Greyfriars Competition

Well done everyone who contributed to a really successful project for the Greyfriers Boutique hotel.

Identity Crisis

A successful first project resulted in a nicely composed exhibit of 1st Year work. The brief was designed to allow students to explore where their current design interest's lie but to also get them used to working to strict production deadlines.

There are more pictures online but please check out the show in person. Their is some really impressive work and more to come.

BBC Newsnight: Information Graphics

Thanks to Greg Barrett for bringing this to our attention. Neville Brody once again confirming the Graphic departments general consensus.

The Best part

Wandering the wilds of Design Milk this morning I found this guy.

Pretty nice clean illstration and glow in the dark ink. Two of my favourite things.

No. Zine

This publication is designed and printed with an acute aesthetic sensitivity, and balaclavas. Check out and purchase here.

It's getting cold welcome to winter students.

Essex Print Club

Prolific 1st Year Student, Adam Merchant has set about building a gallery space up for the summer months.

If you are in the beautiful brightlingsea surrounds you should go and check it out. It opens July 11th, James Dodds will be attendance to do the opening honours.

Make sure you go and support them and all who sail in the Essex Print Club.

3rd Year Tour Part 4

Here's a quick whistle stop tour of the current 3rd Year Show. We would like to wish the '26' all the luck at D & AD.

Sell yourselves guys this is a real good oppourtunity to push some really good work.

Well done for all your hard work and good luck. We wish you all the best.

3rd Year Tour Part 3

3rd Year Tour Part 2

3rd Year Tour Part 1

Hindsight opens Friday Night

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls.

The 'Hindsight' retrospective show opens tommorow to the public, but the official opening is Friday 24th June.

We have tried to represent Year's 0/1/2 as best we can, however there is some work that did not make the final cut, due to space and also curatorial controls. We hope everyone apprieciates the show and that you invite as many people as you can to the opening night. We would like to thank Slack space and hope that everyone donates to this worthy charity.

So bring cold ones, bring friends and lets celebrate the success of the course so far.

Laters

Dixon.

PS: THIS IS A SPECIAL NOTICE TO 2ND YEAR STUDENTS; ALL OF YOU SHOULD BE DOCUMENTING THIS SHOW AND ALSO THE CURRENT 3RD YEAR SHOW FOR YOUR PDP JOURNALS. AS PART OF YOUR DEVELOPMENT INTO WORLDLY PRACTITIONERS THESE EXPERIENCES MUST BE DOCUMENTED. 1ST YEARS YOU COULD ALSO DO SOME IN PREPERATION FOR NEXT YEAR.

Hindsight 2011 End of Years Show

Okay you beautiful people, I have been working hard to get this rolling and its definitely moving forward now.

The show will open 22nd on June with the opening reception on Friday 24th June 2011. All zero's, first and second years need to be there to revel in the last few years and we also would like all third years to come along to give them a good send off too!

You can check out Slackspace now and also make sure you support these guys because its a charity organsiation giving artists and outlet for free. So in my book; that's pretty damn good.

Students you should invite loads of people, we are going to be doing workshops on the night as well as loads of great work to look at, and knowing graphics students criticise.

Make it known and get it oan.

Foundation show @ Slackspace

As Graphics are too have a show here next month; it's worth you all going to check out the excellent work produced for this year's foundation show, 'Hung like a Salon' which opens Weds 25th at 8pm.

There will be a fashion show and some great work to have a look at, so get down there and scope it out.

Support your fellow students!

Boris and Helen

Helen Macintyre is a an amazing set designer who use sustainable materials in her design. Drawing a lot of inspiration from her and the post below for the end of year show, fun stuff.

Double G studios Robots for T4

Year One - 3d journals

Caitlin Jones

We were all very impressed with Caitlin's submission for last semester Overground project. Top work.

First years are hard at work.

Anthony Burrill

Remember folks, Tuesday at 'Pick me up' we are going to meet the nicest man in graphic design. Hopefully making a direct change from everyones account of Rob Ryan last year. The show looks great though lots going on. Check out the Somerset House site for programme of events.

