HOUSE of HERTSART, DESIGN, ARCHITECTURE & INTERIORS in HERTS.

THE NEXT BIG NAMES IN DESIGN Uni of Herts Creative Graduate Show: The Highlights

KIT- HOUSEAwesome Flat- PackHouse in Hertfordshire

TRANSFORMATIONSZahida Mahen: Our Artist of the Month

AUGUST 13ISSUE 01‘POP- UP’ Editon

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CONTENTSART

THE NEXT BIG THING-Highlights form the University of Hertfordshire’s Creatives Graduate Show

TRANSFORMATIONS-Art- Links Ltd present their Artist of the Month, Zahida Mahen

SHOPPING: Innermost Jeeves’ Bowler Hat by Jake Phipps. Available at Heals £260

DESIGN

3D PRINTING- Revolutionising the Design Industry?

JUST FABSIE- Fabsie founder, James McBennet, talks to us about getting his 3D printed furnture project off the ground.

ARCHITECTURE

THE FLAT- PACK HOUSE-Weberhaus give us a tour of a ‘pop-up’ house in Hertfordshire

INTERIORS

TRENDING IN 2013- Greens, brass ,and the 1970s make a come-back

+ We select our favourite design coffee table books

HOUSE of HERTSHello to our readers, and welcome to the first issue of House of Herts- Hertfordshire’s showcase publication for promoting local creative talent and the home of design focused features.

Here at HoH, our focus is on local talent and independent creative businesses, and making sure those talents and businesses don’t go un-noticed. We had an idea to create a platform for celebrating the artistic talents of the county with beautiful glossy features in a free magazine, and the response so far has been amazing!

Over the last few weeks we have been busy forming a great team and our studios have been a hive of activity sourcing stories for this first ‘pop-up’ themed issue. This month’s edition includes a feature on an incredible ‘Hertfordshire Kit House’, we have a round up of our highlights of the University of Hertfordshire’s creative graduate show, as well as a piece of on our local creative of the month and the subject of our centerfold, Zahida Mahen.We hope you enjoy the first installment of House of Herts. This is just the beginning for us. We are always on the look out for new events, projects and products so please do contact the team if you have some-thing new. Advertising can be booked through our Markerting Manger, Lee Baker.

Nikki Lynch, Editor

All editorial articles and advertisements are based on the information supplied and, although we endeavour to ensure that all published information is correct, House of Herts cannot be held responsible for any omissions, errors, or inaccuracies contained in editorial or adverts. house of Herts accepts no responsability for loss or damage, however caused to nay material submitted for publication. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the prior written consent of House of Herts. All rights reserved.

NIKKI LYNCHEDITOR nikki@houseofherts.com

LEE BAKERMARKERTING MANAGERlee@houseofherts.com

REBECCA JARVESTARTS AGENT(ART-LINKS LTD)rebecca@art-links.co.uk

STEVEN LAMBERTREPORTERstevenlambert@houseof-herts.com

SHAY WOODSPHOTOGRAPHERshay@houseofherts.com

NICK SHILLINGFORDHOH GUESTPHOTOGRAPHER

‘THIS STOOL ROCKS’by FABSIE

PHOTOGRAPHERS

EVENTS DIARYEVENTS

HERTFORD THEATRE Charles Long: Origins of the Land – an Exploration16th July - 10th AugustGallery at Hertford Theatrewww.hertfordtheatre.comSix Printmakers28th August - 21st SeptemberGallery at Hertford Theatrewww.hertfordtheatre.com

COURTYARD ARTSHertfordshire Adult and Family Learning Service23rd July - 3rd Augustwww.courtyardarts.org.uk

Artist in Residence5th - 31st Augustwww.courtyardarts.org.uk

NEW MAYNARD GALLERYSculpture by Paul Bainbridge and paintings by Diane Rafferty 19 July – 7 Septemberwww.newmaynardgallery.co.uk

Call for Artists for 11th Herts Open Exhibition19th October - See website for entry formApplication dates 19 July – 7 Septemberwww.newmaynardgallery.co.uk

LETCHWORTH ARTS CENTRE Hidden Landscapes: Arts Council funded research and devel-opment project by the visual artist Christina Bryant in which she explores sites along Letchworth’s urban fringes. Aug 9 – Aug 30

Main Gallery www.letchwortharts.org

Meet the Artist. In connection with our Hidden Landscapes exhibition.

