Big Chill House Murals

Miss Led's exotic and sensual paintings now drape the interior walls of  Victorian pub the Big Chill House in London. As part of the huge Kings Cross venue refurbishment project, Miss Led was asked to recreate the mezzanine within the theme of a Chinese ladies bordello. Playing with a new theme of Art Deco mixed with Shanghai embellishment she says: "(I) Love the simplicity of the illustrated lady of the 1920's era, around that time saw the birth of the Coco Chanel ladies suit. Cross dressing and androgyny were very daringly en vogue. " Miss Led worked under the direction of project manager Lucy Tauber.

Sarah Beetson wins Creative Review - Best In Book 2011

Sarah Beetson's success continues with the recent announcement that she has won the Creative Review Illustration Annual - Best in Book. Sarah is very excited at the news, her winning 5 entries are from her “I Dream In Celluloid” exhibition showing in London next week. Sarah says of the show:

"“I Dream In Celluloid” is my 4th solo exhibition, exploring the link between an obsession with film and how this affects my dreams. Each morning, I record the night’s dreamings via my dream sketchbook, where I have rediscovered memories from my childhood, my displaced identity and nationality, relayed interactions with friends, colleagues, relations and pets; both dead and alive, past and present. I'm discovering facts about the essence of my existence via my subconscious. I watch a movie every evening, and find elements from these films within my dreams. With support from RADF, the exhibition culminates in a series of larger fake movie posters, a short animation and a giant digitally printed, hand painted embellished quilt cover. It has toured The Gold Coast and Melbourne; Australia, London; UK and will go onto Ottawa; Canada in October 2011."

"I Dream In Celluloid" London opens on Wednesday 3rd August, 6-8pm @ The Brick Lane Gallery, as part of Art in Mind.

The exhibition runs 2nd - 15th August, open daily 1pm - 6pm.

Hannah Davies's Scrapbook

Welsh illustrator and surface designer Hannah Davies on collecting vintage items to re-create in her own beautifully decorative style.  Hannah Davies's Scrapbook.

Dwarf Depression

These three very excellent illustrations by Shailesh Khandeparkar have been causing a stir on the awards circuit recently.  The mood captured by Shailesh  is a remarkable result for the campaign. Commissioned by Mudra Communications, the campaign for Loving Hand Ministries was illustrated, art directed and designed  by Shailesh, he was the copywriter too.  He says: "(I'm)  happy to say it has done quite well in the awards..... one show design merit, d&ad yellow pencil nomination (illustration) & cannes silver in design (illustration)."

Bompas and Parr on Selfridges' Roof

Our very creative jelly team Bompas and Parr are making news, news from the roof of Selfridges at that.  The team have completed an installation on Selfridges’ roof  which will see it turned into a boating lake. Here an extract from Design Week by Tom Banks:

"In a link up with the Oxford Street retailer and sweetener brand Truvia - which harvests its product from the South American Stevia plant - a ‘Voyage of Discovery’ has been forged with help from Studio Too Good.

Visitors can expect a vertiginous boating lake which leads to a bar serving tea, coffee and alcohol, all laced with this mysterious Truvia substance.

Also expect waterfalls, ship-wrecks and a field of thousands of Stevia plants. It’s a wonderfully conceived conceit and we’re all for it but the proof, like all Bompas and Parr designs, will be in the pudding.

For anyone not familiar with Bompas and Parr’s work, much of it to date has involved jelly architecture using rapid prototyping for clients including Lord Foster and Heston Blumenthal.

The slightly mind-bending rooftop journey references ‘the whole supply chain from field to table,’ says Bompas, who explains research by Sheffield University found ‘design environments enhance flavour experience.’

According to Bompas the piece will have a ‘historical resonance’ with the space ‘as they used to have a crazy golf course and rifle range up there.’

Voyage of Discovery will be installed from 21 - 24 July at Selfridges, 400 Oxford Street, W1A"

We Welcome Hannah Megee

We are delighted to now represent the very skilful Hannah Megee.
Based in Devon, UK, Hannah's mysterious, intriguing illustrations are full of narrative and occasional humour with a traditional edge, her gorgeously subtle tones take one back to a time in the past.  She has worked for Litfest Publications, Drift Records and Lux Harmonium among others and has recently completed "The Sea Swallow"  which was released last week.  Hannah says: "..The book was part of a council funded project to encourage more interest and tourism to the coastline around Fleetwood and Cleveleys just north of Blackpool, UK. I won a national competition to illustrate it, and have been working closely with both the writer Gareth Thompson, and the public artist Stephen Broadbent."

Ella Tjader's Scrapbook

Zurich based illustrator Ella Tjader wishes she could step back in time to the France of 1770 & the eccentric court at Versailles. Ella Tjader's Scrapbook.

