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Thursday 29 September 2011

Windermere - This Evening


Who'd want to live in the North West of England, err... me!

graphic journey blog




Here on Graphic Design and Illustration, at The University of Cumbria, we have always stressed the importance of intelligence in creativity. I recently stumbled upon this truly fantastic blog which is obviously written by someone (Mike Dempsey) who shares that ethos. It would be a good idea to spend some time looking through Mike's many posts, enjoy the great work he has posted but also listen to what he has to say. We like a man with a bee or two in his bonnet, especially when it's a design orientated bee.

Turn your screens this way...

creative review feed
new site gets attention


Illustration lecturer Dwayne Bell's recently updated folio site has been included on Creative Review's live feed of what's good in the world of design.

Have a look for yourself...

Wednesday 28 September 2011

spelling?



Always proof read.

Twice.

Tuesday 27 September 2011

Our Boy is all Grown Up


We, the tutors, remember Rick Banks (the first) in T-shirts and navy blue nylon tracky bottoms. Funny the influence hanging out with the great and the good of the design industry can have on a chap. Rick (aka Face 37) now merits a full page spread in Computer Arts magazine and is captured looking mean, moody and magnificent (or is that just his new typeface...?).

Sunday 25 September 2011

In Kendal Yesterday


Was it a Raleigh Chopper?

The Portrait Gallery

A hectic Welcome Week programme was concluded on Friday with our annual 'fashion show' event. Last year we asked for aprons, this year we went for self-portraits.

As you will be aware the 'People's Choice' winner was Julia Ivansky whose portrait has already featured on this blog.

We thought you might like to see some of the many more worthy efforts which were considered for inclusion in our very own National Portrait Gallery and without further ado, here they are:

We do like to be beside the sea

Ami is up, up and away

Answers on a postcard please

Here are some of the masterpieces that now hang with pride in our portrait gallery:




Friday 23 September 2011

Competition rigour

Just in case you thought we didn't take these competitions seriously, here are some spy shots of the judges deliberations...



It's a difficult job, but someone has to do it.

and the winner is...
Julia ivanszky

Wednesday 21 September 2011

New Students!

After the lull of the summer months, the studio has come alive again with this year's influx of shiny, new students. We're happy to report that after an intensive 'getting to know you session' the students all now know one another.

The day started with a talking marathon (pictured below)
.






This proved a massive success with a peak volume of excited studio chatter recorded at 126dB - exactly the same as that achieved by The Who when they played at Charlton Athletic, 31 May, 1976 (but of course they had Keith Moon and a huge P.A. system).

The students were then introduced to 'Studio Ball' a game pioneered by ourselves. It is a dynamic and somewhat anarchic sport but does involve one important rule - 'don't hit the Macs!'



To regain a sense of order we asked the eager newcomers to reveal where they had come from on the globe and then arrange themselves geographically from North to South. This was achieved swiftly and with such precision that we suspect they may have been reading atlases...


Let's hear it for the Grimsby (and Bury) massive.

Our students come from a variety of 'exotic' locations...

The day ended with our traditional 'Pub Quiz' differing from a pub quiz in only two respects:
  1. it's not in a pub
  2. no alcohol is involved
Once again we were impressed by our student's knowledge of such diverse topics as: the Swiss; musical theatre; celebrities with cuboid heads; Post-modern design; Blackpool and of course, graphic design and illustration.

The 'Welcome Week' fun continues with a self-portrait project that will be unveiled to the world this Friday.



Thursday 15 September 2011

Last Chance to See...

...The Mervyn Peake exhibition at Tullie House which ends on Sunday.


Fuschia (from Gormenghast)

It's even better than we hoped it would be and concentrates solely on his book illustrations. For any illustrator this is an unmissable opportunity to see some of the greatest pen & ink work and draughtsmanship... ever.


from Mr. Pye

Readers of this blog will already know that hands are the second most difficult things in the world to draw. Peake was a master and exploited the communicative potential of hands and fingers to the maximum. Here are just a small selection of those on display in the exhibition:


The work ranges from spare line drawings to highly wrought images that Peake would spend up to a week completing.







Illustrators - if this whets your appetite to explore the potential of pen & ink you will be pleased to know that we have taken delivery of some line paper. This is a specially manufactured smooth, chalk-surfaced paper specifically for pen & ink work. If you call in at Tony & Dwayne's office and ask nicely they will give you a sheet to sample. You will have to provide the following:




We aim to please.

jim's new wig


NICE!

Wednesday 14 September 2011

calligraphy - the new rock 'n' roll?

Legacy of Letters from Luca Barcellona on Vimeo.

the design process explained. At last