Back from print…

It’s been so hectic recently due to the current Uckfield Art Trail (I’m an exhibiting photographer, an AT committee member and the AT designer) that I haven’t had much extrta time but now that it is coming to an end I have some time to post up images of my latest design work, which has come back from print during the last month or so.

The following are images of the leaflets that I designed for INGO African Prisons Project…

Front covers of APP leaflets complete with new logo

and images of the Art Trail promotional material…

 

I have been really pleased with how all of these designs have turned out, both in terms of my design layouts and the actual quality of the finished printed pieces. I have also had some very positive feedback from both the staff at APP and members of the Art Trail. Here’s to more successful design projects!

The only way forward…

Attending the UCA reunion...

I think the best place to start is with the UCA Graphic Design and Illustration reunion. It was held at the ‘Jerwood Space‘ in London last February. I have to admit I was keen to see everyone again but at the same time slightly nervous… I imagined that some of the evening would be spent hearing about how everyone’s careers had progressed further than mine. It’s daft thinking back, I know that if I work hard enough and keep at it, that eventually it will pay off and I shall achieve my goal – working as a full-time graphic designer, being paid for doing something I love. But at the time things had gone quiet and I was wondering again whether I would ever progress.

I shouldn’t have been nervous, in the end I went and  took the attitude of (excuse my french) ‘**** it, I shall go along and see what happens, might be a pleasant surprise’. And I was right. Although there was only me and one other guy from my course, there was a mass of people, other design and illustration graduates from years gone by, who were in my eyes proof that you can graduate from UCA and get a job in design. Whilst sipping at my wine, and snacking on the canapés I made my way round alumni practicing my networking skills (very important skill to learn), talking to the older alumni about how they managed to get on in the design world. By the end of the evening my faith had been restored, and I had picked up good advice which included the usual ‘just keep persevering’, and I really do believe that they are right. From now on whenever I have doubts as to how my career is growing I just have to remember that room full of successful alumni designers, those that have made it!

Since that evening things have really been on the up, and it’s been wonderful. Life has in some way gone and proved that point that perseverance and sheer determination is the way forward. After the UCA reunion, the owner of the small company that I work for (whilst my design career picks up speed) asked me to do a signage design for a one-off fast food business called ‘Chooky’s’ that he is project managing. It was perhaps one of the more professional briefs I had worked on at the time and I think it turned out really well. The signage hasn’t been produced yet but I can’t wait to get a photograph of it when it is. Since then I have had a steady stream of design briefs to do, all unpaid I add but it’s been great experience and will go towards refreshing my portfolio.

3D Illustration of 'Chooky's' signage design

Alternative design ideas for 'Chooky's'

My recent design projects have included the signage design for ‘Chooky’s', designs for a logo, and two leaflet designs for an international NGO (The African Prisons Project) and most recently, designs for a flier and brochure for my local art festival (The Uckfield Art Trail). I am still amazed at how much work has come my way and hope it will continue.

   

Logo design for the 'African Prisons Project'

Main leaflet design for APP

Leaflet design for 'Friends of APP' scheme

Design for 'Art Trail' flier

I hope that in years to come I will attending another UCA reunion where I am the experienced, successful designer giving advice to new alumni – the way forward is to keep persevering and eventually you will get there!

Exhibitions… (part2)

Continuing on from my last post (…finally… I know…), after ‘The/Re:generation’ I went on to exhibit work in a further 3 exhibitions: the ‘Uckfield Art Trail’, the ‘Art and Photography Exhibition’, also in Uckfield (another local exhibition of art and photography, which like ‘The/Re:generation’ took over an empty shop space),  and the ‘Art Uniting People’ exhibition, which took place at County Hall in Maidstone.

The Uckfield Art Trail was the the next big exhibition that I took part in after the ‘The/Re:Generation’, as I was on the committee and helped organise the distribution of promotional material, as well as hanging the artwork that you see in these photographs below and showing interested people around, whilst sitting in on the exhibition.

“…The book and the accompanying photographs are the result of my exploration and experimentation with blindness and creativity:

“ As a creative individual I wanted to see how not being able to see would affect my ability to be creative.” …”

My 'Walking in the dark' pieces displayed during the Uckfield Art Trail 2010

'Walking in the dark' artist book, artist bio and a selection of postcards for sale...

Close up of artist book and artist bio...

View of the artwork displayed in the Uckfield Framing Co. Gallery...

These following photographs are images from smaller exhibitions that I also took part in during 2010…

'Walking in the dark' pieces on display at the 'Bell Walk Art and Photography' exhibition...

'Wellbeing amongst the Leaves' hung at the 'Art Uniting People' exhibition in Maidstone...

“‘Art Uniting People’ …promote the talents of artists around Kent, including professionals, amateurs and those with mental health and physical disabilities.” Art Uniting People website, 2010.

Looking back over these various exhibitions I think I, and many others had a very good, fun year and I hope 2011 brings some more of the same…

Exhibitions… (part 1)

This has been a long time in the making, I know, but the much awaited post on what I have been getting up to is finally here…

Since my last post, when I was posting up my designs for the Maidstone ‘The/Re: Generation’ exhibition and preparing my book for display, I have since taken part in a further three exhibitions. As I feel there is much to mention I shall try to break it down into manageable, bite size entries for everyone…starting with ‘The/Re:Generation’…

This was a successful exhibition, in which I think we all had a great amount of fun, learnt some things and enjoyed the feeling of satisfaction when it finally came to the Opening Night.

