For inspiration when it comes to illustration I don’t think it get’s much better than this blog.

David Apatoff really likes great pictures…

That’s what his profile say’s anyway. But his well researched and intelligent response to traditional illustration are inspirational and enlightening. I’m always a little bit excited when a new article pops up in my feed.

But he really likes great pictures. This is what makes his blog so great. The work he find is truly excellent, he knows how to spot the work that has not just excellent skill and technique but soul.

Take the image above by Franklin McMahon. Apatoff writes:

“confronted with mountains of material and a need to transcend the usual dreary recitation of facts and figures.” His role was to “heighten the emotional reaction to a printed piece and transmit the special flavor of a [subject].” ”

That idea of transcendance show’s up in a lot of his writing and I’m always interested to here what he has to say becasue he dosen’t care for trends or stylistic fads.

The value of transcvendence in an illustration, the ability to heighten a peice to draw emotion from a viewer is what illustration is all about. Somehow a lot of that has been lost with the ease of technology.

Apatoff reminds us that tradional skills and technological ease are both not the integral components of illustration. He points us to somehting bigger. Something external, almost mystical that makes illustrations great.

Here’s a recent post from entrepreneur and risk taker Seth Godin.

Seth’s writing as usual encourages risk taking. His job is to motivate and engage entrepreneurs and I rarely read him suggesting prudence. He’s all about the maxim “He who hesitates is lost”, rather than “look before you leap”.

“The purpose of the modern organization is to make it easy and natural and expected for people to take risks. To lean out of the boat. To be human.”

Alas, most organizations do the opposite. They institutionalize organized cowardice. They give their people cover, a place to hide, a chance to say, “that’s not my job.”

Our organizations are filled with people not only eager to dehumanize those that they serve, but apparently, instructed to do so. In the name of shareholder value or team play or not rocking the boat…

“During times of change, the only organizations that thrive are those that are eager to interact and change as well. And that only happens when individuals take brave steps forward.”

Giving your team cover for their cowardice is foolish. Give them a platform for bravery instead.” (From Seth’s Blog)

There’s more than enough encouragement in our own instinctive being not to take risks. We are hardwired to underperform.

I read Seth from time to time because in business, art and life there is more reward, more fun and more reason to take risks and sometimes you need inspiration to take the risks.

I came across this illustration site via drawn.

http://oldandnewproject.com/

The lovely illustration above is by super talented artist/writer/illustrator Cassie McDaniel.

“Old & New provides a platform for contemporary graphic artists to exhibit works themed on Biblical stories and passages. It also aims to introduce a new online audience to Biblical art, attempting to replace popular, yet sometimes low-quality, contemporary Biblical artwork with the kind of accessible and honorable work that has historically been associated with the Bible.

The website will be a curated collection of single designs by a variety of international illustrators, artists and designers. The collections will be released in an indefinite series of rounds. The goal of these rounds will be to bring new light to well known Biblical passages as well as introducing less familiar (or comfortable) content.” (From the site)

I love the simplicity of Cassies illustration.

Muted colours and and the contrast between ornate calligraphy and utilitarian implements creates a perfect tension that is held together with a remarkably balanced composition.

I also like the idea of illustrating traditional text, giving it new life through contemporary context. Regardless of your position regarding faith, ancient text’s, the Koran, the Bible, classic literature have inspired and shaped our culture.

Recontextualising these cultural icons helps us both reflect and move forward.

Brisbane Marketing made contact earlier this year to produce series of illustrations for their upcoming Brisbane meeting planning and venue guide. Art director Mark Freeman approached metagraphics after checking out our illustration folio and graphic design portfolio with a clear goal and visual direction born from ideas around flora and fauna illustration with a contemporary feel and a sustainability and renewal theme.

“As Australia’s new world city, Brisbane is rapidly emerging as a diverse, sustainable global city, a leading destination for business and investment, conventions, tourism, shopping, art and culture, major events and international education.”

Brisbane’s proximity to key Asia Pacific markets makes it a major hub for businesses embracing our strong consistent economic and population growth, highly skilled and creative workforce, competitive costs, leading educational institutions, world-class infrastructure and highly respected research and development communities.

