Jan Lenica

Ben recommended this Polish graphic designer to me, and I really enjoy his poster designs.
What I like is that the visuals take a front seat, really dominating the space of the page, with the information and type coming second.

Although I think it's important for posters to inform people of the event/purpose, I think part of what makes a good poster is its ability to draw people in for a closer look.

It seems like a lot of traditional media is used, such as brush and ink and collage. The jaunty, weird and slightly-off appearance really appeals to me. Posters don't have to be boring.

Tin Can Forest

Tin Can Forest is the name of Canadian artists Pat Shewchuk and Marek Colek who work collaboratively. Their work is interesting to me because their collective name encompasses a body of work that is cohesive, following a similar realm of themes and moods; relating to slavic folklore and the occult.

These themes seem deeply researched in their visual works, or as if they come from a place of interest because of the level of detail/authenticity to them.

As well as that, I find what they do to be appealing because it spans across more than one creative medium. From publishing books, prints and paper-based items, creating sequential illustration, to dabbling in animation and film. By working across all of these different formats it gives the 'world' they have created through their practice a greater level of depth.

Wax Cross (2012), cover and page

When thinking about my own practice I like the idea of working on many varied projects, not limiting myself to one 'type' of illustration or visual art. Tin Can Forest have worked with different writers, which in a way offers them the opportunity to put their visual stamp on and/or enhance someone else's concept through the use of illustration.

Being able to work on many different projects from interlinking fields of the creative industries is a very exciting possibility to me, allowing you to think in different ways and not always be doing the same thing. This would also bring about the chance to collaborate with those who have different skills from your own, such as those working in animation, design, etc.

What is a Witch (2016) cover

Stedelijk Museum | Karel Appel

The Appel Wall, Stedelijk website

Another artist that had their work exhibited at the museum was Karel Appel, and I was instantly taken with it. The childish, messy appearance of the paintings really appealed to me. They seemed very immediate, straight from Appel's head, and didn't come off like they needed to be understood or dissected by the viewer.

This huge wall mural was painted in 1956, and has been restored by the museum. Even though it was from over 60 years ago it looked so new and vibrant.

poster, 1962

Amongst Appel's inspirations are primitive art, children's drawings, and the artist Jean Dubuffet (art brut). Although his work faced a lot of negative criticism during the early years, I think it could very well appeal to contemporary audiences due to the graphic appearance. I like how the work isn't elitist, or staunch in its attitude. It's just expressive and, I think, made on a gut feeling.

Two Owls and Untitled

Stedelijk Museum | Willem Sandberg

Sandberg, Director and Designer
Stedelijk website

Willem Sandberg (1897-1984) was director of the Stedelijk Museum between 1945-63. Whilst he championed new artists and developed one of the most important collections of modern art in Europe, he also designed almost all of the posters, catalogs and graphic material for the museum - an unusual activity for a museum director.

Sandberg's graphic design reflected his vision and defined the look of the museum. With a focus on experimenting with type as image, his style was marked by simplicity, bright colours, torn paper shapes and the re-use of images in multiple contexts.

With the belief that art should be integrated into daily life, Sandberg introduced an education program and modernised the museum by transforming it into an inviting environment with a library, reading room, a restaurant and an auditorium with a film and music program. Sandberg constantly aimed to lower the threshold of the museum to make it more appealing and easy to access for everybody.

These posters demonstrate Sandberg's playful use of type and how type becomes an image. For 'Het dagblad door de eeuwen' (The newspaper through the centuries) a newspaper spread is overlaid with simple contrasting types.

The five golden rules adopted by Sandberg were:

1) a poster has to be joyous, unless it has to arouse compassion
2) red has to be in every poster
3) a poster has to provoke a closer look, otherwise it doesn't endure
4) with a respect for society, designer and director both are responsible for the street scene. A poster does not only have to revive the street, it also has to be human
5) every poster has to be an artwork

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Sandberg's design work is simple, playful, and I believe it still has impact and charm today. I think it's admirable how Sandberg was aware of his responsibility not only as a museum director, but as a creative himself - bringing the wider public, if not society as a whole, into the equation.

The concept of integrating art and design into everyday life, and maybe even using it to make life better and more interesting is a very positive outlook that makes me think "yeah, that's a pretty good idea!". I find it affirming, because it suggests that art and design isn't just this howling void of stuff, or at least it doesn't have to be.

Stedelijk Museum | Jean Tinguely

During a trip to Amsterdam over the break I visited the Stedelijk museum. There was a really good range of art and design there, some I was quite inspired by. From contemporary art, to graphic design, furniture and product design, sculpture, painting, and more.

I also liked how the design section laid out posters and printed materials (pamphlets, programs, catalogs, etc) as if they were art objects in their own right. In some ways, presenting it as art but in a different context. The text about the artists in italic is from the museum itself.

