo you with illustrated cupcakes. I had always meant to follow it up with some illustrations, but it was before I was twitter-conscious and the next brief I happened to see was in fact the ACOFI, or Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration open brief.

Faye west Cupcakes
Those infamous cupcakes! I wish I had taken a better photo… alas they have long since been demolished…

Florian-Jayet-by-Faye-West
Florian Jayet S/S 2012 by Faye West for Amelia’s Magazine.

How has producing fashion illustrations for Amelia’s Magazine and ACOFI developed your perception of the fashion and illustration worlds?
It has basically been a way to stay working to briefs, in the way you do as a student. It’s very hard to stay motivated without someone else setting you a brief because you are only doing self-authored work which tends to get a bit stale. The variety of images you then produce are so wide and interesting that your work just evolves through all the experimentation. Amelia’s Magazine is almost like a giant spider gram of illustration opportunities.

Finalist entry for V Mag Gaga comp
Finalist entry for V Magazine Lady Gaga competition.

You’ve just launched a sexy new website, what prompted the redesign?
I wanted to get a website up and running that was a bit more of a platform for my pieces, almost as though someone had decorated a Faye West shop for all of my work to be displayed or sold in. It was also a little challenge to myself to get to grips with the creative side to website building.

Sketchbook Magazine image by Faye West.

What was behind your decision to create Edit Collective, and can you describe a bit more about the project?
I had just spent a while contacting galleries, local to Devon and London and had a very negative response. Which is all part of the business but having graduated over 6 years ago, exhibiting was a goal that was proving unobtainable. So I thought I’d see if anyone else was having the same issue and the idea of a group exhibition started. Edit Collective is basically to show off the work we have produced over the last year, all the JPegs sat on computer desktops, and original pieces filling up portfolios not seeing the light of day. I was so bowled over by the interest from other artists that it involves near to 30 artists. I hope to continue expanding this number each year, keeping to the proviso that it is editorial work. Fellow ACOFI featured illustrator Gemma Milly is partnering my venture and the majority of artists have come to know each others work through contributing to magazines such as Amelia’s Magazine.

Faye West Self Portrait.

How did you get involved with Think Act Vote, and can you give us a taster of what you’ve produced?
I was sent a lovely email asking if I would like to take part in their upcoming publication. As a student I was away with the fairies, I had no political view point at all which seemed to vex my tutors a bit. But in my old age I am starting to become very interested and unfortunately angry at the current state of affairs. This is what drew me to to illustrate Katherine Hamnett‘s piece in particular. I have illustrated something playing on her infamous slogan tshirts, mixed with the idea of a figure representing Democracy in the same vein as the Statue of Liberty.

for Ballad of Faye West
Illustration for Ballad Of by Faye West.

What is the VV Collective and what you have done for it?
This is Vivian Vile, a collective put together by two artists who feel that young female artists can often be overlooked. I am always drawn to the feminine, and feel quite proud to be alongside some wonderful artists and photographers in the ‘Members Lounge‘ They were involved with Ladyfest this year which was something I had wanted to get involved with since being a student interested in Riot Grrls and the like. They have just launched a competition to submit a self portrait which, if successful will be exhibited at Cultivate on Vyner Street. I decided to really set myself a challenge and paint on canvas with acrylic which was a little more time consuming and frustrating at times compared to my usual water colours.

Harriet Gray's Dream by Faye West
Harriet Gray‘s Dream by Faye West.

Gareth Hopkin's Dream by Faye West
Gareth A Hopkin‘s Dream by Faye West.

You’ve built up quite a friendship with Ukraine based illustrator Daria Hlazatova, recently creating Lupine Osmunda together – how did this come about – both meeting and doing a project together?
I am her number one fan. I just loved her work so much, it makes me feel like a child starting at fairy tales again! So basically I commissioned her to illustrate me scenes from the Twelve Dancing Princesses because it was a story book I had as a child with illustrations which fascinated me. We often chat on twitter and email and our discussions would turn to the bizarre dreams we were having so we decided to illustrate each others and turn it into a project.

Teatum Jones by Faye West
Teatum Jones S/S 2012 by Faye West for Amelia’s Magazine.

