The Artist's Book and the Art of Binding

The BA (Hons) Graphic Design staff and students hosted a bookbinding workshop recently. The session was facilitated by Lucy Wilson an illustrator and designer working in Manchester. Lucy was keen to emphasise the benefits of being able to bind books, showing us a few pieces of her own work. The benefit of being introduced to the potential of bookbinding techniques was evident straight away, particularly for design work and for personal projects.

Lucy demonstrated a range of basic techniques which included folding several sheets of paper, which would then be sewn together. All the tools the students used to make the book could easily be found at home, further showing how easy it is to make your own books. The technique was a bit tricky at first but after sewing a couple of sheets together I was able to get the hang of it fairly easily. It took a while to sew the book together but it didn't matter at all, as it was a fun task. I had however have to be patient and really concentrate. Despite this the students really enjoyed the process and found it a therapeutic exercise.

The workshop was really useful. The students really love making things and we were glad to have the chance to learn a new skill especially one so valuable. There is also the sense of pride to be gained from making something yourself. Lucy Brown, the course leader for Graphic Design said, "there is something truly beautiful about a handmade item as it is more personal. we have already made another book, and we are eager to learn more techniques and further my knowledge of bookbinding".

Sophie Châtellier Studio Visit

My name is Sophie Châtellier and I am a student in graphic design at the London College of Communication, currently studying for a Diploma in Professional Studies during my third of four years on the course. Last Friday I was invited by Lucy Brown, Pathway Leader for Graphic Design, to hold a workshop with second year Illustration students. I was really looking forward to it and also pretty excited, as this was my first time holding a typography workshop. The idea was to create typography from scratch, following a simple, yet very opulent, effective way of building up a project concept.

The workshop was divided in three parts, fairly dispersed in half a day. During the first part, which lasted one hour, the students were set mini-workshop of five minutes. They were given words and had five minutes to creatively respond to them, in any way they preferred. After one intense hour, all put their results on the wall, which became the images and ideas-filled library which the students could use to inspire their personal type design. When everyone had designed their alphabet, they were asked to use it and put it in a context.

In the end, what mattered was not the finished design. What mattered was the process of putting together a really vast, ecclectic and spontaneous base from which everyone could pick, combine and use different elements, in order to create something new and personal. It was a great experience for me- and hopefully for the students as well- if everyone enjoyed it half as much as me, I am already really happy! 

Graduate wins Ad of the Week - The Chip Shop Awards

Congratulations to Jon Massey, a recent graduate of the BA (Hons) Design & Visual Arts programme, pathway in Graphic Design has won the Ad of the week for his Ads to stop childhood obesity will now be put forward for the chip shop awards to be announce in March. 

The Chip Shop Awards are an international creative awards scheme with no limits or rules - it's all about ideas. The work need not have run and the creator need not work for the client.

"To me The Chip Shops is about raw talent. The other award schemes reward craft, and finished thinking, but the Chip Shops is the only showcase for the original concept...
John Jessup, Creative Director at Leo Burnett | Judge 2009-2012

for more information: 
http://www.chipshopawards.com/entries/4095//

Big Saturday ‘Bug Art’ Event at Manchester Museum

Students from the illustration pathway on the BA (Hons) Design & Visual Arts course were recently involved in yet another successful collaboration with Manchester Museum. The event, ‘Bug Art’ was the culmination of a 4-week project. The students had responded wonderfully, producing a range of games, animations, posters, sculptures, mobiles, models, puzzles, badges and activity packs. On Saturday the 28^th January students and staff from the illustration pathway met at the museum to set up for the event.
One important aspect of the museum’s work is to engage with children and help stimulate interest in the world around them. 

The aim of this event was to encourage children look at all manner of bugs, both from the museum collections and through the illustration work created by our students.  Everyone commented on the great spirit and fantastic work ethic displayed by all the students throughout the six hour event, which included working with children with stop fame animation workshops, badge making, mask making, games, face painting and access to rare insect specimens.

The students showed ingenuity, patience, entrepreneurial and people skills whilst engaging with members of public of all ages and backgrounds with curtsey and good humour. Students from the Foundation Degree in Commercial Photography and TV Production recorded the event. For future events at Manchester Museum, which include students from Stockport College go to:

http://www.museum.manchester.ac.uk/whatson/

Paper maskmaking icebreaker

Finding the FT a bit depressing? Then why not make a paper mask with it?

Design & Visual Arts students start the cross-pathway project this week. The emphasis of the module is for all pathways to work on projects together,  sharing their subject specific knowledge and skills with other design students. The multi-disciplinary outcomes are open ended and experimental and emphasis is placed on play. In fact play has never been so serious.

