Ice to see you

The many hours I spent on the roof over the coldest winter for years paid off as my ice letters have been selected to appear in a book about 3D lettering.

I might post some info about the process behind making these ice letters as it was extremely laborious and required me to solve the problem of what to do when the thaw arrived and I was only as far as H.

"Almost two years in the making FL@33 are now happy to present The 3D Type Book – a handbook, source of inspiration and the most comprehensive showcase ever published that focuses 100 per cent on three-dimensional experimental letterforms, sculptural shape-shifting letters, tactile experiences and surprising and inventive ways to interpret the alphabet, ranging from beautiful and humorous to poetic, witty and conceptual.

On 240 pages The 3D Type Book features over 1300 pictures illustrating over 300 projects by over 160 selected contributors from around the world. Like no other publication before does The 3D Type Book also feature pioneering milestone work from the last century going back as far as the 1940s. The overall focus however is on recent and brand new typographic projects and experiments – imaginative, playful work with sculptural and three-dimensional letterforms.

The 3D Type Book showcases cutting-edge work by emerging talents and established studios and individuals alike – including Sagmeister Inc, Vaughan Oliver, Milton Glaser, Alvin Lustig, Louis Danziger, Roger Excoffon, Paul Elliman, Marian Bantjes, Geoff Kaplan Clotilde Olyff, Antoine+Manuel, Frost*Design, Italo Lupi, Mervyn Kurlansky, Marion Bataille, Non-Format, Oded Ezer, Post Typography, Rowland Scherman, Rinzen and Underware's Type Workshop, J. Kyle Daeve, Ji Lee, Pleaseletmedesign and Strange Attractors Design, to name but a few.

The icing on the cake is an insightful foreword for The 3D Type Book that was written by innovative 3D type

specialist Andrew Byrom – who is also featured in this book with some of his inspirational projects.

Conceived, compiled, written and designed by FL@33, Agathe Jacquillat and Tomi Vollauschek, www.flat33.com"

See previous post for more image of the letters.

Enchanted Wood - Character Sketches

Some initial character sketches [click image above] as I try to work out a tone for my illustrations of The Enchanted Wood.

The Enchanted Wood - Book Plate

Not worked out the style I'll go for yet - quite fancy a very simple retro flat colour palette.

As per the real Picture Book Report I'll start off with a book plate. Above is a very quick first attempt - will try out a few other techniques tonight.

I also, somewhere in the cupboards at home, have a set of clay figures I made of some of the main characters when I was a wee boy. I'll dig them out and if not to embarresssing will upload here too.

Picture Book Report

I'm a big fan of this great project set up by Meg Hunt.

"Picture Book Report is an extended love-song to books. Fifteen illustrators will reach out to their favorite books and create wonderful pieces of art in response to the text that has moved them, shaped them, or excited them. From sci-fi to children’s books to fantasy to serious novels, we’ll cover them all. For three weeks out of every month there will be a new illustration every day from one of us along with our thoughts, process, anything we can come up with. Together we will try to excite readers both new and old and capture some of that magic of storytelling."

Its a great concept and has inspired me to have stab at a similar attempt myself.  I sat down in front of our large bookcases at the weekend, scanning the book spines and had a good think about what story would be fun to illustrate. It was a difficult job, there are so many great tales I'd love to draw. In the end I went for "The Enchanted Wood" by Enid Blyton. Not only because it was one of my favourite books when I was a child but also because it lends itself very well to a good mix of different images. Not quite sure of the style I'll go for or if they will be hand drawn or digital but I'm looking forward to the challenge.

As per the official Picture Book Report I'll try to stick to a monthly routine, though I've noticed that unfortunetly due to other commitments a few people have fallen behind and a couple of people have had to drop out early.

Good work to Meg for keeping it all running and for coming up with such a great idea in the first place.

Check out the site for all the great images. Below are a few of my favourites so far.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest - P Murphy

The Hobbit - Sam Bosma

The Never Ending Story - Chuck Groenink

Papa Stour

A few weeks ago I was approched by Papa Stour, purveyor of all things nicely designed and Scottish, as they were interested in stocking my designs. They have just uploaded a selection of my work onto their site which you can see here or see the work of all the amazing artists that they stock here.

http://www.papastour.com/

"In a world of mass produced products, Papa Stour choose to relish in the opposite and embrace art, craftsmanship and design in its purest form. Each piece is considered as something which you will love in your own home, or to gift to someone special.

Our artists and designers are involved in different disciplines but they all have talent, flair and in some cases pure eccentricity! The essence of the collection is a contemporary mix of ceramics, silver, leather and textiles from all over Scotland.

