Low yo-yo stuff

Friday Photo

2012-02-10T07:22:00.002+01:00

Launch of Harry Potter book, Kings Cross Station, London 2007

Currency cuts; the work of Mark Wagner

2012-02-07T23:53:00.001+01:00

In these times of economic doom and gloom, where every other news story is about a company closing its doors or a bank making a huge profit you need to a little creative with your cash and that is exactly what Mark Wagner has done.
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The Artist

2012-02-06T00:28:00.000+01:00

The Artist. directed by Michel Hazanavicius

Synopsis:
Hollywood, 1927: As silent movie star George Valentin wonders if the arrival of talking pictures will cause him to fade into oblivion, he sparks with Peppy Miller, a young dancer set for a big break.

Design:
The design is created by Couramiaud / Laurent Lufroy, they have created posters for Jeanne D'Arc, Leon and Les Visiteurs.
I remember the first time I saw this poster, it stopped me in my tracks, not because it was breathtakingly beautiful but because it was so 'clean', it wasn't overloaded with logos, credits or quotes, it simply put the focus on the the two stars and the movies name.
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Friday Photo

2012-02-03T23:18:00.000+01:00

AL, Paris, 2005

Oscar Time 2012

2012-01-29T11:53:00.000+01:00

Yes it's that time of the year again, when a little gold man is the subject of a lot of speculation, you guessed it, it's Oscar time!
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Friday Photo

2012-01-27T07:05:00.001+01:00

Giants Causeway, Northern Ireland 2008

Bethmale

2012-01-18T23:14:00.000+01:00

Bethmale is the latest release from Paris based Australian group Heligoland. They asked me if I would be interested in coming up with a sleeve design for an EP which had been recorded while the band went away for a weekend break together.
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Friday Photo

2012-01-13T07:00:00.000+01:00

Frog, Northern Ireland, 2011

Broken dolls

2012-01-11T08:00:00.000+01:00

Jessica Harrison is an Edinburgh based sculptor who has recently created a body of work called 'Broken'. At it's simplest the 'Broken' series is customising ready made porcelain figurines, the kind that you find on your Aunties mantelpiece but Jessica Harrison brings a gruesome, dark side to the usual broken ornament.
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One hello and a goodbye

2012-01-10T20:59:00.000+01:00

Well a belated Happy New Year to you all, as you have probably sen it's been a bit sparse around here recently with few postings since the Christmas break but fear not 2012 sees me with a new vigour and spring in my step!
Since the break there have been a few absences as well none more that the death of Eve Arnold, Even if you didn't know her name you would have know her work. Her shots of Marylin Monroe traveled the globe, her candid free shooting style showing a different side to famous faces.

There is a wealth of information out there on her but if you have the chance pick up her book 'FlashBack the 50's' it is well worth it, in the mean time here is a selection of her work showing her versatility, displaying the humour of Bresson and the story telling of Robert Frank.

Marlene Dietrich at the recording studios of Columbia Records, 1952

Bar girl in a brothel in the red light district, Havana, Cuba, 1954

Widow Needing Companion. Dora Grubb at The RA, London 1961


Father Gregory Wilkins, Director of the society of the sacred mission at Kelham,		Nottingham, 1963

Horse training for the militia, Inner Mongolia, China, 1979

Friday photo

2012-01-06T07:19:00.001+01:00

Tiernans tattoo, Northern Ireland, 2008

Friday Photo

2011-12-23T09:44:00.000+01:00

Broken toys, Northern Ireland, 2008

Design Week Mention

2011-12-19T11:00:00.002+01:00

Just had my latest paper cut featured on the Design Week website as part of their Christmas round up which is always nice. They have been very suppostive of me this year featuring the majority of my projects that I have submitted.

Also as a reminder this week sees the Arctic Circle end of year Christmas show which will be broadcast on Resonance FM as well, it looks like a great event with the (un)usual mix of AC goodies!

Friday Photo

2011-12-16T08:50:00.000+01:00

Self Portrait reflected in bubble sheet, France 2010

Mondo Moss

2011-12-15T20:45:00.004+01:00

I'm a bit of a print fan. It sounds like a confession but in this digital age I love the physicality of an object; the texture of good paper, the smell of ink emanating from a beautifully constructed and thought out piece that has been carefully printed, and these two new posters from Mondo are no exception.
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Santa wishlist #3

2011-12-12T17:23:00.000+01:00

Looks like those Nobrow boys are going to be taking all my hard earned designer dollars this xmas ! Another beautiful, illustration/music project from French illustrator McBess! It's a 7" vinyl with a beautiful book!

Friday Photo

2011-12-09T16:04:00.001+01:00

K&E, France, 2006

Another AC Christmas

2011-12-07T22:45:00.001+01:00

I've just finished the Arctic Circle Christmas illustration, I had a lot of fun with this one figuring out how to build paper icebergs. The image is for a special Christmas event which will be broadcast on Resonance FM and for a free Christmas card sent out by the Arctic Circle to anyone who wants it, all you have to do is leave your postal address here.

Santa wish list #2

2011-12-07T15:33:00.001+01:00

Angie Lewin Linocut print called Yellow Rattle. Check out her other beautiful prints at her website, there will be a full post on her work over Christmas.

Santa wish list #1

2011-12-07T11:43:00.001+01:00

Stuart Kolakovic print called 'The Wizard' from his excellent exhibition Under the Damp Earth by Nobrow

Bye Bye Lazy Dog!

