Book Covers. Finito.

Today I finished my book covers for my 'The Rough Guide to' project, wrapping the covers around the books was the final hurdle. Such a great feeling seeing my designs in context. Today was also our 'Show and tell' day for our school themed degree show catalogue, I had a selection of my third year work photographed and had to write a short piece of creative writing to go with it. This is what I wrote.....

 Spring is certainly my favourite season, not only because I am an April baby but because of the endless natural changes that take place; blooming flowers, sunshine and newly born wildlife. Pond life has always fascinated me, with my father’s enthusiasm for all things amphibian, our back garden was a haven, endless hours of fun with a net rummaging for creatures to inspect. Our pond still has an abundance of frogs, newts and fish lurking beneath its water, and back in my primary school years, this was the breeding ground for thousands upon thousands of tadpoles.  From the moment the frogs spawned, I watched them grow day by day, nurturing them with breadcrumbs and lettuce, together we would hand rear them ready for their transit to their next home, St Luke’s garden pond. That’s right, every April once the tadpoles were big enough, together, my Father and I would transfer them from the pond into buckets, and carefully take them through my school gates making sure we didn’t lose any in the process.  Sometimes we’d have to rescue some escapees with a spoon and delicately pop them back with the others, sadly the odd one didn’t make it. With all my classmates standing round watching patiently for their release, my father would gently tip the bucket, a mass of excited, squiggling tadpoles finally free to roam the school pond.  I always felt proud that I was contributing and sharing my animals with the whole school, such a nice feeling. Great memories. 

"I love 2CV's...do I prefer a dolly or a rhubarb and custard?"

Check out the photo of my Dads racing 2CV back in the 1990's...Oh and that little sprog on the left wearing the cap is in fact me believe it or not! My Dads biggest fan! Always on the side line cheering him on, pretending to be a mechanic in my matching racing suit....bless.  Also, here is the existing logo that I will be re-designing, I will need to consider its use and purpose when designing it, it will be reproduced in vinyl so that it can be applied to car panels easily.   I will update the blog with my design ideas and hopefully my finished signage....better crack on.

Designing signage for an old 2CV van..."right up my street!"

                                                                                                                                                                                                

                                                                                                   

                                   'Bill Gale's Citroen 

2CV Workshop'...Yes, you may of guessed it, my Dads independently run car business. His small but compact workshop is a treasure trove of old cars, bits and bobs, random car parts and always an endless supply of 'tea and tiffin' and banter. My Dads passion for these lovely, unique cars has driven him to build up a reputation and workshop over the past 18 years, here he brings these 'rare breeds' back to life. I would describe his workshop like a hospital. Some cars are sat there patiently in dire need of some TLC, sat alongside ones just in for a minor check up whilst others that have been in for major cosmetic surgery....a full blown restoration job making them 'as good as new'.  

A recent patient of Doctor Bills, is this beautiful grey/blue 2CV Van. It was picked up from Northern France and brought to the workshop on the back of my Dads trailer.  With with much needed repairs and some cosmetic touching up, my Dad has transformed this once haggard looking 'french monsieur' into a fresh, very handsome looking specimen ready to hit the road once again.  Bill Gale has kindly commissioned me to design and create the signage for the side panel and back door for it to advertise the workshop, a mobile piece of advertising I guess. Oh what a joy this will be! Inspired by 1930's Parisien signage, typograghy and colour palettes, I intend to take these influences and inject them into my designs. I feel that this will add authenticity, nostalgia and a real french aesthetic. I can't wait to get stuck into this project...Oh and of course get a 2CV of my very own some day...C'est la vie!

Et Voila!.... My journal complete.

Journal. Done. It is quite a strange feeling to have completed this part of my work. This mammoth journal documents my creative journey over the past year and subsequent years of my design influences and things that inspire me. To have it finished and contained in a beautiful box is somewhat of a achievement, but also gives  me a sense 'the end of a chapter'... the start of a new one. 

Creating this journal has been truely enjoyable, it has allowed me to put my thoughts down on paper, enabling me to see before me my progression and the journey I have taken.  I have attempted to put across my personality and inject my design style into the presentation of this journal, and I believe I have achieved this. I hope that those who read it, enjoy it as much as i have, and by this, they get a taste of my personality and the things that drive me creatively.  

My journal....coming together slowly but surely.

"My creative journey began a long, long time ago..."

What an absolute joy! Finding my first sketch book from reception class certainly made me smile. What's strange is that I can remember actually drawing the picture with Bernard the purple monster in it, I can recall that memory from all those 18 years ago. My love for drawing, making collages and anything that involved getting covered in glue was right up my street from as early as I can remember. Looking back, I have always thrown myself into creative tasks, from baking cakes, making cards at Girl Guides and even attempting to replicated things off Blue Peter, I was always there. I feel that I have accomplished so much through out school,college and university, its been a journey, a continuation of creative freedom. But now the realisation of my passion becoming a career is somewhat an exciting but challenging prospect. Who knows what is round the corner?....

Screen printed fabric book for The Gallery of Costume

Student Crime Awareness Brief: Photoshoot pics

What you can do with paper hey?

Came across the work of  Hattie Newman today, WOW! She says, "Hello, I'm Hattie, an illustrator/animator/set maker working London and Bristol I love cardboard, making books, printing and lots and lots of colour! "check out her stuff it is incredible.

"Oh what a wonderful thing I found"

The Unredeemed Pledge

"We invite people to stay for one night and two days in the understairs closet of 
our house and make work in response to their experience.
This intinerant residency began when we were living in an old shop in Bristol. The name,
'The Unredeemed Pledge', references the first occupants of the shop who ran it as 
a Pawnbroker in 1897. The residency will move where we move."

Rules of the Residency
Residencies are for the period of two days and one night.
We will provide you with your meals and bedding.  
You can use the house and balcony as you wish but you must sleep in the under stairs closet where you will be accompanied by a radio. 
The work you produce whilst completing the residency must be site specific. 
Your piece(s) of work can be anything; a song, script, poem, drawing, film, sculpture, performance, painting, photograph, a record of an installation etc. 
Because we are renting our accommodation we ask that the work you produce is removable. 
You must leave something at the end of your residency as a mark of you having taken part. 
Before you leave please place an entry in the guest book, you must include the date of your residency and your contact details.

Recreating a Pre-Raphaelites Painting: Art Directed by Jennifer Dore