Kandee the Makeup Artist (1)

Since the last time I looked at Kandee's blog, she has been on tour to San Francisco and become pregnant! She refers to her little bump and her "cupcake" which could possibly be irony from the term "bun in the oven", which also refers to a pregnant woman.
 

Kandee at the W Hotel holding her baby bump!

 About her tour, she said:

"...people don't know that they will leave this day...a changed person...with new happiness, so much confidence it'll change their future...their career, their relationships....

they'll learn how to change the world around them...how to be unforgettable....

and most importantly how to change their lives....make their dreams real...

and how to sparkle in a world full of mean, cynical people...that have no hope!"

Through some of her blog, she talks about all the things that she has to remove from being buckled, clasped, hooked and strapped onto her every night. One of these things was her 'supreme' necklace. She says:

"I got it at the Renegade Craft Fair in downtown LA...it's from a Cutlass Supreme Car...I love it, and I pretty much wear it everyday of my life! ha ha ha

 The girl who made it doesn't have anymore, BUT one of my friends had some SUPREME necklaces made...she only has a small amount left.."

Rotherham College of Arts and Technology

Rotherham isn't too far away from home but far enough to have my own space. Being close to Sheffield, it will have good night life too.

Foundation Degree in Graphic Design, Level 4-5.
This two year course requires that I get a minimum of 120 UCAS points from a combination of the following:

• Minimum of 2 GCE A Levels or AVCE A Levels to include an art and design or graphics design related subject.
• GNVQ Advanced in art and design - Merit
• BTEC National Diploma - Pass, Pass, Pass   

 Successful Foundation Degree graduates could go into the final third year in BA(HONS) Graphic Designs Degree or go onto employment in Graphic Design industry.

It's available in either full time or part time courses. This is an FE College, which means Further Education College. Because of this, it only requires lower grades. For this reason, this is a possible back up option if I fail.

For the prospectus, click here and turn to page 27.

University of Derby

My reason for looking at this University is that it's a little closer to home and I attended it for a day trip with the Science Gifted and Talented students at my school.

BA (HONS) Applied Art and Design. On the website it says why we should choose this course:

"This course is for makers who want to develop traditional art skills alongside modern techniques and digital media.
If you have studied art and design and want to continue to explore a broad range of art and design practices.
You'll learn how to apply your art and design skills into making new and innovative products and ideas."

It requires between 180 and 240 UCAS points from A levels or equivalent qualifications, such as a BTEC National Diploma.


UK/EU students

• Full time: £3,290 (per year)
• Part time: £270 per single module (you usually take 24 of these modules in total)

There are two choices for accommodation with the Derby University. Either have accommodation in the 'Hall of Residence', which is usually great for first year students because they are just a short walk from the campus and are 'a great way to make friends'. They also offer you safe and good value accommodation with other students like you.
OR, you can get private accommodation where you have your own house of flat, they say they will help you find one of these too.

For this website, click here

University College Falmouth

My reason for looking at this University is because it's close to my sister and I really like Cornwall, also it was the first place I learned to surf ad I would very much like to continue learning. This is do-able given that Cornwall is by the coast.

I am interested in two courses at this University, one being Graphic Design and the other, Illustration. Both of which are three year courses described as being BA (HONS).

Graphic Design (W214 BA/GD ) requires me to get a minimum of 220 UCAS points, equivalent Level 3 qualifications or relevant experience. It says:


"You may be required to submit some work to help us decide who to interview. Successful applicants will be able to demonstrate experimentation, emerging strengths in drawing and mark making and creative idea generation skills supported by research and informed enthusiasm for the subject."

Job possibilities include:

• Packaging design
• Branding
• Advertising
• Television graphics
• Interactive design
• Exhibition design
• Magazine and book design
• Animation 

For the Graphic Design page of this website, click here.


Illustration (W221 BA/IL) also requires a minimum of 220 UCAS points, equivalent Level 3 qualifications or relevant experience.
This is what it says about job oppertunities:



"Our graduates are highly sought after across a spectrum of multimedia disciplines. Career opportunities include:

• Freelance illustration
• Advertising
• Design group practice
• Animation
• Publishing
• Studio Management
• Art Direction
• Television
• Authorship
• Postgraduate study"

 For the Illustration page of this website, click here.
 

University of Southampton

My reason for looking at the University of Southampton is because it's so close to my Dad and the sea. These are two things I don't see often and would like to change, so the positioning of this University would be perfect.




