Shinebright Wrapping Gallery

Commissioned by Outline Artists Lucy and Chrissie teamed up to print 40 metres of wrapping paper for Vitamin Water's Shinebright Pop-Up Wrapping Gallery.

10,000 Ways That Won't Work

Prototype-making workshop

For one day at the Paper Cut exhibition at The Proud Archivist, I challenged all budding inventors to create a prototype for an invention that doesn’t yet exist. What machine or device would improve the world, enhance your life, solve a problem or grant a wish?

A host of incredible prototypes were created including a Lost Toy Finder, an Aremac (reverse camera that turns photos into reality), two Money Making Machines, a mechanical Carrot Cut Machine and Happiness Button, the Time Stop device, a Tickling Machine (for burglars), the i-Fire-U splurge gun that seeks out its victims, The Cloud (time machine), a Mixella (device that combines two things into one) and a Party Robot (see above).

See more here.

Thanks to Nick White for all his amazing help and prototype technical know-how!

SAVE THE BEES!

We are part of a group show in London this month. SAVE THE BEES! Official Launch Exhibition at Forge & Co, 154-158 Shoreditch High Street,  London, E1 6HU. 18th - 21st Sept.

Artist confirmed include; Jessica Albarn, Sanna Annuka, Jody Barton, Kyle Bean, Rose Blake, Tom Ashton-Booth, Anthony Burrill, Stanley Donwood, Eternity Stew, Rachel Gale, Stevie Gee, Jonathan Gibbs, Robert Hunter, Hvass & Hannibal, James Jarvis, Jean Jullien, Angie Lewin, Essy May, Rop Van Mierlo, Edward Carvalho Monaghan, Al Murphy, Beatrix Ong, Peepshow Collective, Mike Perry, Katie Scott, Matt Sewell, Amy Shelton, Von, Charley Whinney & Kristjana S Williams.

Save the Bees is a new environmental campaign founded by beekeepers Barnes & Webb to protect the honey bee.

Tooled Up

From Top: Chrissie Macdonald x 3,  Jenny Bowers, Lucy Vigrass, Marie O'Connor, Miles Donovan, Spencer Wilson.

All photography by John Hooper

These are our contributions to 'Tooled Up' , curated by Art & Graft. The exhibition is open during the London Design Festival, with a late night opening as part of SDT on Tues 16th Sept until 21:00.

Mon - Fri: 11:00 - 18:30, Sat 12:00 - 18:00. More info here.

Art&Graft, G6 City Pavillion, 37 Cheshire Street, London, E2 6EA.

10,000 ways that won’t work

Prototype-making workshop with Chrissie Macdonald.

A prototype is a first or preliminary version of a device, machine or product from which other forms are developed.

Thomas Edison, co-inventor of the first commercially viable light bulb, is said to have developed thousands of prototypes in the process: ‘I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.’

Sam Born made history in 1916 with his machine that mechanically inserts sticks into lollipops, George de Mestral made it possible for me to put on my own trainers as a child when he invented Velcro in 1948, and my five-year-old nephew has big plans for the cuddling machine that will never let you go.

I challenge all budding inventors to create a paper prototype for an invention that doesn’t yet exist. What machine or device would improve the world, enhance your life, solve a problem or grant a wish?

Come along to Paper Cut: The Exhibition at The Proud Archivist this Sunday 14th Sept between 10am-4pm to accept my challenge, pick up some paper and see where it takes you!

Sign up for the workshop here.

Above: Boy Detection Device for enhancing life at Secondary School (for Girls).

Photography by Jess Bonham.

Paper Cut Talk

I'm one of eight artists from the Paper Cut exhibition talking about my work on Thursday 4th September at The Proud Archivist. The evening is from 6.30-9pm, and you can buy tickets for £5 here.

Paper Cut Exhibition Workshops

I'll be holding a workshop at Paper Cut: The Exhibition on Sunday 14th September at The Proud Archivist, so drop by between 10am-4pm to create a paper prototype of your own invention. You can sign up for it as well as other workshops taking place throughout the duration here.

Prototypes - Circa 1988-1993

Prototypes for enhancing life at Secondary School (for Girls) exhibited at Kids in the Halls! at the House of Illustration as part of their Housewarming season. 
Signature Forging Apparatus / Boy Detection Device / Instant Data Headset
Event curated by The Concept Lounge.
Photography by Jess Bonham.