Apparently you have some exciting news, that you will be will soon be in-house illustrator for Ballad Of. How did this come about and what will you be doing?
Yes, it’s all very new so not started anything yet. But I really enjoyed doing some pieces for the girls for their last issue. They have a two submission limit to give everyone an opportunity to have their work showcased. It was the last submission for me which I was rather sad about! So I asked them to consider me if they were ever looking for someone to help out with little illustration jobs. They liked the idea and agreed to have me on board, so I am looking forward to their next issue and to start writing some of the Illustration blogs for them. Ballad Of is one of the things I found through fellow Amelia’s Magazine illustrators on their blogs and through twitter; a wonderful example of how many doors have opened from the advice you gave me to get some internet presence!

Ballad of Bag Faye WEST
Ballad Of tote bag by Faye West. Photo courtesy of Lindsey and Claire.

GLITTER love Faye West
GLITTER love by Faye West.

What has been the most exciting thing to happen because of your involvement with Amelia’s Magazine and ACOFI?
Has to be seeing my work on printed silk dresses for Beautiful Soul and finding out that I was one of the 30 illustrators going in to Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration! Also I designed an exclusive limited edition tote for Ballad Of‘s last launch party and I had a special Courtney Love commission (see above) from a blogger who like the image I did of the singer for Topshop Boutique a few years ago.

Tallulah pet portrait commission by Faye West.

Anything new coming up? What will you be up to in 2012?
At the moment I am working on portrait commissions for Christmas presents, I have had a high number of dog portrait requests this year! Very sweet. I love being asked because you know you’re helping someone give a special and unique gift. I plan to move back to London, get Edit Collective‘s exhibition under way, and I would really like to concentrate on some more print design. Here is a link for portrait commissions which I have just put together! Do get in touch!

Morris-Dancers-by-Faye-West
Morris Dancers by Faye West for Amelia’s Magazine.

You can see more of Faye West‘s beautiful work in Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration. Buy both my books together with four rare back issues of Amelia’s Magazine (including the one with the bag illustrated above) for just £50. A bargain! And I can’t wait to see how Edit Collective evolves.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Thursday December 15th, 2011 12:05 pm

Categories ,ACOFI, ,Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, ,Ballad Of, ,Beautiful Soul, ,Courtney Love, ,Cultivate, ,cupcakes, ,Daria Hlazatova, ,Devon, ,Edit Collective, ,Fashion Illustration, ,Fashion Promotion and Illustration, ,Faye West, ,Gareth A Hopkin, ,Gemma Milly, ,gossypium, ,Harriet Gray, ,interview, ,Katherine Hamnett, ,London College of Fashion, ,Lupine Osmunda, ,Pet Portraits, ,Riot Grrls, ,Sketchbook Magazine, ,Statue of Liberty, ,Think Act Vote, ,Topshop Boutique, ,Tote bag, ,Twelve Dancing Princesses, ,UCA, ,University for the Creative Arts, ,Vivian Vile, ,VV Collective, ,Vyner Street

Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with Ana Jaks: Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion featured artist.

ANAJAKS-FigurePracticeInspiredbyHoliday_Season
I found Ana Jaks at New Designers, where she was also discovered by the likes of Creative Review. She contributes a bold design for Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion inspired by recent holidays.

ANAJAKSDRAWING
What did you learn and how did you develop as an artist at university?
I’m a recent graduate who studied illustration at Falmouth University which was probably one of the best environments anyone could ever ask to develop in. Before going to university I already had a very set drawing style which was mainly black and white and was all done in fine liner with barely any colour – it had more of a fine art feel to it than illustration, and being at Falmouth meant I had to break that down, strip everything back and start again. This did prove to be a massive struggle for me and at one point I didn’t think I was good enough to continue the course but the tutors there are honestly some of the most supportive I have ever been around and they really taught me how to use colour and not be afraid to take risks and so I really embraced my time there and I honestly don’t think I could have developed the style I did if it wasn’t for being there.

ANAJAKS-NY
What was the best part about studying at Falmouth Uni?
The best part about being there meant going to New York and showing massive clients like Vice and 3×3 your work, where you would get really focused feedback and as soon as I got back to the UK I took it all on board and tried to really bring my work together a lot more and realised how inspiring architecture is, which is why I created my New York piece. This piece of work really felt like a landmark for me, it was finally something that I thought “yes this is how I want my work to look to an audience.”

ANAJAKS-theselfiephenomenon
ANAJAKS-CreativeReviewBillboard2
I found your work at New Designers, what was the most exciting bit to come out of your show there?
The Selfie Phenomenon, which was a project I showed at both New Designers and New Blood, and was fortunately lucky enough to be chosen by the Creative Review and JCDecaux’s Talent Spotting Showcase 2015 where 20 graduates got chosen to have their work shown nationwide. I thought I would include this in the images I have sent to you because it was one of the most exciting things to have happened straight after finishing my degree and seemed somewhat unbelievable.