2011-12-06T14:21:00.001+01:00

Just been on line to find a few bits for my Santa wish list and have just found out that The Lazy Dog shop has closed it's doors for the final time on the 21 November! I guess it was another victim of online sales and the pinch that everyone is feeling at the moment.
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Hard Format features Birch Book release

2011-12-04T09:56:00.001+01:00

The lovely Damien at Les Disques du 7éme Ciel just forwarded me a link to the Hard Format website where the Birch Book release has been showcased. Hard Format is beautiful site dedicated to highlighting the best in music design. I have been a fan of the site for a while now and regularly check out its pages, so it is a great honour to have a piece of my work featured there alongside great sleeves by the likes of Ian Anderson, Barney Bubbles, Non Format and Mark Farrow.
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Friday Photo

2011-12-02T16:03:00.001+01:00

Versailles, France, 2007

F&F at the British Library

2011-11-30T18:00:00.001+01:00

Just had word from F&F towers that the British Library have requested some copies of their releases for its archive. This is probably an everyday thing that happens automatically but it's really nice to know that a copy of the designs done by Pika Pika and those I have done myself will be kept for posterity, as well as some great music! If you fancy some for yourself then there are a few left at the F&F, shop pop over and get your self a pre Christmas treat!

The Artist

2011-11-30T12:07:00.001+01:00

I finally got into gear and went to the cinema last night to see The Artist, I have been looking forward to this sine I came across the poster in the street but i never thought it would be as rich and as well executed as it was.
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Friday Photo

2011-11-25T09:51:00.001+01:00

Hurling practice, Northern Ireland, 2009

Friday Photo

2011-11-18T10:44:00.000+01:00

Morning on the Berlin-Paris train, Nov 2011

Friday Photo

2011-11-11T11:11:00.000+01:00

Darth's Helmet, Coleraine 2011

Steve's sister

2011-11-09T13:00:00.000+01:00

I know the death of Steve Jobs is a well told story now and has been covered but I recently came across this really touching piece written by his sister for the opinion pages of the New York Times. It cuts through the tsunami of hyperbole and myth building that was so evident in the rolling news footage, the prepared politicians statements and the endless news features that followed his death. This piece makes him human again. What ever your opinions on the guy I recommend reading it.

Berlin Bound

2011-11-08T16:01:00.001+01:00

I'm off to Berlin tomorrow for a long weekend. Anyone got any recommendations of where to go, what to do, who to see? Please leave a comment with all your favourite places!

Béatrice Coron at TED

2011-11-08T12:00:00.000+01:00

Just came across this short video of French paper cut artist Béatrice Coron talking about her work at TED. Well worth a watch!

Mapped Out

2011-11-08T10:31:00.000+01:00

Clare Brewster, The Harbingers. paper cut map

I recently upgraded the software on my iphone, and it asked me if I wanted to activate location services, normally I'm on automatic when this sort of stuff takes place; I click the shiny button and don't think anything more of it but this made me stop and ask myself if
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Front & Follow Profile

2011-11-07T23:14:00.000+01:00

Just came across this interesting piece on Manchester's Front & Follow label by 4O5.

It's a really interesting read and shows how interesting music is funded by passion and not big bucks! I have only one thing to add and that is the the first 'patch' sleeves were the collective work of Pika Pika.

2012 Artists Posters

2011-11-04T15:00:00.000+01:00

The London Olympics committee have just unveiled a series of posters created by some of the UK's top artists. These are very much in same spirit as the commissions handed out by London Underground to get people to travel on the tube. Some work really well,
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Halloween Happening

2011-11-04T14:15:00.000+01:00

Ah what says Happy Halloween more than a pirate penguin and pumpkin walrus! Well if you were at the Arctic Circle Halloween bash at the Westminster Library in London you would have seen pirate penguins mixing with foxy counts all to the sounds of The Miserable Rich, The Real Tuesday Weld and Alabaster Deplume
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Friday Photo

2011-11-04T13:35:00.003+01:00

Papie, Versailles 2007

Stone Roses to reform?

2011-10-18T10:24:00.000+02:00

At the moment all ears are open to hear if The Stone Roses will reform for a series of shows and a possible album. Now I know the nostalgia pull is immense not only for people of a certain age but for those that are discovering the band now who have become somewhat mythologised. But for me it's not so much the live shows but what a new Stone Roses album cover would look like.

As I previously professed in a former post about the Stone Roses I was a big fan not only of their music and attitude but of their sleeves and the art work created by John Squire. They were a complete package. Well I think it doesn't take a genius to work out that if the Roses do reform it will be Cap'n Squire creating the album artwork. From looking at his last exhibition and his latest paintings a new Stone Roses album cover may have an eastern feel, I hope they still do the limited postcard or print with the vinyl singles! To see more of Mr Squires' work head over to his website.

Anyway only time will tell so I'll keep my long sleeve paint splashed top and Wrangler Bell bottoms (21 inch!!) in the wardrobe for the moment and wait to see if a reunion is on the cards maybe the world has moved on but I'll always remember this moment on BBC2…

Friday Photo

2011-10-14T08:51:00.000+02:00

Verona, Italy 2004

Everyone's a critic!

2011-10-13T18:05:00.000+02:00

A bit of an unexpected post today, I was hoping to mention a couple of up and coming exhibitions taking place in London on the theme of maps but instead my I find myself writing about my own exhibition which has just been bombed. Yes you read correctly bombed! Now I know everyone one has the right to criticism but this is a touch too much!
I am of course making light of the situation and am being a little melodramatic and a little untrue, it wasn't my work that was the focus of such ire and anger but the building where my work was being exhibited in Derry, the Culture Offices based just off the Guildhall Square.

As you may or may not be aware Derry/Londonderry was awarded UK city of Culture 2013 last year, a great achievement, that in my eyes gives not only the North West a chance to show itself in an new light (that has nothing to do with sectarian violence) but the whole of Northern Ireland. However some factions of the political spectrum take exception to the letters 'UK' and what they represent. They then vent this dissatisfaction by placing bombs in the doorway of the Culture Offices. Now I'm not a politician and this isn't a political blog but speaking as someone from the area I can only see the accolade of City of Culture 2013 (be it UK or Irish, European or even Galactic!!) as a positive thing bringing renewed infrastructure, jobs, investment and tourism to the region. Believe it or not people still equate Northern Ireland with the troubles and violence and would rather visit the south of Ireland than the North, it's time to show them that it is about so much more than violence and what better way than giving them a good time and the putting on display the rich cultural heritage we have not only in Derry but in the North as as a whole. Everyone has the right to protest but not just by leaving bombs in the street.