Study Trip to Krakow

This year’s residential to Krakow in Poland was both emotional and inspiring. The Polish hybrid tradition of art and crafts and of art and design was evident in all our visits to galleries and museums throughout the city. The Ethnographic Museum was particularly informative showing how these regional folk traditions have manifested themselves in their contemporary image making particularly in the classic poster design school.

A large group of our students took the opportunity to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau about 40 minutes from Krakow. The scheduled visit was very difficult and emotionally challenging for staff and students alike dealing as it does with the carnage and devastation inflicted by the Third Reich. 

Photography students were encouraged to make work whilst in Poland responding to the new environment and discussing how this can change approaches and inform new ideas and opinions. They also spent time with Polish photography tutors and students. Dr Jerzy Gawel a director at the Krakowskie Szkoly Artystczne organized an interesting day culminating in an invite to the final years students graduation show.

Design students spent a day at the The Jan Matejko Academy of Fine Arts, or Kraków Academy of Fine Arts where Rector, Professor Adam Wsiołkowski made them most welcome. A film was shown outlining the philosophy of the Academy and a tour of the facilities by Joanna Kaiseer-Plaskowska, Professor of Graphic Design was most enlightening. Discussions are now underway exploring the potential for student exchange through the Erasmus programme. The potential for staff mobilities is another possible option.

Further meetings with artists and designers resident in Krakow took place including visits to Studio Bomba a multidisciplinary Design company and Karol Gadzala a typographic illustrator.

Students from the Foundation Degree in Television Production worked alongside their Polish counterparts from the Jagiellonian University to realise six short documentary pieces. Filming abroad proved a particularly challenging experience - but with such expert collaborators it was made easier as we were given easy filming access to Oscar Schindler's factory, museums and art galleries throughout Krakow - as well as being schooled in the fundamentals of Polish cuisine!

Lord Whitney Visit

On 21st November, Lord Whitney gave a lecture to the BA (Hons) Design and Visual Arts students. Lord Whitney is a partnership made up of Amy Lord and Rebekah Whitney. In their own words, they are 'inspired by the nonsensical, humorous and the everyday'. The describe themselves as 3D illustrators who utilise photography, prop making and set design in their work. They often work to scale creating life size installations.

They presented their work from the perspective of two practitioners who have made the transition from students to professionals. All too often students are exposed to highly finished work without being made aware of the experimentation that preceded it and all the bits that go wrong. Lord Whitney were engaging, entertaining, honest and humble about their journey into what they can now call a 'job'. What was most impressive was their incredible resourcefulness, creativity and relentless pursuit of what they believe in; fantastic role models for our students.

Alamy Stock Photo agency visit the School of Arts, Design & Media

Emily Hoskins from Alamy Stock agency, Oxford visited the college recently to give a presentation to  the Foundation Degree Commercial Photography students about producing photographs for the stock industry and to introduce their new student 100% royalties campaign.

Emily began by explaining that stock photography is responsible for over half of the money made through commercial photography today. Images that are used in newspapers, magazines; ad campaigns etc were largely sourced from stock agencies. Customers sometimes choose to use images from stock agencies to save shooting original material themselves. It can be cost effective, saves time and the resources are limitless.

The students participated in discussing what were the differences and issues between rights managed and royalty free images. Emily explained why they were in a unique position to submit images that did not fit the stereotypical images that were in expected in stock libraries and clients were asking for new styles all the time.  

The foundation students were invited to submit images to the agency

                 

The Raw Material

‘The Raw Material’ is an event organized and publicized for the BA (Hons) Design & Visual Arts pathway in Graphic Design course by three third year students Sarah, Laura and Tomm. The aim of the event is to help introduce second and third year students to the reality of graduating from the course in the summer and the challenges of finding a job within the Graphic Design industry.

Graduates of Stockport College have been asked to come and share their stories/journeys and provide advice to current students. It is an opportunity for students to ask questions, find out the highs, the lows ... and possibly the ugly, of the graphic design job hunt. Each graduate will give a brief presentation of what they have been up to. Then in small groups initiate an informal chat and discussion with the third year students. There will also be food and drink to add to the relaxed atmosphere for an evening of honesty; and who knows, possibly help make contacts within the industry as friends.

Stockport College thrives on getting students out into the industry and making connections, so what better of a way to do it than getting the students themselves to organize the event and ask graduates of the College to come and give something back.

Design students respond to the written word

Work from first year BA (Hons) Design & Visual Arts students is now on show on 4^th floor Reuel Harrison. The exhibition which responds to two twentieth century seminal texts, marks a breakthrough in how design students engage with writing and interpret the written word visually. It is a progressive step to promoting the influence of writing as an essential part of critical design practice.
Olga  Borisova's response (top left) demonstrated a highly creative response which conveyed both the complexity of the text and its flow and rhythm.