ANAJAKS-EcoCallobforToteBag
What recent projects have you been working on?
Recently I have been working on an image for a collaborative project to do with helping the environment and focuses around the idea of stopping people from using plastic bags and so instead are selling tote bags for a pound in order to get people to help the environment. I was invited to design an image for the tote bags which involved me drawing animals which is really something I never do and so it was quite interesting for me I suppose? I usually stick to buildings, figures and environments as it’s something I much prefer but this was actually really fun!

`ANAJAKS-Inspiredbyrecentholiday
What areas of illustration do you hope to work on in the future?
My main interests lie in editorial because I always think you manage to get the most interesting images out of them. I also really love fashion and so the idea of being able to work on advertising campaigns with some sort of fashion house would be my absolute dream. Anything that I can apply bright colour, pattern, shape and an element of design to is perfect for me and I’ve even found that children’s books (although not what I had originally expected to like) are something I could really see myself enjoying.

ANAJAKS-CommissionbyFTMagazine2

How did you become a member of YCN and what have you been commissioned for as a result of being on the website?
I am currently a member of YCN and am lucky enough to have my portfolio showcased on their website which has meant I am able to say my first ever commission was for the Financial Times Magazine which was amazing. It was an article about Gastropubs and so I had to draw pubs and food which was bloody great as they are both things I love! This was really important for me as it really gave me a taste of how the professional world worked in terms of being a freelance illustrator.

`ANAJAKS-dblepg
What inspired your double page for my book?
My colouring book pages for you were inspired by my summer holiday I had in summer. I wanted each page to contain an element I enjoyed most about the holiday, which is obviously why there is just one page full of people lying down doing nothing because I felt like I’d been on my feet for a full 3 years doing my degree and being able to do nothing for 2 weeks was bliss haha. When I was drawing this image it was the first time in quite a while that I had actually gone back to hardcore drawing and it was really good for me because it meant I pushed myself a lot on what I was doing. The other half of the image that is in black and white of the buildings is supposed to be the part I enjoy most which is walking around and discovering things – I actually much prefer this page and can’t wait to see how people colour it in!

ANAJAKS-FigurePracticeInsipredbySeasons
How does your interest in social media materialise in your work?
Being on holiday also inspired me to draw other images like tourists flouncing around trying to maniacally take pictures of everything but not really looking at anything. Social media is a big thing for me and my work and a lot of focus tends to lie around it. It’s interesting because we are obviously in a day and age where it can be detrimental to a creative’s career, but then you see how much it takes over some peoples lives and I love trying to wrap my head around it and create solutions to it through illustration.

ANAJAKS-FigurePractice
How do you try and evolve your style?
I am constantly trying to recreate and evolve my style because I think it’s incredibly important not to get stuck or comfortable in what you’re doing and so I always try and develop the way I draw the figure. Fashion has a huge influence on how I create my pictures and so I always try and do portraits just as little fun experiments! It’s also good to do just to let everyone know you are still working, because I want the world to know I am still drawing and I am still enjoying it and that I am really serious about it all and not just getting lazy, but it does get hard difficult running out of inspiration.

ANAJAKS-CreativeReviewBillboard3
What are you working on next?
I have plans for an upcoming project which I don’t want to reveal just yet but I feel like it’s something a lot of people my age can relate to. I tried for ages to think about something that would be “cool” or “appealing” or about something I love. It’s hard to stay inspired straight after your degree and I think it’s a really important time to keep pushing – especially when you are just working a job you don’t want to be to pay the bills. Ideally I would love to work freelance and be working within a company too.

You can colour Ana Jaks‘ art in Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion alongside that of 40 other international artists. Funding on Kickstarter now! Make sure you grab a copy or two, it makes a fantastic Christmas gift!

Written by Amelia Gregory on Sunday November 15th, 2015 11:55 am

Categories ,#ameliasccc, ,Adult Colouring, ,Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion, ,Ana Jaks, ,Coloring, ,Colouring Book, ,Creative Review, ,Falmouth University, ,Financial Times Magazine, ,Holiday, ,illustration, ,interview, ,JCDecaux’s Talent Spotting Showcase 2015, ,New Blood, ,New Designers, ,The Selfie Phenomenon, ,YCN

Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with illustrator Katrine Brosnan

Tricolore by Haiku Salut. Design by Katrine Brosnan.

