collage scrap exchange

I was really excited when I found out about the Brown Paper Bag blog’s Collage Scrap Exchange project organised by Sara E. Barnes. What collage artist could say no to a project that allows you to swap with another collage loving individual to make new work from the papers they send you. As a collage artist I am constantly scouring near and far for all kinds of inspirational material and having such a vast collection is great, but it also means deciding which papers to use for projects can be difficult. Therefore, it was a great experience to not only be using a selection chosen by someone else and the fact that they saw something inspiring in these papers, but also the challenge of having to use a limited selection. It actually reminded me of when I first started putting cut out pieces together, before I started collecting and allowed me to really remember how to really use innovation to make the most of the materials you have. 

The theme of the project was light, so my piece vaguely expresses my interpretation of the research I have been doing into how light travels and filters through the atmosphere. Below is the finished collage, and a photo of the scraps I received all the way from Ellen Gradman in Chicago USA!

 

trainline sketch

watermelon belly experiment

speak of elephants christmas present tshirt

A present for the other half made using tshirt pens.

postcards to alphaville project // holly from badlands illustration

I recently discovered this fantastic project after finding out about Édition BIOGRAFIKTION - a fantastic 3 piece illustration collective through NoBrow, and through a link from Ana Albero’s website discovered Postcard To Alphaville which is a project dedicated to illustrating characters from cult classic films. Comprising of the work of around 50 illustrators (so far) including Edition Biografiktion, the creator / curator Paul Paper (great name) is planning on collating the images into book format. It’s a wonderful website to browse through, so many different illustrative styles and ways of working, just grand. I was thrilled to be accepted as a contributor and we agreed that I would illustrate Sissy Spacek’s character Holly from the 1973 American crime-chase classic ‘Badlands’. Paul is still looking for submissions, so visit postcardstoalphaville.net if you’re an illustrator / artist / creative and want to get involved.

pop-up brighton show // zero // exhibition photos

It’s safe to say the opening of Zero, an exhibition of work by Fishboy, Jim McElvaney, Hugo Jones and myself on 2 December was a success thanks to the fantastic hard work and enthusiasm of the PopUpBrighton, transforming a disused empty space next to Brighton’s pier into a space for creativity.

Pop up Brighton has recently been featured in Brighton’s local newspaper The Argus (below) and the full article can be read online, here. As well as on various websites including The AOI, Creative Boom and Design Juices. The second exhibition ‘No 1′ which features over 30 artists, illustrators and designers is open daily, noon til 5pm up until 21 December. For more information visit www.popupbrighton.com

 

house & garden magazine // new zealand gourmet travel map // editorial

It was a pleasure to create an illustration for House & Garden’s Gourmet Travel supplement with their January 2012 issue. The article takes the reader on a food and wine tour through some of New Zealand’s most beautiful and exciting places. 

GQ magazine // editorial illustration // olympics

Yesterday I realised December’s issue of GQ was out with my editorial commission for Ed Smith’s article ‘England Expects (Too Much)’ which discusses England’s Olympian’s pro’s and con’s in relation to the upcoming 2012 Olympics; ‘We’re sport’s Jack of all trades, but which of the nation’s teams should be sent off?’ So I’m going to share with you the process from start to finish.

Mock-up of how final illustration will look…The finished illustration, after collaging, constructing, photographing & editing…

The final illustration in context in GQ magazine…

amelia’s magazine // house of worth // london fashion week

Last week I had the pleasure of working with June Chanpoomidole, a writer for Amelia’s magazine on an image to illustrate her London Fashion Week review of the House of Worth Couture Lingerie collection. The review can be read here.

 

 

the map and the territory

The Map and the Territory, September 2011

Illustration for Michel Houellebecq’s fiction novel ‘The Map and the Territory’.