Here are a few gems from Derry's rich cultural tapestry, taking in the Undertones, Our Krypton Son, Famous Seamus and a bit of Danna as well…

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Quasicrystals

2011-10-10T10:56:00.000+02:00

Just catching up on the news this week and came across these beautiful images of quasicrystals.
The Nobel prize for Chemistry was won by Daniel Shechtman for the discovery of these quasicrystals. Believe it or not this discovery was highly controversial, he was ridiculed by other scientists including a previous Nobel prize winner.

Although this is an excellent story of self belief and perseverance it was the patterns themselves which caught my eye and made me think directly of Islamic architecture as seen in the geometric patterns evident in mosaics, wooden grilles and ceramic art. Of course there is nothing new in art echoing nature, especially when mathematics is used as the base but at this microscopic level I find that astounding.

Friday Photo

2011-10-07T09:22:00.000+02:00

Benches, Southbank, London 2005

Poems to go!

2011-10-06T15:59:00.001+02:00

Today is National Poetry Day, if your living in the UK, of course as well all know in France every day is National Poetry Day in fact this morning over breakfast I was helping my son memorise a poem about Autumn for his homework (he is 6!)

Coincidentally I came across the existence of Poetry Takeaway over the weekend and it seems apt to do a post on it today. The Poetry Takeaway is a mobile Poetry on demand service, that works much the some way as gourmet burger van; you roll up discuss with the chef what poetic delights your soul is hankering after and then, after a brief discussion about style, content and subject your poem is served to you 10 minuets later, handwritten in a little package made to order and all ready to consume or pass on as you may wish.

They are in London just outside the Southbank today so if your out and about and need a rhyming couplet to see you through the day then give them a go.

And as a nod to both National Poetry Day and the fact that yesterday was the birthday of one of Irelands best authors, Flann O'Brien, here is a short video of Eamon Morrissey reciting A Pint of Plain is Your Only Man

Collection box

2011-10-04T12:50:00.000+02:00

I came across this charity collection box when I was in Derry last month. I hadn't seen a collection box like this since the early eighties! I remember the boy with a caliper outside the chemist and the blind boy reading braille perched outside the charity shop but now most of these have disappeared as they were outdated and not very PC, but unfortunately they have been replaced by generic perspex boxes or a group of people in day-glo tabbards requesting you to set up a direct debit.

When I saw the kitten box I was a bit thrown by the relationship between the kittens and Romanian Orphans but after a while I realised it was probably originally used for the R.S.P.C.A. (the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) and had been adapted to help raise money for Romanian orphans.

Culture Night catch up

2011-10-03T19:45:00.000+02:00

The Bogside as seen from the city walls on Culture Night.

Culture Night has been and gone and I have been busy catching up since getting back from Ireland. The night went in all too quickly, talking to people about the city, art and exploring the city after dark.

I spent most of my time at the Culture Offices meeting talking to people about what I do as a graphic designer but I did manage to get out and about to see other events happening within the walls.
One of the highlights was Polly Morgan's exhibition Dead Time at the Void Gallery. It was the first time I have seen 'live' examples (please forgive the pun) of Polly's work and if you have the chance I highly recommend it.

I showed a few pieces of print work, the Pika Pika break up cards and a few paper cuts including a new paper cut based on the story of Half Hung MacNaughton. All was really well received (especially as someone made off with a copy of a Sleeping Years EP and a couple of Arctic Circle pieces!)

It was a beautiful autumnal night, a little windy but not too much, all about the city were dotted pockets of light filled with people, laughter and the odd pint or two and it was so great just to pop in discover something new, have a chat and then go on to discover something else happening in a little cafe just down the street.

I wish I had been more active with my camera but in all honesty I was enjoying myself too much to worry about capturing the event. Any way here are a few photos of what I showed and of the city, if your around Derry and in 2012 I highly recommend it especially if you can finish off the night with a cold pint at Sandinos!

Culture Night

2011-09-23T08:33:00.000+02:00

Tonight is Culture Night across Ireland. As I mentioned before I am taking part in the celebrations in Derry by showing some work in the Culture Offices just beside the Guildhall.
I have created a new papercut based on the tale of a local Derry legend called Half Hung MacNaughton.
The story goes that MacNaughton was a down at heel part of the Irish gentry, who claimed to have fallen in love with a young heiress, Mary Ann Knox from Derry. However, her father did not give consent to their marriage. In November 1761, an attempt by MacNaghten and his followers to abduct Mary Ann from a carriage on a journey to Strabane and elope with her failed, when he shot and mortally wounded her by mistake. A court found MacNaghton guilty of murder and he was sentenced to execution by hanging. So distraught with grief was he by the death of his love that MacNaghton is alleged to have hurled himself from the gallows with such force that the rope broke. Some versions say that this was divine intervention and MacNaghton could not be hanged for a second time; others say that he could have used the cover of a sympathetic crowd to make good his escape but he chose not to. Instead John MacNaghton freely re-ascended the gallows to be hanged successfully.

This is the first in a series of paper cuts that I am planning to do on this subject.

So if your in Ireland go enjoy the nearest event to you and if you in and around Derry then please pop in to the Culture Offices and say hello!

Friday Photo

2011-09-23T08:16:00.000+02:00

Gally, France 2008

More heartbreak…

2011-09-17T21:05:00.003+02:00

Just a quick mention; if your around Shoreditch in London next week and your about to split up with your significant other then you'll be happy to hear that the Pika Pika patented Break up Card is on sale at the Design Diversions Pop up Hub, as part of the London Design Festival. There are lots more wonderful designer goodies on sale too so pop down and have a look even if your not planning to break someones heart!

Friday Photo

2011-09-16T18:12:00.000+02:00

Child's play, Northern Ireland, 2004

Culture Night – Derry 2011

2011-09-14T10:04:00.003+02:00

It's been a little empty round here this month. This has been down to the fact that I have been busy creating some work for Culture Night .