“A vibrant, centre of innovation and enterprise, Brisbane is renowned for its relaxed lifestyle and subtropical climate so it’s no wonder it is home to the busiest airport in Queensland and the second largest international arrivals in Australia.”

As both a popular tourist destination and gateway, Brisbane offers a wide range of holiday attractions, events and cultural activities, world-class exhibitions and an emerging live music scene with the natural splendor of Moreton Bay and Islands and the beautiful Scenic Rim and Country Valley on its doorstep.”

With this in mind Metagraphics was inspired by Brisbane’s natural world and most exciting venues, producing watercolour illustrations that were composed in photoshop.

“The cover pays tribute to the city’s vitality and abundance of flora and fauna. Along with the cityscape views are sights familiar to the parklands and backyards of Australia’s new world city – golden wattle, hibiscus, jasmine, the Red Backed Fairy Wren and Eastern Yellow Robin.”

Metagraphics has just produced the graphic design and illustration components of RECONciliation BEATS! marketing and promotional material. The work included poster design and illustration, street press advertising, signage, website design, logo design as well other printed material and was completed with only 3 days between brief and deadline. Not much sleep that week!

RECONciliation BEATS! is a new music festival Saturday 9th JULY 2011 proudly supported by triple j live and loud from Musgrave Park Brisbane. It is a collaboration between Musgrave Park Cultural Centre and Colman Ridge Presents and aims to bring young people together through affordable access to the music they love.

In 2011 RECONciliation BEATS! offers a showcase of Australian hip hop as well as emerging folk, funk and rock acts from both indigenous and non-indigenous artists on the one stage. The festival will also offer food from many Brisbane tribes and free show rides all day.

The lineup this year includes Urthboy, Jessica Mauboy, Muph & Plutonic, Busby Marou, Indigenous Hip Hop Showcase, Golden Sound, The Medics and heaps more great acts. The event is supported by triple j and was initiated to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of NAIDOC (National Aboriginal Islander Day Observance Committee) but will become a new annual music festival for Brisbane.

Event promoter Colman Ridge says:

“This is the most exciting new music festival in a long time and will go on to become one of Brisbane’s great gigs, creating many important friendships. Get ready for ozoriginal culture, live and loud!”

RECONciliation BEATS! Saturday 9th JULY 2011 Musgrave Park Brisbane, $25 OZTIX, proudly supported by triple j !

I don’t know why but I sometimes find it hard to hand my initial illustration concepts to a client.

When I was studying I remember a lecturer forcing me to redraw my ink illustration 8 times. Every time I finished the piece he would say, “great! now do it again.”

It did my head in but I guess I learned a valuable lesson – that my first draft is never as good as my 8th. So ever since that freaking annoying lesson, my illustration portfolio has never contained the first draft of anything I’ve done.

I often work and re-work illustrations to death until I get the results I’m after. For example the hand drawn logos in my graphic design portfolio would have been created after writing the name in pen and ink at least 25 times.

But I’m starting to second guess my lecturer (It only took 15 years).

After reviewing last weeks post about CD music packaging, I went and had a look through some old design files at previous music related work I’ve done and then had a look through the draft folders to see what was in there.

I found some initial illustrations for some logo concepts and remember that at the time I was totally unsatisfied with them and re-worked the crap out of them late into the evening.

Funny thing is, looking at them now… I kind of prefer them to the finished illustrations. Or maybe that isn’t so funny considering the extra time I had put into the finished images.

There is something raw and honest in a first drawing that conveys whatever is being represented in a much purer form and it is extremely hard to re-capture and successive illustrations… unless you’re looking for clean vector illustrations.

Sometimes I think it’s a good practice to unlearn some of the things you have been taught and rely on your own intuition.

Although developing the confidence to trust your instincts and ignore your teacher is a skill you don’t tend to pick up in university.

Built From Sticks do!

Or did… and I would like to do lot’s more of it – I think designing for musicians is almost as good as drawing for yourself. At least that’s been my experience so far. In general, the brief from artistical musicallity types so far in my music packaging portfolio has been “yeah just do whatever you reckon – I trust you.”

