Cups of Tea 2187 - 2197

Hello True Believers! Or Not? I don't know? Well, hello anyways... It's been a bit of a long few days! I haven't blogged in almost a week because of zee night of Stand Up, resulting Hang Over and weekend of work. As such, I apologize!

This is just a quick blog post because I've got a driving lesson bright and early tomorrow (Yes! I'm learning to drive again! All Hail Zod!), but here's another Stand Up flyer in the theme of the Dan Antopolski one, this time for Wil Hodgson...

Enjoy!

M x

Cups of Tea 2181 - 2186

A lot of Tea as it's been a bit of a busy day respective readers! A lot of brews, slightly strained eyes and a practical exercise for a job is completed... I think? And it's been nice! I've been using Photoshop PROPERLY for the first time in a good while. Cropping, using layer styles, blends, layer masks! The whole shebang! And I forgot how much I love the program.... I've been using illustrator for the last what, 8 years now? 6 of those I've used it pretty hardcore!

But alas, after an interview a week or two ago I was told to check out layer styles, and I honestly forgot how much could be achieved with them... It's been a nice change of pace! While I still love my vectoring (you know me, I keep it clean), in this period of me being unemployed I think I'm going to use the time to become as uber in PS as I used to be! While I can still remember how to do everything, I'm not as fast with the old lasso and my collection of brushes leaves a lot to be desired! This will be rectified! Then it's back to learning HTML 5...

Other than this news, I stumbled across a complete ARCHIVE of published material from Volkswagen since the 30s! We're talking Nazi Germany Volkswagen promotional things, it's incredible to look at! It's great to see how the brand has always been so visually stylized, most of it wouldn't look out of place to look at today, while others look a little dated but look like they were ground breaking at the time!

Unfortunately, there's none of the posters on there, but I'm still going to link to this article on the 'lemon' ad (as made famous by madmen), because I think the copy is awesome! And now, to bed! Nighty night all!

M x

Cups of Tea 2177 - 2180

Hey up all, just a quick update again as I'm about to dash off to bed... Original plan was to 100% complete the illustrations for Rundown today, however I did one of the remaining 3 (now 2...) this morning, then practiced stand up. When I got back to the computer, the priority changed to something very exciting in the inbox that I'll hopefully be able to share with you all soon :) So unfortunately, this probably means Rundown won't be released until All Hallow's Eve, which I'm sure I'll also knock something up for! We shall see tomorrow ;)

Until then, enjoy the most cracking music video I've seen in a long time! I like the song, but I am seriously in love with the animation style...



M x

Cups of Tea 2168 - 2176

Why hello there ladies and gentleman... Sorry about the late blog post, I'm currently getting back up to date with House after a day of writing (possibly the most unusual, unusable bits I've ever written, but there you go...). I have, however got some Graphic Design to show that I did on Saturday but didn't want to blog, as I'm almost ready to release Rundown, I've been in a weird state of mind the last week or two and I apologize... Hopefully this glimpse will make up for some of it, at least!

And now to bed, toodles.

M x

Cups of Tea 2156 - 2167

I apologize for the lack of updates ladies and gents, but I really haven't been that busy on the design front this week due to a few social commitments (a funeral, some stand up, client meeting), so really haven't felt the need to update this old blog of mine for fear of boring you all! Rest assured, there will be some work up from tomorrow I think...! Fingers crosses aye?

M x

Cups of Tea 2149 - 2155

Greetings from Sunny Port Talbot. Nuclear winter seems to be finally upon us so it is time to hibernate! I really don't know where I'm going with this train of thought, so I'll just stop typing and do a seamless transition into something else...

So Assassin's Creed 2 is now done and dusted. I have to say, it's probably one of my favourite games now... Even if some of the end missions were extremely tedious (I'm looking at you Sequences 12 and 13... But I suppose they are technically DLC). I popped Brotherhood in after I finished some tutorials and job applications and I'm not sure if I like it as much :/ It could also be that I'm probably Assassin's Creed'd out, so maybe I'll just lay off the Xbox for awhile, it was originally the plan after doing AC2 anyways. Either that or I'll finally finish off Dead Space 2... HMMM

On the design front, not much to show again I'm afraid! I've been experimenting with Photoshop as I realized I need to put a little more stuff in the folio to balance out the Illustrator / Layout work, so I may even do October's short Rundown in it (I tried to run yesterday and the ankle's still not 100% after last week)!

