Off The Shelf

Vhils

Publishers: Gestalten

The Collective managed to gain access to an old building as a wicked back drop for this shoot. The ideal setting for this book titled Vhils, an artist who uses old plaster and brickwork to chip portraits into the surface using a hammer and chisel, ripping and scratching, or by blasting and drilling in his very distinctive style.

Portuguese artist Vhils has a very unique way of working, he starts with a wall, gives it few sprays with a can, for an outline then breaks out the jack hammer - yep you heard it right! Using a dilapidated surface as a blank canvas isn't that unusual but to get out the hammer and to smash the uneven surface, definately takes some confidence and dare we say, practice. He specialises in portraits which in itself is never easy and with the vast scale on which he works, it takes some skill to decipher shape and form in a cloud of brick and plaster dust.

So what's happening under the Contents heading:

The Hidden Beauty of Urban Neglect
Nothing Lasts Forever
Beauty Dies and Fades Away
Detritos
System Meltdown
Scratching the Surface

... and far more goodies lie within.


Now for the picture bit...

Thanks to Gill for her hospitality while on this shoot

To find out more on Vhils chip away method, mouse on the motef

Flesh Cut Fridays With Luci Westphal

One week in California. Los Angeles: hiking in Griffith Park with James Israel, Lisa Goldfarb and John - camera shopping in West Hollywood with Christina Fiers and Franc Tausch (FilmKritikTV) - discovering random pieces of street art (Mr. Brainwash or Banksy?) - relaxing in Manhattan Beach. The road trip to Palm Springs for Nick Rufca and Paul Croce's wedding (reason why I was in California), which was celebrated in style at the Ace Hotel with friends from film school Kelly Kall, Nicki LaRosa, Jamie M. Fox and many more.

Congratulations, Nick and Paul!!!

All the other wonderful people I met and all the other great things we did couldn't fit into the one-minute video - so they're for us to know and relive through photos and shared memories in another place and time.

Luci

Keepin Up With... Phlegm

Sheffield UK

Phlegms been doing a bit at home recently - a fine black and white to brighten even the dullest of days.

thanks to phlegm comics for the images

☋

Don't Feel Extinguished 

Put some Fire back into your Life With...

image from The Collective Studio

Time to catch-up with The Collective.

Advert- The Collective Team

Off The Wall

Meet Cath Love
Her Art = Fast Food Frenzy, With A Devilish Twist

Catherine's work is full of greasy food delicacies, battered beauties, a sprinkle of  humour and some finger lickin goodness. All unwrapped on greaseproof paper to delight your eyes and taste buds.
In short, a fast food frenzy, with a devilish twist.

RDC: Hey Cath, could you tell us where you're from and where you live now please?

 I'm from Hong Kong and I also live here in London, UK.

RDC: What media are you into?

I like doing digital work involving vector graphics, but I also paint on canvases and do plenty of

drawings in sketchbooks. Right now I find it relaxing to do sketches and line drawings, so... I'm sticking with that for the moment.

RDC: Are you a self taught artist and what or who made you decide to take it on as a career?

I actually studied graphic design in Australia, so I guess in terms of painting and drawing I'm self-taught. Since I was a kid, I've enjoyed drawing and painting, so it's what lead me to chose it as a career. I can work in any field of visual expression I suppose, as long as it's creative and allows me to manifest my talent. Currently I'm working as a graphic designer, when I get some spare time I'll paint :)

RDC: Graphic design seems to feature a lot in your work, you have designed album covers - for Erik Hassle for instance. Give us a rundown on other exciting commissions you've had over the years?

Oh gee, I have made an illustration for Nike that will be printed on their t shirts, painted a large canvas featuring 90's hip hop artists for Reggie Yates, painted a small mural for Selfridges to promote their new collection of African American Barbies....

RDC: You designed a surf board graphic, are you a surfer?

I'm more of an internet surfer lol.

RDC: Would you rather be travelling around the hood or travelling the world?

Travelling around the world yo! I know I add a little hood into my art, but I'd like to think of myself as a refined urban explorer around the world, hehe. When I get the funds and time that is!

RDC: We understand you do a bit of street graffin as well, when did you take up the can and have you bombed other cities besides London?

Oh man, I only painted once in the UK and that was in Brighton with Aroe and Pest Fiver. I have painted mostly in Hong Kong and Australia, but also Switzerland and New Zealand.

RDC: Tell us about your fixation with fast food and curvy ladies?