If you have not paid, and you are planning on going on the coach. You need to pay today. Come and see me and get a pay form.

1930's Travel

An interesting link provided by one of our first years. Click here for a delve into some instrumental ephemera.

Pick Me Up Trip or £5.00 to london.

This goes out to all year groups, but on the 22nd March 2011, Graphic Media will going to the big smoke, to check out this years 'Pick Me Up' Exhibit. Anthony Burrill will have a pop up studio, plus loads of other practitioners and small independent press peoples.

Really good homegrown show, which should inspire and encourage. There are limited spaces and attendance by year ones and year zero is mandatory.

Also if you are around in london check out the Saul Bass retrospective at Kemistry.

Hannah Parry / ICA

Congratulations to Hannah Parry. Her fellow students awarded her the jury prize for the ICA poster brief.

Hannah has won two tickets to a screening at the ICA and her work will featured on the ICA's website.

Well done.

Radio 4 have just put up this interesting show about New York godfather,Milton Glaser It might be useful for year ones.

Losers.

We will be showing Aaron Rose's 2008 film 'Beautiful Losers' first day back at 10am. Everyone is welcome, but first years all must attend as we will be doing a one day mural workshop in the studio space.

Painting the walls. So come prepared to get mucky.

DD

EX- Colchester Art School Student Wins The Internet.

A few weeks ago ex art school student Joe Stone (class of 09) posted this mind blowing info graphic that explained the relationships of the main characters of Marvel Comics X-Men. Joe posted his graphic on his Tumblr (blog site) and within 24 hours his post was gaining hit after hit until in had been re-blogged on over 2000 other peoples blogs, this let to massive internet hype on one blog being called "the hottest thing since Harry Potter" this all got noticed and helped Joe get his work featured on www.wired.com, www.io9.com, www.buzzfeed.com, www.thedailywhat.com, www.slashfilm.com, www.geekologie.com and reddit.com.

Joe's work is a great illustration of the power of the internet and the importance of getting YOUR work out there, so what ya waiting for... GET BLOGGING!

to view Joe's original post click here

'Inception' Brief - Semester Break Project

Here is the brief for the PDP project for semester break. This is mandatory for all year 1 and year 2 students:

Introduction:
In order to practically discuss alternative forms present in contemporary graphic media, and also explore the ideas of installation needed for your third year, we are asking you to propose a graphic concept that changes perceptions and challenges the world around you.
Within your core modules you naturally examine routes such as print, package design, web design, but what of more esoteric forms like; scale sculpture and paper engineering, audio and visual installations and mural production; by exploring these ideas you could change the perception of what it is to be a contemporary graphic artist.
Brief:
As part of a practical application of your personal development module, you are asked as an individual or as a group to propose an concept for an installation. That will be situated by the entrance to the graphic media department and be based across either of the two blank walls (see blog for photos and sizes).
The subject of your proposal is based upon the idea that graphic media is very good at planting the seeds of thought or an idea into people’s minds. Your proposal can tackle any subject but it must not be too literal but look too abstract and alter the perceptions of those who will eventually view it.
Your proposal must be visual and inspiring as only two projects will be chosen to be installed as part of the Graphic department’s final end of year productions.
What you need to do:
• As an individual or group, write and produce a visual proposal. As well a planning the idea you could produce a mood board/ PDP journal pages to help explore the concepts.
• As part of the personal development process you will need to keep a record of your time working on the proposal to include as part of PDP journals. Photographs, notes, blog/diary entries this will inform our understanding of your interaction in this organic process. Be free, but document this freedom as evidence of your thoughts and processes throughout the duration of the project.
• If chosen and installed, write a critical evaluation of the graphic outcome and your personal experience of the project/s.

The spaces are really open to interpretation, you can use the images above for your proposal but just make sure your proposal is VISUAL, and uses examples and research well. We are looking for the brightest, most inspiring ideas to fill the space, I will be uploading examples of work to help inspire over the next two weeks.

Good Luck.