F&F at the British Library

Just had word from F&F towers that the British Library have requested some copies of their releases for its archive. This is probably an everyday thing that happens automatically but it's really nice to know that a copy of the designs done by Pika Pika and those I have done myself will be kept for posterity, as well as some great music! If you fancy some for yourself then there are a few left at the F&F, shop pop over and get your self a pre Christmas treat!

Front & Follow Profile

Just came across this interesting piece on Manchester's Front & Follow label by 4O5.

It's a really interesting read and shows how interesting music is funded by passion and not big bucks! I have only one thing to add and that is the the first 'patch' sleeves were the collective work of Pika Pika.

Bear mention

Just had the sleeve of BLK w/BEAR latest release featured in Design Week's News in Pictures.

Bear Mix

Apologies for the lack of posts around here recently, just been relocating from France to Ireland for the summer.

It's been a while since I posted any of my own work but here is the latest record sleeve I've been working on. It is the next release from Manchester's Front & Follow label by Washington based artists BLK wBEAR who have reinterpreted a selection of tracks from Yonokierio's album Blue Apples.

The sleeve illustration is a photo of a selection of ceramic sculptures created by Robin VanValkenburgh under the pseudonym of Runny Bunny. With such a striking image I wanted to make the most of the groups name so I started playing about with the symmetry of the words BLK and BEAR and bent some  Helvetica Light into shape to create the typeface. It felt a shame to just stick it in the corner so I decided to place it full size over the image.

It will be release as a limited CD with a free digital and specially commissioned video download on 5 September and as always you can get it from the F&F shop where you can hear a soundcloud sample there now.

Tee Time two

After the success of the LDWR T-shirt, Front & Follow are putting ink to cotton one more time to accompany their latest release Will Ever Pray by The Doomed Bird of Providence. The t-shirt is available to pre order at the moment over at the F&F store, either on it's own or as part of an TDBOP bundle. For more info pop over to their site.

Praying Alive!

Forgive the terrible pun but the latest release from Front & Follow, Will Ever Pray is just hot of the press. One69A the talented printers have just sent me a link to their print blog showcasing the debut album from The Doomed Bird of Providence.

As a bit of background to the project, the idea behind The Doomed Bird of Providence according to the bands frontman Mark Kluzek stemmed from the desire to bring to life stories from colonial Australian history. Not the sort of stories that you might typically come across but those stories of a darker, less palatable nature. This was one of the key elements that I wanted to be reflected in the packaging. As the songs were based on true tales of Australia's colonial past it seemed like a good idea to make the lyric booklet look and feel like a news sheet, reporting the stories told in the songs. Paul Loudon supplied all the illustrations, going through the lyrics picking out macabre elements as well as doing a bit of botanical research to piece together the flora and fauna of Australia. I then brought these together and the end result was screen printed as a single colour on news print paper.

Here are a few more shots of the insert, if you would like to see more pop over to One69A's site. And if your really taken by it you can pre order the album at the F&F site.

Insert front, with all the lyrics and credits

Insert back, dedicated to creating a large image bringing
together elements used on the sleeve and to illustrate the stories

Insert folded to fit in the card sleeve

Will Ever Pray progress

Just got these in my inbox from Justin at Front & Follow. The printers, one69a have just finished screening the card sleeves and are just about to get cracking on the lyric sheet/poster insert.
It's nice to see it come together. More pics as they arrive.

Will Ever Pray

I am just finishing off the artwork for the first release of the year for Manchester label Front and Follow. It is for an Australian band now based in London and Colechester called The Doomed Bird of Providence. They describe themselves as Australian Colonial Gothic which is reflected in the subject matter of their music and the fantastic illustrations created by Paul Loudon.

Here are a few previews of the artwork so far. It is all being prepared for silk screening at the moment and will released in a limited run of 250 physical copies, so hop over to the F&F shop where you can pre-order it now!

The package will be housed in a natural card gatefold sleeve and will contain a broadsheet/poster insert screen printed on to newsprint. There may even be a few little added extras thrown in as well.

I hope to post a few pics of the package being printed and maybe post a few tracks as well nearer the release date. In the meantime here are a couple of pics of the poster.

Front & Followers

Justin over at F&F sent me through this link to Juke Box Heart who are doing a two part label review. The first part focus on the the first four releases and the second part on the LDWR project.

A nice mention for the design of the releases as well. Will keep you posted on part 2.

Grotto Open

Just a quick post to say that Grotto is now open. If you're  in Manchester pop in and you will be greeted by a wide array of screen printed goodies. I have adapted the poster design for LDWR into a mathematical wrapping paper and I'm drawing another based on x-mas TV! So pop in if you're in the area.

Christmas is coming…

It is getting a bit more festive around my studio at the moment, I haven't festooned the place with tinsel and blinking lights or started putting my Phil Spector Christmas album on repeat, it's just that I'm all of a creative Christmas whirl at the moment. One reason for this is the pop up shop 'Grotto' where some of the releases I have done for F&F will be on sale. They will also be selling some specially designed screen printed Christmas wrapping paper, which still needs to be designed  so a few late nights ahead.  Oh well 'tis the season.

Twice as Nice.

A little F&F update. This month sees the Front and Follow artist Andy Nice on tour across Europe with one of my favourite bands the Tindersticks. For this tour F&F have re issued his excellent debut album "The Secrets of Me" in a new format (minus the patch). Also this month also sees the release of 'Bones' a beautiful colaboration between Mr Nice and Isanj Dui for the year long adventure that is Arctic Circle's "Explorers Club". I recommend checking them both out.

The latest episode in the Explorers Club, illustration by Gregory Loret

A few snaps of the new Andy Nice Tour CD care of the printers

Tee Time

Just got an email from those nice people at F&F to let me know that the LDWR T-shirts have been printed and are ready to ship. The design is based upon the poster design I did for the LDWR box set that was released earlier this year. The shirts are printed on organic cotton and are available in dark grey, olive and green. 

Here is a sneaky peek of them straight out of the box, I'm sure there will be more shots to follow.