Curvy ladies are always fun to draw, hence their popularity in my work. Fast food, well, I just like fast food! Gatdamn! However, I can't have too much of it anymore, since my internal system's changed. I eat healthier now, so maybe we'll see more features of veggie burgers in my art? hehe!

I guess I liked to use fast food as a focal point, because it's somewhat taboo. Like, oh it's bad for you, but shit it's so good! Perverse isn't it?

RDC: Have you been experimenting with any new designs or themes recently?

Hmm, well for a while I abandoned drawing curvy ladies, but lately I've gotten back into it. Now that I live in HK, I like to use elements of it in my art, so that it has a soft oriental touch and contains some of its humor.

RDC: What shows or projects have you got coming up Cath?

Right now I'm too tied up with full time graphic design work. However, I may have a little exhibition coming up in November at Rat's Cave, a small gallery/store in Hong Kong.

RDC: Would you like to 'shout-out' to anyone?

To my mom and dad and to anyone who's inspired and influenced me!

RDC: Cath it's been great to meet you, 'all the best' from all of us at The Collective☋

Wanna see more of Cath Love's work, go... Here

Off The Shelf

KR Issue 13

We managed to hit on an ace fire extinguisher company for this month's review shoot and with Krink splashed all over the cover, you know it's going to get a bit down and dirty in this issue.

The dribble master Krink has come along way over the years, from introducing the first hand held squeeze bottle filled with paint to bomb your local mail box. Now, with the ultimate spraying equipment - a fire extinguisher which has his logo plastered all over it. This container holds enough charged paint to do a couple of walls, or a few dozen mail boxes - you choose? Krink the man, demonstrates his techniques in this month's magazine!

Let's have a closer look at Graffiti Art Magazine's internals and the written word.
Features include:
News
Books
Shopping
Indoor and Outdoor graffs, exhibitions and shows.

Talents/Artists
KR... The Art of Sag
Vhils... Stone Stencil
Herakut... Think Twice
Arne Quinze... Re-connecting People
Mode 2... Between the Curves
36Recyclab... Lines from all Angles
Revok... Introspection Detroit


Lavish paper and a scent to match - we are into a good smelling mag. Full on colour and French/English language to choose from, there is reason to go out of your way to acquire a crisp copy and enjoy!

Without further ado let's take a look at the pics...

Thank you to Mark at O'Heap and Sons Fire Protection Engineers for allowing us to use their premises for this shoot setting.



For info on this fine publication mouse the motif

Keepin Up With... Keemo

Hi Everyone,

Hope you all had a great weekend. I just thought I would drop a quick hello and check in with everyone and say hello and all that good stuff.

Things here have been going well. As usual, there is too much paint and not enough time to get it down. There has been quite a few commission requests this past month, so I have been a bit preoccupied getting through those. The wide range of requests is interesting and I think the best part of commissioned pieces is getting to learn a bit more all of you.

This is truly the best part of self-representing. Actually, getting to know all of you.

Well, I guess that is it for this morning. Drop a note and say hello. Otherwise, see you around the web.

Cheers,

Curt 

 Go to the site... HERE

Hang Outs... London, UK

 Art Sale

On Sunday 30th October 2011, two exciting Urban Art Sale Events are going to be held at the Black Rat Gallery, and Arch 402 Gallery in Hoxton, London.
Each event will also feature Live Painting with the featured artists from 6pm ­ 9pm.

This sale is for one night only!

This sale is truly unique and will be filmed as part of a BBC Business Documentary Series.

To RSVP and to receive more information about this event please email:

urban.art@talkbackthames.tv

Follow The Reader

Abby at Derby Uni Studios

It's really great having connections with a university and as you know, we have friends at Derby University, in the UK. Their facilities are so cool and some great work is coming out of the Arts Department. 

After doing a photoshoot and review of a book called 'Pulled'* not so long ago, we have been venturing back to the screen print studios to do a catch up on the student's work.

A lot of them have never pulled a squeegee before, people like, first year student Abigail Gray is one of those learning the finer points.

The assignment was to design a Launderette/Laundromat print, using 3 colours grey, black and orange to build up the final piece. The above picture demonstrates the steps of how to achieve this.

Here's how Abby got on,

 Initial rough sketches

 First pull with black.

 Then orange.

 draw it forward over the screen to lay a foundation of paint...

 Then pull back on the squeegee hard, forcing the paint through the screen.

The orange result

 

The finished product with 3 coloured layers, black, grey and orange. Neat!

    The battle-scarred squeegee.

Nice work Abs... The Collective☋

For a review of the ace screen print book called 'Pulled' go... Here