The pieces we offer are not "off the shelf" objects that can be delivered next day because they are hand made in Scotland, with care."

Pig on a Bird Hunt

I think its going to be Mr. Hunter who is in for a big surprise.

Hmm for some reason Illustration Friday wouldn't let me add a thumbnail so hope people still find the image without one.

I love them, I hate them

New voting system on Common of Houses.

The "I LOVE THEM, I HATE THEM" voting system is an attempt to erradicate the horrible feeling we all get on election day when we have to decide if we will vote with our hearts for the party we want to get into power or if we vote with our heads and vote tactically to keep someone we dislike out. Our system uses the tried and tested gold ticket, silver ticket system spearheaded on 90's gameshow extravaganza The Crystal Maze.

Everyone gets two votes. One is a vote FOR the party who you want to get into power and the second is a vote AGAINST the party who you really don’t want to get into power. Like in the Crystal Maze every gold "for" vote counts towards that party entering No 10 while the silver "against" tickets are minus votes taken off the plus total.

This vote will more accurately represent not only peoples aspriations but also their fears. No more will people feel they have to use their positive vote tactically to keep another party out. Instead they can vote for the party whom they truelly love whilst at the same time striking a blow against someone who they truelly hate. Vote for a more balaned power, vote for I LOVE THEM, I HATE THEM.

Tenement

New print from a pen and ink water colour I made a few years ago. Was very popular at the Art in the Park exhibition. I'm in the middle of working up the rest of this series and will upload those to here once complete.

Scottish brands

Common of Houses - Choose a prize

The Common of Houses: Electoral Reform vote comes to a close this weekend. Click the link and vote for your favourite prize - http://goo.gl/4a9G

Art in the Park

Had a lot of fun at the Art in the Park exhibition at Glasgow's Southside Festival and met lots of nice people. Quite a few people were asking about my work and were asked about commissioning new work. If there was a piece you were interested in getting new work made or in one of my pieces that you so on display then please drop me an email.

info@holeinmypocket.com

Art in the Park 22 - 23 May

This weekend is the Art in the Park exhibition that Ann has organised as part of the Southside Festival. Looks like it will be really cool, there's lots of interesting artists taking part and a new introduction this year - Print for a Pony (Artist prints for £25). Definetly a nice way to spend a sunny weekend with music on the Saturday from the Ballachulish Hellhounds and live Jazz on the Sunday.

Business Bird

Another in the series of prints I made about different professions and the equipment they need to do their jobs. Little less exciting equipment than the spy from yesterday though no less important.

Spy Bird

[Click image to enlarge]

A print from a series of illustrations I made which showed different professions and the equipment associated with that job. One of a series that I've just uploaded to my Etsy and Folksy. I'm just new to the Etsy and Folksy world so still learning the ropes but everyone seems very friendly so far.

Greetings

Here is the full range of greetings cards that I recently made. These were all made from images I already had. Now that I've started thinking about making greetings cards I've got tons of ideas, think they could be a lot of fun to draw.

They will be added to my folksy and etsy shops soon though will probably have to be in sets of 5 to make it worth peoples postage.

Gin Palace

Just spotted this image by Ross_McLean on Central Station of the Gin Palace event I was involved with last month. It was a lot of fun with some really interesting work by a whole range of artists and designers.

VIP

Few wee sketch ideas for a Logo for a visually impared group in East Dunbarton called the VIPs. Had to be something very simple that summed up the group and was easy for them to read.

Big Top Jamboree

Anyone in Dundee in ten days should go check out this show which looks really cool and which I will be in. To find out more then visit here - http://www.dundee-jamboree.blogspot.com/.

The Scoop System

So the last few weeks have been super busy on the Common of Houses: Electoral Reform competition I set up. Its been a lot of work but there have been moments of fun mixed in there somewhere.

I was down in London last weekend to meet up with the judges and sort through the entries. The volcano kinda messed things up somewhat, with dozens and dozens of requests for an extention of time and the judges all getting scattered to the four winds and unable to fly home. In the end it all went pretty well though and it was fun to meet and chat with the judges and I think a worthy winner was chosen. The eventual winner has suggested that ice-cream vans replace the polling booths and that we vote by choosing a free ice-cream flavour which represents the party we like best. Over the next few days I'll be uploading all the reast of the entries and the late arriving entries but in the mean time we need your votes to choose which prize the winners should get click here and tell us.

New Folksy Shop

I've set up a Folksy shop in which various wares can be purchased, let me know what you think.

http://www.folksy.com/shops/holeinmypocket

I should never have joined the Army.

