Student Designer work

Since January 2010, I've been working as one of the Reading University Student Union Designers. For the past 18 months, I've created designs from events posters (printed and digital), logos, flyers, menus, certificates, stationary and leaflets. Its been a great little job, working from home on quick and playful briefs, but sadly has to come to an end along with my life as a student. I've never published any of these designs, so I thought I'd post them here as they won't be privileged enough to get a place in my portfolio. I've worked on, what seems like a million designs for the Union, so here are just a few.

Gregory Euclide...just wow

When Bon Iver's first album, For Emma Forever Ago, was released in 2008, I thought, beautiful album, beautiful album artwork, but nothing prepared me for the absolutely stunning artwork for the self titled second album released in June this year. The painting by Gregory Euclide, along with all his other works took my breath away. His combination of acrylic paint with found materials adds texture and transforms a traditional painting into a three dimensional image giving the artwork such a tangible finish. Just beautiful.

Stanley Donwood...you are a legend

I know this is very much old news but I just stumbled across this beaut http://youtu.be/192MiKNk03c and it reminded me of my love for the album artwork. I have been a massive fan of Stanley Donwood for years (got to write an article about his work for a second year project, yay), being in complete awe of his work from over the years, but this is the most recent for The King of Limbs, released Feb 2011. With this packaging, he used a US newspaper format which folds down to approximately album cover size, in contrast to the epic statement packaging design for In Rainbows. Either way, I love them both. I like Donwood's reasoning for creating ephemera type packaging which he discusses in Creative Review in April this year. http://www.creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog/2011/april/king-of-limbs-radiohead

Casually networking with important art directors...

So a couple of weeks ago, I set off on the ridiculously long train journey to London, originally to visit some of the best friends for birthday shenanigans, stopping off on the way for an interview and for a chat with the art director of Eye! A simultaneously random and awesome event, Simon Esterson was lovely, helpful and welcoming. It took me a good ten minutes to get into the studio, as I was unsure how to open the main door to the Lux building in Hoxton Square, choosing the stairs over the lift, and stupidly pushing the studio door (which featured a window) several times then pretending to play on my phone before realising I needed to be buzzed in. I sat in a room with Eye magazine spreads covering the walls and turned down the offer of tea which I later regretted. I apprehensively showed Mr Esterson my work, although he seemed to like it, which was followed by some invaluable career advice. He also recommended that I speak to John Morgan www.morganstudio.co.uk/ who on closer inspection is yet another highly successful Reading Typo alumni. I love stumbling across these people (although always ashamed about my lack of knowledge) such as Robin Kinross who I was reading about on the train down in Eye issue 80 (http://www.eyemagazine.com/issue80.html). It makes me feel like there is light at the end of this long penniless unemployment tunnel, and hope for me yet!

Below: Some examples of work from John Morgan's studio www.morganstudio.co.uk. So much awesome stuff, but I am a big fan of Horst P Horst and grey cloth bound books...

Introduction to ME

Yay, I've finally got a blog sorted! I made one a couple of years back as part of a second year degree project but disowned it after a while simple because I didn't like how I'd designed it. This is a new one hopefully documenting things I like and come across during my time (hopefully not too long) of unemployment. I've decided, along with extreme job hunting, to start drawing and painting again...items which I may or may not post up, depending on how chuffed I am. Also, before Uni, I took photos of everything, especially black and white but unfortunately don't have access to a dark room anymore :( but planning to get back on that hobby anyway!