Louise Vormittag

Louise Vormittag is part of a group of designers called 'Container plus' they are a team of three and combine illustration with set design. She studied illustration and originally wanted to go it alone, she was a mature student but was lucky enough to find a friend who worked in the same way. When she graduated her and Nicola decided to collaborate. through practice they developed a way in which they could work in sync with each other really well. She says one of the reasons they work together so well is because they have the same level of commitment.

Over time they had become more interested in photography and set design. Their work was evolving from the line drawings they started out with. for example one their first commissions the selfriges shop window design. One of the reasons they was changing their work is so it would be more difficult to imitate their individual style. Their team over time grew from two to five, they took on two photographers and a set designer. They worked together for a year but then discovered things wernt working out. the chemistry wasn't right between the five of them and eventually the two photographers left the group. leaving two illustrators and a set designer. She explained how on big commission they hire assistants to help out with the work for example (cutting out shapes from paper) 

They have a huge list of impressive clients including Top Shop, MTV, SONY, diesel and Blossom Hill

Comparing two practitioners

Compare and contrast the process and practices of your two chosen practitioners, to what extents are they defined by the external rigours of the market place/ industry they operate in? upon this analysis what lessons could be applied to your own practice?

I have chosen to compare Otto and Gillian Blease. I have contact both of them and they have both gave quite detailed descriptions of their practices and studies. I will start by revealing both illustrators education and how they set about their careers, Il give insight into the way in which they found their style of working. I will then compare their influences and inspirations and finally conclude with how both their work differs in looks.

Gillian Blease studied fine art so it was as if she started her illustration from scratch, Otto started working freelance after completing his BA and then after graduating from his Screenprinting MA started to promote his screenprints. he met up with many art directors of magazines and sent out small hand printed objects, similarly Gillian Blease sent out home made post cards which lead to phone calls and maybe visit were she could show her portfolio. 

I asked both illustrators if they have always worked in the style as they do now and how they iniciated the sytle they work in currently. Interestingly Otto tried afew things from painting to drawing comics and charicetures. He said the problem was they all had limits of were the technique could go for him, he also experimented with collage which he found more versatile and better to express his ideas in all kinds of briefs. He then turned his hand to screen printing were he says "screen printing, which not only was 

handy for reproducing multiples (cheaply), but also is a great way of 

making images. The layering of few colours is a limitation, but at 

the same time seemed to go well with the way I was thinking about 

briefs. In addition it allowed me to make Artists Books with 

narratives and sequential imagery."

Gillian has always worked with flat imagery which over the years grew to her making these 'flat images' into clever patterns. Gillian told me "At first I was split between different ways of working. I decided to make a choice and follow one route to start off with which was  the flat simple graphics I still do. In recent years this has developed and I now incorporate pattern and texture" .She says she works with metaphors, as does Otto. both illustrators use found imagery in their illustrations.

Otto is influenced by illustrators such as Andrej Klimovski, 

Paul Cox (the french one), Jeffrey Fisher, Luba Lukova, and older 

ones like Gerd Arntz, Cieslevisz, and then way back the Russian ones 

Rodchenko, Mayakovski, Klutsis. he loves painting and film art, were as GillianBlease is inspired by Paul Rand, Hans Schleger and Abram Games and also likes the work of Andy Warhol, Peter Doig and Terry Frost. she enjoys looking at logos andchildren's illustrations, vintage imagery and she adores Japanese culture both modern and traditional, she is even inspired by road signs. Judging by there inspirations we can tell Gillian Blease has more social influences than Otto.

I think the work of both Gillian Blease and Otto has similarities. They seem to work in the same way, they use crisp clear shapes and bold colours. Although I found that Gillian Blease uses softer colour, more pleasing to the eye and Otto uses brighter colours lots of bold green in his wok. Iv also found Otto uses the human form quite a lot in his illustrations were as Gillians work is more organic, she uses things like friuts and plants. Also looking at both their work you can see Ottos makes more of a statement, this is evidant as he works for The Gardian so in most cases he will be given an issue and have to show this in his own style of working. On the other hand Gillian Bleases is work is more pleasing to look at as her work is a lot more calm and in comparisoin, nutral. Her illustarions are mainly used for greeting cards and such likes. The differences is that Gillians work is more pattern orientated. I think Ottos editorial work is really impressive. Otto seems to use outlines more often within his work, his work is more harsh and he uses point of perspective really cleverly were as Gillian Bleases work seems to be more concentrated on the coulers. They have both been educated differently as Gillian Blease studied fine art  and Otto has a background of graphic design and went on to specalise in screen printing.