Illustrator Katrine Brosnan first came to my attention as the designer of the wonderful Tricolore album artwork: she then contributed another exclusive illustration for my interview with Haiku Salut, so I decided to find out more about how she collaborated with the band, as well as her work practice, techniques and plans for the future. Read on to be inspired.

hand_watch_booklet by Katrine Brosnan
Hand watch booklet.

What was the best bit about studying at Nottingham Trent University?
I loved working alongside people studying different disciplines; my housemates were graphics and fashion students. My fine art course allowed people to experiment with any medium to create their ideas, the freedom was liberating and there was a lot of crossover with disciplines, which was encouraged.

What have you learnt since you left university?
It really helps to have an art, work, life balance! Specialising can lead to more commercial opportunities but the joy of creating is only realised when you can be free with ideas and the medium you use. I try different techniques to make work and often feel inspired when I learn something new. Three years ago I went back to printmaking attending a few courses at a local print workshop and this really inspired the direction of my work.

Tricolore booklet page by Katrine Brosnan
Tricolore booklet page.

How did you hook up with Haiku Salut?
I’ve actually known Gemma from Haiku Salut since we were wee 16 year olds and I was always incredibly impressed by her amazing musicality. I remember a night when I came to see their uni band the Deirdres and managed to win the best jumper award, what I wouldn’t give for a trophy.

Piano hands tee & tote by Katrine Brosnan
Piano hands tee & tote.

I got properly back in touch when I saw Haiku Salut play in Nottingham a couple of years ago. They were really supportive of my new screen-printed and watercolour illustration work and I ended up making some tees and tote bags with the piano hands design to go alongside their EP. After a trip to the peak district with a visit to an expansive second hand bookshop, a fantastic Sunday roast and a lovely time with their dog Pi, I was asked to work on designs for their new album Tricolore.

What was the brief for the creation of your artwork?
The original brief was very loose to create something a bit detached from reality and using the primary colours associated with the band. They also suggested linking to a song title and I chose Leaf Stricken. I was pleased to achieve final elements which don’t sit realistically together, the leaves are hoovered up by the cloud rather than blown around by the wind.

Pantoman booklet page by Katrine Brosnan
Pantoman booklet page.

How did the process work with the band members?
We first spoke about it at a gig and then through emails back and forth. I gave them some mock up ideas and developed these from their feedback. We chatted again at another gig about the songs and their direction. They are very creative as is their record label How Does it Feel to Be Loved? so there was lots to input and evolution to get to the final version. Drawings that didn’t make it onto the cover have made it into the online booklet that accompanies the album; like a cheeky panto chap with lampshade headwear and some patterned beetles.

How was the work produced?
The back of the album has a lino cut tree I printed, a bit reminiscent of Japanese woodcuts with far less detail, the leaves are hand drawn, watercoloured and then digitally arranged with a geometric patterned watercolour cloud. I wanted the artwork to be simple and a little bit messy with different elements coming together reflecting the variety of instruments which play alongside each other in the music.

Petite pastries by Katrine Brosnan
Petite pastries.

What else are you working on at the moment?
I started getting into using printmaking and design by working to briefs, which has sometimes meant that the medium and end result lead me. Now I’m taking some time to think about my personal project ideas and where they can take me.

I am working with a couple of artists to get together an unusual residency. We hope this will give us a bit of time and space to make some interesting ideas happen and share it with people in a nice setting probably with lots of tea and cake.

Folks that do coffee.

I like to draw people I see and bring them together into collections. I’ve recently changed my pattern for getting to work and realised that the new people I see will soon become regulars on that little chunk of my morning; the lady with the lovely fair isle hat and rosy cheeks and the man who wears shorts over leggings who crosses the road at 8.11am. This collection of ‘new regulars’ could find themselves coming together as a print or zine like my ‘folks that do coffee’ and ‘homage to catalonians’ prints.

Homage to catalonians by Katrine Brosnan
Homage to catalonians.

I have recently experimented with making screen-printed laser cut jewellery including slug brooches, which people really like or really hate. Useless things and or sad creatures like slugs often become my subjects. I have also used food in quite a bit of my work and breakfast has taken over with my petite pastries jewellery. I am working on a range of screen-printed jewellery in this way and hope this will be ready for public consumption by the summer.

Slug brooch by Katrine Brosnan
Slug brooch.