Aug 15. 7.00pm.www.letchwortharts.org

In Yer Face. Works in acrylic by Becky CannonAug 1 – Aug 30Foyer Gallery.www.letchwortharts.org

Skylines. London and New York skylines as you’ve never seen them.

Aug 5 – Aug 30.Café Gallery.

www.letchwortharts.org

Children’s Summer Programme. Groups for 5-7 years olds and 8-12 year olds. Mornings: 10.00 – 12.00. £8.50 each (members £8). 10 per cent discount if you book more than one of our children›s Sum-mer Programme courses.Aug 5 – 8. I Am an Artist week – look at different artists’ styles and create your own. Aug 12 – 15. Art Movements – look at different art styles and create your own. Aug 19 – 22. Period Art – look at art through histo-ry and create your own. www.letchwortharts.org

Toddlers’ Workshops: Three Fridays of arts fun for the summer for toddlers – and their parents. Aug 9, 16 and 23. 10.30 – 11.30. £4.50 (members £4)www.letchwortharts.org

THE UNIVERSITY of HERTFORDSHIRE CREATIVE GRADUATES SHOW 2013

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HEADLINES

When seeking out art and design talent in Hertfordshire, there is no better place to start than the University of Hertfordshire’s school of creative arts. Over the last few years the university has generated a consistently high-standard of graduate design talent, and the 2013 graduate show titled ‘Headlines’ proved no exception to this track- record.

HoH were lucky enough to be invited to the private viewing of the graduates work in subjects ranging from fine art, product design, architectural design, product design, graphic design, fashion and much more.

Kicked off with champagne cocktails and front row seats to the fashion show, we were treated to an atmosphere that was both sophisticated &professional. Lots of moody blacks, PVC and saucy slashes created a feisty vibe of feminine attitude that

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ARTdominated the catwalk. However, for a fashion show, everything was surprisingly wearable. Associate Dean of the school for creative arts, David McGravie, told us that was exactly the point. “We run the fashion course with a commercial focus in mind”, he said. “ It ensures that our students are ready for the fashion industry and they are able to transfer their studies into finding a paid- job in the fashion industry.”

In the arts area, an eye-catching piece by mixed- media artist, Katherine Vanessa Armstrong, was certainly drawing crowds and igniting discussion. Her ‘Zimmer’ sculpture, made up of tens of zimmer frames piled on top of each other in what was reminisent of the aftermath of a riot at a retire-ment home, had a number of older guests at the viewing in stiches of laughter. It’s always a success when art is able to bring people together and start conversation.

We were particularly blown away by the sheer amount of work put in by the architecture and interior design students. In only twelve weeks, the students had to research, propose and design an alternative use for a forgotten piece of land in the Welwyn Garden City area. Proposals ranged from a ride- in cyclist’s social center, to a split-level creative workspace building with a hydraulic lift sys-tem. Every proposal was interesting and intelligent in its own right.

Product design was also full of inventive ideas, in particular a remarkable drain herb planter creation by Johnny Brown. After extensive research and numerous product tests, Johnny has created a rather genius low-mateniance way of growing herbs in a small space using carefully calculated water distribution system within a rain-water drain pipe. Expect to see his product in a garden center near you soon!

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Guest Photographer: NICK SHILLINGFORD

Nick graduated from the reputable Goldsmiths University in London after studying photography for three years. His porfolio of work includes a col-lection of images taken during the London riots in 2011, and a catalogue of photographs taken during the banking riots in the City of London.

3D PRINTING Revolutionising the Design & Arts IndustryThe technological advancements of 3D printing is revolutionising the world of art and design. Not only will designers save time and money, but they will also be able to produce more work at a much higher standard. 3D print was once seen as an alternative to the standard practise of design and architecture but its benefits could prove it the only method to use.

First used for making prototypes for aerospace and automotive companies, 3D printing has since been used for a wide range of other purposes, including creating tailored replacements for bones in medical practice, musical instruments such as metal acoustic guitars and even a range of bikinis made from soft plastic.

The technology of 3D printing is not especially new, in fact, it was first invented in the mid-1980s.What is new about the technology however, is the recent widespread availability of 3D printing thanks to the falling costs of the necessary machinery. At the time of its first major consumer release over a decade ago, 3D printers were available for between £16,000 - £22,000. Now, most small, portable machines cost between £600 - £1000 and around £2000+ for a larger, multi colouring design model. This huge decrease in price means it is no longer just the huge corporations

Softkill Designs- 3D House

that are able to take advantage of the technology.

