Joseph Rudi Pielichaty

/

2010-06-21T12:57:00.000-07:00

Jess's Messes

2010-06-18T14:38:00.000-07:00

Quick drawings for my friend, Jess who is currently investing energy into her culinary escapades. Good food coming my way, I hope!

Fashion dahhhling

2010-06-08T09:41:00.000-07:00

Part of our design pitch for the promotion of this year's Edinburgh College of Art Fashion Show. The entirity of the project was a collaboration between myself, Yukari Yoshime and Shannon McLean.

Stars are made of Ink

2010-06-06T10:44:00.000-07:00

Books to accompany my print, The Stars Are Made of Ink. The three books catalogue my print as it is applied to various newspapers. I was quite taken by the new meanings attributed to the illustration when it was paired with different photographs or news articles. A personal favourite spread of mine is the illustration printed in a hot pink colour over a portrait of Oscar Wilde! Yes please!

Website!

2010-06-06T10:32:00.000-07:00

I finally have my website finished to an extent where I don't mind people viewing it! woo! It will still probably be be going through some preliminary pruning with new projects being added and the odd layout shift here and there, however for the main part it is ship shape and ready to set sail. Ahoy there!

Update!

2010-06-03T09:15:00.000-07:00

I can't quite find the words to explain the mountains of emotions I have battled with over the last few months. As my degree work built its way towards the grand finale, I found myself existing on no food, no sleep, excitement, euphoria, exhaustion, a quiet sadness and a strong drive to keep going. Working towards my final assessment left me in a state of zombie-like tiredness, and then preparing my work for my degree show (next week!) has kept me beyond busy. Amidst it all I have received a dream grade for my work, set up my official website (though this is still to be enhanced- more to come asap), enjoyed the Edinburgh sun and many bottles of wine, discovered my love of drawing and decided that everything that made the last three years tough was nothing but a series of "meant-to-be's". It all had to happen this way to get me to where I am now and I can't explain enough how much I have treasured my time in Edinburgh.

The ultimate climax is soon to follow. My degree show opens next week, I exhibit in London the following week and I graduate at the start of July. I then follow this with an escape to America to see a wonderful friend and finally finish with... well... I suppose the real beginning. I love the idea of finishing with the beginning. How confused!

Anyway, though the last few months has kept me away from my blog, the work has still been streaming. I will keep posting up here as often as my schedule allows, but also take a peek at my website. It will continue to be updated shortly, but for now is a slowly budding little thing enjoying its infancy.

//

2010-04-05T05:36:00.000-07:00

...come see me fall

2010-04-05T05:16:00.000-07:00

Sunday studio

2010-03-28T13:17:00.000-07:00

A rainy day in Edinburgh today but lovely because of it. I always enjoy the quiet of a nice sunday studio.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland: Book development

2010-03-28T06:12:00.000-07:00

Memory Illustrations

2010-03-24T06:06:00.001-07:00

Some close up shots of the illustrations I have silk screened. The prints are collections of my Edinburgh memories, a cathartic creation as I currently sit pondering the thought of life after Edinburgh.

Memory Illustrations

2010-03-24T06:06:00.000-07:00

Ice Ice baby

2010-03-20T04:41:00.000-07:00

I am also designing a cover for the book, Perfume which is currently introducing me to experimental delights with ice. I am posting a couple of early tests for my idea so keep an eye out for how my ideas develop.

Down the rabbit hole...

2010-03-20T04:40:00.000-07:00

Experimental beginnings for my cover design for Alice's Adventures in Wonderland... MORE TO COME... Oh Hello Caps Lock. That was an accidental surprise. TA TA FOR NOW!

Creative Spaces

2010-03-13T12:49:00.000-08:00

My class have prepared for our studio portrait (for the degree show catalogue) by preparing the ultimate creative desk space. We have each taken bits and bobs from our individual desks and compiled them together so that this single desk becomes a portrait of each and every one of us.

