Our students recently participated in a challenge to create a series of ‘Exquisite Corpses’. The ‘Exquisite Corpse’ is a collaborative drawing exercise first adopted by surrealist artists as a way for them to create interesting and inventive designs.
We took the students on a trip to the Tate Britain, National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery. They were asked to copy parts of the paintings on display that would then be used at a later date to invent their ‘Corpses’. See the results of the drawing trip and final designs below.
This summer our course hosted an online webinar discussing studying Illustration at Middlesex University and how to prepare yourself for working as a professional in the industry. the talk gave viewers a look at current student work as well as touching on the practises of our staff and graduates;
The webinar featured lectures LOUISE WEIR and MARTIN URSELL, graduating 3rd year student LOU KISS and 2nd year student THOMAS ATKINS plus our former GAA and high flying graduate SHAZLEEN KHAN.
2015 graduate Charlot Kristensen will be talking with Knights Of publishing co-founder about the importance of Black representation in books and the issue of appropriation next week on November 29th;
The talk will be covering topics such as practical ways for the illustration community to encourage diversity, why it’s necessary to ensure Black representation isn’t just tokenistic, the difference between appreciation and appropriation, why it’s key to have open, nuanced conversations outside of your bubble and the power of positive everyday actions.
Charlot’s clients have included her Penguin Random House, New York Times and the New Yorker. She also recently illustrated the cover of the Irish Times Magazine;
Her debut graphic novel What We Don’t Talk About which deals with issues of race, bigotry and the difficulties that interracial couples face was released this year by Avery Press and has just gone into it’s second print run.
Guides to gouache, picture books and self care- this Summer sees a number of new releases from our graduates. Read on to find out what’s coming up in the publishing pipeline!
“Gouache is a beautiful, versatile medium that’s been much neglected, it’s rarely taught at art school and there are very few books on the subject. I absolutely love using this medium, it’s been hugely influential on my work and my style. I’m so excited to share this beautiful paint with people. The book introduces the the materials needed, the basics of colour theory, and fundamental techniques like drybrush, layering, diluting gouache, working on coloured paper, using negative space and wet on wet technique. This book teaches you to paint everything from people to plants, and every project teaches you a new skill or technique.”
Get Started with Gouache will be released by Watson-Guptill on 7th July in the US and 7th September in the UK.
YOU ARE POSITIVELY AWESOMEis a colourful and practical book for an everyday burst of positivity and an extra dose of self-kindness from Graduate STACIE SWIFT and Pavillion Books.
“We all weather some difficult days, sometimes we need a reminder that nobody really has it all together all the time. This book is for all those days – a rainbow of good vibes, full of self-care prompts and words to live by.”
The WIA Awards are organised by the AOI (Association of Illustrators) in partnership with the USA-based Directory of Illustration. This high-profile, international competition recognises innovation in the field and showcases the best the industry has to offer. It is judged by distinguished professionals from the global illustration industry.
Fred Campbell’s large scale illustration and animation work for Gingerline’s immersive, interactive theatre experience THE GREAT EXPEDITION has been long listed in the site specific category;
Now in its fourth year, the Myriad First Graphic Novel Competition celebrates work by new talent and established artists who have not previously published a graphic novel.
Alex Moore’s book, The Fine Art of Destruction was their Final Major Project, written and illustrated as part of Middlesex’s Children’s Book Illustration and Graphic Novels MA.The book tells the story of a man’s ill-fated attempts to save his father’s art gallery which inadvertently set the fractured remains of his family, and those closest to them, on a devastating collision course;
As part of her 3rd year work student VALERIYA KORBINA created a series of aquatint etching depicting famous murder sites. See the series in full below;
As part of his 3rd year work student CONOR FENER-TORA created a 4 page silent, sensory comic for the Jonathan Cape Graphic Novel Competition. Read it in full below!;
Graduate student SACHIKO OGURI has recently been commisioned to create a series of sitckers for Google’s keyboard. Below are a selection of her illustrations for the project;
As part of her 3rd year work student ILKE MISIRLIOGLU created a series of illustrations based on the Japanese myth of URASHIMA TARO- below are a selection of images from the project;
mdx illustration 