The benefits for Designers to use 3D printing rather than conventional methods are abundant. For one, pretty much anything can be made with the machines and the printed items can be made to exact measurements flawlessly. Everyday furniture, such as computer desks and coffee tables primarily come in set sizes. However, 3D printing now allow designers to create items of any shape and size. As far as intricate details go, there are very few limitations. In short, designers will no longer have to spend months working on say, a ceramic vase, they can now print one in hours: instant one-of-a-kind items.

London based company, Softkill Designs, have incorporated the 3D machines into their business and are able to take the printing capabilities to the next level. They plan to construct a full scale home using only plastics. What’s more, they believe it will take just three weeks to print and only a single day to assemble. Enrico Dini, an engineer with Softkill Designs said “The human limitations of master builders and bricklayers will no longer hamper architects’ visions.” Every piece of the building will be printed with interlocking fasteners which will enable a quick, easy and tool-less assembly.

Designers, Josh Harker and Cosmo Wenmen, are the most well known 3D print artists. They both run art exhibitions that show how everyday items such as clocks, lamps and even wall sockets and fixtures can be made exquisitely and intricately using the 3D machines.

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PROVIDED by JOSH HARKER

DESIGNThe most striking piece of the exhibitions is Josh Harker’s winged skull sculpture, Anatomica di Revolutis (left), which is made of thousands of small pieces. As 3D printing reduces manufacturing costs considerably with its technology, pieces such as Anatomica di Revolutis are surprisingly inexpensive to own.

Perhaps the most exciting aspect of the 3D printers, are websites like Thingiverse, which allows its users to upload their ready-made designs for others to customize or simply print for themselves. For designers, this is a whole new revenue stream as they could now simply sell the blue prints rather than actually make the product themselves. Not only would this cut man hours, it would also virtually cut costs to zero.

3D printing also carries environmental benefits too. With this technology there will be no need to stock pile items as everything can be made on demand, on a made-to-order basis, which will reduce material waste considerably.The 3D printing process has not been wholly celebrated within the media however. The widespread availability and public access to 3D printing has drawn some controversy in recent weeks. When the American company, Defence Distributed, announced in May earlier this year that they had used 3D printing methods to create a fully functioning gun which could be brought

by the public on-line in a digital file for only £16; the news sparked concern across the world. Cody Wilson, the head of Defence Distributed, said, “I think a lot of people weren’t expecting that this could be done. But we did.” Cody Wilson denied the companies plans were anything sinister, but rather “about liberty.”

That said, there is no doubt that 3D printing can change the face of design. Its lowering costs mean the technology is now accessible to a much wider audience. 3D print offers an alternative to not just artists and designers, but also the building and architecture industry. 3D print built shops and houses could become very

common in years to come. The technology can only get better and more efficient, which could prove beneficial for all.

“... Pretty much anything can be made with the machines and the printed items can be made to exact measuments flawlessly”

WORDS by STEVEN LAMBERT

Pick up this Makerbot ‘Replicator 2’ desktop 3D Printer from Robosavvy.com for £1,799.00 inc. VAT. What will you create?

DO TRY THIS AT HOME....

TRANSFORMATIONSArtist of the Month:Zahida Mahen“I never used to stitch that much,” remarked Zahida as she flipped through her eye-catching portfolio of sewn illustrations. “When I began to explore stitching more, I became more confident in it. Then I thought, whatever I have to do, I can adapt stitching to the project; it’s an extremely diverse medium.”

During her art foundation course, Zahida discovered a preference for illustration as an art form. “It’s about telling a story,” she explained. “At the time I was into the whole gender equality thing. I was studying the psychology behind it – how men are in a stronger position than women – and I thought, I don’t like that.” So she began to explore the political dynamics of gender equality as a story, one that can be illustrated as a linear narrative.

Several years on, having graduated this summer with a degree from the University of Hertfordshire, Zahida regards the institution as important for the development of her practice. “It was really good,” she said with a smile, “especially the last year.” This was when she dedicate herself entirely to her sewn-on-paper technique. Why? Amongst a series of watercolour and collage works, her tutor found one of these sewn images and, impressed by its originality, encouraged her to explore the medium more closely. Zahida took up the challenge with relish, finding new and increasingly complex ways of expressing meaning through the simplicity of colourful stitched outlines. Powerfully contrasted by void white spaces within the shapes and across the

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background, her illustrations portray bold, enigmatic figures that seem to exude real personality. “Personally, I think an image is stronger if it’s in one medium,” said Zahida, indicating the variety of aesthetic results with which she has experimented, such as exhibiting works in front of lights that shine through the needle holes. “I love the ‘wrong’ side because you can see the threads left at the back,” she remarked with reference to why her final images are taken from the reverse, somehow more evocative with its natural tangling’s and hangings.