I will be showing a mix of work I have already created and some new stuff in the City of Culture Offices just beside the Guild Hall. Exactly what I am going to show has yet to be finalised but one thing is for sure; I know there will be a few long ,frantic, cafe infused nights ahead, that said I'm really looking forward to it. Time to get my head down again…

Friday Photo

2011-09-09T11:59:00.000+02:00

4 things, Pair sur Mer, France 2011

Heartbreak at the Hayward

2011-09-01T15:53:00.000+02:00

Just a quick note to say that the break up cards will be available to buy at the Hayward Gallery in London in their new 'this is not a pop-up' shop. Also featured will be the paper cranes folded by fellow Pika Pika partner Miho Aishima to raise money for the Japan tsunami appeal. Also there is friend and fellow CSM alumni, Tina Tsang who will be showcasing and selling some of her beautiful creations for her own company Undergrowth Design and for those not lucky enough to see her at the Hayward, no worries Tina will be appearing at this years Maison Object in Paris.

Friday Photo

2011-08-26T12:03:00.002+02:00

French Alps, Summer 2007

Green Man projections

2011-08-23T11:08:00.001+02:00

Just got a few photos through from the Artic Circle team (who are all recovering in a darkened room!) of their adventures at the Green Man festival. Here are a few pics I'm sure there will be more to come. All photo credits go to Diana Jarvis, pop over to her site and check out some of her other work!

Penguin Inked

2011-08-22T14:22:00.001+02:00

Cover designed by Russ Abbott

Paul Buckley over at Penguin publishing must have one of the best jobs in design, not only has he some of the greatest books ever written at his to design jackets for, but also an almost unlimited ability to commission new illustrations! Personally I think we are living through a golden age for book jacket design at the moment, almost everytime I walk into a bookshop there are at least 6 titles which scream "BUY ME!" just on their book cover alone, Paul Buckley and his team at Penguin have played no small part in this consumer compulsion! Penguin covers are innovating and always engaging with the reader to pick their books off the shelf and to take them home. Well they have done it again, this time commissioning Tattoo artists to give their take on classics such as Angela Carters The Bloody Chamber to Helen Fieldings The Diary of Bridget Jones. This new series is collected under the title of Penguin Inked and has been running in America since 2010 but only just came to my attention when I was in a bookshop during my summer break in Ireland.

Cover designed by Gonzallo

Most of these are based in the new wave of old style sailor tattoos, I wonder if any literary fans out there will get inked with their favourite authors sleeve?

Cover by Tara McPherson

Cover by Duke Reily

Cover by Bert Krak

Cover by Jen Munford

Cover designed by Duncan X

Cover designed by Valerie Vargas

Cover designed by Han van der Sluys

Cover designed by Lynn Akura

Friday Photo

2011-08-19T16:36:00.000+02:00

YMCA, North London, 2005

50 shades of blue

2011-08-17T17:20:00.000+02:00

Edwyn Collins is a walking marvel! Not only has he been busy recording a new album, producing a multitude of and putting on a growing number of exhibitions of his drawings. If that hasn't been enough he has been working with Liberty fabrics to create a range of printed fabrics featuring his beautiful bird illustrations, that are part of their Liberty Rocks range that also features Blur's Graham Coxon.
Edwyn has also been working with Elli Pop who has again taken his ornithological illustrations and applied them to a range of tableware. So what's next a Jaguar/ Collins car colaboration? I'm just hoping for a new album. As edwyn says 'Keep on chooglin'!!'

An American Icon

2011-08-16T12:29:00.000+02:00

OK, 16 August is the day where people of a certain age wonder what the world would be like if 'The King' had lived.
So in true blog tradition I went off trawling the internet for a suitable image to mark Elvis's passing and to muse on his impact in Northern Irish culture when I came across the work of an artist and illustrator call Bob Kessel.
I don't know if it is the power of an icon in the collective imagination, (the on going sitings of Jesus, Elvis, Jacko in everything from cornflakes, tortillas and clouds may attest to this!) but his series American Icons which reduces stars like Marylin Monroe and Marlon Brando to bold cubist shapes and primary blocks of colour are all immediately recognisable. If you want to see more of Kessel's work then click here to explore his landscapes and other paintings. So instead of a post on Elvis, you get a post on cubist painting! The King moves in mysterious ways!!

Friday Photo

2011-08-12T10:16:00.000+02:00

Saorsie, Northen Ireland, 2004

The Lost Type Co-op

2011-08-08T18:50:00.002+02:00

I came across this type house a little while ago while researching some vintage type for a project and was amazed by their model. As they explain in their own words:
The Lost Type Co-Op is a Pay-What-You-Want Type foundry, the first
of its kind.
Founded by Riley Cran and Tyler Galpin, originally in a whirlwind 24 hour adventure to distribute a single typeface, Lost Type has blossomed into a full fledged foundry, distributing fonts from designers all over the world, with its unique model.

Users have the opportunity to pay whatever they like for a font, you can even type in '$0' for a free download.

100% of funds from these sales go directly to the designers of the fonts, respectively.

Lost Type takes no cut of sales, and holds no funds.

I think this is amazing and the quality of the typefaces are perfect for those projects that need a typeface with a certain look. Also if you have half an hour pop over to their blog to see some of their typefaces in action and where they draw inspiration from. Long may the project continue!

Friday Photo

2011-08-05T09:18:00.000+02:00

Donegal Beach, Ireland, 2011

Penguin Cinema

2011-08-03T13:32:00.000+02:00

If your not festival-ed out already and have room to squeeze another in this year then I recommend the Green Man Festival which features our friends from the north; Arctic Circle who will be putting on a weekend of cinema and sound and creating an island of calm to rest and relax from the rest of the festival's shenanigans with artists such as Emily Barker, NSRO and Paper Cinema!

I created a paper cut illustration for the occasion which I'm lead to believe will be projected in the cinema tent. For more information pop over to the AC website, and if that wasn't incentive enough The Sleeping Years will be playing on Sunday, so don't put the tent away just yet!

Friday Photo

2011-07-29T13:59:00.000+02:00

Bear mention

2011-07-28T13:32:00.000+02:00

Just had the sleeve of BLK w/BEAR latest release featured in Design Week's News in Pictures.