I am also working on private commissions including some special screen-printed wedding invitations.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Friday April 19th, 2013 12:09 pm

Categories ,Deirdres, ,Haiku Salut, ,How Does It Feel To Be Loved?, ,illustrator, ,interview, ,Japanese woodcuts, ,Katrine Brosnan, ,Leaf Stricken, ,Nottingham Trent University, ,Pi, ,Tricolore

Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with Antonia Parker: Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion featured artist.

The lovely Antonia Parker has contributed artwork to several of my books now. This time she was inspired by the multitude of lanterns that adorn her house to create a beautiful colouring page for Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion. She tells us about her current work practice and fitting creativity around motherhood, a challenge I can well relate to.

Antonia Parker Amelia's Colouring Book Douple Page Spread

What is your double page inspired by?
I have all these gorgeous lanterns at home that I adorn the house with for parties and Christmas and I thought it’d be nice to sit down and paint them. They’re so bright and colourful and ‘zang-y’! I thought about putting them outside and fireflies having a flutter about, so I’ve got all these insects having a sneaky after-party!

Antonia Parker
House Of Holland A_W 2014 by Antonia Parker
How did you put the artwork together?
I used gouache, collage and colouring pencils for my full-colour illustration and had a great time using different widths of nib for my colouring-in page. I planned out the picture in pencil first to make sure I was using the space how I wanted. I love drawing in detail in pen, so using different nib-widths was fun. It’s not often I get the opportunity to make a black and white illustration. With the colouring-in page, I used gouache and colouring-in pencils.

Pam-Hogg-SS14-Antonia-Parker-Amelias-Magazine-web
Antonia-Parker-The-Birth-Of-Miley-web
You are a multi-disciplinary artist – what are you favourite mediums to use and why?
I like to make things. It might be organic forms painted in gouache, wonky drawings in my travel sketchbook, glossy fashion illustrations, lumpy ceramics, cutting up and collaging together old polaroids or creating props for my day job. Artwork-wise I’m in a time of transition. I used to mainly work in acrylic paint on acetate, and that is mostly what people ask me for, but it is such a structured way of working that I felt like I was just churning them out. So I have moved more recently into gouache and pottery, and less people and more organic forms, because I wasn’t sure I was stretching myself enough. Sometimes they’re great, and I think ‘why did I limit myself to people for so long?‘ and other times I see how far I have to go. I never studied ceramics or gouache at art college, which is possibly why they are so fascinating now – making pottery is such a different process, and uses my brain in a different way! I love it! I still have so much to learn, and it is a bit challenging not knowing how the work will look at the end of the firing process – but it’s an excellent excuse to keep making and produce better batches every time. My degree was graphic design, specialising in illustration, but I’m not a naturally neat person – so I think pottery suits me much better – getting messy and crossing my fingers about what comes out after a firing. It’s relaxing in a way that I don’t often find drawing is anymore – although I suppose that is the flip-side of trying to make a career out of a passion.

Antonia Parker NW Boards in Progress
Since becoming a mum, how has your approach to art and creativity altered?
I also had a baby a few months ago, so I’m settling into a new stage of life. Whilst she’s small, so far I’ve found I need to be slow for all of us. When she was 10 weeks old, amongst a few other things, my husband and I found out that we were losing our jobs at the end of the year, and it threw off what had been quite a lovely start to parenthood. I needed to put myself apart from it and be in tune with my baby, which has meant taking more time out than I had originally intended. In January I’ll restart classes at my local adult education centre so I have access to a kiln again. My concentration span is much lower at the moment. It was a challenge to make this piece, and made me realise that at this moment in time, I just want/need to go at my baby’s pace. With this project I had to really make something I wanted to make, (getting to paint in my favourite shades of gouache and delicious line-drawing) as I felt guilty making her sit watching me and her toys and just getting on. She was grumpy, and I just had to stop sometimes and be with her. It’s a frustrating pace to work at…. I can manage balancing house jobs and picking up the threads of things I was doing in the times I get, but sitting down and working is very challenging! I have so much admiration for mothers who are actually focussing on and achieving things besides their babies; I do not feel like one of them at the moment! It is sort of easier now she can crawl and occupy herself for a few moments, but then you have to run and check they’re playing with something safe. There is a reason that childcare exists! Currently I take my sketchbook around with me, and draw the odd thing when I get the opportunity.