This is true of her work published in this centrefold, which comes from an ABC project she completed in her last year at University of Hertfordshire. Choosing the theme of national costume due to its natural correlations to fabric and stitching, Zahida produced P is for Poncho, an illustrated book full of iconic regalia such as Venetian masks and Hawaiian skirts. “Some pages show full figures,” she explained, “while others illustrate just details, so as not to be repetitive.” Recognisable costumes such as the poncho of the book’s title are illustrated in close-up, leaving the reader to enjoy conjuring up the rest of the outfit with their mind. With hands on hips as if surverying the scene, the strong women of this piece overleaf seem to draw on Zahida’s preoccupation with female empower-ment, softened by the delicacy of hanging threads that suggest hair blowing in the wind.

So where does Zahida want to go from here? “I’m looking to do freelance illustration” she remarked. “I’ve always wanted to do something with clothes. In fact, I aspire to work for Liberty. I like the Britishness of the brand and its edginess.” Zahida’s piece, I is for Italian Folk Costume, from the book P is for Poncho, marks the first artwork in ‘Transformations’, a series of published artist centre-folds curated by Art-Links exclusively for House of Herts

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First comes thought; then organization of that thought, into ideas and plans; then transformation of those plans into reality. The beginning, as you will observe, is in your imagination.” - Napoleon Hill

-ART-LINKS- Transformations!

With an interest in all art forms, from fine art to graphic design, illustration and photography, Art-Links supports emerging artists. As part of our work, we run an online platform, The Daily Creative, celebrating talented minds in art and design. Follow us at artlinksltd.tumblr.com

facebook.com/artlinksltd @artlinksltd

Art-Links is a consultancy with a passion for art, a mission to support emerging talent, and a vision to introduce more businesses to the benefits of art engagement. We deliver innovative cultural projects that build strong connections between companies and their customers, employees and communities, through which we help to realise business goals.

Support creative talent.!Grow your business. !

The Daily Creative from Art-Links!

Find out more: http://art-links.co.uk Say hello: info@art-links.co.uk

Curators are essentially narrators. In order to guide viewers through meaningful visual experiences, it is most important to tell a story. This principle means that, just as a good book does not depend on a fixed space and singular moment in time, so too can art exhibitions break out of museums and galleries to merge with everyday life. Out of this idea ‘Transformations’ was born, an exhibition in print. Over the course of a year, this centrefold will feature one artwork by a different artist each month. With the spotlight on Hertfordshire, the programme will showcase artistic talent living and working across the county. So why ‘Transformations’? House of Herts champions innovation in design, interiors, architecture and art - creative disciplines that rest on a common practice of complete change, and therefore of transformation. In the same way, innovation, at the heart of the magazine’s interests, seeks to transform old ideas with new thinking. ‘Transformations’ brings together artists that use traditional techniques in new and innovative ways. Zahida’s work is one such example of how an age-old practice, namely sewing, can undergo an evolution in the mind of the artist to be reconceived in a contemporary context. In the resulting artwork, we are confronted by something unexpected that throws a new perspective on our world that we might too use as inspiration for change.

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ARCHITECTURE

the KIT HOUSE

Hidden away down a private road in Chipperfield, surrounded by acres of beautiful English garden scenery, lays an impressive testament to German efficiency and engineering in a rather astounding piece of architecture. We bring to you, Hertfordshire, the Kit House.

Dubbed as ‘kit houses’ due to the way the buildings are made in a factory and simply put-together on-site, this innovative process for construction is taking the country by storm, with the number of UK homes built in this way growing year on year. Energy efficient & time efficient, the method is being hailed as the future of home construction.

The Chipperfield house is a prime example of style not having to be compromised for efficiency. With its sharp lines and elegant detailing, it is a far cry from what one would imagine a kit house to look like. For a start, it’s very solid. It also blends in with the surrounding, older houses remarkably easily and is less imposing in its rural backdrop then expected. Initially designed by an architect within the home-owners family, the blueprints were then handed over to Weberhaus- A German design and construction company which makes flat- pack furniture look like child’s play

From only a concrete base, the house was a solid structure within three days of the German team getting on site. The full fit out inside the house took only another twelve weeks before it was entirely complete, with a bespoke design and specification for the new home owners.