Which is nice – it’s rare to be trusted in a world full of corporate design micro managery types who feed on the fear of those illustrator types.

So thanks Jamie! I Just finished up a CD wallet for a demo CD for Jamie and am stoked with how it came out – I can’t wait to see the finished product which will be printed on recycled card similar to the CD artwork I created for Monster Monster.

Jamie sort of did have a few guidelines though. But they were pretty fun ones. The music all ties back to personal dreams of Jamie’s and he gave me a list of snippets of dreams and said to go for it, interpret it how i like.

The other stipulation was to give it a raw aesthetic… nothing too polished or slick… which pretty much gives you a license to scribble cartoons and marks all over the CD… which i did.

Jamie should be having an album launch so I’ll make sure to update with that info when I get it. Oh – and th album is called Built From Sticks – Wish You Were Here.

So if anyone else out there needs any illustration or packaging design for CD or vinyl album art contact us cause we would love to help you out.

I’m pretty excited about the new Tintin movie coming out. Especially after seeing the first Tintin teaser trailer on Empire Online this morning. I’m also super excited that both Peter Jackson and Steven Spielberg are involved in the production and both the trailer and still images look amazing.

I couldn’t resist writing a post about my favourite comic of all time.

Tintin has been a huge inspiration for me as an illustrator and even as a designer. I love everything from the bold colours to the detailed plots. Mostly though I love Herge’s unique style ‘lineage’ drawings. Perhaps you can see some of his influence in my own illustration portfolio. Especially in some of this comic style illustrations

This image from Tintin in Tibet captures something about what I love about Herge’s world. There are probably more interesting and developed images but something about this one has always grabbed me, even as a kid.

How cool is that little puff of cloud in the top left. Genius.

Here’s a video of Herge himself at work drawing everyone’s favourite character, the drunk sailor, Captain Haddock.

I think the other influence the work of Herge has had on me, beyond simply style is a desire to create something cinematic.

I’m definitely looking forward to this one.

Dan Sweetman, Marketing Director for MS Queensland recently contacted me to create a logo design, marketing and branding collateral include email headers for templates, certificates and nomination forms for a recognition program they are running, MS Heroes.

MS Heroes is a recognition program developed by the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Queensland to acknowledge and celebrate the contributions of Queenslanders who are heroes to the multiple sclerosis cause.

By nominating an employer, HR manager, carer or family member who is doing great things for you and your MS, you recognise their actions and MS Queensland are eager to reward these hero’s by showing an expression of gratitude for all that all they have done.

It’s always great to work with an community organisation like MS Queensland that contributes to society by providing opportunity and support to specific communities. In the past having worked for a profit for purpose design studio I was able to work almost exclusively on cause oriented projects like this so it’s great to be able to provide a service in this area to add to my own graphic design portfolio.

If your employer, HR manager, carer or family member is doing great things for MS why not nominate them for the recognition program.

Nominations close on Friday 13 May 2011. You can download nomination forms from the MSQ site or if you have any further question I’m sure they would be happy to answer them for you.

Jake is the creative head behind Runamuk Visuals and is doing a lot of really cool stuff for around surfing and skating at the moment. I especially like this short video he made about a surf trip to Mexico via a children’s orphanage.

Rad stuff.

For some reason Jake wasn’t offended by my office antics from back in 06 and he was still keen to work with me. He was keen to get me to create a simple black and white shirt graphic based on a similar style to the goofy drawings of random stuff I used to do and stick up on his wall when we were working together at Billabong.

I was stoked. As well as being an all round legend who has survived heart surgery and a coma, I’ve always respected Jake’s keen eye for film editing and production.

I‘m still surprised he wanted to work with me considering that once after work I mistakenly hopped into his wife’s car thinking it was my wife who had come to pick me up. I still remember the look on her face when I sat down beside her and said “you’re not my wife.”

Funny stuff.

So this is a crop of the artwork created for Runamuk Visuals. I’m hoping to work together with Jake in the future on some logo designs.

This piece was lots of fun and I’m stoked on how Jake’s idea has turned out… looking forward to wearing it.