Kim (in print)

It's been ages. Briefly, I fritzed two laptops in unrelated incidents which freakily coincided with the week my main research paper was due, making for a tricky start to the academic year in September. Our first group crit session of the new academic year was with the brilliant, straight-talking Anne Howeson, (RCA). Group tutorials are a definite strength of C'well's MA Illustration programme - at least that's my experience with last year's full-time students and the strong group of part-timers I'm amongst. I also had a tutorial with Janet Woolley, my professor, so along with my regular SCBWI crit group meeting, it seems like I've received, (and given) a lot of criticism over the past weeks. Today we had a briefing for a mid-point assessment which is around the corner, and afterwards a couple of us chatted about the post-critique haze we sometimes find ourselves in.

It's a lot different than receiving advice in a classroom setting. An immediate difference is the often physical break before getting back to that piece or series. I live a couple of hours a way from college, so for a start there's a lengthy period of reflection. Absorption isn't always immediate, and so, as a starter, working with what I 'get' from the session is the way I've edged forward. At this stage, however, it's become apparent that I need to shift gears and make some gigantic leaps in places! The year is running out and by Easter 2010, it's all over, meaning, there is precious little time for developing anything new before the grad show.

Right now I'm re-reading notes from all sessions I've participated in, in an effort to push my drawing towards illustration. While making another coffee.

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Pinkit is a group of 5 Chilean visual artists who have begun their 'Pimp It' revolution - pimp in the transitive verb sense - with a Cupcake - Pimp It!Gallery. As I'm working on some Hansel and Gretel colour experiments right now, pimping a cupcake seemed like a fun idea... and now it's on Pinkit's 'Pimp It' Wall. Visit Pinkit's homepage and pick up a 'cupcake template' to embellish.

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The Camberwell College of Art MA Summer Shows (University of the Arts, London) went off really well last week, though it's sad to see a lot of great people leaving fromIllustration and leaving a few of us part-timers kicking around the place! The work from Illustration was exciting, and as predicted, very diverse with editorial illos, children's books, graphic novels, animation and more - something I really appreciate in this course. Group crit sessions and regular meetings meant that we all had an inkling of who was doing what, but most went an extra mile towards the end and a few suprises lay in store.

500 people came through the door in the first 15 minutes, and around 2600 through the evening. See some of my photos here and get more on '09 MA Illustration grads here (thanks Tom). The crowds made it a bit tricky to get photos so above are a few Illustrators except for the guy with the toast - a printmaker - who gave out an edition of 'toast prints' at the door.

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I've got the best week coming up - the last week of school (day job) before we're out for summer, but firstly, two-thirds of my Camberwell contemporaries (those on the full-time programme) will graduate. Check out the Grad Show details here, and see who's exhibiting from MA Illustration.

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This is a working colour illustration for 'Hansel and Gretel', based around this piece of text:

'It was now three mornings since they had left their father's house. They began to walk again, but they always got deeper into the forest, and if help did not come soon, they must die of hunger and weariness. When it was mid-day, they saw a beautiful snow-white bird sitting on a bough, which sang so delightfully that they stood still and listened to it. And when it had finished its song, it spread its wings and flew away before them, and they followed it until they reached a little house, on the roof of which it alighted; and when they came quite up to the little house they saw that it was built of bread and covered with cakes, but that the windows were of clear sugar.'

My strangely proportioned candy and cake roof suspension of disbelief, as does the story. In an attempt to break away from the traditional Black Forest cottage look, I've gone a bit oversized on the roof, which inspired by the giant roof shape of the iron age round house, peculiar to Britain.

I may need to rethink the orangey gingerbread - not the easiest tone to scan, however it's back to the drawing board for now.

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Click here to download:

Paint-a-Tower-Block.zip (127 KB)

It's been ages - work is full on (exams and marking) and so is the illustrating. My full-time and second yr part-time contemporaries at Camberwell are nearly at the finish line as the July grad show looms.

Meanwhile, I came across these fab photos of painted tower blocks, Russian style, here on Sturman's blog. Worth a look for the McD sign alone. Anyway, some say these look gaudy. Maybe.

Better than grey tower blocks stacked against a bleak, wintery sky?

Infinitely.

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Here's a little glimpse inside NY Academy of Art studios during the Tribeca Ball...

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Fantasy_Houses.zip (445 KB)

I came across these brilliant photo galleries when looking at unusual dwellings. Check out this sumptuous San Francisco in Jell-O byLiz Hickok... a jelly cityscape which eventually decays - Jell-O Shots gallery, (First Post).  I also love David Trautrimas' collection of fantasy houses, All Mod Cons, (First Post).

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