The_Crawford _Technique

At my school up till the age of 18 I was in a boarding house named after the decorative and perfectly elaborate William Morris. I discovered him in the History of Art dungeon and from then on have been ever enamoured by his printwork and papers. Even now with all this technology that surrounds and absorbs us his work remains real and emotive...without vectors and layers.

When drawing of recent I've sat in front of my computer at my desk with my pens all in a pile to the left my a2 sketch pad landscape teetering on the edge of my desk in front of a certain movie that plays over and over. Helvetica_The Documentary...

Its not even that Im so in love with helvetica that I feel I need to be told about its history over and over I think its just the subtle hold that it has upon everyone and hearing people who I admire talking about it...ie Paula Scher and Steven Sagmeister.

Callum Crawford and His partner in crime Josh Whitaker (Students at UAL, St Martins and Wimbledon respectively) have been making work together for a while now and have finally opened up their world to us.....although so far I am the only follower.

This is the poster that I insist on getting a print of that they produced.

http://thefreestudio.blogspot.com/

Callesens Cutouts

Kerensa enlightened me with the stunning work of Peter Callesen. Like him I believe in the motif that is 'a4 paper'-its a symbol of our society and yet so highly overlooked as a medium on which to create "serious art"

"I find the A4 sheet of paper interesting to work with, because it is probably the most common and consumed media and format for carrying information today, and in that sense it is something very loaded. This means that we rarely notice the actual materiality of the A4 paper."

I think im gonna give something like this a try over the weekend maybe with letter forms.....

Cottage Collective

I've been in Australia seven months now and even though I love it here and I maybe might want to spend a few years exploring the industry my family and heart is in England. Ive become a positive happy person (its taken its time i tell you) so I've put an idea out there. On the waves of the world wide web I've merely suggested a plan. All I know is that life is simply too short to spend indoors, trying not to spend money, sitting on a computer all day emailing people job applications and pathetically desperate emails about "how passionate" we are...why not take a walk on the wild side, get back to basics and live a real life it the countryside in a mini community of our own.

Cooks, artists, photographers alike could all live and inspire together..we could have exhibitions and events to create an income for our living ...we could commute to city jobs.....we could have pets...grow vegetables.....get away from relying on things that mean nothing.

My plan is Cottage Collective. email me any thoughts cottagecollective@hotmail.com

Colour Me In All Wonderful

So..we have feedback....he loves them!

fuck! amazing feeling right there. ive just gotta make a few changes and colour them in photoshop etc and pop them onto a tee shirt template and then they go off to the decision makers to be considered.....

so here is coloured owl numero uno!

TEE TIME MOTHER FUCCCCKKKKEERRSSSSS

So finally after much cramming and stealing of time to squeeze in the designing of supposedly four teeshirts for LovePolice. I've finished three and sent them to Brian for him to deliberate. Im now working part-time at News Limited Australia so have been using my lunchbreaks and loo breaks practically to draw me owls and vessels.

Im worried as i think they are too fine to be screen printed and will have to be printed digitally which is gonna up the cost.....Im not feeling too positive at the moment but i put my heart and soul into them so im a crossing me fingers for a little miracle....imagine. festival goers decked out in my lines. (dreamy)

NB. Animal Collective are playing at Meredith Festival and one of their members Panda Bear is amazing (check out his song comfy in nautica, see below) and so on each of the owls i drew a tribute panda bear......for noah...he's called noah.....Noah Lennox:hes a harmony himself.

I'll keep updating this with my progress etc....but potentially v exciting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25_gjUbvqNg

6 Degrees of What?

So irony and conicidence have come up to take a huge bite out of my rational mind in assuring that I carry on dreaming of the light at the end of the tunnel of unemployment. Im currently working on my t shirt designs for LOVEPOLICE but Brian yesterday informed me that he had to pop off to L.A. as one does to go to a gig. Now when I was studying graphics we had to design an album cover for any band, any single band.....so of course I chose the love of my life " Band of Horses". Their sweet melodies with romantic cushioning of guitar sounds just yummy down in my ears and make me feel quite golden.

So who is Brian off to see and "chill with"?....oh yes six followers, the band of hooves and manes.....the band of lovely horses themselves.

Now I'm not being presumptious here but lets say Brian mentions me to them ....we are talking six hot degress of insanely wierd seperation. I love the way the world decreases in size and magnitude as we age and become more decrepid.

This is the design I did for them way back when.

That is peace and harmony for me.......Im thinking a signed polaroid would be preety marvelous?

I'll keep yee posted on how the teeshirt designs come along just gotta find the lead for my camera!

