out and about :: pick me up

This article was published 15 years

Somerset House is the place to be at the moment, with Joy of Living, John Makepeace and Pick Me Up all happening at the same time. On Friday evening, I went down to have a look at Pick Me Up.

I had great fun following the shapes to find the exhibition (having come in through the Strand entrance, not the one pictured above in case you’re confused!)…

…and eventually got to the action!

Jessica Hische is a typographer and illustrator specialising in hand-drawn lettering such as this lovely ‘k’. She was included in Step Magazine’s 25 emerging artists, Print’s New Visual Artists 2009 and the Art Director’s Club Young Guns.

James Graham studied Illustration at University of the West of England
and Communication Art and Design at the Royal College
of Art and is now an illustrator and designer based in London.
As well as this lovely print, he has created pieces for everybody from the Guardian to the Wellcome Trust.

'Ditto' hard at work creating a book based on Doppelgangers! — 'Ditto' hard at work

London-based print publishing company, Ditto were the first in the UK to specialise in Risograph printing. Covering the ground between digital and screen printing, they print on a variety of paper stocks, design and print books and also cut, fold, and bind. They were also very friendly and kindly ignored me while I took pictures of them!

Ditto Press, print publishing company based in London — Ditto Press at Pick Me Up

Paul Blow lives and works in Dorset, (lucky man!) having gained an MA in Narrative Illustration from Brighton University in 2009. He was awarded second prize in the V&A Illustration Awards 2007, has received Gold and Bronze Awards from the Association of Illustration and a Silver Award from TfL.

It’s Nice That were hosting an exhibition called One of One in which a selection of top graphic artists were creating one-off drawings in under 35 minutes; for sale at £35 as part of the show. The idea was to provide some insight into the creative process of working artists.

Anthony Burrill‘s studio in residence was pretty quiet by the time I got there, but there was evidence of a busy day’s activity, including lots of artworks made there and then by cutting, copying and sticking…

It was also fantastic to see the return of Print Club London, this year with a custom printing press for the show, printing the zine, ‘How to Print for Fun and Money.’

Print Club London's customer printing press

Print Club London was established in 2007 and now comprises a members-based silk screening studio in Dalston and a boutique shop in Brick Lane, selling a selection of the work produced at the studio (also available online).

Also in residence, were collaborative studio Nous Vous creating limited edition and one-off t-shirts, tote bags, prints and bookends for sale at the show….