The Mucky Hound Dog Walkers Betty by Antonia Parker web

What have been some of your most recent projects, can you tell us more about them?
Most recently I created desert and cacti scenery for New Wine conference, six 1.2 x 2.4m paintings. These were a huge undertaking as my baby was 3 months old, but with the help of Lily, James and Becky, we made them happen! When I’m painting like that, I try to take quite a relaxed ‘we’ll just see how they turn out!‘ approach, but you have to know what’s happening so your team can help you! I did a lot of drawing, mixing paint and painting by numbers so that it could carry on when I was feeding or getting her off to sleep. My logo for The Mucky Hound (one of my first forays into animal drawing) has been translated into vinyl and is driving around Tunbridge Wells as they pick up local dogs for walks. In my own work, I have also been making cacti in gouache and clay. When working with clay, I like to make small sculptures and slabs to illustrate using underglaze. I’m inspired by the things that excite me – so with this piece beautiful, colourful lanterns, things which are interesting to draw e.g. cacti variety of shapes and detail to draw, pottery: just a different way of working from how I have before and loving growing my understanding of it.

Antonia Parker

You’ve been involved in a few of my books now, what is it about them that keeps you coming back?
They tend to be interesting briefs: after I graduated, I made mostly fashion illustrations, and having always been interested in the environment, how could I not get involved in promoting sustainable fashion? Your last book ‘That Which We Do Not Understand‘ was inspired by your miscarriages – I had lost two babies myself and finally understood the grief. If we’re all silent about our losses, we’re part of the loneliness you might feel afterwards. I was pregnant at the time and was able to create something that hopefully, cautiously-optimistically spoke to others.

Antonia-Parker-St-Justin-web
Where do you live and what else excites you besides art?
I live in Tunbridge Wells with my husband and daughter and I’m lucky to know some fantastic local artists and makers. I love gardening (currently I am waiting for the rain to stop so I can plant my spring bulbs!) I am also very interested in rights issues, like genital mutilation and female sexuality, and now of course all of the work/family balance things that I’ve always followed are becoming more of a reality for me! I try not to bore on about my baby’s reusable nappies, but I love them! I have quite a nurturing day job focussed on children and their communities, but I find that I am also interested in women and their lives as mothers-to be and parents, and then of course fathers and how they find their way to fatherhood without the biological changes women go through, and also, how they support mothers. Can you tell that I’m spending my Maternity Leave doing a lot of thinking?!

Antonia Parker Anyone for Pimms

There are just a few hours left to secure your copy of Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion, featuring the work of Antonia Parker and over 40 other international artists. Visit my Kickstarter page here.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Monday November 23rd, 2015 1:06 pm

Categories ,#ameliasccc, ,Adult Colouring, ,Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion, ,Antonia Parker, ,ceramics, ,Coloring, ,Colouring Book, ,Fashion Illustration, ,interview, ,kent, ,Kickstarter, ,Motherhood, ,New Wine, ,Parenting, ,Pottery, ,That Which We Do Not Understand, ,The Mucky Hound, ,Tunbridge Wells

Amelia’s Magazine | An Interview with Illustrator Tom Clohosy Cole

Financial Times editorial.

Since I discovered the unique and wonderful work of Tom Clohosy Cole at his Kingston University graduate show in 2011 his career has unsurprisingly gone from strength to strength. I caught up with Tom to find out what makes him tick…

What was the best bit about growing up in Brighton and was it a conscious decision to leave town to study? (I hear there is a good university there…)
The best thing about Brighton has to be the Palace Pier. I thinks its good to move away from home and try out new places, I applied to a few different Universities including Brighton but chose Kingston as it was somewhere new and the course had a good reputation.

Your graduate showcase was termed around insurance and I can’t help noticing that you have recently done some commercial work for an insurance company – was there a direct link between the two, and have you done a lot of work for the insurance industry?!
Ha yes well spotted. My degree show work was a comment on the stranger and more extreme end of insurance so its funny that I was commissioned to do some work for an insurance company. It’s only been the one job and I don’t imagine that will be an area that my work will feature in much more, but you never know??

Who do you share your studio space with and where is it based?
I share a studio with Robert Hunter, a brilliant illustrator who I’m sure you’ll all know, and Elliot Dear, a very talented director who has been responsible for some great music videos and short films, and recently the John Lewis Christmas Ad. We’re up in Dalston.

Can you tell us more about your Life on Mars novel? What is it all about?
Sure. Its about a group of people who agree to participate in a ‘Big Brother’ style reality show on Mars, whilst also learning about the planet and testing its potential to support life. As the show becomes less popular on Earth the funding is cut and the participants are left to fend for themselves. The story was written by Andrea Curiat, and was for Wired Italy.

Throne album artwork.

