Cat Cleaner!

More posters from my Cat Cleaner project!

Went down to the crossroads...

This is my print and stich rendition of Robert Johnson. I took the image from one of the few photographs that exist of him. I suppose being photographed in his day was a very rare thing. I used blue for the print (for the blues naturally), and red for the stich. That represents the legend of Robert, going to sell his soul to the devil, and in return being able to play the guitar real good.

Marching on Manchester

A few snaps from the student protest against the rise in tuition fees in Manchester from last wednesday. I'm hopeing that the march will have had beneficial repercussions.

activating space soundtrack by MikeyRid

activating space soundtrack by MikeyRid

This is the soundtrack I created for the activating space project. It's purpose was to add to the atmosphere of the experience, to create a tension, and mystery. But after being in the space for a while, it was also found that it created a hypnotic peacefulness. The track was left on repeat for the full experience.

It was created with sound samples of the working process involved in the collective task of creating the space. This included sounds of sellotaping, cutting, footsteps etc. I reversed some of these sounds too, taking a nod to some of the great psychedelic music which featured reverse sounds; such as Tomorrow Never Knows by The Beatles, featureing its reversed seagull sounds. I then added a droney bass, and piano plinkety plonks. I still don't know how the bleeps got in though.

Latest graphics project

This poster is for my latest project in graphics.

We had to choose a crazy Japanese invention to advertise, this was my initial idea/development.

The invention i chose to advertise was the duster slippers for cats. There were others too which were equally as crazy and amusing.

I can only apologise to my Japanese fans. I got the Japanese text from a free translator site, its meant to say "cat cleaner", but its more for the aesthetics anyway.

Anothor apology, I know that "zhang" is Cantonese for excellent, not Japanese, but again, aesthetics!

This is a pretty fun project, and its a shame we've only got another week on it.

The Barnhouse Effect: Activating space

The Barnhouse Effect: Activating space: "A few weeks into Art Foundation we were asked to ‘activate our space’ in a collaborative project with the others we shared a sp..."

This post by my foundation colleague, Nat, showing our activating space project.
I've got some photos of my own which i'll put up, but these ones are some fine specimens.

Yikes, nearly forgot

Here's another Sundance poster of mine,
created from my maquette images.

More bringing up to speed

These are images (edited) for photography, of my paper maquettes.
The maquettes were made of paper shapes I had created, by looking at the negative space within some of my urban photographs. I then made a 3d maquette with these shapes. They're now stuck up in my space in the art foundation cabin.

So let me bring you up to speed...

Just a couple of posters promoting the Manchester Sundance.
The Manchester Sundance being a fictional event I created for my first graphics project this year. Which was to come up with, and to advertise an event taking place in Manchester. This was linked in to the urban themed project we had been working on so far.
The character in the images is "The Chief", he's based on Sitting Bull.
The "All drums are welcome" slogan, I took from a real life Native American sundance. I really liked the idea of people turning up with drums, ready to get percussive.
I think a Manchester Sundance would be a really cool thing to happen!

First Post!!

Look at me! I'm blogging!
This is my arty blog, showing off my wonderful art foundation work. As such, I thought i'd begin with my manifesto, a piece of writing we were encouraged to do in order to evaluate ourselves artisticly, not an easy task, but here it is:

“The long and winding road that leads to your door”

The door being artistic enlightenment, a place where I can feel comfortable artistically. Confident in my abilities. The winding road being diversions into different realms of technique, into different creative muses. As I look upon the road I feel as though I’m in a place of fairly limited technique. However the creativity, I can feel it bubbling in me, simmering, it’s ready for the pasta to go in, and hopefully when I’m opening that door I’ll have a spaghetti ready, justa like Nonna used to make.

However the door may never come, I expect it quite arrogant to suggest I may ever reach this place. I may through following the road, push the door further away into the distance. But this is true of all goals such as my door; the more you know, in fact reveals more that you do not know.

In the past my simmering creativity lived in a house of music, however it’s been slowly moving out, and now only visits occasionally for the odd weekend and holidays. Its new student accommodation is in arts’ halls, and its enjoying some independence, maybe a little too much. When it graduates it hopes to be earning enough to have a house big enough for art and music. But we all know it’s getting harder and harder for these poor graduates to get a job these days, damned Torrie government.

However creativity has proven to be a cruel mistress to me, and I am under no false pretence that our love is completely unrequited, as she cares not for when I may need her. Her visits can be completely unplanned and at the worst of times. But for those moments in which she steps through the mist, all modesty aside, these are my moments of genius.

My inspiration for my work comes from the same place that my original inspiration for music came from, all things psychedelic! Just as Hendrix and Cream captured my imagination, so too did the art and design that accompanied the music and the era. Yet although my original inspirations in music came from this source, it does not mean that I am not also completely open to jazz. As too; just as graphic design may be my psychedelia, other aspects may be my jazz, folk or maybe a bit of Indian raga. This may be due my being a bit of a dabbler, I like to dabble! Although I’d like to develop some focus. I think that’d be good for my chakras.

In my design I always like to add a bit of humor and eccentricity, because this is what I like in design. Nothing’s worse than seriousness, life is serious enough as it is. Ergo we always need to lighten the mood with a little silliness. But let’s be serious about this, not too much silliness. That’d be just confusing and all of my chakras would be out of line.

So in summary:

Find the door, but enjoy the road.