Graphics-blog

Everyman Hoardings Project

Graphics lecturers Mike O’Shaughnessy and Cecilia Garside have been collaborating with Liverpool design agency Uniform to produce a large scale artwork to decorate hoardings in front of the Everyman redevelopment on Hope Street. The artwork includes hand rendered lettering by Mike and photographs taken by Cecilia and 2nd Year Illustration students. The project is covered in more detail on the LJMU website and Mike’s blog.

The Double Negative Artist of the Month

Will Daw, 2011 Illustration graduate, is this month’s featured artist on The Double Negative website. This continues a line of featured graduates and alumni from the Graphic Arts / Graphic Design and Illustration course, including Michael Cottage, Tomo and John Biddle.

2012 Graduate profile 1 - John Biddle

John Biddle, one of this year’s illustration graduates, is featured as Artist of the Month on The Double Negative website…

Curious Stories

Really looking forward to seeing the work of some of our graduates exhibited in the Liverpool School of Art and Design again this week.

Al Murphy (1999), Andrew Wightman (2000), Katie Harvey (2008) and Emily Alston (2004) have all contributed illustrations to the book Curious Stories for Curious Minds for Curious Minds - a charity that works in schools and other setting across the North West to make sure all children have access to quality arts and cultural learning activities.

The concept for the book was devised by creative collective Dorothy in 2010 to help the charity raise awareness of the impact nurturing a child’s natural creativity and curiosity can have on helping them develop ‘life’ skills they can later rely on as adults. 

46 unique and personal tales from famous and inspirational people have been collected together in the book and brought to life with illustrations and drawings from 15 illustrators including Steven Appleby (Loomus, The Guardian), Oliver Jeffers (Lost and Found) and our very own graduates.

On Thursday 12th April a press launch for the book is being held between 6pm – 7.30pm at Liverpool School of Art and Design in the Public Exhibition Space. The event includes an exhibition of artwork from the book.

Curious Stories for Curious Minds Book

David Shrigley’s story illustrated by Al Murphy

Danny Wallace’s story illustrated by Emily Forgot

Benedict Cumberbatch’s story illustrated by Katie Harvey

Beth Tweddle’s story illustrated by Andrew Wightman

Pomme Chan

We were lucky enough to add Pomme Chan to our visiting lecture series this year. Pomme showed some spectacular illustrations and wall paintings including this latest project for Diane von Furstenberg.

An Alphabet of London

Chris Brown, our first year illustration tutor, celebrated the launch of his new book An Alphabet of London last week at a private view and book launch held at Central St Martins.  The book has recently been featured in The Observer New Review and Design Week and is available in all good book stores!

The front cover. The book is fully illustrated in Chris’s signature linocut style.

Chris signing copies at the book launch.

Hellovon and Barnbrook

We’re almost half way through our guest lecture series. Both Hellovon and Barnbrook have given excellent talks. Although they may produce very different looking work there were comparisons to be drawn from their talks.

Both are very protective over their studio’s brand. Hellovon has turned down high profile work because of not wanting his signature style to be associated with clients that he felt were inappropriate. Jonathan Barnbrook takes an ethical stance when it comes to the clients he works with, and has also turned down work for certain big named brands. Whether the motivation is ethical or not, both were concerned about what other potential clients would think if they “sold out”.

It was also interesting to note that both tried to avoid taking inspiration from current graphic design or illustration trends. Hellovon traced the inspiration for his work back to the music videos of Radiohead directed by Jonathan Glazer in the early 1990s. Jonathan Barnbrook’s motivations were often political or historic and more often than not found in his reading.

For another perspective on the talks check out one of our first years blogs…

Roll on Tony Brook this week.

Alumni - Michael Cottage

Nice to see one of our recent Illustration graduates, Michael Cottage, featured as artist of the month on the excellent Double Negative online magazine.

Guest lecture series

We’re chuffed to announce what we consider a really strong series of visiting lectures this semester. These lectures are primarily for our 2nd and 3rd Years, but all students are welcome, as are the public. All take place at 12pm on Fridays, in the Johnson Auditorium, Liverpool School of Art and Design, the Art & Design Academy, Duckinfield St, Liverpool L3 5RD.

Von Friday 3 February

The London based artist behind the award winning studio HelloVon and online gallery and store ShopVon.

“No designer represents the rising-tide graphic strategy of commingling traditional drawing and digital technique more than London’s HelloVon.” Ami Kealoha (Cool Hunting)

“As global interest in graphic deign and illustration continues to rise, standing out from the constant stream of new graduates requires talent, determination and a distinctive voice. London based illustrator Von has one of the most instantly recognisable signatures in the field” (Pilot Magazine)

Original artwork from ShopVon

Jonathan Barnbrook Friday 17 February

Jonathan Barnbrook is one of the best-known graphic designers in Britain. His studio produces innovative client work across print and digital formats. They also release their own original typefaces through Virusfonts. In 2007, his contribution to graphic design was recognised by a major exhibition at the Design Museum.

Award winning monograph for Damien Hirst

Exocet typeface

Tony Brook Friday 2 March

Tony Brook is the founder and creative director of the internationally renowned multi-disciplinary design studio Spin. In 2009 Tony set-up Unit Editions, a publishing company with the designer and author Adrian Shaughnessy. Last year he was guest curator of the Wim Crouwel retrospective at the Design Museum in London.

More 4 Channel ident

Haunch of Venison identity

More speakers will be announced shortly.

Alumni - Harry Nesbitt

One of our most talented recent graduates, Harry Nesbitt (2009) has showcased a set of avatars (online ‘alter-egos’) for tech company Realmac Software on his blog. Beautiful character design in a style we recognise from the work he was doing in his final year with us.

Avatars for Realmac

A Day in the Life final year student project