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The speed with which these kit houses can be constructed is entirely due to the manufacturing process, and it is this that makes the kit house so desirable. When the walls of the building arrive on site, they come complete with full electrical wiring & full plumbing systems installed, ready to be plugged into the appliances.

The benefits of choosing to build a kit house as opposed to a traditional building methods are abundant. For one, with most of the work carried out in a factory, bad weather need not delay the buliday times, with wind, snow, rain forcing workman to leave site. These houses are also extremly energy efficient and eco-friendly due to the meth-ods and materials used. As all the pieces are made in a factory, the build can be regualted more tightly with each piece measured out to the millimeter. This ensures the building is air- tight. This can enable the house to be ‘passive’, with no heating system itself, but heat is provided by heat from people, lighting and appliances. Triple-glazing also comes as standard with a Weberhaus kit house. In fact, Weberhaus, say they set out to build eco homes, and it’s this mindset which ensures that the kit houses are as energy efficient as they can be.

What goes without doubt is that these kit houses are built with quality in mind, and it certainly shows both inside and out. But, don’t expect that building a kit house will be a cheap-er alternative to traditional methods. Building a kit house with Weberhaus will cost from upwards of four hundred thousand pounds.

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So, is it worth taking on a kit house build? One of the most appealing factors of a kit house build is that the methods of construction enable the provider to give a final and complete price for the entire build. There are no sneaky extra costs due to time delay, bad weather, more materials needed etc. A fixed cost can provide those who decide to self- build, invaluable peace of mind when taking on such a large project.

Wenberhaus also provide customers with a complete service with full project managment. From obtaining plannng permission and drawing up architectural plans, to demolishing any existing building; building a kit house will ensure you end up with a completly fully-fitted out house with everything you need to move straight in and start enjoying your kit house.

What is for sure is that these houseS are incredibly impressive and could arguably prove to be the future of house building.

For more information on taking on a Kit House project yourself, visit the Weberhaus website on www. weber-haus.co.uk

WORDS by NIKKI LYNCH

KIT HOUSE IMAGES by SHAY WOODS

INFORMATION PROVIDED by WEBERHAUS, St. Albans

ARCHITECTURE

42,000 projects, in what has been de-scribed as the greatest democracy in arts and creativity. An example of a project funded by Kickstarter is the Form 1 (below), an affordable, high -resolution 3D printer for professional creators, cre-ated by Formlabs, which generated just short of $3 million dollars worth of financial backing.

Out of the 42,000 Kickstarter projects launched, a staggering 44 per cent

have reached their funding goals. A momentous achievement given the comparative isolation and struggle those artists have previously experienced in getting their work into the public domain. So, who qualifies for Kickstarter funding? Essentially, anyone can ap-ply for funding, just as long as they can meet the Kickstarter guidelines.

These state that the project must be a project, which has a clear end and produces something at the end. For example, it could be a new film or game. The project must also fit within the categories of art, comics, dance, design, fashion, film food, games, music, photography, technology and theater. Project managers must also be over the age of 18. However, each project must reach their funding goals in order to receive any money from funders, in an all or nothing approach.

What’s in for the backers? Project supporters won’t be backing for fi-nancial reward. Backers of a graphic novel, for example, might get a copy of the finished book. Kickstarter described the reward for backers saying, “It supports their dream to create something that they would want to see exist in the real world. People rally around their friends’ projects, fans support people they admire, and others simply come to Kickstarter to be inspired by new ideas.”

We’ve all heard the stereotype about the poor artist who spends their life in perpetual poverty as they struggle to make a living out of their creative work. And, in essence, this is exact-ly the case for many people working within the creative industry.

However, as of October last year, UK artists have been given a new alterna-tive for realising their creative plans ;

Kickstarter is a New York based cre-ative funding platform which has proved since its launch in 2009, to “bring creativity to life” for tens of thousands of applicants. In October of 2012, Kickstarter opened their doors to UK projects too.

The statistics are certainly encourag-ing so far. Over the course of the last four years, Kickstarter has enabled 4.2 million people to pledge over $645 million dollars to more than

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“A crowd- funded initiative which gets artists, design-ers, musicians and creative folk, a viable springboard from which to launch their creative projects.”

“There is no restriction on the size of the project or the funding goals they hope to achieve.”

DESIGN

KICKSTARTER CASE STUDY:

Fabsie founder, James McBennet, is a furniture designer with a background in architecture. Last year James de-cided to move into the world of 3D printed furniture with an ambition to revolutinise the ways we buy and sell furniture. House of Herts caught up with him to find out how launching a Kickstarter project is helping him to realise these dreams.