Uncle Sam

2011-07-28T13:27:00.000+02:00

I was up in Derry the other day having my first look at the new Peace Bridge, well worth a visit! The weather was a little over cast and wet but seeing this ice cream van made me smile! I have lots of happy memories of seeing this van on Benone Beach and sampling it's wares.

Blog Break

2011-07-28T10:44:00.000+02:00

Apologies for the lack of regular posts around here lately but this has been down to some unseasonal sunshine in the north of Ireland which means I have been out on the beaches and in the forests making the most of it while it lasts!

Friday Photo

2011-07-22T09:21:00.001+02:00

Mr. Potato Head, from the series Toys, Northern Ireland, 2007

Bear Mix

2011-07-21T13:40:00.002+02:00

Apologies for the lack of posts around here recently, just been relocating from France to Ireland for the summer.

It's been a while since I posted any of my own work but here is the latest record sleeve I've been working on. It is the next release from Manchester's Front & Follow label by Washington based artists BLK wBEAR who have reinterpreted a selection of tracks from Yonokierio's album Blue Apples.

The sleeve illustration is a photo of a selection of ceramic sculptures created by Robin VanValkenburgh under the pseudonym of Runny Bunny. With such a striking image I wanted to make the most of the groups name so I started playing about with the symmetry of the words BLK and BEAR and bent some Helvetica Light into shape to create the typeface. It felt a shame to just stick it in the corner so I decided to place it full size over the image.

It will be release as a limited CD with a free digital and specially commissioned video download on 5 September and as always you can get it from the F&F shop where you can hear a soundcloud sample there now.

friday photo

2011-07-15T10:27:00.000+02:00

The last Harry Potter book launch, Kings Cross, London, 2007

Friday Photo

2011-07-08T13:02:00.000+02:00

A local fire, Versailles 2009

Bjork Crystaline

2011-07-04T19:28:00.000+02:00

Some more fantastic work from M/M Paris for the latest release from Bjork. Just pop over to her website to see a new way of browsing, again the design is by M/M Paris aided by the technically astounding Jam3. The new logo is beautiful, refined and works perfectly with the imagery, part note, part eye, part planet! It's a bit hard to pin down like Bjork herself.

If that wasn't enough the Icelandic songstress has also invented a new instrument called the Gameleste which features in her show Biophilia which is currently at the Manchester International Festival, (as is Damon Albarn's Opera Dr Dee), anyway here is a video of the Gameleste being made.

The Gameleste - a custom instrument for Björk from Andy McCreeth on Vimeo.

Gummy Lips

2011-07-04T19:02:00.000+02:00

I love new and innovative music packaging; stick a badge or poster in a release and I have to buy it, even though I know I have exactly the same record already! Well I was just over at the Flaming Lips site and discovered that their latest release is a USB stick that contains 4 new songs. The USB stick is encased in a jelly edible skull and is a very limited release! I've heard it rumored that this is the first in a series of monthly release from The Flaming Lips so it will be interesting to see if all the tracks will be gummy body parts! This release is $150 a little bit more than my pocket money can stretch to!
Anyone know who the design is by?

Nice use of Futura Black Plain for the text

Fun and Games

2011-07-04T17:32:00.000+02:00

T'is the season of le vide grenier and this year our star finds have been a cool selection of vintage kids games, most of which were produced by a French company called Fernand Nathan who also published beautifully illustrated kids books too. Most of these were picked up for a few Euros which is great for such a nice collection of Illustrations.While I was doing some research on the company I came across this nice flickr stream of other Fernand Nathan bits and bobs!

My favourite has to be the English learning game which comes with it's own 7" single and looks like it has never been opened!

Friday Photo

2011-07-01T09:44:00.000+02:00

Hurley practice, Northern Ireland, 2009

Richard Hawley's family tree

2011-06-29T09:35:00.000+02:00

Just came across this 'rock' family tree on Richard Hawley's site. It's had me occupied for the past hour just tracing the lines back and forward between the various groups. I must read my liner notes more!

The Earl Bishop

2011-06-28T21:43:00.002+02:00

When I was back home at Easter I picked up a copy of Stephen Price's book The Earl Bishop. The book is a biography of Bishop Hervey, the man who built the famous Mussenden Temple, one of the worlds most famous follies. As I'm from that neck of the woods it was nice to finally come across a book that told the story of the place and of the man who made it.
As a bit of a design challenge I decide to re-design the cover. I didn't have a design brief but as a rule I used all the elements that were on the existing cover and a turn around time of one day. The original cover looks like this, an uncharacteristic sunny day with a blue sky showing off the famous follie with a pillared wall echoing the monuments classic architecture which acts as a holding area for the books title and the authors name.

I started by researching architectural decoration of the period and mixed this research with the Antiqua series of classic texts. These are a real design treat and totally of their time. They were produced from the early 1900's in France and feature a refined yet restricted colour palette and a tidy visual framing which draws inspiration from classical Greek architecture.

The next step was to incorporate some of the actual architecture from Mussenden and start to work these into the cover. One of the most famous parts of the site where the Bishop's stately home once stood is the Lion's Gate,(even though the two stone cat sculptures which the gate takes its name from are actually Ocelots). I drew a number of stylised sketches of the sculptures and continued to carry out a pencil sketch taken from a photo of the Temple itself. I inked these out, scanned them in and then played about with them in Illustrator, where I started creating the frame.