Myself and a couple of others spent a good chunk of yesterday evening playing with the arrangement (the image above is from its midway point). As ever, Piotr's dog never fails to be a firm favourite of mine!

2010-03-13T06:07:00.000-08:00

Today is an escape inside oneself.
Botanic Gardens and contemplations of what is next...

A Selection of Collections

2010-03-01T14:00:00.000-08:00

A Selection of Collections is a series of digital prints I have created as a project with Geoff Collective. I wanted to create a series of illustrations which could be collated together and sold as a single pack. Each illustration is accompanied by it's own story so I will make individual posts about their development over the next few days. I will also take some nice photos of the finished product as opposed to the digital version (shown above). The product will be presented at a buyers evening taking place at Tayburn, in Edinburgh. All of Geoff Collective will be presenting products so it will make for a fun experience I am sure.

2010-02-28T11:14:00.001-08:00

Hello! Thanks for stopping by my site.
May I interest you in a coffee or a conversation about Strictly Come Dancing?

Watery edges

2010-02-27T07:36:00.000-08:00

Portobello Beach, Edinburgh

From Costa with Love

2010-02-26T09:49:00.000-08:00

I have learnt over the years that it takes no more than a coffee shop environment and a nice book to create a magnetic pull between pencil and paper. I think it's something to do with the lounge music... before I know it my hand will be scrawling across the length of sketchbook page, manically colouring in with the same care to detail as a three year old. I never plan what will be drawn, instead allowing the pictures to organically fall from my pencils as a reflection of what is flitting across my mind at that moment in time.

The above illustration was created whilst I was speaking on the phone enjoying a coffee. I think the state of relaxation I fall into in these situations just brings out of me the most random of thoughts. Don't ask why I have written, "Quite a bit away... Run too far from us all to the Baftas. Visually really nice, but I love the way the world walked away and caught us all naked!"

Definitely going mad.

Superficial Work Attempts

2010-02-26T09:47:00.000-08:00

Going to London....

2010-02-15T12:56:00.000-08:00

I am becoming hugely excited for my approaching trip to London! The trip will involve attending the 4Designers conferences as well as a trip to Proud Creative's studios (yes please)! I am also hugely excited to finally fulfill my dreams of going to Ottolenghi, potentially indulging in a new art book from Magma and taking a trip to The Design Museum for a joyous slice of culture.

Don't ask about the image (above). I have been drawing lots of little monsters across my notebooks recently. I need to get a life. And a psychiatrist.

Barrie Oceans

2010-02-15T11:03:00.000-08:00

Back to Barrie, a college project that is haunting me relentlessly. I must admit I feel I've had my fill of this one but alas, the show must go on. I do still love a lot of the photos I took of the ocean for the project so at least I get to work with them.

Coffee contemplations

2010-02-13T08:39:00.000-08:00

My Coffee contemplations include...

"Balls! 3 Cups! It's a bad day."
"Count more sheep."
"I like totally can't help but follow him around. It's weird."
"Bad ass knob."
'Little voice."
"This is my Bachelor Forever outfit."
"Free the banker."
"Pissing in 25 minutes."

...These thoughts baffle me as much as you.

Collections

2010-02-11T10:12:00.000-08:00

Another Collection illustration for my project with Geoff Collective . This time I was much less metaphorical and took inspiration from the collection of pens currently scattering my desk. I think I love my pro markers like pets. In fact I should really name them. Who keeps pets without names? Surely that's a form of animal cruelty?

Collections

2010-02-11T10:05:00.000-08:00

One of the activities I am occupying myself with at the moment is the compilation of illustrations that are themed on collections. As a self-directed project within Geoff Collective, I am collecting together a series of prints, based on collections for our collective. Lovely. The above illustration was inspired by an old notebook of mine which was devoted to newspaper clippings of international blue skies that I dreamed of seeing. Though I couldn't escape the city, I could at least travel the world one paper clipping at a time. From this, I have taken more newspaper clippings and collected them together into a dream landscape that i would currently love to escape to. I thought the image summoned a wonderful heat, an enchanting city and maybe even the scent of spices in the air.