On a plus side for those interested in design, I've unearthed another treasure! A vintage Spec Sheet for the Volkswagen logo! The original can be found over at imjustcreative, which also has a download link to make it your iphone background... which it now is on mine! Aces!

M x

Cups of Tea 2147 - 2148

Urgh... another long day at work! -sigh- Nothing done today to show (only a tutorial or two, but that's not exciting :O) but hopefully there will be tomorrow... God damned Super Market... I'm up at 5 and in for 6, so I'm going to skedaddle off to bed! Sweet dreams mofos!

M x

Cups of Tea 2143 - 2146

Just the quickest of quick updates because I'm absolutely cream crackered... A long day in the life of a Welshman... Up early, proper breakfast with some rugby, then in work until 9... Very tiiired so going to goto bed now, as I'm up for 8... 

 

 However, before I do go - I would like one of these! Those who know me, know I have a love of funky USB sticks as well as Tea... (I own an original Blue Neko Incubot...), but this Hydrogen bomb from the amazing folks at H-57 is just kicks ass!

M x

Cups of Tea 2138 - 2142

View discretion is advised, this blog may contain Graphic Design, anecdotal humor and possibly a journey through time and space.

I can't be sure on the last part, as I'm neither The Doctor or The Boosh. So now that's straightened out, hello and good day to you all! It's been a day of travel here in the world of Teasign, first to Swansea at the crack of dawn to finally get my hands on an iPhone! Hazaa! I have joined the modern age of smartphone users! Now I can Geocach, Four Square and augment my reality along with the best of them! I then took a trip upto Cardiff for a quick bit of sight seeing, some general chitchat and a spot of tea at a Tesco's. All in all, not a bad day out!

Apologies for yesterday's lack of a post, I was quiiite busy for most of the day, so short of spoiling some of Rundown (it's almost there, I promise!), I shall show nawt of my own work... I'm currently just playing around a little in Photoshop which is fun, short of the flyer below, I haven't really used it in awhile in favor of the trusty pen tool in Illustrator, but I'm toying with a few nifty little tips I picked up via some tutorials! No doubt I'll show you some of it soon!

But until that time, I'll just leave you with a little bit of this, as it's a bit of a fitting end of a blog that started with an iPhone / to do a little bit of a Steve Job's Homage, it's Paul Rand's Brand Presentation Booklet for the Next logo! (No, not the clothing company...)

While not my favourite of Rand's logos (and if I were pressed to pick one, it'd probably be abc's, purely for it's bold, minimalist and dare I even say, timeless look and feel), the bloke was undoubtedly a very clever chap, so it's a pretty damned interesting read! Full scans of it can be found here, and better pictures can be found along with Rand's logos if you scroll down.

On that note, I'm off to do some writing before bed. I've got to make the most of my free time while it's still free after all! Toodle Pip all!

M x

Cups of Tea 2133 - 2137

Hello all! Just a quick update because I'm rather engrossed in the rather brilliant Assassin's Creed 2! Yes, 2009 called and they wanted their game back, so I thought I'd best complete it ;) Already got Brotherhood on it's way and there's just over a month until Revelations is released... and since the launch trailer for it is what made me replay 1 / buy 2 in the first place, I thought it was time to get cracking! So here it is, the flyer I did for Let Them Eat Cake / Brown Bear's Dan Antopolski!

It'll be a cracking gig! I'll certainly be going to it, so you should come along! A little taste of Dan for you



And with that, I'm off to complete this and then goto bed. Laters Alligators.
M x

Cups of Tea 2124 - 2132

Hey You! Out there in the cold, Getting lonely, Getting old. Can you feel me? Please? No? Fine.

How the devil are you everyone? I'm sorry it's been two days without updates, but alas there are good reasons. Sunday as you all jolly well know if you're a regular reader, I did a stand up gig in Swansea for The Swansea Uni Comedy Club (go like their Facebook page, it'll make them happy) which I feel went pretty damned well. No idea of the exact numbers, but it's probably the largest crowd I've performed to so far and it went very well! Got asked back and the talk of more dates in the future, so that's always nice! I tried to blog about it after it happened from the old GLC (cheers Jim for the floor space!) but I'd changed my password and couldn't remember it (oops).

I got some pretty shitty news after I got out of the venue however. One of my neighbor's passed away. So when I got home, I wrote out some sympathy cards and then went over to see the family, which is why I didn't post yesterday. Nothing really got done and I didn't really have a lot to say if I'm honest.