Like the Antiqua series I decided to stay with a two colour scheme. I chose blue and green simply because of the geography of the area and the relationship between the land and the sea. In case you have never been the Temple is right on the edge of a cliff looking out over sea, in fact the inscription that circles the temple it's self reads "Suave mari magno, turbantibus aequora ventis, E terra magnum alterius spectare laborem" which translates roughly as "Tis pleasant, safely to behold from shore, The rolling ship, and hear the tempest roar." and probably not "Agreeable husband very turbantibus the waters to toss in the air, out of earth large the second specter to sink" which I got the first time I fed the quote through an online Latin translator!
For the text I used Gill sans in caps for the titles and Perpetua Regular for the quotes and book blurb. I liked the balance between these two typefaces, the geometry of Gill sat well with the frame work while Perpetua Regular gave a classic book feel. One of the only deviations I made from my original brief was that I didn't use an actual portrait of the Bishop instead to fit with the graphic nature of the frame I decide to use a silhouette of the Bishop. The silhouette originated in the 18th century, so it felt apt that it could be included. While I was researching this I found out an interesting little fact about where the word silhouette comes from, if your interested click here!
Anyway the final cover back and front turned out like this:

It's by no means a final finished piece of design more a play around with genres, type and applying these to the elements of a pre-existing design. If any thing it has also been a bit of light design relief and fun to boot!

Friday Photo

2011-06-24T12:54:00.000+02:00

From the Series Toys, Northern Ireland 2008

Nobrow niceness

2011-06-17T13:20:00.001+02:00

Monsieur le facteur has just passed by my letterbox and left me a beautiful bundle of goodies from Nobrow including this beautiful print by illustrator Robert Hunter. I also got a copy of his latest illustrated story called The New Ghost. The smell of ink filled my nose when I opened the package and I was transported back to the print rooms at CSM.
The print comes from an exhibition called Murmuring Landscapes and is simply one of the nicest pieces of print that I own!

The current exhibition at the Nobrow Gallery looks equally promising, it is by Stuart Kolakovic and is called Under The Damp Earth, but hurry it's only on till the 23 June, you can find out more at the Nobrow website . Take some time to browse through their shop as they have some excellent prints and publications.

Friday Photo

2011-06-17T10:47:00.000+02:00

Grenoble, France 2007

Music Matters

2011-06-16T09:45:00.003+02:00

I just came across this series of animated videos that were specially commissioned by EMI to illustrate why music matters. I know growing up in Northern Ireland in the 1980's music really did matter to me, it was bith a means of escape and a point of contact. If you want to watch some more on Dylan, Bernard Butler or The Jam then pop over to here.

In the meantime I'm off to put "Piece of Mind" on again, it's been a while and that Tom Judd video took me back to being 14 again, now where did I put my air guitar?!

Gill's brother

2011-06-15T15:53:00.000+02:00

OK I'm in danger of turning this blog into an arts listing but here are another couple of exhibitions that if I had the chance I would love to go to. The first is on Eric Gills' brother, Macdonald 'Max' Gill. Now I know it is horrible to introduce someone through the life of someone else but to be honest Eric Gills figure loomed so large that I had no idea that he had a brother, let alone one who worked in a similar field and to an equally high level.
Macdonald Gill was well known and respected in his day and was reputed for his highly detailed pictorial maps which all have a strong sense of Englishness about them which reflect their time and, like his brothers work, a certain sense of national identity, just look at the map above which places Great Britain at the heart of the world, it reminds me of medieval maps of the known world which did exactly the same thing with Jerusalem!

Detail from the Wonderground Map of Londontown

What looks like a highlight of the exhibition will be Macdonald Gills' Wonderground Map of Londontown. This was printed in 1914 for Westminster Press and shows an intricate and beautiful look at London and its Underground stations. The illustration style, colours and lettering evoke an almost Arts and Crafts take on London. The original was printed as 16 sheets (roughly A4) and sold in it's thousands for six shillings, I hope they do a modern reprint as I don't think I could track down never mind buy an original!

The exhibition is in Brighton at the University of Brighton and runs from 22 July - 29 August, for more information click here. There is also a fascinating blog on the restoration of Macdonald Gills' work by Sirpa Kutilainen.
To continue the Gill trip then pop into The British Museum to see Eric Gill; Public and Private Art. This exhibition looks at pieces of art created by Gill for Public commissions and for his own private pleasure. As the museum says itself 'The exhibition features work by Gill intended for both public use and private delight, including stamp designs for the Post Office, coin designs for the Royal Mint, drawings for the Stations of the Cross, and his own engravings and publications on religion, politics and art. The centrepiece of the display is his famous sculpture Divine Lovers, on loan from Ditchling Museum in East Sussex. The display also examines Gill’s work on the British Museum building itself, including the war memorial at the main entrance.' The exhibition runs until 9 August and is FREE!

Images from top:
Self-portrait medal depicting Eric Gill. Engraved by George Friend, about 1933. © reserved.
Proof for a one shilling coin by Eric Gill, 1925.© The Royal Mint.
Air Raid Precaution Badge, Eric Gill, 1939.© The Trustees of the British Museum.

And just for good measure here's a reminder of Gills most famous creation Gill Sans, originally created for a book shop in Bristol and then developed as a full typeface for LNER rail travel posters.

1000 Paper Cranes-Last day to donate

2011-06-10T09:39:00.000+02:00

Regular readers to this blog will be well aware of my friend Miho's mammoth challenge to fold a 1000 paper cranes to help raise awareness and money for the Red Cross Japan Tsunami appeal.
They will also be aware that she has passed her original target and has (to date) folded 1408 paper cranes.
Well today is the last day of Mihos paper crane challenge and it is the last day that you can donate to her fund so please, please, please take a little time out and donate what you can to a great effort for a great cause.
You can find her donation page here , and as a well known supermarket chain like to remind us "every little helps!"

Friday Photo

2011-06-10T09:13:00.000+02:00

From the series When the clouds come down, French Alps, Summer 2007

A two pipe problem!

2011-06-09T15:31:00.002+02:00

A strange convergence of elements have been working on me recently. When I was back in Ireland at the weekend I caught up with the BBC modern re-look at Sherlock Holmes. I loved the way they tackled his love of pondering over the clues of a crime by sucking on a pipe full of tobacco by substituting it with nicotine patches! A 'two pipe problem' eloquently became a 'two patch problem'. Later that weekend I stumbled across an article in my daily newspaper outlining plans by the Australian government to render cigarette packets olive-green, supposedly because it's a dull, unappealing colour that will put off potential smokers. This was in response to recommendations by The World Health Organisation, in its Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, where it advises authorities to "consider adopting measures to restrict or prohibit the use of logos, colours, brand images or promotional information". After I read the piece I was left wondering, would this work? Would it reduce the number of people smoking?
I personally haven't had a cigarette for 7 years but I did smoke for a good few years before that and during that time I was never really aware of the packaging having an impact on my choice of cigarette, I do how ever remember the fantastic press ads on the back of the Sunday supplements for Benson & Hedges (carried out by CDP) and Silk Cut (carried out by Alexandra Taylor while at Saatchi &Saatchi).