Pick Me Up Graphic Arts Festival

I collaborated with Studio EMMI on the visual identity and three dimensional elements integrated throughout the exhibition space of this annual event at Somerset House celebrating contemporary graphic art, design and illustration.
More here. Photography by Jess Bonham.

Heavy Pencil at Pick Me Up, Somerset House.

On Thursday (1st) I will be drawing, DJing and playing live music at Pick Me Up Festival at Somerset House alongside lot's of other illustrators and folks. It’ll be streamed live on www.commsbureau.co.uk or you can come and watch live at Somerset House.

Secret 7" Revealed

For the third year running we created one-off 7" sleeves for Secret 7" sold in aid of War Child.

From the top: Chrissie Macdonald's sleeves for Roxy Music 'Virginia Plain' & Massive Attack 'Karmacoma', Andrew Rae's sleeves for T-Rex 'Get It On' & Roxy Music 'Virginia Plain', Miles Donovan's sleeve for T-Rex's 'Get It On', Spencer Wilson's sleeve for Jake Bugg 'Strange Creatures'.

Eyeballs Chinese New Year

It's an Eyeballs Chinese New Year. With Live Music from "Owen and the Eyeballs" and "Verner" and DJ's Jimmylazers, Ben Newman and Miles Donovan playing an eclectic mix of music to Freak out to. Friday 31st Jan, 8 till 2 at Powerlunches, 446 Kingsland Rd, E8 4AE, £3 Entry.

The Grand Kind Haiyan Print Auction

We are one of many illustrators and designers who have donated artworks to The Grand Kind Haiyan Print Auction organised by Grand Neue

Bid here, here & here

Grand Kind Haiyan Print Auction is a charity auction organised by Grand Neue that aims to raise funds for the Disaster Emergency Committee in support of their current relief efforts in the Philippines.

L is for Lauch party

For anybody wishing to travel to the surburban parenting paradise of Berkhamsted (that's outside London) I'll be doing a book signing with Joel on the 30th of November - 3.30pm til 6pm. We'll be upstairs at a lovely cafe (nr the train station) called HERE . All are welcome - Hummus will be served.

Gig in London "The Nightmare before Bedtime"

My band has a gig: 
Special bedtime stories from comedian Phil Kay, live music from Owen and the Eyeballs and The No Daddy Don'ts and DJ sets from Now Owl and Discobits. Also Pillow Fights.
Free Entry.

Heavy Pencil

Heavy Pencil at Pick Me Up, Somerset House, WC2R 1LA. Thursday 25th April, 6pm - 10pm.

Live Music from The Dead Pirates and Owen & The Eyeballs

Live Art: Special Guests Mike Perry & Josh Cochran, Andrew Rae, Jim Stoten, Nick White, Owen Gildersleeve, McBess, Anna Lomax, Jess Bonham, Chrissie Macdonald and Luke Best.

DJ's: Miles Donovan & Disco Bits

Tickets here.

Secret 7" Revealed

From top: Andrew Rae - Elton John/Bennie & The Jets X 2, Miles Donovan - Nas/The Don, Spencer Wilson - Laura Marling/The Beast, Lucy Vigrass - Public Enemy/Harder Than You Think, Jenny Bowers - Elton John/Bennie & The Jets, Chrissie Macdonald - Elton John/Bennie & The Jets, Luke Best - Haim/Better Off X 3

Secret 7"

For the 2nd year running we have designed a series of one-off  7"sleeves for Secret 7" which are being sold in aid of Art Against Knives. Nas, Public Enemy, Elton John and Nick Drake are just some of the recording artists involved this year.

An exhibition of the sleeves at Mother, 10 Redchurch Street, London E2 7DD opens on the weekend of April 13/14th, 10am - 6pm. The following weekend (on Record Store Day) April 20th, they will be available to purchase through to close on Sunday.

The Private view on Thursday 11th April will see a special 'Heavy Pencil' event with djs and live art from Andrew Rae, Pete Fowler, Jim Stoten and more.

Heavy Pencil Returns

'Heavy Pencil' returns to Pick Me Up at Somerset House on Thurs April 25th, 6pm-10pm. More here.

The Big Egg Hunt

Yesterday was the launch of this years 'The Big Egg Hunt', an event to raise money and awareness for the charity  Action For Children. All The eggs are on display in Covent Garden until the 17th of February before touring the country. Check the dates here.