Dangerous Sloths Escape Safe Eggs

Hello internet friends

So, i've had a busy few weeks with poster jaunts to Aarau in Switzerland and then Chicago and Austin in the US. All were amazing and a big thanks to all the lovely people I met on my travels. You made this foolish man very happy.

The good news is that whilst on that trip I had three new posters released and made two new art prints. I might be lazy, but I still get things done.

First up for the new prints we have a collaboration with Jay Ryan called Sloth Comes To Visit, which is an 8 colour slice of joy born from our collective love of animals, sea slugs, small houses and oddness. I met Jay years ago at the opening of his first show in Manchester at the Richard Goodall Gallery along with many other of the current UK poster nerds including Graham Pilling and Drew Millward. If one man is to blame for us persuing this gig poster thing, it is most certainly Jay Ryan. To say it was an honour when Jay agreed to work with me on this is an understatement and the couple of days spent making this in Skokie were truly inspiring. The print can be bought from The Bird Machine site HERE for a mere $40 and there are a few process pics at the Bird Machine Facebook page HERE. Enough gushing, here's the print:

Second up we have my Andrew Bird poster. This was the poster for the mini Euro tour in support of the release of the new record (which is excellent, as you would expect from Mr. Bird) called 'Break It Yourself'...hence the smashed Faberge Egg. Plus he's called Bird you see...Bird's lay eggs...It's clever you see....no?....sorry. It's available from my online purchase hut HERE. Look at it with your vision orbs now:

Third up (bored yet?) we have the print I made based on an illustration for Mat Pringles zine project 'The Book One'. Titled The Escapist it's inspired by one of my favourite books, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, and shows a 1940's NYC skyline with the insignia of the comic creation from the book (called The Escapist hence the title) being beamed into the sky. Printed live at Flatstock 33 at SXSW by Andy MacDougall from Squeegeeville it's a rather splendid wee thing indeed and is available HERE:

Right then, finally we have the last two prints. FIM (International Federation of Musicians) commissioned me to make a set of prints based on the tag line 'Dangerous Bands In Safe Hands' with a sort of Propaganda type vibe about them. These are what I came up with. They are available as single prints HERE or a set HERE:

See the full gallery on Posterous

That's it for now. Frankly i'm exhausted so I'm off to read comics and eat biscuits. I'd ask you to join me but I only have a few biscuits left and I'm greedy. Goodbye all

Luke

 

Smoke On The Water

Hello people of the internet!

Amongst the slew of illustration and poster mania that was January, I also found time to finish off a few pieces of fine art work, all quite different in there execution but all with a similar tone. There will be more new work coming soon but for now have a peek and see what you can see see see:

'Gerharder' - pencil crayon on graph paper

'Deep Blue (Purple)' - paddling pool, mister, branch, paint, tinsel, wire and wishbone

See the full gallery on Posterous

Here's a short video of Deep Blue (Purple) working here:

'Dear John' - Book page & frame

'Rushed' - pipe cleaners, oasis and mirrored card

Ok, that's all for now

Poster Show-Off

Hello chums

All is going full-pelt up our way and we have a load of poster shows and a couple of new prints available to prove it. I don't know why i said 'we', it's just me here, and i'm cold and scared. But never mind that...

First up i can finally reveal my new poster for The Black Keys. Designed for the Edinburgh show on 4th March 2012, this is now available along with my recent comic influenced poster for The Local's 'SHHH' Festival, an all-day celebration of quiet music, art and film. Both can be bought at the online shop HERE.

Now for the upcoming shows. Over the next few months, as well as staring at my posters on mass on the compurenator on your desk, you will be able to go and look at them on mass in physically physical spaces where you can talk to other humans about why someone would bother. Where? I will tell you where:

1. Prints & Tunes, Aarau, Switzerland. The first of this years overseas jaunts will take me to the unfamiliar terrains of Switzerland. Looks like a great show, put together by the folks at Laborartix, alongside some wonderful poster fellows including friends Furturtle and Damien Tran. Come meet us all at the opening on 2nd March 2012. More information available HERE.

2. Flyposting, Leeds, UK. A poster show in the city where I began designing posters and taking place at The Gallery at Flannels, 68-78 Vicar Lane  Leeds, LS1 7JH from March 6th - May 6th 2012. Sadly I won't be there for the opening but there's a great selection of poster talent in the show including Mara Piccione, Jacknife and Nick Rhodes aka Switchopen.

