mutatedgenez asked: Where can I buy one of the books?
Hi! Thanks for your interest! If you email me at joeward234@hotmail.co.uk, we can discuss a price and postage. I only have 3 left, doubt I’ll be making more. I’ll be having a major online overhaul over the next week, making a new site and shop :)
Joe
Badgered into a new blog.
My plants, 2012
Should be focusing on Research Project, but decided I needed a nice, stress free drawing sesh. Handy my uni desk has a windowsill full of my plants then int it?
Sgt. Pepper has steadily flowered for the past year, having a new chilli ready once a week or so, and after a hearty, well earned feed just before the LBF, now has loads of fresh leaves and flowers about to bloom.
The strawbs are coming along nicely too, one has a flower on! *nod*
This blog reads reverse chronologically, so the most recent posts are at the top. I suggest either scrolling to the bottom of each page and going right back to the very start, or going to www.joewardillustration.tumblr.com/archive for thumbnails of each post.
Apologies for the inconvenience.
The Final Major Project started off purely as observational work on interests such as animals, portraiture, occult imagery, turn of the century outfits and rituals, modern fashion trends, museum collections and historical ephemera. During summer I spent a lot of time researching and being immersed in these areas, whether in books or on the internet, just in my spare time. These topics are all fascinating to draw, and would aim my work at a market that I identify with, wishing to produce such things as music posters and artwork.
At that moment, I had no use for any of my work, and there was no meaning. Inspirations such as posters and album art, with similar observational work, still had some starting point, the objective to enhance or convey feelings from another medium, such as music, whereas I lacked anything to kick off from. Previous projects that I have excelled in were ones handed in a more commercial commission style scenario, being given a deadline and subject to work with, such as a magazine article or quote. Examples being the One Day projects, and OLIO.
Fascination with insects, being completely alien and foreign to our own design, led to this project being centred around them. Every aspect intrigues me; scale, intricacy, colour, texture and the uncountable variety that exist. Even their names. This may well stem from my obsessions as a collector, and the childhood hobby of model making. One nod towards this is how I’ve painted the legs as separate pieces, to show the insects more as components and specimens, than living creatures.
Experimentation with various media was interesting and necessary to stop me from running to my safe zone of watercolour. Two hugely inspiring books, Gig Posters Volumes I and II, taught me that the bulk of these pieces were created using silk screen printing. Another focus was collectable books, such as those of the Whittington Press, who create small, beautiful pieces (from hand) in limited runs. Quality is key. These influences were to be mixed with the collectable nature of insects to produce beautifully illustrated, precious books, something that similar minded people would revel in.
This print work was to be explored with the Research Project, then refined in the FMP. Even though I did experiment, sheer frustration held me back. Stepping into an unknown, time consuming field really put me off using print making, especially not as final pieces. The experimentation and skills I have learnt I’m sure will be valuable towards my practice as a whole, and learning to mix media has led to some interesting, different work. The final pieces produced focus on the use of watercolours and some ink, mediums I’m comfortable with, and feel I excel in. Frustrating as it is to have fallen back on it, this style is still strong.
The old photography versus art argument is raised here, and is especially apt when it comes to time. These paintings take forever. But, knowing that someone has done these from hand, rather than press a shutter, is where the worth lies. They are perhaps not suited to a single compendium of work, but rather smaller, more varied books with different themes, maybe compiled at a later date.
Having spoken to Amanda Wood, the Publishing Director at Templar Publishing, I was advised to whole heartedly put my effort into researching museum publishers. She also suggested diversifying the subject matter. The outcome really is suitable for educational and reference books, aimed at collectors and enthusiasts, those with an interest and specialising in natural history and other interesting ephemera. Self promotional work was handed to many publishers at the London Book Fair such as Dorling Kindersley and The British Museum, to name a few. Further research will be undertaken, with work sent to those, and contacts already made at the Fair.
Bibliography
Albarn, J. (2010) The Boy In The Oak. Vancouver : Simply Read Books
Albero, A., Paetzel, P., Hefenbrak, T. (2011) #3 ABBA. Berlin : Biografiktion
Aubenas, S. (2001) Gustave Le Gray. London : Phaidon Press Limited
Badger, G. (2001) Eugene Atget. London : Phaidon Press Limited
Barthes, R. (1993) Mythologies. London : Random House
Birgisson, J.T., Somers, A. (2006) Riceboy Sleeps. Iceland : Moss Books
Blessin, S., Moster-Hoos, J., van den Boogert, B. (2008) De vergankelijke wereld van Horst Janssen. Amsterdam : Museum Het Rembrandthuis
Bloom, S. (2004) Untamed. New York : Harry N. Abrams Inc.
