When I popped into the Pick Me Up exhibition recently, I spotted this piece in the Peckham Print Studio display by Dominic Kesterton who has appeared on this blog a number of times.
It’s great to see his work developing and evolving since the first time I encountered him a couple of years ago. Check out more of his work at dominickesterton.com.
Pick Me Up 2016: Alan Kitching — A Life in Letterpress (pt2). | Londondesignz.com
Following on from my earlier post covering Alan’s work throughout the Nineties, this one samples some of his work from the turn of the Millennium.
One of the great aspects of this exhibition is that it shines a light on the working process used in select pieces. This can be seen in the artwork of 2003′s history of the Royal Albert Hall where we get to view the final product in tandem with a rough production layout.
You can find out more about the exhibition and its companion book over at thetypographyworkshop.com.
Pick Me Up 2016: Alan Kitching — A Life in Letterpress (pt1). | Londondesignz.com
I recently dropped into this year’s Pick Me Up festival at Somerset House and made a point of spending some significant time looking through Alan Kitching’s ‘A life in Letterpress’ exhibition.
There was loads to look through and wittling the number of pieces down to a small set to be featured here posed a challenge. Even then, I’m having to spread my picks over several blog posts.
This one focuses on Kitching’s work throughout the Nineties which from my perspective, was the period I found myself most drawn to in the show. While this era includes 1992’s legendary ‘Broadside 5: Clerkenwell Typographic Map’, I’m find myself more drawn to some of the other work here, possibly because the Clerkenwell map has been very present throughout my design career (great though it is). One such piece is the poster advertising a Gert Dunbar lecture and its reference to Dunbar’s Dutch background — it has great punch.
Watch this space. More of my choice picks to come from this exhibition…
I was told today I’m like a walking accident. It may be true nothing like starting the Christmas season with a head injury Different kind of red head today
Pop in a cassette (or click play on Spotify?), find your favorite feel-good song, & share it for Moby’s #MonthOfAction Challenge! http://bit.ly/MonthOfAction-23
Ghosts who tend to the gardens in the Last City, who’ve been there since they were first planted.
A gaggle of Ghosts who all spend their time together, and don’t stop now that one has found their Guardian. (“Woah Guardian, why does the Traveler let you have 6 Ghosts?” “5 of them aren’t mine but I can’t get rid of them”)
Ghosts trying to encourage their Guardians to form a fireteam together, or join one
Ghosts who write novels (trashy, good, some based of their adventures with their Guardians)
Ghosts who hum to themselves while hacking
Ghosts who are hilariously out of touch with like, everything
Ghosts who transmat back samples of plants or planetary materials for research in their down time.
Ghosts doing their best to mimick human gestures (waving a piece of their shell in hello, floating and lightly touching a human’s cheeks like greeting kisses, bowing/bobbing up and down slightly in deference or thanks)
Ghosts spending so much time in a place in the City, that people get used to seeing the Little Light there, and are sad to see it eventually go.
Ghosts nestling into the clothes of their Guardian during down time. Hiding in a Hunter’s hood, tucked near the chest of a Warlock’s robes, resting on the pauldrons of a Titan.
Ghosts who make extensive lists of “Why That’s A Bad Idea, Actually” and list them off to their Guardian while they’re in the middle of said bad idea.
Ghosts who are quieter than their Guardian, painfully shy except to their partner.
Ghosts who NEVER shut up, and live for banter.
Ghosts who consistently deliver terrible one-liners, automatically making whatever their Guardian just did seem lame
Ghosts who really really want to pilot the jumpship they promise they won’t crash it this time pretty please?
Ghosts who freeze their Guardian’s glimmer accounts so they don’t go into debt
Ghosts who dutifully transmat successively strange items in for a very unique game of poker
Ghosts who threaten to read their Guardian’s internet search history aloud on the Tower if they don’t stop farming bounties right fucking now
Ghosts who nestle together like birds in a nest
Ghosts who love animals, and want desperately to pet them
Ghosts who play with animals in the City, or work at an animal shelter.