Friends

2010-02-06T11:05:00.000-08:00

2010-02-04T10:40:00.000-08:00

See my inspirations here...

Relief printing (primary-school style)

2010-02-04T02:43:00.000-08:00

I am currently juggling so much work that my eyes are lost in a sea of unfinished designs, research work and the odd hallucinated little sock puppet called Bruno who rudely distracts me by tempting me into watching more episodes of Two Fat Ladies than my schedule should allow. Damn you Bruno!

Anyway, Bruno aside, above is a wee image from the development stages for one of my ongoing projects. I am creating a poster on the theme of resistance, and have taken rubbings from the rock and stone belonging to the Scotland National War Memorial. Utilising the good old process of pencil on paper on rock (thank you, Year 2 teacher Mrs Hillier for teaching me this lifelong process) I attained a print of the stone that symbolises resistance against opposition. Resistance via the relief print (as well as its meaning) will hopefully amount to the attainment of nice components that can be played with to result in my poster design.

Pig poor

2010-01-31T13:14:00.000-08:00

Blue Skies

2010-01-31T06:39:00.000-08:00

I stumbled upon this old notebook of mine that I had been keeping last year. At the point the notebook was made I was in my third year at college and, quite frankly, a little melancholic. Without becoming too dramatic, I spent a lot of my time wishing I could be anywhere else but where I was, and as a therapy to help me on, I began this little book. Everytime I came across a beautiful picture within the travel section of a newspaper, I cut out a segment of the blue sky on show. Over time I had collected blue skies from a range of different countries, and even though I was still sat at my desk with scissors and a woe-is-me attitude, I at least felt as though I had travelled the world on a grand adventure. My travels may have been imagined, but they certainly helped me keep going.

2010-01-31T06:33:00.000-08:00

2010-01-31T06:32:00.000-08:00

I wish I could stand up to history

2010-01-30T10:31:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I would love to be able to turn around and find myself met with a 6ft deep puddle. I would most certainly jump in and let the water cover my head, making sure to keep my eyes open all the time (as everybody knows that you only see history when you're under water.) If I was in a reflective mood I am sure that I would look at the past and take the advice that it gives me. If I was in a cheeky mood, then maybe I would take a marker pen with me and draw all over the past's face.

So far I am still waiting for the 6ft puddle to come my way. As soon as it does I will let you know, take a picture, and most probably write a short essay on the effects of water in your ears when conversing with old kings.

// Collated Inspirations (Dec 09)

2010-01-28T13:29:00.000-08:00

Another poster collating together the inspirational imagery I stumbled across during my research in December. It is quite nice seeing the variety of visual snippets brought together in a single unit. Though only glimpses of the research that occupied the month, each thumbnail acts as a catalyst of remembrance of the thoughts, the ideas and the opinions I was constantly forging during that time.

Again, there are too many individual items of work within the image for me to credit everyone. It is probably best to just appreciate them for what they are, though I can specify who each creative involved is if requested.

Collected inspiration

2010-01-28T10:30:00.000-08:00

Over the last few months I have collected together found imagery that has inspired me for various reasons. From hot air balloon imagery that instigates daydreams to beautiful geographic illustrations, the images displayed below have been collated onto a poster format that may be printed out and always remind me of the things that are keeping me motivated. The above collection is based on all the imagery I have sourced throughout January, with prior months from August to December still to share. The works belong to various graphic designers, illustrators, image makers and creative practitioners. Too many to name individually, here, but enough to always keep me smiling.

...Type Shrine

2010-01-08T09:30:00.000-08:00

A few of the results that have come through for one of my ongoing projects. I am collating together a series of these abstract prints as a means of answering my brief regarding the creation of a typographic shrine. I wanted to focus on the theme of post for my work as it occurred to me that a postbox is the most iconic typographic shrine already in existence. As a way of paying hommage to the shrine, I am posting a number of boxes that contain a plain leaf of paper and a pencil hanging from the lid like a pendulum. The journey of the post is then recorded as the pencil sways across the paper, revealing a unique, abstract piece of design work that becomes indicative of the distance and quality of the journey taken.