 Some of the progression subjects from the Graphics Arts course (W210) I could go into include:

• Graphic design and advertising
• Animation/motion
• Illustration
• Publishing
• Interactive design 

The course requirements include A Levels including one in an art-related subject and a portfolio interview where you can show your creative ability.

This course includes:

• Graphic Design
• Illustration
• Photography
• Motion Graphics 

In this course, the key points are:

• Extensive resources available in computing, photography, digital printing and time-based media
  
• Own workspace within a fully equipped studio with wi-fi and Macintosh work stations
  
• Live projects and placement opportunities, professional practice delivered by industry professionals
  
• Subsidies for professional tools such as an Apple laptop or digital SLR camera
  
• Membership of the industry-renowned D&AD award scheme
  

Click here to visit the Graphics Art Course website.

Eye Spy

'Letterpress still survives in small pockets, despite the arrival of the computer and the defeat of unions at Wapping. Ruth Prickett visits Hand & Eye Letterpress in East London to see how old skills cana thrive in the 21st Century.'

Phil Abel is the founder of the Hand & Eye company that produces good old fashioned letterpress print. In an interview, he admits that "progress at first depended on trial and error." He began printing invitations and stationary badly on a print that he had bought off an old friend.
His workshop is described as a:

"...work space filled with large mechanical machinery, it's walls covered with posters, pictures, menus and invitations"

Abel decided he didn't want to create something that was "dainty" and just for looking at, but something that would be used. Although, despite his attitude towards dainty products, he created some books which are very dainty (for want of a better word). And these pieces that he has created are better because of it!

At first, Abel was paying the compositor at his host printers, but soon realised that, with the money he paid them, he could actually hire a full-time employee. Soon after taking on his first member of staff in 2007, the lease expired on the building and so he moved his work to the place it is today, 6 Pinchin Street, London. This change of scenery and gain of work space allowed him to create posters using wooden type. The first one produced in St Jude's Gallery's London exhibition at Bankside Gallery last February.

The first book he produced was 'An Anamorphic Alphabet' and, because it was so successful and he enjoyed making it, he invited his friend Brian Webb to get involved and create more together, later they became partners. Webb describes letterpress as"creating a living creature" because "they have a smell and feel about them."

Some of his work is available on his website. handandeye.co.uk

Home Comforts

'The country retreat of cashmere Queen Victoria Stapleton'

Victoria Stapleton owns a clothing company called 'Brora'. Her love of cashmere and antique furniture is the main feature in her holiday home in Cumbria which she, her husband and children retreat to every August.
She began her project three years after launching her clothing company and has finally finished it thirteen years later.
When asked if colour was important to her, she replied:
'When I design a palette, I'll make up a package for dyers, with things like a faded suede shoe, a 1940s print dress and shells, and ask them to mix shades that match.' 
Her open-plan get-away is based around earthy colours for a more cosy look and she has dared to use wallpaper because she 'grew up with it'. Not a single wall is bare in this comfortable, Cumbrian cottage.

Victoria in one of her many Brora stores

Abram Games - Maximum Meaning, Minimum Means.

After attending the Restless Time exhibition in the Millennium Gallery in Sheffield, we went to a near by gallery featuring Abram Games. I feel that his work mostly promoted safety and advertisement in a clever and eye catching way. Some of my favourite pieces of his work are the following:

I found Abrams work fascinating, I just love how he has put his message across in a simple and understandable yet effective way. I enjoyed looking around the gallery and learning more about how he worked. Here are some of the pieces that I sketched myself:

Unfortunately, the scanner had a mark on that glass and so it has transferred onto the picture too. Oh well. I quite enjoyed drawing these because as I started looking at the pictures closer, those I first thought were simple ended up taking longer to do. There were so many subtle little things that I hadn't noticed before.

Restless Time Exhibition

Before half term, our class went to Sheffield to view an exhibition regarding Abram Games, a man we were studying for project at the time. We were told to gather information and opinions on some of the things there so we could add them to the blog we would be creating.

The first piece of art work that caught my eye was "Together", done by an unknown artist in the years between 1939 and 1945. Unfortunately, I can't get hold of a picture of it, but it was a picture of men holding up a flag. What I liked about it was how all the men where of a different nationality. I know that around this time, racism was still a massive problem and so, seeing all these men working together, it showed the desperation that the British Army was in to gain more men. Underneath the picture is a plaque saying, "Created as propaganda to promote the British Army in World War Two."

I did a drawing of one of the pieces of work from this Gallery called "Grinders" by Leonard Beaumont.

 It took me about twenty minutes to draw this and I am quite pleased with the outcome here.