Orientation: Bloomsbury/Clerkenwell

We were left to explore the streets of London on our orientation project. One of those days where you get to roam around and draw all day! Perfect! And the weather was good too. 

Our first stop was The British Museum. I really like how both exterior and interior are equally as breath taking. The building itself is huge and the outside possesses quite an old traditional look. The inside however boasts something a little different, a spectacular roof top. I love how as you walk inside you would not expect this type of roof. It works really well,  allowing so much light in,  it creates a clean, fresh open space. 

The Cartoon Museum was very nearby.

Even though I have been a Londoner all my life, I have never been to Neal's Yard before. It's such a cute place! I loved how the walls were colourful and plenty of plants and flowers hung on walls or occupied window sills. I liked this creation on the walls of slam city skates. I also liked how there was a place which sold 20 inch pizzas omg! I'll put a link here, because I know I will neeeeeeeed to get my pizza fix there one day! We also headed to Magma books and The London Graphics Centre. Not too far from Magma books was also St Paul's Cathedral.

Illustration, Art & Design

Illustration

Growing up, Anthony Browne's children's books were always a classic on the book shelves. The Gorilla books in particular included incredibly detailed illustrations. For example in the picture above, each strand of hair has been delicately illustrated. Even though, this illustration was made a while ago, the Gorilla books actually possess something quite modern about them. Maybe it is because of the gorilla featuring in such a traditional setting.

Gorillaz really showed me how illustration could be taken to all sorts of levels. The fact that this band was created by pure illustration and animation is quite amazing. I love how it's tested the limits of illustration and animation and also how it shows how diverse it really is. It gave the music industry a twist during the time Gorillaz were big. The design of each character definitely harmonised with feel of the band and its music. The dark, rough looking characters very much matched the badass music Gorillaz produced.  It was something new and something different, but it really worked! The reason I think it was so successful, was because the details of each character and music video were thought about well, in order to match the sound of the music produced. I'd love to see how illustration and animation could be pushed even further!

Arthur Rackham

I particularly like this illustration called The Fairy by Arthur Rackham. The colours, especially the indigo dress stands out boldly against all the earthy colours surrounding it, giving the image a pop and a central focus. I do really like how Rackham's lines are able to capture the natural textures of wildlife so well, such as the branches of the trees and delicate stems. Arthur Rackham's work influenced me a lot during A-levels.

Art

Definitely one of the most iconic art pieces and artist in London! Street art is a big part of London culture, especially in the east. I enjoy the fact you can see art pieces at almost every turning. It's a great way of brightening London's streets. This piece above, I used to see a lot since it was not too far from where I lived. Although, graffiti was always about, Banksy was an eye opener for different styles of graffiti out there, one that does not involve plain old tagging. After looking at Banksy's style of work, I discovered more artists who did a similar thing, such as Miss Van and Fafi. I liked how they drew images on the wall rather than write stuff. Then from there on, I was led into the world of illustration.

Ben Wilson paints over chewing gum on the Millennium Bridge. I walk on this bridge frequently in order to get to work. At first I was really confused to what these bright colourful patches on the Millennium Bridge were. It was only until I saw a sign that I realised it was painted chewing gum. Chewing gum on the floor is really common in the UK. Ben Wilson, has somewhat made the gloomy speckled bridge, brighter! We do not have the cleanest walk paths in the world, but it is really nice to see how things like this can be transformed into something beautiful and pleasurable to look at.

One of Anthony Gormley's most famous works is the sculpture of the Angel of the North. I studied Anthony Gormley in sixth form and was intrigued by how his works were so simple but literally had a breathtaking effect on the audience. I think what makes his work so successful and so breathtaking is his clever use of space.

Design 

William Morris' floral designs are iconic when it comes to traditional english designs and prints. He was a big part of the Arts and Crafts Movement which produced incredibly beautiful detail designs. Highly detailed ornaments, prints, you name it, were the 'it' thing in the Victorian times. William Morris' floral designs has definitely been an influence on my journey of exploring illustration. I am a crazy fan of detail and as you can see from the example of Morris' work above, he is a master at it and his works will always be a best friend when it comes to inspiration!

Charles Rennie Mackintosh was Britains main representatives of the Art Nouveau Movement, which also happens to be my favourite art movement. It is also said that he is the one that actually started the movement. As a designer he took inspiration from the natural aspects of the Arts and Crafts movement and combined them with Japanese influences. I really do like the organic, simple forms and whip lash lines that play a common design within this period. One of my favourite artists also fits into this movement, Gustav Klimt.

Within fashion design, one of the most famous looks Britain is known for is the punk rock flair. Vivienne Westwood is one of the main designers known for introducing this style and design. I love how the edginess of punk rock have continued to stay in parts of London such as Camden Town. Aspects of punk rock always manage to seep in to the 'London Look'.  The rebellious side of the punk rock culture has definitely played a big influence in London fashion, resulting in mixtures and combinations of designs and styles creating a fierce, effortless look.