3. Flatstock 33, SXSW, Austin TX, USA. Last but by no means least the UKPA will return to Flatstock at SXSW with some of the best in UK poster artists including Graham Pilling, Telegramme Studio, Cameron Steward aka Twoducksdisco and Scrawled Design. If you find yourself there, just follow the babbling British nonsense at it should lead you right to the UKPA booth. More info on the show exists HERE and on the UKPA HERE.

Finally in case you wondered what was rattling around in my head, the Crewkoos lot have put together a wee interview with me about my posters. If you have time to waste it lives in this bit of the internet HITHER.

That's it for now, better be off

best, Luke

Dangerous Bands In Safe Hands

Hello all

January has proved rather busy so far with five new screenprinted posters, an art print and other gubbins all going on at once. The latest to go off to the printers are this set of promotional posters for FIM - International Federation of Musicians (or Fédération Internationale des Musiciens in French hence FIM). These will be available at SXSW and also given out as postcards to encourage musicians to join their local musicans unions. Have a gander:

See the full gallery on Posterous

As the tag line 'Dangerous Bands In Safe Hands' suggests, FIM were interested in evoking a sort of propaganda/Home Front style poster. They wanted it bold and quick to read with a bit of humour in there for good measue. I've tried to blend a mix of Constructivist styles and the British wartime government warning posters and hope that comes across along with the message.

I will have copies of these available at Flatstock at SXSW as well as in my online shop mid March

Best

Luke

Shhh!

Hello all

2012 is upon us already and with the potential end-of-the-world firmly in sight we charge forward into its open jaws...or something like that.

Right the first of the years posts is here and its all about the next installment of the Local's excellent 'SHHH' events which will take place on Feb 4th at Gallery Cafe, London. 'SHHH' is an all day celebration of quiet music and for the first time alongside the great music, which includes the likes of Steven Adams, Anna Meredith, Tom Rogerson (Three Trapped Tigers) and many more, it will also feature a few bits and bats of art and film that relate to quietness curated by me. This will include audio-visual sculptures by Rita Evans, some improvised soundtracks to silent films and a screening of the first part of the new film about David Thomas Broughton. Exciting stuff indeed.

As if that weren't enough I have designed a new poster/print for the day which will be available at a special discounted price on the day alongside a host of other merch and goodies. Look at it now:

All in all it should be a great day so i suggest you go get yourself a ticket HERE 

More things soon

Merry Thirst For Piss-mas

Well, turns out that there is time for one last blog of 2011 afterall, this time with a more illustrative bent.

Couple of illustration things for you then. First off I have a new one colour tee for the excellent Vessels.

You should be able to grab it via their shop or when they are out and about on the road in January. On top of that Paste Magazine have decided my scribblings for the Helioscope album artwork are in the top 50 album covers of 2011. Slow year huh? Have a look at it and the others here.

I have also just completed the artwork for a great Harsh Noise record called 'Gift From God' by Pirtek and Impetuous Urge. It features a track called 'Thirst For Piss' so you know it must be good. It should be out as a digital download before Christmas so when I hear more i'll post a link up on the blog. Here it is:

Well that's it i think. Had thought about doing best of 2011 thin but I can't be bothered so you will have to just imagine it. Merry Christmas all, speak to you in 2012.

bye!

Luke

Shelve it!

Hello all,

There is a good chance this may be my final mind-gas of 2011 so soak it in, really bathe in it, let its calming rays penetrate straight to your core. Here we go!

First off, exhibition news. As well as the 38b show we are hosting this weekend here, i will also have one last small show in London before the year is finally put to bed. It is part of the Shelve project at LXV Books in Bethnal Green and will feature a few pieces of work made over the last few years inlcuding some of my Romance pieces and a couple of my lined and graph paper works like these fellas below:

See the full gallery on Posterous

To give you a bit of gubbins on Shelve, it's a collaborative project between LXV Books and Amber Ablett which exhibits art works on a shelf in the bookshop. Good stuff! There will be an opening do with drinks on 15th Dec from 5.30pm, then the show continues until the 21st. Facebook event and map thing HERE. Hope to see some of you there. 

Finally, here's a few peeks at some new works from the studio, again probably the last that will be completed in 2011. Some new works nearly there, ready for glaring at in 2012:

See the full gallery on Posterous

Goodbye interpeople!

Luke