Tips for your blog

It would be good to see you posting your own work on here too James. Try to be more expansive in your comments when you post an image. Always try to link posts back to your own practice rather than just because you like it. How is it impacting on your work ?

Don't forget to use your blog to document correspondence with people in industry, see if you can get hold of some of the people whose work you have been trailing, show that you are engaged with current issues in the profession by reading journals / magazines and document what is relevant to you and how this research is helping you think about your place in the industry.

Keep up to date with reviews of guest lectures such as Gillain Blease, this should be thorough, follow up some of the leads that she gave of her influences, explain how she got a foot on the ladder as an illustrator, how she promotes her work and how she has diversified.

Have a look at www.illustrationmundo.com (your old friend Nate Williams is heavily involved in this) or www.theaoi. com for up to date news and more insightful comments on the work of others'.

jon burgerman

Jon Burgerman has cutout pictures of animals above his desk where he works. The first to be added, and probably still his favourite, is a baby penguin going to the toilet, with some force. When not cooing over nature's fluffy defecating creations he likes doodling. His doodles have adorned t-shirts, snowboards, magazine covers, books, toys, computer games and airplane sick-bags. Working freelance enables him to snooze through most of the day; he is at heart a very lazy person. Info by Idressmyself.co.uk.

I will contact him soon and ask him about who inspires his work and so on!

His work inspires my own in that it uses a playful style that has its own uniformed presentation.

Hi Jon,

As part of my art course, I'm obliged to contact the phenomenal Burgerman. Argh no, I'm scared!

> I watched your 'Pens are my Friends' DVD and noted you didn't
> mention a
> favourite fruit? So d'you have one?

a ripe pair or a juicy orange.



>
> I appreciate you're a fan of Super Mario - are there any other video
> games
> which inspire you?

I liked the first sonic game and I enjoy playing Advanced Wars on the DS

>
> Do you listen to music for inspiration? Which genre?

I like all sorts.
check out my profile on last.fm
http://www.last.fm/user/jonburgerman


>
> I like to relax to Echo the Dolphin when doodling.
> Many thanks for your time......

that's a nice game, i remember when it came out on the mega drive

cheers
j



Jon replyed within four hours and this was easter day!!

GILLIAN BLEASE

Most of Gillan Blease work as an illustrator is for an editorial in The Guardian newspaper.
She did a foundation course at MMU.
After that studied Newcastle (fine art) where she had influences by Terry Frost.
Then studied in London, which made her more interested in symbolism i.e. a trinket box that was shape orientated.
This then encouraged her to go to Japan where she became more interested in shape design.

When she came back England she chose images that reflected her practice at Whitworth.
Gillan worked at ATME although she didn’t enjoy it much as she found it hard to keep creative.

Subsequently got help with design practice with anther illustrator and built up a portfolio.
She got jobs with her portfolio i.e. L Magazine

Gillan Blease looks back at various artists she admires. (Especially when stuck)
A quote from Gillan Blease “be inventive with composition”
Talks about true essentials – in this case loves simple logo design (enthralling)

Later work for a food section in The Guardian, then was offered a weekly job, over 150 illustrations.
She then goes on to say be careful about the literal meanings in jobs, also costs for self promotion i.e. art books that go to art directors.

Her designs slowly started to get more designed as time went on.
She warned also about time limits i.e. less than 1 hour on some commissions.
Another quote from Gillan Blease “work exists as it is”

She came across a bad art director for a book poster project, also had oodles of input from various people about what they wanted.
She had no chose of colour and had to work in a set style, which she furthermore had a limited design process.
Whereas she had another similar project, book cover brief which was easer in that time was not an issue, as well she had hardly any design limits at all.

In her spare time she draws patterns which from this got work at a card company.
She keeps all ruff work in a booklet separately.

Note all above information from a talk at Stockport College.

Dosveintiuno

This artist uses a graffiti type of design with a simple selection of shapes to illustrate his work.

http://www.dosveintiuno.com/concepto/concepto.html

http://www.dosveintiuno.com/piezas_graficas/piezas_graficas.html

SUPERBROTHERS

Love there pixelated style as it is using old quirky gaming style, which is reborn as a fun urban city that is gray but not dull. This is because it is using a set style and re-vitalizing it for there own purpose/individual style. Fun in this post-postmodern society which craves many things.

video link
http://vimeo.com/1715202?pg=embed&sec=1715202

Wythen Hansen

Have a look at this designers site, his use of colour and bold shapes, are similar to the Tanaka work you are looking at and your own pixellated designs.

wythenhansen