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Dominique Byron Illustrator Gavin Rolph Photographer A Window on... Braunton Great Field
Croome Park, Worcestershire
Contents
4.
An Interview with - Dominique Byron, Illustrator.
8. An Interview with - Gavin Rolph, Photographer. 12.
A Window on Braunton Great Field.
14.
Metal Guru.
16.
Easter Island Heads - Factfile.
Photograph by: Debbie Rolph
An Interview with:
Dominique Byron Illustrator the viewer. So I like that you have to work to a brief and work out how to solve the problem, but you can also have a lot of fun with being as creative as possible with your style.
What is your qualification and where did you study? I studied on the Illustration BA (Hons) course at Stockport College and gained a 1st class degree last year. What/who inspired you to go into illustration for a career? I think it probably suits my sensibilities in that it’s both highly creative, but it’s also got a lot of structure as its about visual problem solving. Finding the best way to get the idea across to 4
I’m not sure I really knew what illustration entailed when I started my degree to be honest! I’ve definitely learnt a lot along the way and can see how diverse an illustration career can be, which is an inspiration in itself. What are you doing now? I’m currently doing an internship with design company Thoughtful, which requires me to use my design skills in a broader sense, as well as some illustration. I also take on commissions as a freelance illustrator, and do graphic design/ illustration for the projects we work on in
our illustration collective Foursight. What do you consider your style of illustration to be? I’d describe it as bold and colourful with a mix of digital and handmade elements. I hope it will change and get better the more I do!
Top Left: Virtual Future. Top Centre: Lobster Rocket. Bottom Left: War. Bottom Right: Past and Present. Overleaf: Magic Show. 5
Which illustrators do you admire? I’m a big fan of Charley Harper, who created lots of great graphic and colourful illustrations pre-digital times. I also love the work of contemporary illustrators like Dan Matutina and Graham Erwin who have a unique style, and create work on cool subjects like film and space travel, etc. Which is your favourite piece of your work so far and why? Probably my Lobster Rocket piece because I think its probably the most efficient illustration I’ve done, in the sense that it represents the idea in the simplest and cleanest way. It’s also the piece I’m most happiest with in terms of the finished look; shapes, colour, texture etc. Where do you see your future in illustration? Hopefully taking on more freelance work for bigger clients, and improving a lot in the process. I’d also like to branch out into other areas of design such as graphic design, self publishing and online. We’re already having a go at some of these things through our collective Foursight. What is ‘Foursight’ and what is your involvement? Foursight is a 3-strong illustration collective comprised of myself, Kris Sale and Jordan O’Brien. We
all studied illustration together at Stockport and joined forces towards the end of uni to work on some selfinitiated design projects. We released our first book of prints last year and have a new project in the works at the moment. What are the aims of Foursight? At the moment we’re working on putting out some non-profit illustration based publications featuring work by some great illustrators. The aim is to bring illustrators together to create a collaborative publication that is hopefully something a bit different and fun to work on. The projects so far have been self funded and all money made from selling them is ploughed back in to the next project. We aim to get bigger and better with every project, try news things and become better designers along the way. Where can your work be seen currently? My work can currently be seen online on my website, www.dominiquebyron.com and on Facebook and Twitter, also in the first Foursight publication ‘VS’. News of what Foursight have been up to can be seen online on our blog/ Twitter/Facebook etc, The first Foursight publication ‘VS’ is available to buy online and in Magma bookshop, Manchester. 7
An Interview With:
Gavin Rolph Photographer
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What is your qualification and where did you study?
What/who inspired you to go into photography for a career?
BA Hons Photography. Staffordshire University 2009. Venture Professional Certificate in Portraiture.
I always enjoyed being creative and doing artistic things but was never able to achieve what I wanted through other mediums. Photography
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allowed me to control everything and capture it as I saw it. What are you doing now? I am currently working at a portrait studio in Manchester working mainly with families and children. This involves working in a modern, edgy style to create fun, energetic and personalised wall art for my clients. I am also working freelance and building up a portfolio within my own photographic style. What do you consider your style of photography to be? I create modern conceptualized artwork images using fashion inspired styles. This involves a combination of photography and digital manipulation. 10
This enables even more creativity and the possibility to put someone somewhere and create effects which would not otherwise be possible. How do you plan and execute your images? I start with a concept and select a model,
outfit and imagery to fit my brief or idea. I shoot my model in the studio, creating the atmosphere I require to give the right look. Then I use ‘Photoshop’ to add artwork appropriate to the subject and techniques used. Which is your favourite piece of your work so far and why? I am particularly fond of the street scene of Jess with the umbrella. I am pleased with the way the foreground and background lighting works together to help suspend disbelief and place Jess in the
context of the street. Where do you see your future in photography? I would like my present style to be recognized within a commercial environment. Which photographers do you admire? An obvious, for me, is Rankin, whose simplicity and attention to detail has inspired me. Other photographers who work in a similar style to me and inspire my style of imagery are: Joel Grimes (particularly his style of lighting), Alan Clarke and Mert and Marcus (for their use of colour to create mood) What camera do you use? Pentax K20D and Canon EOS 1D Where can your work be seen currently? www. gavinrolph.com Gavin Rolph Photography, Facebook. Venture Photography. ‘Award Winning Stories’ 2013 11
A Window on... Braunton Great Field. The Village of Braunton in North Devon boasts one of only two remaining examples of the medaeival ‘Open Strip Field Systems’ in England.
I was entrusted with the task of designing a stained glass window for a new house, currently under construction, which has views over Braunton Great Field and beyond. Debbie Rolph.
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This was a system where the fields around a village were allocated in strips to each individual family but had no physical boundaries. Each family would farm a number of strips of about half an acre each but scattered randomly across the area so that nobody would benefit from the best land.
“Braunton Great Field is a hedgeless tract of arable land. some 360 acres in extent, lying between the village on the west and the reclaimed marshlands of the River Taw.� (Braunton Countryside Centre Website) 13
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Easter Island Heads - Factfile Easter Island (Rapu Nui) is in the Southeast Pacific 2,300 miles west of Chile.
The Island is volcanic and is the most isolated, inhabited land mass on Earth. The Chileans call the statues the ‘Moai’. The carvings are up to 12m tall and 55 tons in weight. They were created between 1250 and 1500. It is not sure what they were for. In spite of being around the coast of the island they all face inland.
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The Face [Reborn] Issue 1 March 2013
Š DebDesigns 2013