Paper play

2010-01-08T09:27:00.000-08:00

So far my practices with my new digital tablet aren't revealing any incredible, innate skills of digital illustration that reveal a superhuman command of 21st century illustration. Instead I am merrily enjoying relinquishing any creative skills I own and doodling like a small, friendless child who is trapped indoors on a rainy day whilst the TV is broken.

...More family

2010-01-08T09:14:00.000-08:00

It helps me cope with the thought of my impending return to Edinburgh if I keep looking back at my family photos. My big sister, Hanya, when she was a little big sister cracks quite the pose. I had no choice but to make this image my desktop background. It would have been criminal not to.

family

2010-01-03T04:56:00.000-08:00

My god, I had no idea my parents were so trendy. I really must go digging through old family photos more often for fashion-spiration. I'm sitting on a goldmine of style and had no clue. Dad! Fetch me your old shoes, now! Mum! Send for your old hats. Pronto!

Odd

2009-12-27T08:51:00.000-08:00

I've been playing with my new digital tablet that I got for Christmas. I AM IN LOVE! It's incredible. As you can see I'm starting off simply and am pretty shite at it, but hopefully lots of practice will help me get used to it. Lots of fun ahead, I feel!

Shrine Doodle

2009-12-13T08:34:00.000-08:00

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

2009-12-13T08:29:00.000-08:00

The book designing begins with a small cup of coffee, a biscuit selection box and a very, very fast scribble. Now I best get reading!

So very busy!!!

2009-12-11T13:47:00.000-08:00

I'd quite like to visit an old person again

2009-12-06T08:21:00.000-08:00

Define dancing

2009-12-03T10:10:00.000-08:00

Constructs

2009-12-03T10:09:00.000-08:00

...JP phone home...

2009-12-01T13:49:00.000-08:00

I wish I could stand up to snakes

2009-12-01T13:48:00.001-08:00

Though this snake seems quite sad.

Playing Piano

2009-12-01T13:48:00.000-08:00

Smile, Joseph, everyone is watching you play.

Oh God.

2009-12-01T13:45:00.000-08:00

Got that feeling again today... you know... that feeling. That work feeling! I think it's getting on top of me now in a more serious way than it has before. I want t say "oh shit" but all I can do is draw a cat that speaks like a dog who proudly stands on my name. It might read "woof" but I think the underlying message is quite successfully... "oh shit."

Visual Communication

2009-11-28T09:24:00.000-08:00

Research: Archives

2009-11-27T10:25:00.000-08:00

17.11.09

2009-11-17T05:27:00.000-08:00

my desk space

2009-11-15T11:20:00.000-08:00

Memories

2009-11-13T12:40:00.000-08:00

Taken from a notebook entry I made during one of my escapes into a coffee shop. It reads:

I came to Starbucks and sat at a table me and Dad sat at on one of the occasions he brought me up here. Memories of a little girl next to us playing with her cup and accidentally shaking it so hard that the lid popped off and juice was thrown all in her face. Her stunned silence followed by shocked tears is what made me laugh the most. I remember me and Dad looking at eachother with pure silent laughter in each others eyes. It was brilliant.

Geoffmas clothes

2009-11-13T10:24:00.000-08:00

These are some drawings I helped to do alongside a couple of the other members of Geoff, our ECA graphic collective. We are currently working on a few options for a Geoff Christmas card. One of them is the idea of sending out cut out paper dolls which give you the chance to decorate a Geoff as well as a Christmas tree this year. You dress your Geoff and have a merry old geoffmas for doing so. The drawings (above) are of some of the proposed outfits that could be applied to the card. My personal favourites are definitely Freddy's Christmas pudding jumper (plus holly hat), Danielle's elf shoes (I want some) and my own Robin jumper. I actually would buy it if I saw it. GENUINE!