Bosing, W. (2004) Bosch : The Complete Paintings. Cologne : Taschen GmbH
Brown, J. (2005) Unlikely. Marietta, Georgia : Top Shelf Productions
Crawford, A. (2001) Mario Giacomelli. London : Phaidon Press Limited
Cross, A. (1998) Asia City – The Photographers’ Gallery. London ; The Photographers’ Gallery and Asia HouseDiddle, M. (2010) Megan Diddle. London : My Dance The Skull
Dorling Kindersley (2009) Life In The Wild. London : Dorling Kindersley Limited
Dorling Kindersley (2010) The Natural History Book. London : Dorling Kindersley Limited
Elliot, B. (1971) Silk-screen Printing. London : Oxford University Press
Floris Books (2004) Swedish Folk Tales Illustrated by John Bauer. Edinburgh : Floris Books
Garner, A. (2005-7) Metal Gear Solid : Sons of Liberty (Issues 1-12). San Diego ; IDW PublishingGiger, H.R. (2001) HR Giger ARh+. Cologne : Taschen GmbH
Hayes, C. (2009) Gig Posters. Philadelphia, PA : Quirk Books
Hayes, C. (2011) Gig Posters Volume Two. Philadelphia, PA : Quirk Books
Hopkinson, A. (2001) Martin Chambi. London : Phaidon Press Limited
Khayyam, O. (c. 1930) The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. London : George G Harrap and Co. Limited
Lia, S. (2007) Fluffy. London : The Random House Group Limited
Marent, T. (2009) Butterfly : A Photographic Portrait. London : Dorling Kindersley Limited
Marent, T. (2009) Frog :The Amphibian World Revealed. London : Dorling Kindersley Limited
Mound, C. (1990) Eyewitness Guide : Insects. London : Dorling Kindersley Limited
Nishii, K. (2001) Daido Moriyama. London : Phaidon Press Limited
Oprisinko, K. (2004-5) Metal Gear Solid (Issues 1-12). San Diego : IDW Publishing
Peeters, F. (2001) Blue Pills – A Positive Love Story. London : The Random House Group Limited
Rivers, C. (2009) Best of Disc Art. Switzerland : RotovisionSacilotto, D., Saff, D. (1979) Screenprinting : History and Process. Holt, Rinehart and Winston
Strauss, W.L. (1972) The Complete Engravings, Etchings & Drypoints of Albrecht Durer. New York : Dover Publications, Inc.
Sussman, E. (2001) Lisette Model. London : Phaidon Press Limited
Thames and Hudson (2008) Photofile : Joel-Peter Witkin. New York : Thames and Hudson Limited
Thames and Hudson (2006) Photofile : Man Ray. New York : Thames and Hudson Limited
Thompson, C. (2003) Blankets. Marietta, Georgia : Top Shelf Productions
Thompson, C. (2006) Carnet de Voyage. Marietta, Georgia : Top Shelf Productions
Thompson, C. (2011) Habibi. London : Faber and Faber
Van Assche, C. (1992) Video et apres – La collection video du Musee national d’art moderne. Paris : Editions Carre
Ware, F.C. (2006) The ACME Novelty Library No. 17. Montreal : Drawn and Quaterly Books
Ware, F.C. (2007) The ACME Novelty Library No. 18, Montreal : Drawn and Quaterly Books
Ware, F.C. (2008) The ACME Novelty Library No. 19. Montreal : Drawn and Quaterly Books
Wood, A. (2009) 96+ Nudes. San Diego : IDW Publishing
Webography
Ablitt, D. (2011) www.danielablittgallery.co.uk
Aparicio, R. (2011) www.raquelissima.com
Banken, P. (2009) www.phillipbanken.blogspot.com
Baylay, K. (2011) www.katebaylay.com
Black, D. (2012) www.blackgraphic.net
Collins, P. (2010) www.theardorous.com
Devon, Z., Huggins, K. (2011) www.teeteringbulb.com
Diamond, A. (2012) www.society6.com/artist/Owlcore
Hische, J. (2012) www.jessicahische.is/awesome
Jones, Philias X. (2012) www.octophant.us
Kenn, J. (2012) www.johnkenn.blogspot.com
Kamerer, J. (2012) www.angryblue.com
Marynowsky, T. (2009) www.taramarynowsky.com
Moss, O. (2011) www.ollymoss.com
Mumford, D. (2011) www.dan-mumford.com
Pedley, B. (2012) www.brianpedley.com
Sawayanagi, H. (2009) www.roentgenwerke.com/04galleryartists/04sawayanagi_e/html
Weigel, J. (2012) www.immortalmortal.com
Whalen, T. (2012) www.strongstuff.net
(2012) www.theanimalarium.blogspot.co.uk
(2012) www.metastazis.com
Earlier this year I contacted John Purcell Papers (London), requesting offcuts and example sheets that they thought would be appropriate for use with printing and book making. They were extremely helpful and sent me a pack of 9 different sheets. Each was tested with a woodcut, brushpen and watercolours.
Zerkall Smooth 145gsm - Overall best, printed nicely, appropriate feel and weight
Somerset Book White 115gsm - Too much texture
Fabriano 5 160gsm Smooth - Nice weight and feel, perhaps use reverse side
Magnani Pescia Book 120gsm - Too white
Somerset Book Offwhite - …..
Zerkall ENE Special Special Making 150gsm - Nice weight, too smooth
Zerkall Smooth - Too floppy
Japon 130gsm - Too smooth
The Boy In The Oak, Jessica Albarn , 2010
Fiddly sketches alongside translucent overlay images help refine the imagery of nature, the trees layers and different creatures. And yes, she is Damon’s sister.
sadooskria replied to your photoset: Riceboy Sleeps, Jon “Jonsi” Thor Birgisson and…
oo where did you get this?
Dunno, ebay I think, it was a few years back, wouldn’t have paid much for it.
turquoiselizard replied to your photoset: (Click images for slideshow) As promised,…
i’d love to purchase one please reply if you have one to ship :)
Sure thing! Email me at joeward234@hotmail.co.uk and we can discuss prices :)
Riceboy Sleeps, Jon “Jonsi” Thor Birgisson and Alex Somers, 2006
A collaboration between Sigur Ros’ frontman and his boyfriend, this book contains highly textured, expressionist layered collage images that are exquisitely presented in a small hardback book, on high grade paper. Birgisson has also produced all of the band’s artwork to date, beautiful imagery that sails strong in a sea of cheap, disposable media.
Research - Little books are awesome. Hardback books are awesome. All of these are from my own collection, and are an influence on how I’d want my final piece to turn out, as a really high quality little book that draws the reader in and is an appealing item in itself. These photos are of an early 20th Century copy of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam (hardback, yellowed pages, intricate detailing) and Craig Thompson’s Habibi. No copyright infringement intended, these are purely used as examples.