Before I get to the delights of the Opening Night however, there was 4 days spent preparing the space, which proved to be tiring and frustrating at times, but overall, an enjoyable, fun experience. After helping to clear and paint the space, came the hanging of the artwork. Jennifer, our friend and curator had already put months of preparation into what artwork to include and roughly where to hang it, but still it took us some time to get things just right, especially because Jennifer had lost her voice and had resorted to pointing and writing things down on paper so we could understand what she wanted us to do. It also didn’t help when we discovered that the spirit level we were using, wasn’t level (go figure), so it took us 4 attempts to hang one piece. After a few days, we  could see that it was coming together nicely and eventually when we had finished, we were able to stop, look around and take in what we had achieved. Jennifer was particularly happy at what we had managed to do, taking the idea of collaborating to set up an exhibition and making it a reality.

Opening Night was great fun, and I think we all enjoyed ourselves, as did our guests, who came and looked at the artwork whilst sipping wine. I spent the evening mingling with people, discussing the artwork (which is always enjoyable), and taking plenty of photographs. I also had fun trying to explain to people why I had decided to take photographs whilst blindfolded, which made for an interesting conversation and I finally found the courage to go talk to Jim Moir (a.k.a Vic Reeves), one of our celebrity artists. I must say he was not quite what I expected but still was great to meet him and ask him about his artwork.

Photographs from Opening Night (click to enlarge):

A view inside the 'The/Re:Generation

Jenns (Jennifer Price) print entitled 'Vauxhall Blue'

My book 'Walking in the dark'

People at 'The/Re:Generation

A selection of work on display...

And some more...

More people looking around...

And a few more...

Overall I think that ‘The/Re:Generation’ was a great success… we had lots of positive comments and interested people and we sold a fair amount of artwork, which I think is good evidence of how well we did. I think everyone is looking forward to another ‘Re:Generation’, which I am sure there will be, and I look forward to the opportunity of taking part in the next one!

So that I don’t give everyone tired eyes from over-reading, I shall conclude the details of my later exhibitions in my next post…

My first Blurb produced book…

Hey everyone, just wanted to announce the good news that my book ‘Walking in the dark’ is now available to order on Blurb:

Walking in the…

By Natalie Banton

Book Preview

I have to admit that it has been a busy/crazy/ mildly stressful couple of weeks whist I have been putting the book together, but now I am rewarded with the satisfaction that something that I created, is now available for all to see and enjoy.

A copy of my book which I have just ordered, will be on view at ‘ The/Re:Generation’ exhibition in Maidstone from the 18th – 27th March, and copies can be ordered online from Blurb, for those of you who would like their own copy.

My work in the latest edition of ‘In and about Kent’

My design in 'In and about Kent'

Creativepool competition entry…

My entry for the Creativepool competition

As part of my continuing effort to update my portfolio, something which I feel is important at the moment while I am looking for work, I entered the ‘Creativepool 60,000 members’ competition. They wanted something visually stimulating, that celebrated the fact that they have recently reached 60,000 members. My entry had to include the wording ’60,000 members’, the CP logo and the website address (to attract other creative individuals). I took inspiration from the idea of a celebration and originally drew up a design based on a popping champagne bottle cork, but after reworking it a few times, I still wasn’t happy with it, and after a flash of inspiration a few days later, I drew up a rough version of the above design based on exploding fireworks. In my opinion its works a lot better and is more visually stimulating than my previous design.

My latest work…

While I continue to look for work, I felt it was important to stay busy and keep my design skills fresh, so I took on a couple of design projects to keep myself out of trouble. The first project I started work on, was to design a simple logo for a friend of mine who is starting up his own business. His business will produce ‘decals’, (transfers) for model aeroplanes, which he loves to construct and so we discussed a theme inspired by the Spitfire plane, one of his favourites. Below is one of the outcomes of my design process using Adobe Illustrator:

Logo design for OH models

I have also been responsible for designing the promotional material for an up and coming local exhibition in Maidstone named ‘The/Re:Generation. I was asked by my friend, who is the exhibition organiser and curator, to come up with designs for an A3 poster, an A4 poster and an A6 double sided postcard.

A3 poster design for exhibition

A6 postcard design for exhibition

I am really happy with how these designs turned out, as is my friend, the curator. The posters and postcards are currently being distributed across Kent and parts of Sussex to advertise the event. As well as designing the promotional material for the exhibition, I will also be exhibiting and selling some of my photography and one of my books, so it is going to be an exciting month for me as a designer and artist and I can’t wait.

All images and designs © Natalie Banton 2010

One of my poster designs on the web…

Recently I designed a series of exhibition posters for a friend of mine, who is organising an exhibition in Maidstone called ‘The/Re:generation’ and as part of publicising the event one of my poster designs is now posted on Media Tree:

My exhibition poster design on www.mediatree.org.uk

http://www.mediatree.org.uk/news-and-events/event/the-art-of-recession-the-regeneration-exhibition-maidstone/

Happy New Year Everyone!!

I would like to wish everybody a very Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year!