Some Think Blue Tee Shirts

So I was approached by the ominous Kazim Kazim Kazim of Somethinkblue magazine to come up with some ideas for a capsule tee shirt collection. Thus far I think random blue items might look groovy like a plastic blue whale, a pot of blue ink or paint, a blue bottle fly.....etc..... but as the magazine has a new approach to zines I feel maybe I'm on the straight and narrow and am asking for a hurricane to sweep me elsewhere in ideas land. My great friend and partner in crime Jess Gough of flickr and platform fame is also in on the team so I'm hoping when I return for Christmas in the UK we can add idea generation to our list of knitting, unicorn hunting and drowning in herbal infused teas in the New Forest.

I'd love any inspirational ideas or motifs to sprinkle upon the subject.......I'm in the box. get me out.

http://www.somethinkblue.com/

My Tattoo Convention

I have forgotten the first time I used a soft liquid eyeliner to extend beyond my eye and to stroke animal markings around the right hand side of my face. For some bizarre reason at an age that falls short of my extensive memory this felt like the right thing to do. It became an alteregoistic part of me and despite my parents want to banish this ovebearing tattoo like mark it is something that has stayed with me. I've often thought of hanging outside tattoo studios begging to mop their floors in order to get a look in but after my friend Theo offered to buy me an antique tattoo gun and a dozen frozen turkeys I thought I better start getting some lines on some skin. So here in all its glory was a night devoted to Natasha Khan from Bat for Lashes and of course for the art that is dress up upon a halloween....

My Journey into Music Graphics

So I came to Australia to start my career as designer/illustrator extraordinaire. ambitious? yep i think most definitely crazy....... I began to realise that this task was close to that of writing and publishing a novel with mild dyslexia. So thus far I've drawn my way into having the opportunity to design t shirts for Homebake Festival and Meredith Festival....I started by meeting with Warner music and then went onto meeting Brian Toranto, the genius that is LovePolice (see below)...they do the artwork for the likes of The Strokes, The Vines, Jamie T and many henny more....... The office is a humble creative space of ideas organised chaos and of course musicians, guitars and various items of music merch. So here starts my journey....my journey to achieve all that I can........ I will keep this updated with my progress....

www.lovepolice.com.au

YUMMY TYPE SITES

www.typojungle.net

DELISCIOUSNESS IN A SITE FOR INNOVATIVE TYPE AND IDEA DEVELOPEMENT.....INSPIRATION CREATES IMAGINANTION AND VICE VERSA REMEMBER! 

Visit typojungle to update your inspiration stations......

also Caroline knows the best site so ill make sure i confer with her more about where shes hanging oot in cyber space!

x

IN LOVE WITH JAMES

JAMES BRAITHEWAITE. PEACE OUT AND LOVE IN COS YOU MAKE ME SPIN. INSIDE AND OUT. INTESTINES AND FEET!

meet james, he's made the most magical video about how some 14yr old dude broke into John Lennons the king of peace's room and had this off hand chat with him, james has illustrated it to the point of madness. its honestly hypnotising ...you there...eyes on my screen watch it it may change your life!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmR0V6s3NKk&feature=fvst

his work is also enchanting and bizarre new ideas new lines new spines....new heart!

check out his bathwater website...v v groovy links etc.....

http://www.thebathwater.com/

FIRST AID KIT SAVE ME DAILY

PERFECTION IN MELODY! Swedish indie duo consisting of the young sisters Klara and Johanna Söderberg from Stockholm covered Fleet Foxes song "Tiger mountain peasant song" with such beauty and grace i thought id have to post it and first aid kits myspace cos they're truly wonderful. lovely talented girls sing in a forest with a groovy guitar and voices of tree angels. Listen and let your heart melt into the sky!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMrqBldlqzA

http://www.myspace.com/thisisfirstaidkit

A WORLD OF JESSNESSITY....

JESS GOUGH: SHE LIVES IN A LENS AND MAKES EVERYTHING TURN TO GOLDEN LIGHT ON A FILM. Jess is the most heavenly ucellale playing christmas elf i have ever known, i have never been fonder of such a new lovely friend. her emails,like her pictures show me her soul and beauty and....ooh ive gone seemingly deep like the ocen ....but yesssss she is perfection. check out her ever appraised flickr and another blog which rates her. jess you are loved by mine eyes!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jessgough/

http://seeingisstealing.blogspot.com/

DEVINE JASON

http://www.jasondevine.net/

OOOOHH DEVINE..... JASONS NEW WEBSITE IS UP AND READY.......WE BOUNCING AROUND LIKE JACKAROOS OVER HERE!!!!