Q: How easy was it for you to start your Kickstarter project and were there any costs involved? A: Having no upfront costs makes the platform accessible and welcoming to both small and unusu-al projects that want to test the wa-ters without the need for traditional gatekeepers. I believe a good video is essential for most campaigns, which might have an upfront cost. I just bor-rowed a friend’s camera and shot the video by myself in my living room.

Q: Would you say overall, that the Kickstarter project has been helpful to your busi-ness goals and in which way? A: I believe Kickstarter and platforms like it are completely changing how new busi-nesses are created. Former WIRED editor Chris Ander-son describes his grandfather’s story in inventing the intermittent garden water sprinkler system that wa-ters your garden when you are on holiday. He needed money to both prototype the project and patent it seeking out investors. He received the investment and the project was a success with customers, but the majority of the company was owned by the investors leaving negligible benefit to the inventor. Today, you

Q: What rewards did you offer your backers?A: My project uses digital files to make affordable ready-to-assem-ble furniture. The inaugural proj-ect is various options for rocking stools so I offered my backers a stool.

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ARCHITECTURE

• 10percentattheSundancefilmfestivalareKickstarterfunded• Kickstarted‘Fubar’ZombienovelhitsNewYorkTimesBestSellerList• Kickstarterfundedfilm‘IncidentinNewBaghdad’nominatedforOscar• ‘T-Rex’femaleboxerwinsOlympicgoldinLondonthankstoKickstarter• PublishersweeklycallsKickstarterthenumber2publisherofgraphicnovels

put the project on Kickstarter finding backers through reward based funding that aren’t interested in owning you or your company, they want to use your product and help make it happen. Investors might be needed at later stages when you want to scale up, but they are no longer recommended to start something new.

Q: During your experience, were there any down sides to launching a Kickstarter project?A: None that I can think of. Starting something isn’t easy and usually problems will always arise. Kickstarter helps people find those issues sooner than later, which I can only see as being a positive.

TRENDING IN 2013Send your house guests green with envy by indulging in the big interiors trends for this year. It’s all about rich, luxurious greens and shiny brass accessories. 1970s design is also making a big comeback this year with interiors given a bit of a retro vibe. Go on, get trendy!

INTERIORS

01 BIJOU CHAIR by Clarissa HulsePart of the Heals Clarissa Hulse collection, this distinctive chair is a stunning exam-ple of classic meets contemporary de-sign. Inspired by nature, the colours are bang on trend for this year.£1695HEALS.CO.UK

02 TRIM PHONE by Wild & WolfThis iconic retro telephone is typical of 1970s design. Complete with all the orig-inal style features this is a great replica,but with modern push button dialing. Hello? Is it this you’re looking for?£42ETCETERAHOMEFASHION.CO.UK

03 ETCH by Tom DixonThis polished brass pendant light shade is absolutely stunning. We imagine this hanging over a dining table. We love! £295HEALS.CO.UK

04 BASKET2005 by Ronan & Erwan BouroullecSleek & sophisicated, the basket sofa is a piece of art in its own right. This would look great in a minimalist room.From £2,669TWENTYTWENTYONE.COM

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Artist on a mission

Peter J. Coleman

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Once in while you come across the kind of raw creative talent that blows your socks off, and Hertfordshire based artist and graphic designer, Peter James Coleman, is a prime example of this.

Growing up in a working class background with no con-nection to the art world, Coleman has fought every adver-sity to become one of the UK’s most impressive graphic illustrators. Entirely self- taught, he is the definition of de-termination, teaching himself how to transfer his rudimental natural drawing abilities into computer design wizardry that has since been employed in major business branding projects such as the IMAX opening of the Harry Potter film in 2002 and an advertising campaign for the multi- million company, Leica Geosystems.

“I always knew I was a bit handy with a pencil”, he flips. “It was just a case of finding a way I could turn my abilities into a paid living.”

First inspired by a man drawing caricatures of passers by in London’s Leicester Square, Coleman started off his ar-tistic career by teaching himself how to replicate the car-toons that had first inspired him.

“I’d stick them round my desk at work”, he explained. “It started getting attention and gradually I’d go from charging five pounds for a portrait, then, when word started to get round, I’d have university students approach me to help visualize projects for them. It went from there.”

Coleman was inspired to enter the world of graphic design after seeing somebody using a graphic design tablet whilst on holiday with his girlfriend in America during the late 1990s. Once back in the UK he brought himself a tablet and set to work training himself how to use the relatively new technology.

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