Machine Spetacle, Stedelijk website

"I don't know if one can be operative without drawing" stated Tinguely. This room presents an overview of all the ways his works on paper took shape. The variety of drawing styles and techniques is striking ranging from meticulous pen drawings to brightly coloured expressions in chalk, and from dark watercolours to absurd Dadaist collages covered with stickers and feathers (which Tinguely always kept in the pockets of his overalls)

Drawing also played a crucial role in maintaining Tinguely's international network. Through an immense number of letter-drawings he communicated with the curators, collectors, and artists he befriended. The good-humored and personal letters are generally made up of a mix of languages, and are often combined with drawings of current projects.

In this way Tinguely transformed drawing from a traditional medium into an experimental component of the new network society. The catalogs in this room reflect this same tendency towards experimentation. The artist stretched the boundaries of the medium and used innovative forms of publication in order to constantly rewrite his own oeuvre and keep it in motion.

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What I enjoyed about the exhibition was the breadth of Tinguely's work and how across all of the different formats and mediums there was a sense of invention, play, and humour. Another aspect that I appreciated was how he consciously tried to make his work, and consequently, the environment it was placed in, a more open and accessible thing for all.

He encouraged visitors to make work, and his drawing machines (controversially) became the artists themselves, mechanically producing their own works of art.

His sculptures and kinetic artworks were meant to make people laugh, his weird contraptions created confusion yet involved the viewer through the use of buttons and launchpads that activated the machines. As well as that, they were intended for adults and children alike. He had a real do-it-yourself attitude, using scrap materials to bring his ideas to life.

Hannah Waldron | Visiting Lecturer

We just had a talk from Hannah Waldron. Going into it I knew nothing about her work apart from her involvement in textiles, coming away from it there were lots of interesting thoughts and connections!

What struck me the most was how Hannah's work was incredibly research-based, the concepts were so strong which helped to add another dimension to her pieces.

I think because the concepts of her work is so strong, this is how the work manages to suit and adapt to a multitude of contexts and purposes.

 Japanese furoshiki scarves designed by Hannah

I also really admired how many different things she has done, not being defined solely as an illustrator. Projects including printed textiles, editorial, product design and packaging, as well as publishing and narrative-based work.

Hannah also seemed to take inspiration from a lot of different places and things, such as travel, Bauhaus art and design, Modernism, exhibitions, as well as traditional textiles and cultural art. This is something I try to do also, being influenced by things outside of the illustration sphere.

• Drawing is spending time with your thought process

• Maps - turning experiences, sights, sounds, feelings, into diagrams and maps. Telling a narrative through marks and simple shapes.

• How textiles can be used - wrapping, wearing, displaying, carrying, very versatile!

Thinking about this made Hannah's work have so much more depth, and showed that it could be applied to real-world objects and situations in many different ways.

Illustration about Dream Studios

• Space - also mentioned how the places which work are displayed can add so much more meaning to a piece of work. New contexts are created. So this would include locations where art is placed, or how it is. Galleries? Public spaces? Places completely unrelated to art?

• Packaging and presentation - Not just the object itself, but how it is packaged and delivered. Boxes, sleeves, inserts, posters, fold-outs, how can an audience interact with an object?

• Be aware of context and explore different ones. Hannah explores the relationships between art, craft, and manufacture.

• Manifesto - what's your work about? What do you set out to do? How? Why? What values are important to you and your practice?

DR ME | Visiting Lecturers

Yesterday we had a talk from visiting lecturers, DR ME. They are a creative team based in Manchester, who dabble in illustration, design-work, and general image-making.

Commercial work they have undertaken includes event posters, branding, vinyl sleeve designs, as well as other self-initiated projects (such as 365 days of collage).

Although they don't define themselves as strictly being graphic designers, or illustrators, I found their work to be quite design-orientated. However they said that defining your work/practice isn't vital, as you may possess more than one skill.

Examples from 365 Days of Collage

It was valuable to hear from their experiences, especially concerning their studies, internships, as well as their time in the commercial world. However I got the impression a lot of what they did was up to chance, or luck? Or maybe just having the assertiveness to approach people and ask for work.

Is content important? Is hard work important? Or is it just down to being confident and forward with people, and selling yourself? Hmmmm....I found that bit tough. This is where I feel different from these people.

Event poster designs

Notes from talk

• Internships can be valuable

• Mailers - interesting way to contact people. Goes beyond an ordinary email. Can show your personality, more handmade, personal.

• Taking on commercial work - what's important? Generating income, or having the freedom/independence to pick and choose what work you do? Only doing work you agree with personally?

• Self-led projects may open up other opportunities.

• They left university 8 years ago, and are still learning things. It's all a process of learning and finding things out.

• Build up an online body of work

• Keep in touch with people. You may get hired by past collaborators