And bend, and stretch...

2009-11-13T10:19:00.000-08:00

A nicer photo of my cut out characters who are severely distracting me from my design work. Stop it you exercising woman, you!

That said I just can't help but love them. And the creation of them is absolutely essential in helping me maintain an enthusiastic approach to a day ERGO I must make some more... right now!

Reserach

2009-11-13T10:11:00.000-08:00

For a current project regarding the construction of a typographic shrine I am trying to play around with how I present my research. Fulfilling the required research criteria is always a struggle for me as the boxes that need to be ticked in order to pass this area are never satisfied by my own preferred research methods. I work out my ideas with the most colliding of notebook pages that throws down thoughts, references, drawings and distractions into a visual scrawl. For me it makes perfect sense and represents my observations and analytical outcomes of the world around. To an outside, though, it looks like my pencil accidentally sneezed onto the paper and then tried to wipe it off with a dirty sleeve before accidentally spilling coffee over it.

SO! That said, I am now trying to merge a hands on approach to research by collating my sourced images and then photographing them against a muted background over which I can type my analysis and observations. Being a project on installations, I wanted to reflect that act of gathering objects and arranging them into a 3D context. Is it readable? I hope so. Is it enjoyable? Well, yes, sort of... I'm just happy not to be cutting out of magazines, pasting them in a sketchbook and writing next to them, "This is a nice colour. It's like autumnal and really nice and brown and nice." I just couldn't bring myself to do that.

family

2009-11-10T11:17:00.000-08:00

Postbox

2009-11-10T11:09:00.000-08:00

Sketching away as I focus on a project to develop a typographic shrine. I want to focus on typographic shrines that I feel are already existing, and the bringing of mail to a postbox is the most clear example of a typographic shrine that I could ever imagine. Whether handwritten or typed up or signed or scribbled, what is dropped through a postbox is like the offering made to a religious figure, the positive thoughts, optimism, and best wishes (mostly) accompanying them as they are sent onwards.

...

2009-11-03T11:41:00.000-08:00

Aa Bb Cc Dd

2009-11-02T05:06:00.000-08:00

The potential beginnings of an hommage to hand drawn typography?

Where's the boat?

2009-11-02T05:05:00.000-08:00

My current notebook.

2009-11-01T09:35:00.000-08:00

My mum (center) with my Auntie Tanya (left) and Uncle David (right)

Too many voices

2009-11-01T09:31:00.000-08:00

Yes please

2009-10-30T11:00:00.000-07:00

Best business cards ever.
Well, actually he is a bit vom, really, but still!

Geoff Wallpaper

2009-10-30T10:55:00.000-07:00

This is the final wallpaper that we made within our agency, Geoff to be exhibited at a recent GF Smith paper exhibition. I love it! We took photos of each member of Geoff saying the letters, "G, E, O and F' and selected the five portraits that seemed to be mouthing the letter most clearly. Piecing them together and printing them meant that we could visually and verbally introduce Geoff without the use of words.

Sit down

2009-10-30T10:52:00.000-07:00

A page from my recent notebook. I needed a good sit down, that day.

Jeeze, aren't chairs wonderful? I just looked at the one I'm on now and felt really connected to it... emotionally I mean as well as physically.

Stamps!

2009-10-30T10:48:00.000-07:00

I recently bought a beautiful set of stamps that truly makes my insides melt with their brilliance. Included in the set are a wonderful plane stamp that I have played with merrily for an hour (above) as well as ornate borders and postage stamp/postmark prints. Now my books smell of fresh ink and my hand hurts from excessive stamping but its so worth it!

Life.

2009-10-29T12:35:00.000-07:00

I have neither. Shit.