But today's been a little more productive, which is nice. I did some freelance gig for a flyer I believe I'm on the billing for (which would be cool!) and one of the last Rundown illustrations, only 2 more to go and then the cover! However I'm at a loss for October's issue... While out running (only the second time this month... GRR!) I twisted my bloody ankle, so now I'm left at the mercy of seeing how it is on Friday before I contemplate running again... which may force me to make an October / November issue instead... Though to be fair, with what I've got planned for the next issue, getting to do it for 2 months would be amazing! Really looking forward to it :D Ordered the wood to sort it all today ;)

I could show you the Rundown illustration, but as I'm so close to finishing it, I really just want to try and push on with it tomorrow and see what happens! Stranger things have happened, I may even get to put it out into the world finally! So instead (as I can't release the aforementioned freelance yet...), I'm just going to leave you with some the fantastic Mr. Button, design and produced by John Caswell Design. These will be all over my person come winter!

M x

Cups of Tea 2114 - 2123

ARGH! I am so blinking annoyed with myself over the lack of blog post last night. I splashed out and bought the blogger App for my iPod touch and everything, just so no matter where I ended up last night, I could post a blog... But it wasn't to be! And I ended up at home!

I did a great gig in Cardigan, West Wales last night in a small venue called The Cellar Bar. On the bill was me, Geraint Evens, Chris Chopping and MCing was Ben Jenkins. It was a really nice room (who paid me in Cups of Tea 2117 and 2118...) that was quite cozy. It was also quite cool to gig out of Swansea, as short of the Adam and Steve (A&E) / Eli Jenkins, I've not had the chance. All of the acts went over great, even with a local squash club in for dinner who wanted to chat over them! I've seen all of the acts on the bill before, know some of the material, but I still laughed my ass off, which is a reassuring sign not only in the strength of the material, but how good the comics were that I was lucky enough to gig with. Honestly, if you've not yet seen them in the A&E, check them out, they are all class acts.

It's hard to put into words how I felt about the gig and I don't really want to attempt to deconstruct comedy because (a.) I'm surely not experienced enough and (b.) it would get hella boring, but I'm going to go with the train of thought. I'm not sure if it was because I was in a completely different place or if there was nobody in the crowd I knew, but I guess it didn't feel like just me pissing about on a stage. It felt like that feeling you get when you first do a piece of freelance work. You know it's not going to just be seen by a few close friends and go no further, it's actually out there in the world, beyond your control. This is not to say I'm implying that in any shape or form I'm even a comedian yet (hell I'm a part time open mike-r at best), and I'm sorry if it comes off as pretentious douchery on my part, but I think get it now more than I did before.

Don't get me wrong, I loved performing any time I've been lucky enough to get up and do it, but even though I don't feel I did particularly well last night (misjudged the age of the audience a little, should have had more material and a lot more besides), I could see why people are 'bitten by the comedy bug'. I'll go no further, because I am sounding like a knob, but I just enjoyed myself the way I enjoy myself when I design, it was a great.

And now back to my first love.

I found something AMAZING over at Aisleone! The Graphics Manual for the 1976 Montréal Olympics! Oh my God! Not only was it cool as a resource at checking out old school branding practices, but it's so beautifully laid out. Simple design makes me happy...

I'm also doing another gig tomorrow in Swansea :) So as of work it will be another day of some of the cool stuff I've found but not posted! See you then, or Monday... There's be something nice Monday...

M x

Cups of Tea 2210 - 2213

Hello. Is it me you're waiting for? I should hope so, this is my blog... Just a quick post tonight as I'm currently in a small stress over my arrangements for standing up comedy tomorrow (I wish I could drive... I seriously need to sort that to carry on doing this / better job prospects...). But I had to share this, as much as I love Matt Berry, the song by Three Trapped Tigers makes this video


Three Trapped Tigers - Reset from CHRIS BOYLE on Vimeo.


And no, I'm not related to Chris Boyle.

M x

Oh! PS! The URL in the video also works - http://globalsaviour.info/Site_3/GLOBAL_SAVIOUR.html

Cups of Tea 2205 - 2209

Hello boys and girls, children of allll ages, step right and see what I've been a vectoring today... Why it's a water bottle! One based on my very own, fancy pants Gaterade bottle I got free at work with a 4 pack of Gaterade. Isn't it neat? Well, I'm bored of talking like an American. This is all she wrote for today guys, been practicing my standing up comedy ready for Friday... The cold is shaken however, so I'm going to crack the final illustrations out for this tomorrow so I can get it online asap :) Hopefully might even get a small run in... As i've yet to clock one for October... And I do like the idea for this Months issue, just need to finish this one first!