Here is a uniqlo tshirt design and a lovely drawing jason did for me of his perfect woman! i have to say the one I did for him didnt quite capture comedy in the same way... I was too busy hatching lines with my 0.05. Jason is brilliant, he does immaculate illustrative work which is both comic and crazee perfection, he's done tshirts for Topshop and Uniqlo he also does poster and music graphics for The Slow Club

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MV_jPQrdnE8

checkout his new site..its devine devine... He gets a serious high five from me with a big mitten cos hes so lovely and so talented as as Anthony Burill says "WORK HARD AND BE NICE TO PEOPLE"....i concur! i concur indeedy

KATE MOROSS..........FREEKIN GOD

FUCK ME SHES MY DREAM.....kate moross illustrating dream.....when i get all my work looking ace of spades im gonna go find kate! a date with kate! shes 21 and shes already done a capsule collection for topshop she done illustrative graphic design for  cadburys and nike etc and shes still going, raw passion and a bit of grit. she worked with the klaxons, directed the majority of simeon mobile discos videos and not only does she make me wet my pants for the enthusiasts out there but i also think she really holds a strong burning hot freekin torch for YOUNG LONDON! check out her website and videos of her and her work...prepare to feel lame and unachieving....oh and if you see her ever like in the street or buying pens....tell her im coming to get her.....

http://www.katemoross.com/work/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fs2JN84AWf4

My Talented Friends: PEOPLE TO WATCH....SPY ON THEM

AMARANTHE FROST: BA FASHION DESIGN- ST MARTINS

a beauty with an eye for it gradutaing next year frsoty is sure to wow the judges when her collection hits the catwalk.....we may combine forces one day but for now shes gonna be the star. 

TOM ELKINGTON: ELDOKO:DJ

elky used to be a band that i swore would be some super ting but after it eventually ended gorgeous tom decided to spin his own story and started DJing in oxford, now with talks of a new venture possibly i feel the word entrepeneur may be in need at a later date.....and if Im gonna be doing some graphics and shizzle then obviously things will just have to get gold!

CALLUM CRAWFORD: FINE ART, MAGIC MUSIC : ST MARTINS

i do definately scare callum with my fascination for all that he does but unlike most crawford seems to have a way with creating beauty in all things that he does. as a person hes shy, reserved and well...intriguing but his music his art and his conversation is so intricate and considered that you have to understand him through the eye of a needle. hell be somewhere high up soon..i know he will...... WAKEFIELD WILL BE PROUD.

ELIZA NOBLE: SINGER:LONDON

eliza has the humour and audacity of a star, she sings like an angel laughs like a naughty monkey and fills everyone she meets with light and life and i know that xenomania is gonna be the start of something like super big and glittery.....album cover jobs? yep ill ave em thank you......watch out......elizas about.....and shes more beautiful than anything youve ever seen...oh and she has pink jeans. LOVE

LILY BARTON: INTERIOR DESIGN EXTRAORDINAIRE

my darling most favorite lily of all the lillies wild or otherwise...taste, style, brilliance and all round awesomeness for the most endeering loving person with immaculate taste and brilliance.

Lily is gonna be the gril with the smartest business card, rallies of fledgling assistants and she'll still be giggling into her green tea with some comfy slippers on depsite looking like a freekin model extraodinaire......Lily Farton......i say bon chance, je connais que tu va bien!

WWW.FFFFOUND.COM

Im in sydney on an insanely perfect and almost too brilliant course as im overwhelmed with beautiful things all day and my mind now feels spoilt and slightly tetchy, but if ever you need a helping hand with layout or ideas or even just a creative poke then dont go to kings cross for gawds sake....come here...come on down to stuttering found.com......

It generates new images and new things and trinkets of interest every day so is a brilliant and constant source for inspiration and interest en generale.....check it check it 

Band of Horses

ST AUGUSTINE MAKES ME WANT TO CLIMB TREES AND FREE THE LEAVES. Band of Horses is the most magical band who combine melody perfectly with enchanting lyrics and melancholia to produce a sound lacking totally in sombreity..in fact they make a sound which fills me with joy and the want to say yum whilst i admire their groovy beards.

Ben, Mat and Joe are from Seattle (like my dreamers Fleet Foxes)  and created BOH in 2004 after playing with the enchanting Iron and Wine.

2 albums, 4 singles but plenty of tracks that can fill your ears .........please join the horse band, grab a tambourine and grow some hooves.....

www.bandofhorses.com

Si Scott

WHAT A DREAM. Si Scott combine graphic design and illustration to a level which makes my fingers itch for a new fine liner. Monsieur Scott puts the acid in drawing.

His hero is his Dad, his favorite website is www.fffound.com and his work is close to perfection through my eyes. He honestly speaks to my soul through penlines. His attitude is one that speaks only truth and hardcore Britishness. modest, collected talented and of course ahs no shame in admitting his vices! google him at all times to give your eyes a nutritional visual feast.

I begin...

Im out in australia following, living and ultimately being my dream.....with this comes fascination for things ouside of my work, music, art, people and things that i guess act as a catalyst to other sharing minds...so this is me.....ready with eager dancing fingers to inspire and damage opinions of people and things alike.....im a passionate person, i love beauty and truth.....