Ghosts who make the saddest noise if they’re hurt or stressed, their little shell drooping
Clumsy Ghosts who never watch where they’re going, and bonk into things constantly
Easily distracted Ghosts who forget where they were in a hack, or don’t transmat things to the right place
Neat freak Ghosts who are always chiding their Guardian for any mess they make – including the mess of getting blown up
Ghosts keeping tallies and averages of how often their Guardian dies, and from what (they send the data to Ikora and Zavala so they aren’t put on Strikes above their ability)
Ghosts that are always embarrassed by their Guardians
Ghosts taking/teaching classes on tactics – best time to rez, where to hold for a teammate to help, keeping an eye out for your Guardian’s flank, etc.
Ghosts dragging their Guardian along to trainings, and introducing them to their classmates
Ghosts using an app to help them find compatible pen pals or something more
Ghosts getting really embarrassed when their Guardian teases them about said app
Ghosts sitting over their Guardian’s shoulder while their Guardian tries a dating app
Mischievous Ghosts who push their Guardians off balance or down a drop
Nervous and finicky Ghosts who will appear to help push their Guardian back from falling off a cliff
Sweet little Ghosts who pick up things to surprise their Guardian with when they’re having a bad day
Ghosts who will quietly rest against their Guardian when they’re having a bad day
Ghosts who’ve been with their Guardian for a very long time, and have learned exactly how to cheer them up
Ghosts who’ve been with their Guardian for a very long time, who knows exactly how to cheer Ghost up too
Ghosts who refuse to heal their Guardians when they’re mad (in non-critical situations)
Ghosts who ship their Guardian and are *vocal* about it
Ghosts who get passive-aggressive about who has a better Guardian (grandmas at a knitting circle style)
Ghosts who insist they want to try out tons of ridiculous hobbies, or try to find some to do with their Guardian
Ghosts who sneakily transmat things they like back to the ship, much to the surprise of their Guardian
Cuddly Ghosts who press up against their Guardian while they sleep
Ghosts who like their own little cubby/space to spend time while their Guardian sleeps (it’s fully decorated)
Ghosts who insist they’re better than their Guardian at interior decorating
Ghosts who like to wander the City alone while their Guardian is on the Tower taking care of things
Ghosts who remind their Guardian to sleep/eat/hydrate/fix their posture
Ghosts that bonk their shells against their Guardian in frustration or playfulness
Ghosts who get sick of it when their Guardian is in love
Ghosts that hate each other, but their Guardians are best friends or lovers
Ghosts that are best friends, but their Guardians hate each other
Ghosts without Guardians silently choosing a Lightless who they get along with, pretending they’re a pair for a while
Ghosts who stick with their Lightless friend until the end, hoping – always hoping – that it might change
Ghosts without Guardians that help look after the refugee children with/without parents, hoping to help in some way
Ghosts that are just. Really bad at reading the room, much to the chagrin of their Guardian.
Ghosts who don’t care what their Guardian thinks, because who’s been alive longer? That’s right. It’s Ghost.
Ghosts who made a bunch of friends (Guardian or Lightless) before they found their Guardian, so everyone forgets the new Guardian is there the first few times.
Ghosts who are WAY too proud of their Guardian, constantly embarrassing the Guardian who just wants to turn in bounties.
Ghosts who begrudgingly rate each new outfit/color as their Guardian plays fashion
Ghosts who are *way* too into the fashion show, and their Guardian is begging them to let it go.
Ghosts trying to sing with their Guardian – who also can’t sing.
Ghosts who adamantly want a pet
Ghosts who insist they can’t have a pet, because it’s already hard trying to keep the Guardian alive (and they get multiple shots at it)
Ghosts that get huffy when they’re upset, but not vocally. You just see their shells twisting and puffing in and out.
Ghosts betting things between each other (Hey, I bet you this shell that my Guardian will get more kills than yours)
Ghosts that tut at their Guardian over every little scratch and bruise out of worry
Ghosts who always use some of their down time in the City to mourn those lost. Some of those that their Guardian never knew, because they lived and died before Ghost found their Guardian.