To conclude I couldn't really choose a favourite between Otto and Gillian Bleases Illustartions. They are both brilliant Illustartors and I really appreciate the help they have both given me by replying to my e mails and answering my questions, by doing so they have helped me to make comparisons and diffences in their practices and the way in which they both work.

Incase you didn't know the top image is one of Gillian Bleases and the the second is an examples of Ottos. 

Gillian Blease

Gillian Blease Studied at MMU where she completed a foundation course, she then went on to do a Fine art course at Newcastle. she was hugely influenced by Terry frost. she became interested in symbolism when she went to London, she traveled to japan where she became more and more interested in shape design.

she worked at ATME when she returned by to England although she didn't enjoy it very much. she found it hard to be creative. She went on to build up a strong portfolio of which she got jobs from.

At a later date she produced work for the food section in the Guardian, she then got a weekly job.

In her spare time she draws patterns and now works for a card company.

Damian Gascoigne

Damian Gascoigne is an Illustrator / Filmmaker who has been working for 25 years. He loves to observe and he will use anything around him as inspiration [people, animals, interesting marks and drawings] He is constantly taking photographs of his influences. A large amount of his inspirations to his work comes from his surrounding. He See's himself as a 'bit of a snoop' as if he's senses something interesting around he will creep around to experience it and then maybe go on to use it in is illustration.

I myself would not work in the same way as Damian Gascoigne as I'm not particularly interested in making moving images, however I do think we have have the same way of taking influence as I also love to observe those around me.

Tal Rosner

Tal Rosner is an Artist / Filmmaker. After completing his degree, he went on to design posters, after three years he moved on to moving image were he felt he had more possibilities.

Hes presented his work across the world from Disney hall in Los Angeles, Royal festival Hall and Channel 4 sequence 'skins' [British youth drama] of which he designed logo's tittles, bumpers and more and he went on to win a BAFTA award for.

'I designed a mischievous, speedy collage of characters and unpredictable features of Bristol, the city where the plot is set. Each of the 9 episodes’ title sequence received a different ending, highlighting the particular character or characters to be the focus of that episode. '

Otto

Otto has been working as a freelance illustrator since 1991 and mainly works with clients in editorial but also advertising and book publishing. He likes to produce a choice of roughs before deciding on a final artwork, he says a piece can take between up to 3 hours  or several weeks. He talked to us about how advertisements in newspapers can take attention of his illustrations and he showed us some of his books and told us the stories behind the pictures. He had been using an old coloured photocopier to get the effects he wanted at the time.

He was born in Germany but studied graphic design in Bristol and illustration and screen printing MA in London. he takes a lot of his inspiration from German and Polish posters, film posters, sci fi and horror. I really like his style of working and his illustrations are really outstanding. His website is really good and displays all his illustration work, past and present.

http://www.ottoillustration.com/

Tracy Kendall

A lot of Tracy Kendall’s work is very organic she uses things like feathers, leafs and plants and she often will take inspiration from things such as paving stones or book stacks, of which she has gone on to produce work from. One of her most famous prints is her knife and forks wallpaper. From then she went on to printing on lampshades too. she says her wallpapers are just strating points and are often element already in the room and covey a strong design concept. one which interacts with an interiors identity, but without dominating it. 

She explained in the lecture that she rarely uses colour and will often use text. She talked about her fascination with her sister’s handwriting and how it was used on a wallpaper using stitch as apposed to printing. She has produced a lot of work using sequins of which she took inspiration from a 1920 dress. Another wallpaper design by her I really like is covered in real jigsaw pieces, which I have used as one of my example pictures.

she says her wallpapers probably looks so different because she is not trying to mass produce anything. this is a point I agree with.  This is a strong point as no one wants the same wallpaper and her designs are so unique.

Her hand produced graphic range started in 1996 with a large scale design intended at first for her own kitchen, after this she designed a floral. Both designs were spotted by Isla Crawford in the same year. Isla Crawford featured the prints in 'English Elle Decoration Magazine' more and more magazine started to feature her work and people began to order them. she has been selling her graphic designs ever since

acacia

Benjamin Lande designs and illustrates CD album layouts posters and T shirts and has a strong interest in horror which mirrors in his work. I really like his artwork for The acacia strain album.

This work I couldn't find on the web so I just scanned it in. Check out my contact report with him, it really helped me out.

Hokusai

Hokusai is most famous for the 'great wave' but i enjoy lots of his other work to like his sketches and woodblock prints of warriors and strange demons.

I bought his book 'Hukusai-first manga master' it really helped me out for one my critical studies essays.

He lived between 1760 and 1849 he was an excellent observer and extraordinary painter and woodblock printer. he was the first Japanese artist to become well known in the west. Hes had a massive impacted on American and European art, culture and design.