Liane Plant Illustration

Liane Plant is a 22 year-old illustrator based in London. Liane is also founder of Valkyrie Skates a company that creates more than just skateboard decks but works of art. We chatted with Liane to find out more about her style of illustration. 

Tell us more about your background, did you go to Art College? I went to art college for three years straight out of high school as I knew I wanted to have some involvement in the arts (despite not knowing what that was). The school had a super loose system so I spent three years experimenting, seeing art and reading comics. The artwork of Robert Crumb  and Gary Erskine were a big influence on my work at the early stages. I would draw everyday, experimenting with techniques and materials, but I always preferred working in black and white. This is still the case today.
After college I went on to study graphic design at Central Saint Martins and I moved down to London. I learnt how to screen print and in my final year I helped out at Lovenskate, and I interned at Puck studio, where I was picking up lots of different techniques.  I did a lot of screen printing at Uni and during my internships, I loved the imperfection and tangibility that you don’t find in a digital piece.

What inspires you? I am inspired by artists that make bold graphic images, these include German Expressionists, early 80s skateboard art especially Pushead and Jim Phillips, circus signs, mythology, curiosities and gore from Sci-Fi and horror movies.

What medium do you use to create the work? All my work is hand drawn, scanned then coloured in Photoshop It is then reproduced through screen printing, so I am always working in layers.

Where can people see and buy your work? I’m excited to be involved in the next New Rule collective Horror Show, this Halloween, an illustrated tribute to Classic and B-Movie Horror Cinema.
The show is running October 31st – November 5th at 5th Base Gallery, 23 Heneage street, E1 7LJ.  Come down for some creeping!

I also recently designed a print for the Paradise series ‘Sweet Babylon’ exclusively for Skull and Heart. It is available to buy online, and there are many works from incredible artists including Dan Mumford, Mr Gauky, Ian Mcarthur and Tom J Newell so it’s worth checking out!

In addition to  Valkyrie Skates has an online shop with a range of apparel  and skateboards.

Do you do commissions? The most recent project I have been working on is a Valkyrieskates x 3rd rail collaboration of a Norse beer themed skateboard for the 3rd rail Beer Visions show.

Be sure to check out Liane’s Instagram, Twitter for more awesome illustrations.

Damien Frost Photography

Damien Frost is a 38 year-old graphic designer who works and lives in London. His Instagram showcases a collection of people he has photographed while walking the streets of London. He predominately chooses to photograph people he thinks stand out from the crowd. We chatted to him about his – yet to be named – project, and who knows you may be one of his subjects in the future…

Does the street project have a name? It doesn’t really have a name, I just call it “a portrait a day”, which is insanely boring, but does the job – for now.  At the end of the year I would like to make a book of the daily portraits and I should probably think of a name for that.

Why did you begin to photograph people on the street? I’d always wanted to do a project like this but have always been a bit shy about approaching strangers. I’m a naturally reserved person so it can be difficult sometimes approaching people on the fly like I do, but often the more challenging it is, the more rewarding it is.

I started this “photo-a-day” project  before I went home to Australia at Christmas and the photos I was taking there were kind of a celebration of what I loved about Australia, but also using strangers as a subject. Coming back to London  you question why it is you’re actually leaving the beach-side warmth to come back to a cold  city and I figured it’s for the people – that’s what I love about this town.

On my way back from the airport on the train I was thinking this and there was this guy with a pink guitar, big vintage headphones and sceptre sitting nearby and  maybe I could turn this photo-a-day thing into a “portrait a day” project,  and I’ll start with this guy, but then he got off the train.  I thought what the hell and  hopped off after him and asked for his photo. I’ve kind of seen it as a celebration of what I love about London – all the interesting people living here.

 

Funnily enough the more followers I receive on Instagram the more I feel this sense of obligation to find a picture that will be of interest as well.

 

How do you decide who to approach? That’s an interesting question because I’m not sure myself. It’s generally when someone “stands out” from the crowd for me visually. Of course, there are different levels of standing out from the crowd (and it depends on the crowd too) and it might be for something really subtle or for something completely flamboyant. Even though the project is not about fashion as such, I do like to find people that are inhabiting their style well (whatever that style might be). When I approach people I tell them that I’m taking photos of the more “visually interesting, colourful or stylish” people that I see around town and very loosely that is what I’m looking for.

I feel a deep sense of gratitude to everyone  let me take their portrait – there’s a level of trust that I’ll use the image in a sympathetic way (and that I’m not taking the piss) and I’m humbled that they grant that.

Lately I’ve been trying to think more about the background and having that remain as minimal as possible. I like to get the person as isolated as possible which can be hard and try to create a sense of stillness or “quietness” out of the busy city streets. One thing I like about the photos is that you don’t really get a sense of the fact that I’m often being bumped as people are passing behind me and the person is maintaining an expression as if there’s no one else around and that the whole street isn’t watching them and making funny little comments which is often the reality of it.