These ads were in response to stricter government legislation that appeared in the 1970's restricting how the tobacco industry could advertise their products. No more models with a cigarette hanging out of their mouths or suggested hints of sex appeal as before so a new approach had to be found and this new approach to my mind made smoking more intriguing and attractive than any photo of a cigarette could!

A press ad for cigarettes pre-legislation

At the time I had no idea about government legislation so these images worked almost like puzzles making me stare at them in an attempt to try and figure out what was going on! Now as an adult and as a designer I can see that this was the result of a more limited brief. Once a tried and tested route has been closed off it makes the agency to have to think a little more laterally and the client to be a little more adventurous in their marketing strategy.

I know similar plans to limit tobacco packaging are a foot in the UK with "plain generic packaging" being mooted, but again with a limited brief and a good design studio I think that this could see an increase in smoking figures and almost as if to prove my point take a look at the packaging solution created by Build.
Build were briefed by Icon to work within the proposed government guidelines and to come up with a packaging solution, these were the results;

Build's approach was to strip away all extraneous information and to reduce the packaging to the bare minimum required to convey the information. All the text is set in OCR-B and brings to the fore the stuff that is usually hid in 5pt on the back such as the ingredients. If you want to read more visit their excellent blog here.

Personally I think these designs look a lot better and a lot more considered than the packs that grace tobacconists shelves today. They would probably appeal more to a youth market and increase smoking rather than make it appear unappealing. So even when the Australian government pass their new law limiting tobacco packaging then I'm sure a clever agency will work with in their brief and find a creative way to make them look better! This of course raises the age old question of design ethics, but that's another post!
Maybe to make things more challenging the Government should also stipulated in the legislation that all text has to be set in 20pt Comic Sans and that the packaging can only be laid out in Microsoft Word! We will see, as Sherlock himself would have said "The game is a foot!"

Friday Photo

2011-06-03T09:15:00.000+02:00

From the series Saying Goodbye, Northern Ireland 2005

F&M, a little animated

2011-06-02T22:05:00.000+02:00

Just got this from Ben at AC, it's a small flash animation by Luke Twyman bringing a bit of life to my Fairy Tales and Monsters illustration to promote the festival. This will be playing on VDU screens at Kings Place this week. iAS I have said before if you have the chance to go, GO, the list of events and activities seem to be getting bigger and better by the day, in fact we are just planning some projections at the moment too! For more info on the latest additions to the programme click here.

Chris Haughton

2011-06-02T21:04:00.000+02:00

A while back I came across A Bit Lost, the first illustrated book by Irish illustrator and author Chris Haughton. As well as being a talented illustrator, (A Bit Lost has been hoovering up awards all over the world since it's release!) but he also seems to be a designer with a big social consience.
He has just finished a series of short animations for The Law Centre in the UK. They relate peoples stories and how they benefited from The Law Centre. The films are charming and engaging while keeping you focused on the narrative, something which these kind of films sometimes forget to do. This isn't the first time that Chris has dabbled in animation he has already created similar shorts for Fair Trade just pop over to his vimeo page to see more and to hear him talk about his work.

The Law Centres: Maureen's Story from chris haughton on Vimeo.

And if your reading this Chris, my daughter's automatic response to seeing a picture of an owl is to say "Uh ohh!". The power of words and pictures!

Kai and Sunny at Stolen Space Gallery

2011-06-01T15:15:00.003+02:00

Kai and Sunny's work has appeared on everything from Adobe's CS4 to ads for Cadbury's chocolate and never mind the wealth of book covers including the award winning Cloud Atlas by David Mitchel.

This print was part of the collective show Never Judge?, held last December again at the Stolen Space Gallery

If you are in London between the 3-26 June then you will have a chance to see their latest gallery show at the Stolen Space Gallery in Brick Lane. It's called The Flower Show and features a series of large two colour hand screened prints, which look beautiful. If like me you won't have the chance to pop down then there is always the limited edition box set of prints with a short story by the a fore mentioned David Mitchel but judging by the photos it looks like it could cost a good few pennies!

Friday Photo

2011-05-27T09:00:00.002+02:00

Home, Northern Ireland 2009

Olly Moss: paper cuts at Gallery 1988

2011-05-25T12:11:00.002+02:00

I first came across the work of Olly Moss on a design blog. The post featured a collection of modern movie posters re-imagined in a Saul Bass-esque way. They were nice to look at, with some very clever use of illustration, and a nice restricted colour palette but they didn't really take my breath away however his latest project does.

It is a series of 300 18th century inspired silhouette paper cuts but of cultural icons ranging from Teen Wolf to the Simpsons! All the silhouettes were lazer cut and then beautifully framed, hung and are now on display at Gallery 1988 in Melrose. It's too far away for me I'm afraid but I do hope this show travels! here are a few more pics and a short video about the show and if you want to find out more you can find Olly's blog here

Olly Moss Art Show @ Gallery 1988 from Threadless.com on Vimeo.

Monster mail

2011-05-23T10:18:00.000+02:00

It's always nice to get something in the post, that's not part of the usual deluge of direct mail, phone bills and bank statements!
That's why those nice people at Arctic Circle are asking if anyone would like a copy of their latest poster/leaflet featuring my paper cut for the Fairy Tales and Monsters festival. If you fancy a copy then just send your name and address to here: http://www.jointhecircle.net/mailing_list.php OR email the penguins directly at ben@jointhecircle.net and a copy will wing it's way to you.

Please note the enchanting Viking models are not included!