Space seems to be a theme that runs throughout your work – what inspires this passion and what is the most exciting thing you have learned about space on your research travels?
I find space fascinating, probably because I know so little about it and because it’s so vast. It’s sometimes nice to put everyday problems in the context of space and be reminded how small they are. One of my favourite space stories is that of the golden record. It was sent into space containing all sorts of greetings and sounds from earth. The spacecraft that holds the record is still travelling further away from our planet into the unknown in the hope of being found by another intelligent life form.

What is the process of working with a band on imagery?
With the project i’ve just finished the band are having a fantastic music video created by their lead singer Nicos Livesey and animator Tom Bunker. We decided to tie the artwork in with the video so it uses the same palette and I recreated elements from the animation frames. The process overall was collaborative, there’s lots of communication between you and the band as its really important that the feel of the artwork reflects them and their music. Keep an eye out for their video; its embroidered on denim frames.

You also work in animation, how do you work across mediums and is there a lot of cross pollination?
Yes they constantly cross pollinate. When I’m not working in illustration I like to be trying my hand in animation, it’s a lot of fun. I think more and more they are becoming one and it’s good to keep up with things as much as possible.

You have a very identifiable style, where does your inspiration come from and how do you create your pieces?
I like to get my inspiration from all sorts of places, but try to avoid looking at other illustrators. I like looking at the work of D.O.P’s and photographers and painters. I create my pieces using a mixture of hand drawn and digital elements, all ending up being arranged and coloured in the computer.

Space Race.

In what way did Kingston University prepare you for the world of work?
Kingston puts its emphasis on ideas, rather than the technical side. It was very important leaning how to ‘think’ about what I’m doing, especially in an industry where you have to be so adaptable.

Who are your favourite type of clients and what are your favourite projects to work on?
I always love doing book covers. My favourite projects to work on are Picture Books, it’s great having 6 months to work on one thing and loose yourself in it.

Tom Clohosy Cole Nobrow issue 6.

You have worked extensively with Nobrow, how did this relationship come about and what have you got coming up next?
We met at my degree show and I was lucky enough to be asked to contribute to their magazine. Coming up next is a big map of London…

Wall book preview.

I see you have a new book due out this October… it all looks very intriguing. Can you share any preview details with us?
Yes it comes out on October the 1st. Exciting. It’s my first full picture book and it’s published by Templar Books. The book is called ‘WALL’ and is the story of a young boy who’s father is stuck on the other side of the Berlin Wall. I spent most of 2013 beavering away at it and I’m excited for it to come out, it feels like so long ago that I made it now but we’ve been waiting for the 25th anniversary of the Berlin Wall coming down to release it.

What have been the high points and the low points of pursuing a professional career in illustration, to date?
High Points: Being told I can make ‘Space Race’ and ‘WALL’. Getting a studio. Working on animation jobs with lots of friends of mine.
Low Points: Loosing Pitches, especially when you’ve already decided what your going to spend the money on in your head. Working from home. No longer printmaking.

Thankyou Tom Clohosy Cole!

Written by Amelia Gregory on Thursday June 5th, 2014 3:21 pm

Categories ,Andrea Curiat, ,Berlin Wall, ,Big Brother, ,brighton, ,dalston, ,Elliot Dear, ,illustrator, ,interview, ,Kingston University, ,Life on Mars, ,Nicos Livesey, ,Palace Pier, ,Robert Hunter, ,Space Race, ,Templar Books, ,Tom Bunker, ,Tom Clohosy Cole, ,WALL, ,Wired Italy

Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with Cave Painting and review of debut EP You’ll be Running Soon

Cave Painting by Barb Royal.

Brighton’s Cave Painting released debut EP You’ll be Running Soon with Hideout Recordings yesterday. It’s a magical slice of ambient indie pop, the dramatic backdrop a perfect foil for vocalist Adam Kane‘s hypnotic vocals. You can listen to the EP in full on soundcloud at the bottom of this interview, but before you get there let’s find out more about this exciting new band…

Cave Painting by Mateusz Napieralski.

You were feted before you’ve even played a second live show, how are you coping with the pressure of such hype?
Feted! Ha that’s really nice to hear, to get such positive feedback at such an early stage is brilliant for us, there are certain pressures that go along with “hype” and expectation, we try to take things with a pinch of salt and try not to get absorbed in it, in reality we know were at an early stage and there’s a lot of hard work to be done.

Forest Natives by Sarah Austin.