M x

Cups of Tea 2202 - 2204

Just a quick update to note that I'm tirelessly working on Rundown to get it done by the 7th... Yesterday's the wonders of yesterday's illness have knocked me off my pace, then today I couldn't get one of the illustrations to work... I decided to scrap it and have come up with a better one, but alas, it's put me slightly behind! Only 3 more to do and a cover... Then it'll be out ;)

M x

Cups of Tea 2200 - 2201

Two cups of tea today? That's unlike you Mat. Well, I've spent half my day in bed knocked out with a cold. I'm feeling a lot better now however, so don't feel to bad! Just a quick update before bed with some of the coolest mixed media stuff I've seen in a while by Clark Goolsby... Suffice to say, I may be trying to recreate something similar in an upcoming edition of Rundown!

M x

Cups of Tea 2194 - 2199

Urgghhh. I really don't feel well at the moment. I woke up this fair morn, at 6 o'clock Ante Meridian, to find myself with quite the mystery on my hands Scooby. I had a seriously sniffley nose, accompanied by a pretty sore throat. 'How could I contract what clearly seem to be, the early symptoms of influenza? Well it is October. 'Freshers Flu' must be going around, as my Daily Mail clearly indicates that young students love nothing more to share beds, drinks and other bodily fluids. But I've not really been out any where to catch it... Well could I have caught a chill? As I've said, it is October after all. Autumn is upon us so maybe I should be wrapping up warm in a Doctor Who themed scarf and some Thermal socks? Oh wait, It's currently 27°C. So what could the source be?'

The answer, ladies and gentleman? My own Nephew. The same Nephew I miss terribly that he's officialy moved to London, decided to give me one last passing gift before going away, not a drawing for my fridge or one of his toys, but a ruddy cold. The kid did me in better than Macbeth did Duncan.  I have been seriously under the weather all day and I work in a freezer at -21°C... Suffice to say, he's getting a lump of coal that i've sneezed on from Santa this Christmas.

So yes, I've been a total bloke since I got in from work. Monged out under the quilt and drank a load of Chai tea to try and bring me around, but alas it hasn't worked. I only moan, you understand, because I'm hardly ever ill (which means I get a pass...) and it's come at a time when I'm also still recoving from the uber 10k run on Friday. To be honest, it's probably the reason I caught the flu in the firstplace. Coughs and sneezes with the aches and pains of my muscles being torn to bits and repaired with protein, does not a strong immune system make.

So which brings me to the next point, though it should be obvious from the above. Not a lot done today, but as I've cheated like hell on this blog for the better part of the week, I thought I'd flash you the 12th of September image. Now please, look at this while I go curl up and cry myself to sleep. Also, what do you think of the sneaky paper texture? It's more an experiment for next month's Rundown, but I think it works quite nicely on this one... or is it better clean do you think? My money's probably on clean because of the rest of it, but hey...

M x

Cups of Tea 2189 - 2193

Why hello there chillblaines! And that introduction has lead me off on an amazing tangent down memory lane! Does anyone remember the ITV Friday (or more likely Saturday night program...) The Brian Conley Show? If there is anything to blame for my love of comedy, it would be this man. Brilliant sketches, filled with British Humor to the brim (What do you call a bear with no parents? Rupert the Bastard) and just silly over the top slapstick comedy, MAN I bloody loved this program... The favourite section of it for me was always Larry the Loafer (though its such a hard push, Dangerous Brian and Septic Peg also made me laugh no end). Have a watch, it's absolutely amazing. Trust me. At least I can admit to liking Brian without fear because it's still brilliant today... I will be less likely to admit my infatuation at the age of 8 with Joe Pasquale... (Mangos in a pub....) but that's another story for another time.



Anyways, today has been as expected, a day of vectoring illustrations and putting data together, and as I'm going to release the whole booklet in a few days, I don't want to really spoil it! So i'll just leave you with this one image of the final illustration and be on my way.

Yes, it's somewhat similar to my Bottle Rocket poster, but as I'm considering retiring a page of my Wes Anderson posters from my Folio, it's all gravy ;)

M x