The Final Show 2014

Keith Hau

Keith intention was to respond to Kipling's Just So stories not in a literal and direct manner but in a much more loose way. He also wanted to explore relief printmaking and printing on to canvas. Much experimentation followed but the result was that the narrative located itself within the animal with some clues embedded so discreetly that they are only apparent after repeated views; they emerge over time and take the viewer by surprise.

Tatiana Butt

Tatiana looked at the stains left by coffee grounds after drinking and 'read into them' wtever the imagination could see. This then became the starting point for her images. Certain images such as the bear kept appearing and so a sequential narrative was formed. Alongside this Tatiana researched and explored different etching techniques notably printing using copper.

Nathan Bayfield

Nathan created his own individual tarot cards with their own 'suits' such as spears and birds. They are developed from his interest in old engravings and traditional iconography. Nathan has since joined the BA Illustration programme at the University of Brighton.

Lewis Turner

Lewis's aim was to communicate something of his emerging spiritual outlook with its references to the world's moral and spiritual leaders and cosmic imagery.  His development books present a spontaneous exploration of collage.

Lianne Cheal

The theme of Lianne's final project was the relationship between the exquisite beauty of ballet and the brutal pain that it is founded upon. Her research was wide ranging with visits to churches and the V&A to look at reliquaries, the the Royal Opera House to get ballet shoes aswell as drawing bruises and scars. All this research took her into using materials to convey her message ultimately creating fragments or relics form the dancers themselves.

Sophie Tucker

Sophie stepped a little a way from a more conventional approach to illustration by creating an installation about a desperate attempt to organise chaos. with its self help advice and counting the days and hours it created a glimpse of life challenged by conflicting demands.

Ben Carmichael

Ben Carmichael came to the course with a love for drawing and painting the landscape but a sharp wit emerged in response to the many briefs he has been given. These combined in his final project with a picturesque take on the landscape embedded with small details of animals up to no good. He encouraged the viewer to be taken up with the landscape as a whole before being surprised by the small detail lurking at the edge of the painting. At the private view this tactic never failed.

Jack Dalziel

Jack took the brave decision to stand around outside betting offices to talk to customers leaving after playing their game of chance. Jack then interviewed them to find out about the big issues that affected their lives and what advice they might pass on to another at the beginning of their journey through life. This wasn't an easy process and Jack had to adapt his approach but the answers that he ended with were moving and surprising; wisdom was shared. From his research he made these simple direct screenprints and a book which outlined in greater depth his ideas for this project.

Nina Somers

Nina Somers worked at the BBC prior to returning to full time education.  As the BBC was moving from its old headquarters in Shepherds' Bush she decided to take a look at the old building, her memories and the characters which passed through its doors. Here she is at the lift.

Whilst the subject for her story was characteristically engaging she was also very adventurous in the way she used her chosen medium - linoprint. Inspired by a visit to the Pick-Me Up Show at Somerset House she made her print into a diorama and then explored the use of a range of different papers with tracing paper giving a ghostly air to the long gone Mr. Blobby.

Kimberley Snelling

Kimberley Snelling took an unashamedly commercial path for her final project creating products appealing to the dog owning community.  She made mugs, ear rings, key fobs, nail transfers and much more, each aimed to appeal to a different breed owner. As the work progressed she stretched herself to show something more about the particular breed's personality. In addition she made her own website to sell her work. She has since gone on to make a commercial success of her 'shop', very quickly having orders running into the hundreds from different retail outlets.

Rosie Bellhouse

Rosie aimed to mimic a museum collection of the wings of a Robin. She plucked a dead robin setting aside the different feathers from the beak to the tail, from the smallest to the largest. These were then etched keeping each tiny detail and then framed in a way which communicated the seriousness of an academic study of a victorian ornithologist, all given their latin names in the appropriate form. Her show, nonetheless, had a certain pathos.

Seb Relf

Seb Relf's work took a close look at doodles, their function and common imagery.  By using strategies such as changing scale, the exploration of the relationships between images and use of visual puns he aimed to reinvigorate such over used imagery.  In this way Seb wanted to get to the root of his interests and develop his own individual language.

The School Creative Centre Rye

FdA Illustration year 1 students were briefed for the job of designing the annual Christmas Bazaar at the School Creative Centre in Rye. From all the submitted proposals Rosie Bellhouse, Nina Somers and Keith Hau were chosen to jointly work on delivering their proposals.
This not only gave them the opportunity to organise and deliver their ideas on schedule but also to seek sponsorship. The paper company GF Smith generously supplied all the paper they needed to realise their ambitious ideas. 

Keith Hau is shortlisted for The V&A Student Illustration Award

Keith Hau has made the shortlist of only five in The V&A Student Illustration Awards 2014. Hundreds of students from across the country entered the competition so it's a particular tribute to Keith that he's done so well.

His piece is entitled The River and illustrated five folk stories which each relate to the river in some way and they highlight various themes such as caution, danger, love, lost and longing. There is also an elemental hierarchy that ties all the folk tales together, giving it larger sense of unity.