How do people react? Have these photos led to more photo shoots or
projects? I sometimes forget that it’s a little strange to suddenly accost strangers and ask for a photo but generally people are very positive about the whole thing. There’s the occasional person who’s kind of rude and it can sometimes make me feel like a bit of a jerk for asking, but mostly people are absolutely lovely about it. It’s hard not to let it get you down if you get a few refusals in a row but I do really respect someone’s right to refuse a photograph.

I once had someone tell me afterwards that for them, letting me take their photo was such a big deal since they suffer from body dysmorphic disorder. The night I approached them was the first night they’d been out  for weeks, then to be approached by someone asking for a photograph was quite significant and to say yes to that was difficult. When I sent through the photograph (I always offer to send the original high resolution image to the person) they were really pleased with it and felt it helped them in some way.
I’ve done one follow-on shoot from meeting someone randomly where we took some photos of an outfit in a studio with a view of making a print for people to buy down the track and there might be some more shoots in the pipeline but at the moment the street shots take up a lot of my free time so it’s difficult to fit other projects in.

Where can you be found? Can people approach you to appear on the
Instagram? Generally on  week nights I’m loitering around Soho,  I just hang about after work looking for the right shot, but on a weekend I’m usually around East London as that’s where I live. My general rule is that I can’t go back East until I have at least one photo, there are some nights where I think I might not find a photo. If I have a good photo I never really remember how difficult it was to get, I just think how wonderful it was to meet the person and for them to let me take it.So much of it is down to chance – walking down the right street at the right time, finding someone in the right mood or in the right location.

I’ve never really had anyone approach me to ask for a photo before (though weirdly I have had a couple of people ask me if I’m @harmonyhalo when I’ve asked them) and I’m not opposed to the idea, especially if they feel they would fit in with the general style of the subjects. Sometimes I like to imagine the collection as being almost anthropological but that sounds very cold and more objective than it is because I do feel a real affinity with the people I photograph even if I’m not necessarily part of their “scene” as such.

See more incredible portraits @harmonyhalo

Interview with a tattoo artist

Interview with tattooist Marie Cox, age 32, Folklore Tattoo Studio, Tamworth

What first attracted you to the tattoo world? I can’t really remember a specific event, I’ve always been surrounded by tattoos and loved various forms of art, so I guess it was a natural transition, or fate I suppose.

When did you decide you wanted to become a tattoo artist? and how? I’d never really thought about it as a conscious decision, I worked as a workshop tech at a college. I decided to get a machine to tattoo leather as I was formerly a sustainable design graduate, so I loved recycling things and making jewellery and trinkets. I’d been drawing designs and watching tutorials so I could apply the techniques to tattooing leather. It was my partner and dad who encouraged me to pursue tattooing people. Someone I knew mentioned there was a guy opening a studio and I should go meet him with a portfolio. He offered me an apprenticeship on the spot and here I am six years on doing what I love.

 

How would you describe your style as an artist? I’d say my style is neo-traditional mainly, with some realism elements. I’m not sure really I just try to stay true to nature in my work.

 

Tell us a little bit more about your studio… My studio, Folklore, is based just outside the Tamworth town centre, and everything we do here is custom. There’s my illustrative style artist Adam who keeps me sane and my apprentice Tom, they’re awesome and very supportive, I feel blessed to have them. My clients say my studio is kind of nautical and homely, so I’ll go with that.

 

What’s next? For the studio I’d like to take on more artists and expand. We’ve discussed and all agreed that we’d like to hit more conventions, do some guest spots and try working abroad too. I’m excited to see how things unfold. It makes me happy and proud to watch our little tattoo family grow, can’t wait to see what the future holds!

 

Follow Folklore on Instagram @FTS_TATTOO

Miniature Ink Sneak Peek

To celebrate our two year anniversary we are teaming up with Atomica Gallery to bring you Miniature Ink. An exhibition featuring miniature original artwork from over 100 tattoo artists across the globe. All of the pieces will be on sale for £60, with profits being donated to cancer charity Sarcoma UK.

The exhibition opens on Wednesday 24th September and the party starts at 6pm, all artwork will be sold on a first come, first served basis! So make sure you’re there on time to grab an original from your favourite artist…

Here’s a sneak peek from a few tattoo artists who have created art for ‘Miniature Ink’.

Hannah Willison

Alexandra Wilkey 

Ael Lim

Drew Linden

Tracy D

Kelly McGrath

Juliet 

Abbie Williams

Eddy-Lou

 

A Beautiful Body Project

Photographer Jade Beall created A Beautiful Body Project after the birth of her son as a way to appreciate her changing body and to discover what the word beautiful meant to her.

Her work counteracts the airbrushed images of women portrayed in the media instead she wishes to show women in all their natural and often naked beauty. The photographs appear alongside stories of growing self-esteem as the women begin to embrace their beauty and themselves just as they are.

The collection of photographs have now been turned into a book titled The Bodies of MothersWatch the video below to hear Jade describe her book.