Here is my latest wee book entitled "I should never Have joined the Army". This was made for the 2010 Glasgow International Artist's bookfair.

"A tribute to all the brave soldiers who meet sticky ends in disaster/ monster movies. Whether its aliens or giant apes these guys are always the first on the scene and first to get wiped out while the movie’s hero escapes to fight another day. Action movie soldiers we salute you."

[Availible for sale from Etsy or Folksy]

Sketchbook Exhibition

An exhibition of artists sketchbooks in Glasgow which will be showing some of my work over the next week or so.

Gin Palace

The Gin Palace: "Details To Follow" - 10+11 April 2010

12-16 South Frederick Street

The Gin Palace is a newly formed company which will establish a new venue in Glasgow, a design hub, for showcasing and selling the conceptual and functional work of selected, emerging and established designers with some connection to Scotland. Once it is established the business will comprise three distinct but integrated strands: a gallery; a shop; and a café/bar. `Details To Follow` is the second pop-up design event presented by The Gin Palace to creat buzz and is basically an exhibition of around 40 designers from across various disciplines. (Including me)

We went along to their first pop up show in November last year and there was some really great stuff and I ended up buying quite a few Christmas gifts by the designers that showed work there. If you fancy the sound of it and would like to find out more about the show and how to get an invite to the exclusive opening on the Friday night then contact the Gin Palace guys here or pop along this Saturday or Sunday and check it out.

Russian dolls in progress

Here are some work in progress Russian Dolls I'm making for some shows next month. First a Knight and family of Dragons.

Then Adam and Eve, sons, the snake and the apple.

And finally a ship's crew.

More next week when they are made.

New Cards from Moo

I just received a box of cards I ordered from Moo.com.

The mini cards are printed fuzzy, the business cards are printed squint and the greetings cards, which were to be blank inside, all contain the message

"Zakary Marlowe Maxwell Andrews born March 7th 2010 at 5.17am weighing 8lbs." which is printed upside down?

Blooming useless.

Month of the Book

Just realised that Himp sketchbooks along with other pieces of my work will be on display/ sale at the following over the next wee while. There are associated launch nights and parties to them all - check out the links.

Zine Showcase 19 March - 4 April
Gin Palace 9-12 April
Welcome Home Gallery 17-25 April
GI Artist Bookfair 16-17 April

I'd better get drawing - book two is far from finished.

New competition

This doesn't officially launch until next week but for those that want a sneak peak, the new Common of Houses Competiton: Electoral Reform that I set up is now online (Though its not quite officially launched yet).  Its all about redesigning the way that voting works and we need your ideas, drawings and inventions. Have a look.

New Prints

Picked up the first print run of my Scottish Posters Prints from the Glasgow Print Studio at the end of last week. Very impressed, the quality of the prints is stunning and the paper is lovely, thick and tactile. The Sherlock Holmes Screen prints are also almost finished and I'll share images of these once I have some.

I'll put all current print orders in the post in a few days so everyone should receive their copies by the beginning of next week. Let me know what you think.

The shop site that I've been promising will be coming soon. I'm just in the middle of designing a website for the GIA at the moment and have three group shows taking place next month which I'm trying to complete work for. There is also the small matter of the new Common of Houses competition which launches next week (fingers crossed). Busy times.

Common of Houses - how a new competition is born

When I received the entries for our previous competition (Common of Houses: No Expense Spared) I noticed that most entrants were keen not just to see changes in the rules governing MPs’ expenses but also to see major changes in the way in which Government is actually formed and operates.

I started to think about other aspects of Government policy/ procedures that could do with a creative redesign. If we were to start again, what, and how could designers change the way that politics runs in this country?

With the General Election coming up in May 2010 there seemed like only one sensible place to start – the vote.

Once I had set that as the basic problem I started the real work of setting up a new competition which includes sorting out - a brief, project sponsors, a team of judges, some prizes, some PR and an exhibition.

Should keep me busy. 

Gin Palace - "Details to Follow"

I'm going to be one of a host of artist/ designers taking part in The Gin Palace's new show in April. Here's some blurb.

" `Details To Follow`, the second pop-up design event presented by The Gin Palace.We have spent quality time with lots of designers images and statements, standards were high but we got there eventually. We hope to be showing the work of close to 40 designers from across disciplines, here are images from the first group of confirmed designers. Please keep an eye on our blog and facebook page for updates on more confirmed designers. Enjoy..."  Gin Palace

The first Gin Palace that took place last year was great and I'm delighted that I've been selected to actually take part this year. I'll post details of where and when, once it known.