Rockabilly Riot Stage Sets

CLICK IMAGE TO PLAY

We are very excited to announce the news that Vince Ray's band "The Boneshakers" are supporting Brian Setzer's "Rockabilly Riot" tour at the Manchester Apollo on July 25th. Vince has also created the large scale artwork backdrops that are being used by Brian Setzer on the world tour. They form a visual stunner for the gigs created with Vince's signature retro style.

Vince says of the project: "I've worked for Brian Setzer and the Stray Cats for a good few years now and to have the job of designing the stage set for the latest tour was a blast. Brian has fairly strong ideas of his own about how the stage was to look and chose the basic colour combination of purple and green. The performances required three different backdrops to appear throughout the show. To contrast with the green/purple scheme. I suggested we have a backdrop that would have the feel of an old juke joint. Many of the venues on the tour are very big with a 5000 capacity, so I thought it would be good to have something with a more intimate small club feel which seemed to reflect the roots of the rockabilly music style with rough wooden planking and stenciled cowboy motifs. All this was put together in Photoshop and we were really pleased that it successfully printed on such a large scale! To be invited to open the show in Manchester as Vince Ray and the Boneshakers is a real honour and we're really looking forward to seeing the artwork in action and also being part of the show. "  Get a taste of the action here and here.

Terry Pratchett Covers

Now on his fifth cover, Tom Steyer gives the German Terry Pratchett editions some modernisation. Manhatten (Random House) commissioned Tom to illustrate bright, bold and memorable images, Tom says: "The technique I use enables them to apply the illustrations in various ways. For example the back covers and insides and tear-out bookmarks can have different versions i.e. different camera angles or lighting of the same subjects. All elements can be isolated and reorganized to form additional scenes. Furthermore all objects can be animated to promote the books on websites".

Hello Sam Bevington

We love new talent and have found lots of the stuff oozing from Sam Bevington.
New to our books, Sam's work takes much from the graphics of the 1930's to 50's era. He loves poster design and custom typography and clients so far include 3 Mobile and the NHS. Sam says: "In my spare time I like to print posters in my screen printing studio at home. I have an unhealthy obsession with hand painted signs, DIY and bad screenprinting."

Hilary Alexander

Nick Murray Willis works for the British Fashion Council to produce this tribute animation.
Filmed and produced by Crispy Duck Productions, Nick's expertise is put to fun use in this playful portrait of Hilary Alexander;  The Telegraph’s fashion writer for her retirement party.  Watch it here.

If Greece Goes

Two front covers two weeks in a row by Derek Bacon for The Economist, both commissioned by Graeme James, and both forecasts of economic gloom.
The second here; 'If Greece goes...' concerned the bail-out plans to save the Greek economy. An early version of this had a hand coming out of the plughole, and pulling the man down by his ankle!

Stonefly Sculptures

Gail Armstrong exceeds herself with these shoebox sculptures for Stonefly in Italy.
The brief was to create two different environments which appear to have developed and unfolded from the shoeboxes themselves, one summery and rural, the other youthful and active. Gail built the pieces keeping in mind that they may be animated in the future, she says of the commission; "The trick with the images was to use multiple layers of paper bonded together where the sculpture had to look convincing as a cardboard shoebox, and single layers of paper where the sculpture required depth and form."

Stuart Holmes's Scrapbook

Illustrator Stuart Holmes on his love of living in the "awesome" city of Melbourne and his wish to step back in time to 1920's Manhattan. Stuart Holmes's scrapbook.

Smart Money

Smart Money commission Joseph McDermott for their annual "Broker Survey" issue.

Joe has produced a punchy powerful portrait in his pop art style which works dandy as the front cover.

Kit Kat Red

Kit Kat's current 'Break and Win 10K' campaign is illustrated by Cube.

Seen on all the wrappers and packs, Cube made the images last year for the promotion which is creating mouth watering anticipation for the purchaser. Cube says: "(It's a) Bit of a pinnacle in packaging work at 200 million bars a year (in the UK)"

Electric Daisy Carnival

BoomArtwork creates a sensational cover for Las Vegas Weekly Magazine.
The brief for a vibrant and energetic portrait of a trippy girl was to illustrate a feature on the recent Electric Daisy Carnival, one of the biggest dance music festivals in the U.S.

Visions and Fashion

Montana Forbes has been personally invited to take part in an exhibition in Berlin at the Kunstbibliotek – Staatliche Museen zu Berlin (The National Costume Museum of Berlin).

Montana says: "The exhibition includes original works by photographers and other visual artists like Rene Gruau, Peter Lindbergh, Helmut Newton and Sara Moon amongst others. It’s called ‘Visions and Fashion - Bilder der Mode/Capturing Style 1980-2010’ and is on from 29 June – 09 October 2011." After meeting and liasing with the chief curator/director, Dr. Adelheid Rasche in London last year, Montana has decided to donate all 3 of the loaned artworks to their permanent collection. The work will also be published in the Museum's catalogue.

Danny Allison's Scrapbook

Illustrating his way from Yorkshire to Australia and back, Danny Allison tells of recent travel and his love of oceanic life. Danny Allison's Scrapbook.