Paula Scher / Philadelphia Explained
I really like the graphic style of this piece in a huge room, taking over the floor and walls - the large scale makes it even more impressive. I also like the colour scheme of primary colours and the typographic elements of handwritten text when one normally expects printed text and recognisable fonts.
Source: https://www.pentagram.com/work/philadelphia-explained/story
Yann Kebbi / New York
These observational sketches of New York are attractive to me because of their immediacy and hand-drawn nature, emphasising the speed of their execution and the fact that they are created on site. The bright colours are indicative of New York itself (eg. the yellow cabs) and I also like the different media used ie. Some are created in pen, and some in crayon or pencil.
Mari Kanstad Johnsen
Illustrations for Atlasmag.dk
Source: http://marikajo.com/Illustrations-for-Atlasmag-dk
Wallpainting at Library
I like the ‘cut-out’, ‘Mattisse-like’ style of Johnsen’s work which reminds me of a children’s book in its childlike simplicity; a style which attracts me.
Lucinda Rogers
Rogers really captures the nature of a place, just by using watercolour, crayon and ink. I like the fact that some aspects of the pieces are left uncoloured, created with just a mix of wide line and fine lines, with other areas are coloured. I particularly like the illustrations where she has started with a coloured ground, such as brown paper.
Paula Scher / Maps
USA Median Home Prices, 2016
Driving Times and Mileage USA, 2014
US Geography and Climate, 2014
USA Airline Routes, 2014
USA Interstate, 2015
USA Counties and Zip Codes, 2015
US Demographics and Economy, 2015
These large-scale maps consist of information such as home prices, driving times and mileage, as part of the coloured state boundaries, and is a unique and original way of displaying data. I like the ‘business’ and brightness of the piece, which is almost obsessive and over-crowded, as indeed is modern life and the constant stream of data surrounding us.
Source: https://www.wallpaper.com/art/paula-schers-american-maps-chart-more-than-just-territory
Pat Vale / One Day Walk
This work consists of personal experience, taking in the city of London. Living in London myself, looking at iconic landmarks famous in history, this attracts me, as does its ‘cartoon’ nature, with some illustrations being ‘doodle-like’. The bold black line of the route taken provides emphasis, shape and boundary and is the stand-out aspect for me.
Source: http://www.patrickvale.co.uk/murals/One-day-walk-mural
David Lemm / Mapping Kings Cross
This piece maps the changing landscape of the emerging development the area, made of wood and paper. I like the simple, graphic shapes and geometry and it is an area I am familiar with and so it has an added attraction. I also like the flat colours which are very simple.
Wendy Macnoughton
I like the fact that the text on these pieces is handwritten and the predominantly line-based nature of her work. It gives the effect of it being detailed, where, in fact, most of it is actually very simple shapes.
Source: http://wendymacnaughton.com/
Olivier Kugler / Reportage Portraits
I like the contrast of thick, bold blocks of colour against the black line, which in itself is thick and sometimes thin. I admire the ‘unfinished’ quality of the pieces, with areas left uncoloured.
Source: http://www.olivierkugler.com/life_drawing_reportage-portraits.html
Underway Studio / Printed Spaces
Considering our brief relates to the Barbican Centre, I was interested to see how other people tackled the same subject. I like the combination of photographic elements combined with the block areas of colour and the overlapping layers makes it appear 3-D. The layering of ink also creates new colours.
The City Works
London Collection
Source: https://thecity.works/product-category/london/
Highline Building
I attended London Illustration Fair and was drawn to The City Works because of their clean lines and monochromatic nature. Although the work is very busy, as is London itself, the clean lines and graphic quality give it ‘space’ and creates interesting patterns. Their mural for the Highline building requires great precision and the style is very distinctive.
Lizzy Stewart / Travel Diaries
These illustrations are observational drawings from her travels, something I myself struggle with, so I admire these. I like the use of mixed media such as watercolours, pencils, pens – almost whatever she has to hand at the time. Because they are from different trips, the styles themselves are quite disparate, something I like as it shows the temporal shifts and how her style changes over time. I particularly like the red and blue colour scheme from her trip to Helsinki, and I am attracted by a limited palette, particularly of primary colours, especially red.