/

2009-10-25T15:31:00.000-07:00

Barrie

2009-10-25T15:23:00.000-07:00

At Portobello beach, Edinburgh

Geoff Wallpaper

2009-10-25T15:18:00.000-07:00

Shannon, Kari and I spent thursday screen printing the wallpaper designed for Geoff Collective's involvement in a GF Smith exhibition taking place from tomorrow onwards. The paper feature five members of Geoff each mouthing either G, E, O, F or F. We hope that Geoff's work speaks for itself, and so designed our wallpaper to do this directly.

Manifesto...

2009-10-19T15:16:00.000-07:00

Barrie and Tamsyn

2009-10-19T13:58:00.000-07:00

My wonderful friend Tamsyn has so greatly been helping me out with my Barrie project at the moment. Her wonderful face is proving perfect for illustrating my proposed brochure to the fashion label. An early morning start led us to Portobello beach where we took a stroll along the sands, all the while trying to embrace our inner cashmere queens.

Manifesto...

2009-10-17T09:30:00.000-07:00

More explorations into my manifesto. Could it be said that the format is a suggestion of that which would be most suitable in my desired career? Might one be able to argue that a love of anything aged, nostalgic and memory worn is featured as a hint towards my inspirations, drives and motivations? Perhaps the communicative nature of my degree is highlighted by the communicative icon that is the postcard? I wonder if the natural landscape and vast geography that encompasses the image is an accurate reflection on the vastness of the working world I will soon be entering- so expansive, so terrifying and yet so invigorating? And what's with the dead cattle? A nod towards one's doubts and fears perhaps? Potentially even a suggestion to how one gets in their own way with too much analysis, negativity and trepidation. And finally, might on say that the reflected figure against the glass within the photo is a tribute to the self-reflectivity that occupies so much of their time? They are lost in their work, lost in their thoughts, lost in their doubt and lost in the scope of it all.

Or maybe its just a load of old shit collaged together and then photographed so pissing shitly that the person behind the camera got in the frickin way?

Whatever you like to think, I quite like it. It was done quickly, instinctively and whilst I tackled a thousand feelings of panic and stress. It may not be a manifesto yet but its certainly an honest creation.

Bugger it I need some ice-cream and a coffee.

/

2009-10-17T07:51:00.000-07:00

Another distracted drawing that fell our of my fingers this morning.

The face says it all

2009-10-17T07:48:00.000-07:00

I am struggling to visualise my manifesto. I just think too much and don't just GO with the flow. Switch off, Joseph, get on with it and shut up analysing everything you stupid, stupid, weird, stupid little man. Anyway...

Barrie

2009-10-14T13:46:00.000-07:00

I'm going on a research trip to the coast tomorrow to take more photos for the Barrie project. As the project develops focus is falling towards the natural landscapes and scottish seas as a means to inspire my re-branding. Think cold waters, grey stone and beautiful fields. Think cashmere!

A little submerged?

2009-10-11T15:17:00.000-07:00

Work is incredibly weighty at the moment.
The seas are ferocious and the waves are relentless.
Imagery was created for my Barrie (cashmere) project. More to come, as per usual.

Cripes.

Notebooked

2009-10-10T08:13:00.000-07:00

In the blue

2009-10-09T03:27:00.000-07:00

Image from an ongoing sketchbook I have been keeping which simply features cut outs of the blue skies in other countries. The travel pages of the papers at least provide me with the escapes I need but can't attain for real.

Geoff!

2009-10-07T13:40:00.000-07:00

I am so excited about one of the projects we are working on during my final year at Edinburgh. The fourth year dept (of which I am included) have been asked to come together into four separate groups to create our own Graphic Agencies. We then had to present our agencies to the entire 2nd and 3rd year of graphics (who would then fill out job applications to the particular agency they wanted to work with) as well as the tutors and the head of the school of Visual Communication.

Group: Check!

Agency: Check!

Presentation: Check!

Employees: Check!

Good times: Check!

Myself, Shannon and Kari worked together to create our collective, Geoff. Geoff is a wonderful collective of creative minds, all with a shared passion and enthusiasm for all things creative. We don't focus on graphic design solely, instead combining a diverse range of skills together so that our graphic outcomes may incorporate our individual passions (whether it be photography, fashion, illustration, editorial design, art direction, animation etc...)