Fairytales and Monsters: the final cut.

2011-05-20T18:13:00.001+02:00

All my paper cuts have healed up, my scalpel is cooling off in it's case and the Fairy Tales and Monsters art work should start appearing across London from tomorrow. At the moment I'm busy working out designs for tote bags, t-shirts and badges to tie in with the festival as well as suggesting a few activities to keep people busy in the foyer of Kings Place. So stay tuned for more bits as they arrive!

As well as creating the main paper cut illustration I also found myself creating a typeface, which is something I hadn't planned on! After going through all the typefaces I had and a few on line suppliers I started drawing my own. The type face took inspiration from the highly decorative letter types used in storybooks and fairy tales. I wanted it to have something of the decorative drop cap about it, without feeling too cartoony. I also felt that the characters should be linked somehow, as if they had been woven together like the elements of a good story. I know it's not Helvetica on the legibility scales but I'm happy with how it turned out and thanks to all those who gave their opinions along the way ( you know who you are)!

The typeface in development, trying to find a balance between legibility and sensibility.

All in all it looks like it should be a great few days of music, events and fun, well worth catching if you can. For more info pop over to here.
I was also fortunate enough to have the design featured on the Design Week blog which is always nice.

The final logo

Friday Photo

2011-05-20T09:51:00.000+02:00

Radishes, French Alps 2006

Idan Friedman: Profiles

2011-05-18T16:24:00.000+02:00

This is a beautiful project by Israeli born artist Idan Friedman. Idan has created a series of intricate portraits of people he has met while going about his everyday life, like the cashier at his local supermarket. He hasn't captured them in oils or on film but instead has created relief sculptures of their profiles and embossed them on to disposable aluminum food trays.

The results call to mind coins, commemorative medallions, plaques and medals, objects that to the mind are associated with celebrating the great and the good but this project celebrates the everyday. A sensitive and well thought out series with a real sense of fragility that to my eyes takes portraiture to a new level and raises questions about what we hold as precious.

If you want to see more of the series Idan has a flickr stream here.

Birch Book: The fox and the tree

2011-05-17T10:36:00.003+02:00

Last week I got my hands on a copy of the latest release from Paris based label Les Disques du 7eme Ciel and took a few photographs of the EP.
The release is a 6 track 10" vinyl by Birch Book and is housed in a recycled board gatefold sleeve complete with a version of the EP on CD, a woven patch and two art prints. As always I was given free reign on how the release should look, the only limitations being that it would be one colour printed on a recycled board and that the artist liked it!
I had been trying out a new illustration style for a while and felt that this release was a perfect partner for that style. The illustration style draws on Irish Celtic illustrations as well as Inuit folk art with a touch of psychedelia.

A sketchbook doodle of a bird with something of a fish about him

From the same sketchbook a detail from a drawing of a hare

…and from a few pages later my first go at drawing the fox

I loved the idea of one thing existing with in the space of another, this was partially triggered by the groups name Birch Book. I felt a link between the two words, a tree and an object of paper; the same thing manifesting in two different states. I loved the idea that a tree growing in a forest could already contain the essence of a book and one day metamorphose into that form when the conditions were right.
With this bubbling around in the back of my mind I started to doing the fox drawing.

I wanted a sense of balance between the animal and vegetable and to include something of the tree within the fox and vice versa. This lead me to here…

and to here.

back cover of 10" vinyl

Front cover of CD version

Back cover of CD version

Side B vinyl label

Fox print detail

Tree ring print detail

Anyway if you want to listen to the tracks or pick up a copy then just pop over to the label's website.

1000 Paper Cranes-Update

2011-05-16T15:16:00.001+02:00

Just a quick update about Miho's 1000 paper crane challenge. In case you don't know, Miho has been diligently folding paper cranes in order to raise money for the Tsunami relief effort in Japan and so far she has folded 960 cranes and raised £1,258.00. She plans to fold a crane for every £ raised so if you fancy helping the relief effort and giving Miho a few more paper cuts then just hop over to her sponsor page and donate a few pounds!

Well done Miho, it looks fantastic and it is all for a good cause!

Friday Photo

2011-05-13T19:07:00.000+02:00

Staircase, Lyon 2008

Another Summer

2011-05-12T09:40:00.001+02:00

I just finished doing a paper cut illustration for Paris based record label Les Disques du 7eme Ciel to grace the cover of their latest release. Each summer the label puts on a series of small, intimate acoustic concerts which take place on a balcony over looking the Sacré-Coeur. To celebrate the last season of concerts, the label has put together a compilation of rare tracks, album outtakes and demos from the artists who performed. The album contains 18 fantastic tracks from the likes of Josh T. Pearson, The Reject Cards and The Daredevil Christopher Wright. I would strongly recommend popping over there and downloading it and as a bonus you can even download a PDF to print out and create your own CD, including a CD onbody design by yours truely!

If your interested then click here and did I mention it was FREE?!

An initial trial on white paper to see how things work.

A slightly elevated view showing the concertina fold

A different colour variation

Sufjan Stevens-L'Olympia 09-05-2011

2011-05-11T21:12:00.002+02:00

I had the chance to go and see Sufjan Stevens on Monday night and boy what an experience! If the music wasn't great enough there are the magical animations by NYC artist Deborah Johnson. If you get a chance to go see him (and his amazing band) do not think about it just go!
This isn't a music blog and I'm not a concert reviewer and as Sufjan says himself "words are futile devices" so I'll just post some abstract neon photos, one of the beautiful animations by Deborah Johnston used for Seven Swans and a clip from the concert (watch out for the Casio solo at the end)!

"Seven Swans" live visual content from Deborah Johnson, CandyStations on Vimeo.

Not tonight Josephine… I'm reading!

2011-05-10T17:11:00.002+02:00

Just came across this book designed by M/M Paris in tribute to "the greatest film never made" Napoleon. It consists of 9 books within a book and here is a video of it being unboxed.

Friday Photo

2011-05-06T10:41:00.001+02:00

Tiernan, Northern Ireland 2006