Tim Walker

I think Tim Walkers art direction in his photography is just amazing! The images all have a delicate fairy tale quality that makes the clothing advertised look even more beautiful and delicate. Some of his intriguing work can be seen at the design museum at the moment.

Matt Collis

minoita x700s 18mm wide angle

puerto plata, dominican repunlic

cross processed portrait

at home

I love the juxtposition of the distinguised gentleman reading the kids comic, 

(and that I know for a fact it WASN'T staged!)

holga tunnel vision lens

san sabastien, spain

agfa clack 2.5hr exposure (cost £1, older than a colour tv)

in the alpajuras 

One of the reasons I am so inspired by this guys work is because he's my brother, and he now gets paid for doing something he truly loves...taking photographs. However, I realise it's still important to be analytical about his work. I feel one of the reasons the imagery is so striking is the experimentation with different lens and cameras. The photos have an honesty to them that lacks pretension. This may be as many of the images are the capturing of memories/places/people as and when they happen! This ability to always be ready to record something inspiring and visually interesting is something we should probably all take away from this post! I know I should! The diversity of style and subject matter displays the ability to have confidence in trying something new!

have a look at the website

David Callow

I love the mixture of mediums used by British designer David Callow in his illustrations. The collage effect runs through his work, mixing pencil sketches with coloured card pieces to create striking contrasts.I hadn't realised a technique as simple as this could have such impact...defiantly worth remembering. The collage look gives all of his work an inspiring element of depth which is evident in all of his illustrations even though visually they are quite different. 

His website is equally as well designed!

Nate Williams

Was recently introduced to Nate Williams work when I saw his illustrations on someone elses blog, the hand drawn doodley style reminded me of an earlier post of mine on Linzie Hunter. Williams' images show a darker side to this style of illustration through the use of colour perhaps representative of his South America background as opposed to Hunters bright hues. 

Graham Rawle 'The Wizard of Oz'

To be released next month 'The Wizard of Oz' by Graham Rawle is the coolest thing I have seen for a long time! I can't wait to see it for real! He has taken his interpretation of the story and made it into an illustrated book. A fantasy world is created from the use of colour and imagination with these quirky collaged scenes true to original book, interestingly perhaps even more so than the 1939 film! Questions are answered such as why is the tin man tin? and characters are included from the book such as dainty china and the hammer heads that weren't included in the film. This new interpretation of the story has such a strong visual presence that you will never think of the Wizard of Oz in the same way again! The collaged effect gives the impression of layers making the story have depth and levels. It's so unusual..I love it!

check his other work out

King of Hype

NOT A HIRST

image from the art of quiting

My Neighbours atrocity

The Abyss

fetched just under £1.8million

The Golden Calf (18carat gold hooves/horns)

fetched £10.3million

Damien Hirst has made history with a 2day auction (ending yesterday) selling his work that has just raised a record £111million - the highest grossing sale dedicated to one artist. 

One bidder stated  "The hype around him breeds more hype. I think almost the fact that he can produce this work so fast, and on such a scale makes them valuable."  Surely this is saying people are only paying these crazy prices for these pieces because they feel they should because a) they have the money and b) they want to tell their friends they've got a Damien Hirst golden calf in a box in their living room. I personally don't really see the difference in quality between Abyss and one of the pictured ad's from the art of quitting website on the graphics blog! 

At the beginning of a week where a massive chunk of the U.S banking system folded you would think we have better things to spend our money on!

Trompe l'oeil Violin

Trompe l'oeil Violin

C1723 Jan Van der Vaart

When visiting Chatsworth House recently I couldn't believe it when I came across another visual trickery style painting like the Parisian house i posted about previously. The violin depicted here is not real! It was interesting how culture still views this style of painting as enticing as those of years gone by. In essence....our imagination today, in such a technologically advanced world is still captured by the same visual tricks that have been experimented with for years! To find 2 images to compare, one so modern and one dating back to the 18th century within days of each other was really fascinating.

Oh! Deer

Congeries

Oh! Deer

East

Verity Keniger has just graduated from the University of Brighton with a BA(hons) in graphic design. I am really inspired by her work! I feel she has such a great talent! I was drawn to her work as it is so different from the style of graphics that I tend to stick to! It has shown me a successful example of how diverse you can be, as her works are all different yet have a 'Kenigeresque' style! I definitely think it is worth keeping up to date with her work!

Interested?

Going underground

Cornelia Parker

Liam Gillick (Turner Prize shortlisted)

Mark Wallinger (Turner Prize Winner)

London Underground commissioned various creatives to produce a series of art works to be used across the tube network.

All of these cool images are inspired  the network itself....for example Cornelia Parkers abstract lines represent the various tube lines and so the colours used are true to colours of the lines on the map. 

Linzie Hunter

Linzie Hunter is a London based illustrator, her quirky and fun approach to illustration caught my eye! I was attracted to her work by the imaginative use of bright colours used to create a trademark signature style evident throughout all of her work!  Recently she posted scans on Flickr of a collection of her unique hand lettering displaying a unique fun approach to typography.  "I have a stupidly large felt tip pen collection in more colours, weights and nibs than I'll probably ever need!" (Hunter)

Her website

Flickr