Geoff is also about having fun, enjoying design, and mixing this light hearted approach with a professional attitude. Over the course of the year, as Geoff grows, we will be working closely with Tayburn, a lovely Edinburgh based Design agency. Together with Tayburn, Geoff will produce some sterling work, cement itself as a collective to be proud of, and eat a LOT of cake in the process. Please feel free to check out Geoff's facebook and blog for further info and for a slice of Geofferson love!

This Little Picture Show

2009-10-06T03:23:00.001-07:00

This Little Picture Show

2009-10-06T03:23:00.000-07:00

Geoff

2009-10-03T08:19:00.000-07:00

Shannon McLean, one of Geoff Collective's three creative directors. I am pretty sure there will be many a post regarding the work of Geoff collective over the coming months... posts AND fabulously 80s, tacky, softly focussed photographs. Good times.

Barrie

2009-10-03T08:07:00.000-07:00

For the Barrie project we have been asked to redesign the company's identity, creating a new logo and applying it appropriately to illustrate its potential. As well as this we have the option of creating a brochure for Barrie or a trade show space. I am working on the brochure, envisaging a look book that incorporates Barrie's timelessness and heritage alongside a contemporary, fashion forward aesthetic. I have included in this post the sample images I have mocked to help me direct my designs as they continue their developments. The photos are all taken by me bar the one of the sea with the man lying down on the ocean. The water bits are mine but the man (so sadly) isn't.

Barrie

2009-10-03T07:58:00.000-07:00

I have collated together some of the notebook pages that were devoted to our work on the current project with Barrie, a luxury cashmere company in Hawick. Barrie manufactures cashmere clothes for its own collections as well as for others, and during a tour of the factory last week my friends and I were greeted by simple, black Chanel cardigans. Chanel, cashmere cardigans. CHANEL. CHA-NEL! Rest assured it isn't often that I am in such close proximity to real Chanel, so after drooling a little bit on the floor and wiping it away with my foot, I made sure to take lots of photos and have a good stroke of the CHANEL CARDIGAN!! Oh god the Chanel! (above) The cardigans ready to be packed and posted! Plastic bags to protect from my drool.

First day back.

2009-09-08T09:11:00.000-07:00

This seemed appropriate

Student Spaces: Hannah Knights.

2009-09-02T10:39:00.000-07:00

Well! My research continues, and in an attempt to attack my essay from a different angle, I am including my explorations of the spaces occupied by my creative friends. I began this a good few weeks ago, now, with photos taken of the beautiful Hannah Knights (shown above), a painting student and fabulous coffee buddy. I fell so seriously in love with the attic bedroom that she lived in during last year and just knew that I had to photograph it for my dissertation. Whether it remains as research or becomes a much bigger part of my work's outcome, I'm just happy to have documentation of a space that I found was breathing with creative vibes, youthful energy and a quirkiness that left me speechless. I'll certainly be sharing the broader range of photographs through my dissertation blog as I analyse the factors of Hannah's space that so thoroughly make it a creative one. Until then, lets just feast our eyes on this wee picture of the a-MAZ-ing miss Knights in her a-MAZ-ing attic room.

Another blog... why do I do it?

2009-09-01T09:22:00.000-07:00

Well this time there is a solid reason for a new blog... dissertation!

Woo! These last few weeks I have been up in Edinburgh. Having halved my summer (please sob with me) in order to get a head start on the research parts of my dissertation, I have been library bound/room bound/coffee shop bound during my free days in the hopes that research will develop. In truth I haven't done half as much as I had originally intended, and really need to get going with the more hardcore research. So far I've only been lightly frolicking in the paddling pool of my essay. But no more! I bloody well need to take my puddle, make it a pond and bloody well go wading... AND THEN! Take my pond, make it a pool (preferably a swimming pool as they're much cleaner) and have a good old dip. Who knows, maybe there'll be a time when I'm ready to dive in (though I'm not ready for that just yet.)