How did Hideout recordings find you – where were you and can you remember what you were doing when they got in touch to make the offer?
Hideout were at the first show we played in London at the Social, and then we met each other down here in Brighton, where they told us their ideas, their whole ethos matched our’s as a band, we were in the rehearsal space when the offer was made, I can remember exactly as we’d been in the same place each day for almost a year!

Cave Painting
How did the band get together, and how long have you known each other?
Rich, Sam and Harry all knew each other from generally being in and around Brighton they make up the southern contingent of the band then Jon and I ventured down from the north to study, we met the others and wrote music together in various forms before forming what is now Cave Painting back last October, I’m going to guess around 4-5 years.

Cave Painting by Barb Royal.

Your sound has been described as very woozy which I think is very apt – why do you think this is?
The great thing about a band is the varied influences that each individual brings, Jon is massively into rap and hip-hop and he has an interesting drumming style which I think reflects this, then at the other extreme you’ll find Rich listening to Fleetwood Mac, I’m not sure how much they’ve influenced him to be fair, I actually think we’ve found our sound by experimenting when recording and having freedom, my singing is actually heavily influenced from listening to Sam and the melodies he creates.

Cave Painting by Sam Parr
Cave Painting as imagined by Sam Parr. ‘curled up toes for walking on rocks and sand. blessed by the sun. calmed by waving. the stone you take home. tan lines fade. a summer was made. me and four (you’s). the shark. the lark. island. forever. being a spectrum. a sunbeam. a collective. the water after dark.(kilo)metres apart. those calming palms. say yeah palms, leaving our markings, footprints behind. CAVE PAINTING.’

Drummer Jonathan McCawley and keyboard player Sam Simon are responsible for all your artwork – how did this come about?
Jon studied art back in Leeds some of the things I’ve seen him draw are quite frightening but interesting, and Sam seems to be able to lend his hand to anything he is unbelievably creative, I came home one day to find a giant portrait of Daniel Day Lewis on the wall which he’d felt the urge to paint (we had been watching Gangs of New York excessively at this point in time) It’s still there! We’ll have to show you.

<a target="_blank" href="http://www.vimeo.com/29431588" rel="noopener">http://www.vimeo.com/29431588</a>

Why did you decide to make the video for Midnight Love? It’s extremely abstract and quite filmic. Have you got any plans for new videos that you can share with us?
We wanted something visual for our first release, but we were wary of creating a standard music video, we wanted to create something a little different, there’s a strong theme of escapism in our music, and this was our visual representation of that, the video was filmed and based on the song, and we then scored the music to run alongside it, an interesting process, we are in the middle of making the next one, I won’t say any more than that.

Cave Painting by Barb Royal.

How is Brighton these days? What is the music scene like in general and are there any other up and coming bands that you recommend we listen out for?
We do love Brighton, it’s a little different now the sun has disappeared but lately our grasp of the local music scene is pretty poor as we’ve been away for quite a while, but saying that our recommendations would be Tigercub and Blanc, very promising.

Cave Painting by Barb Royal

What next? Can we expect a debut album next year, and where will you next be playing live?
We are leaving Brighton again this week the same day as our EP release, to start work on the album, with a release date hopefully in the early part of next year which should be coupled by some more live dates.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Tuesday November 8th, 2011 4:42 pm

Categories ,Adam Kane, ,Barb Royal, ,Blanc, ,brighton, ,Cave Painting, ,Daniel Day Lewis, ,ep, ,fleetwood mac, ,Gangs of New York, ,Harry Smallwood, ,Hideout Recordings, ,interview, ,Jonathan McCawley, ,Mateusz Napieralski, ,Midnight Love, ,Rich Snabel, ,Sam Parr, ,Sam Simon, ,Sarah Austin, ,Tigercub, ,You’ll be Running Soon

Amelia’s Magazine | Kyla La Grange – New single Been Better and exclusive interview with Intruders TV

Kyla La Grange

You may remember that I interviewed Kyla La Grange in person a few months back. Well, see she’s just finished a UK wide tour with Wolf Gang and her next single Been Better is due to be released on 11th July, viagra buy followed by a launch gig at the Lexington on July 12th.

Kyla La Grange

Been Better is another angsty anthem from the girl whose emotions run deep – shot at night with barely a ripple of light and plenty of gothic imagery, take a peek, then watch this exclusive interview from Intruders TV.

Been Better

Check out Kyla La Grange online here.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Thursday June 30th, 2011 2:05 pm

Categories ,Been Better, ,Exclusive, ,gothic, ,interview, ,Intruders TV, ,Kyla la Grange, ,The Lexington, ,Wolf Gang

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