Think of a Space

  • DESIGNED: 2013
  • FORMAT: n/a
  • LABEL: n/a
  • DESIGN: Openmind
  • EXTRA ZEN: Created for the Salon des Refusés V exhibition in 2013.

Zoetropes

  • DESIGNED: 2012
  • FORMAT: n/a
  • LABEL: n/a
  • DESIGN: Openmind
  • EXTRA ZEN: Some of these were randomly inserted into copies of ‘The Search Engine’ 4×12″ release for Record Store Day 2013.

Collages

  • DESIGNED: 2013
  • FORMAT: n/a
  • LABEL: n/a
  • DESIGN: Openmind
  • EXTRA ZEN: These were all randomly inserted into copies of ‘The Search Engine’ 4×12″ release for Record Store Day 2013.

I wanted to try some collage work again, something outside of the computer, hands on, analogue. Something where I would have a piece of work in my hands rather than a print out, something where the decisions I took about composition, colour and form combinations etc. couldn’t be undone with ‘command Z’. Images couldn’t be retouched, resized or duplicated, there was one chance to use them so I had to think very carefully about what I was putting where. It’s basic but it’s a start…

Zarjaz exhibition, London 2005

  • RELEASED: Sept 2005
  • FORMAT: A3, ink and letratone
  • LABEL: Playlounge
  • ILLUSTRATION: Openmind
  • SPOTTERS DELIGHT: I did this in the weeks before my kids were born and tried to put the date on the cover that I thought they would arrive, I was one day out.
  • EXTRA ZEN: BigMonster TV Report /  2000ad online

Another obsession that has been with me since I was 8 years old is the British comic 2000AD which I started reading from Prog 61 (the start of the Cursed Earth saga – nice timing) and still get to this day.

Again (the now defunct) Playlounge shop came up trumps with their pooling of artists from all over who have also been influenced by this great publication for an exhibition where they interpret their favourite characters old and new. This really brought people out of the woodwork and inspired some great work with some of the choices being for the hardened fan only.

I chose Torquemada, the arch villain in the Nemesis stories, as my character (Pete Fowler had already nabbed Nemesis) and decided to present a fictitious cover of a bygone era of the galaxy’s greatest. Kevin O’Neill was the artist who originally created and drew the Nemesis story and he is considered by many to be THE definitive artist for the strip even though he was later succeeded by Brian Talbot, Jesus Redondo and John Hicklenton amongst others. He has always been one of my favourite artists and he really came into his own drawing …

Read more…

‘Tag The System’ Train project

  • RELEASED: Aug 2005
  • FORMAT: NYC Subway train custom
  • LABEL: PLAYLOUNGE
  • DESIGN: Openmind
  • PHOTOGRAPHY: Openmind
  • SPOTTERS DELIGHT: Elements of this ended up on the cover of Amon Tobin’s ‘Foley Room’ LP two years later

Back in March of 2005, Playlounge, the emporium of all things plastic and toy-like in London’s Beak St, asked me to customise one of their mini replica NY subway trains for them. It took a few months but I finally turned in this Gundam-esque creation which has a little satellite piece which floats above the main body.

I didn’t want to paint a design on the side of the train, more use it as part of something larger because I thought the actual shape of the train wasn’t that attractive. Here we have something either growing out of the car or swallowing it like the end of Akira … it went down pretty well in the shop. Sadly the shop is now closed but I have the model hanging over the entrance to my studio.