Anyway, I have created a new blog that I'm going to start uploading all my official research notes. I feel as though having them on microsoft word is one thing, but with blogs I can organise, link and maybe even gain a bit of feedback on my research and writing. More than that, I can LABEL with the blog, a feature that will make life so, so much easier. With a single click I will be able to string together every post I have made with a common label, helping me to collate sources and to increase my awareness of themes that I have most information on. This will ultimately help direct and shape my dissertation- SCORE!

Anyway, my new blog is www.dissertational.blogspot.com and can be accessed here. Pictures still have to be added to the posts I have done and I haven't double checked what I've written yet so there may be some disgracefully embarassing, unedited Joseph-isms. Ah well.

Safe from the butterfly

2009-08-31T12:16:00.000-07:00

Just rediscovered these two photos I took of this amazing butterfly that landed on my windowsill a few weeks back. I remember being transfixed by the incredible colour on its wings, and even more fascinated by the intense wooded quality of its underside. As means of protection, the bark like disguise was immense and so impressive in its realistic aesthetic. Quite sublime, really. PLUS, I was safely protected from the butterfly's evil insect ways as I was the other side of the glass! RESULT! I could enjoy the beauty without fear of it kamikaze-ing into my sweet, sweet face. I tell you, I did feel a lot happier.

Drinking milk and drawing

2009-08-31T12:12:00.000-07:00

Another wee doddington shot

2009-08-30T03:48:00.000-07:00

Another little pic taken at the Doddington shop that has proved to be immensely useful research for my dissertation.

Today I'm flashing around my...

2009-08-29T08:20:00.000-07:00

Gah!

Another cup, please

2009-08-28T09:37:00.000-07:00

You walked into the room sideways again and nearly knocked over my tea.

Thurso is burso!

2009-08-28T09:29:00.000-07:00

Part of this last week has been spent visiting my good friend, Shannon in her home town of Thurso (a wee town at the verrrry top of Scotland). Thurso was amazing, absolutely stunning. The views, the fresh air, the sea... it was really quite something. Views of Orkney mixed with trips to Smoo cave, stunning beaches and general excursions through the hills and mountains meant that I was exposed to some of the country's best natural offerings. And all with friends by my side. Quite a delightful experience.

Beautiful Spaces

2009-08-28T09:15:00.000-07:00

There is the most beautiful shop attached to Doddington Hall near to where I live in Newark, and its full of the most amazingly sourced home goods. I feel like the most boring sod for getting so enthused about such things but then it's not like I was ever champion of anything cool or edgy so i have nothing to lose. Give me rusty, chic buckets, patterned curtains and nice lace-up wellies any day! Also, photographing the shop definitely qualifies as research for my upcoming dissertation (the reason I am halving my summer by returning to Edinburgh so early and embracing the cold, cold, lonely, geeky and cold library shelves) and so justifies my unimpressive giddyness. I mainly loved the bucolic, blue shed in the garden, full of flower pots and garden tools. I didn't even mind about the spider's webs! If I can just work out how to fit the shed under my jumper and walk away without paying I'd be the happiest man ever.

Clumber 09

2009-08-28T08:59:00.000-07:00

I've been up and down the country for the last week and a bit so I have been away from the blog for longer than I'd like. Lots of photos have been taken, lots of coffee has been drunk, lots of music has been heard and lots of walking has been done. I've been to the furthest point on the UK mainland, seen the greatest couple get married at the greatest wedding, discovered a desire to live in a shed and stumbled upon many a fashionable granny who are giving me serious wardrobe envy. I'll try to upload a few pictures to sum up a few of these fantastic events that have all reinstilled an enjoyment in my me that I was fearing my summer lacked.

First up... a few pics from a trip to Clumber park I went on with my parents just before traveling back up north. Loved it as usual, fell in love with the bluest sky and happened upon a strange witch's tent. Lovely.