Sketches and screenprints old and new

These are amongst my favorite drawings and prints I've ever done but they sit unseen in sketchbooks and dusty portfolios. I thought I'd revive them with a scan and an upload onto the world wide web! 

Mode of Transformation - Mowhawk Paper Promotion

In their efforts to show off the latest printing techniques and range of effects, promotional booklets produced by paper suppliers can run the risk of looking gimmicky. In this design by VSA Partners' for Mowhawk Papers the printing is modest and beautifully anonymous; the exquisite craftsmanship and thoughtful compositions are what promote the product.

I like the subtle analogy of the paper's history to the evolution of the bicycle and think the combination of digital and hand drawn typography softens the message.  For these reasons it is up there as my favorite piece of editorial design of last year.

Typography Inspiration

During my time at LCC I had the pleasure of meeting Dave Dabnar in his letterpress studio. Once you get past the dodgy scene-setting intro, this film captures Dave's typographic passion and wisdom. I remember thinking that his somewhat ridgid views regarding digital typography, were so valuable. It's so easy to meaninglessly move type and image around a page on a computer. Type setting on the other hand, makes you slow design down much like writing on a typewriter disables you to reshuffle words to make sentences sound good. 

I then remembered a friend telling me about Will Self's conversion to typewriting as a way of thinking more about what your creating. Speaking about the difference in approach he says:

"I think the computer user does their thinking on the screen, and the non-computer user is compelled, because he or she has to retype a whole text, to do a lot more thinking in the head," Will Self on Typewriting. Full Article here

I really try to retain the sort of creative approach upheld by Dave and Will in my own work and think that every designer can benefit from swapping mouse for pen, keyboard for metal. Even just for a day!

Final Drawing for Vintage Stylist

I've finally finished the final pen and ink drawing for the Vintage Styling service 'Have You Met Ms Jones'. I surprised myself at how much I enjoyed fashion illustrations. I've since been trawling magazines and the web for images to interpret and while I like a little meat on my bone, I get drawn to the model's spindly frames. They make fantastic lines to draw.  Perhaps a range of screen prints is on the cards!?

Mount Kimbie - New Video 'Before I Move Off' by Tyrone Lebon

After some late night music video watching I came across this little gem. Tyrone's offbeat shooting style is a perfect match for Mount Kimbie's bleepy, clicky dubstep. It's hypnotising stuff. Check out his Tyrone's website for more beautiful artwork and films.

Things You've Been Meaning To Do by Joanna Neborsky

I recently stumbled across these drawings by illustrator Joanna Neborsky and they've been a great source of inspiration to my work. Her wobbly, childlike style seems perfectly matched to tackling these ethical messages. The result; a charmingly subtle thought provoking sequence, I think so anyway!

The full series can be viewed here http://www.citizenscholar.com/index.php/projects/show/things_youve_been_meaning_to_do/ who commissioned them.

New work for Vintage Stylist

Here's a cheeky preview of my pen and ink drawing completed for my dear friend Nash Haukozi-Jones. I'm currently finishing off a couple more which will eventually find their way onto her company website 'Have You Met Ms Jones'.