t u o b A e m Hello, nice to meet you. My name is Marta Alvim and I’m an illustrator and photographer, who graduated from London Metropolitan University (BA Illustration). I am very passionate and motivated about what I do, which lead me to move to London by myself and persue a career in art, after spending my life working in the science field. But who says I can’t combine both? I specialise in creating beautiful detailed illustrations, I like to call them compositions, combining things that we wouldn’t think would look good together. I love working with black ink, pens, fine liners, pencils and watercolours and create designs that are very eye catching. I am known for the incredibly detailed illustrations I make and for working with symmetry and a particular way of shading. In my free time I also work as a food and nature photographer, writing and illustrating books, study anatomy and do some 3D concept art using clay and anything I can grab. I also love my dog. Email: marta.mivla@gmail.com Contact number: 07476688017
About the module CIP
This module focuses on creative idustry practice. We undertook a series of multiplatform projects within mixed skilled teams, allowing us to fully understand how to work with different people. We had to work with live industry briefs and fully engage with the needs of the industry and the impact of new technologies. Through the projects learned skills in networking, collaboration, research and engaging with industry partners. For our first project we had to create a video, introducing an artist of our choice which helped the students undertake formal studies in entrepreneurial skills and how to develop intellectual property. Then we had to engage with a project with a real company - Jack Morton - and create a full “experience“ for the popular coffee brand’s new coffee edition “Cubania“ by Nespresso. The final project focused on building up a portfolio, working with layouts and how to present ourselves to the industry.
Tales of the uncanny Studio project This studio examines the notion of the uncanny, the feelings of uncertainty, the strangely questionable and the hesitancy in the unusual. The concept of the uncanny is an instance where an object can become familiar and yet unfamiliar at the same time. This Freudian principal is the leading governance behind cautionary tales, stories regarding supernatural events, horror, monsters, the unnatural, the curiously disturbing, the fear and uprooting of our own beliefs. It is the sense of uprooted comfort, the feeling of uncertainty in the heart of what is usually consistent, a feeling of disturbance in what we perceive as normal, which can cause crisis within ourselves. The project was entitled ‘De Fabrica’ and was a combination of not only the journal but 3D and 2D pieces to generate our own fantastical, mythical and anatomical reinventions.
Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable
The development and research
The creature I created is called “Caprabratus“ (in Latin, which is the combination of the words “Goat“ and “Tree“) and this is an hybrid living being that is both animal and vegetal. The model For the model I used clay and foil, sculpting everything with a goose feather, trying to include as many details as possible. The journal Here is where I wrote everything about my creature: the process, the research, the details, its anatomy and behaviours, etc. I wanted to make something tri dimensional for the cover, so I worked with painted garden fence, engaging with the hybrid’s branch limbs.
I decided to go beyond the brief and create a series of photo manipulated designs that would really bring out feelings of discomfort and repulsion on people. The image above shows a fake meeting, placed in Sweden, to discuss the irradication of the Caprabratus. On the right we have an example of how the creature reproduces itself (through dreams) and a GIF file I made for the project exhibition, which was projected onto a wall, in big scale. For this I also worked with sound and video effects.
The uncanny doesn’t just come in the form of pickled foetuses and jigsaw piece people, the ghost story is perhaps one of the most popular form of exploring the uncanny. They manage to take moments from your everyday life and turn them into chilling alien experiences. The Ghost story is and has always been the theatre to perform and embellish the mind through storytelling. This led the studio into its second project using the house of illustration and folio society annual book illustration competition as a brief. This year was a collection of stories decided upon by the folio society. This collection included “The treasure of Abbot Thomas”, “The upper berth” and “A tale of an empty house “. We were encouraged to read the stories in an unfamiliar setting, for example a graveyard, to create a full sense of immersion. The result of this was a series of well-informed illustrations inspired by these stories that aim to capture the unsettling nature of these tales.
Thoughts of the week
Massimo Vignelli Fighting the ugliness, create your own fonts and keep it simple Jessica Walsh Typography doesn’t have to be flat on paper, it can be physical, it can be anything you like
Kate Moross Everything goes perfectly together even though there is a lot going on, and that’s what makes patterns so interesting
Under the influence Joe Fenton - Illustrator The first project introduced to us by the module CIP was called “Under the Influence“ and it asked us to consider creative practitioners who have had an influence on our creative ways of thinking and creating. Through industry paced processes and deadlines, outcomes were to explore current ways of communicating and engaging with contemporary audiences. I chose to talk about Joe Fenton, a London based illustrator and designer who focus on working with detailed drawings in large scales. This artist motivated me to work hard on my illustrations and put as much effort as I can on them, creating beautiful outcomes.
The video had to be uploaded onto a social media network (instagram) and presented to our peers and it had to be just a few seconds long, showing the essentials: introduction to the artist, an example of his work and an example of ours.
Nespresso project Working with Jack Morton Nespresso want to create an experience in London where they can invite 100 press to experience the essence of the product through it’s rich Cuban inspiration. The event will run for three nights in a venue, the style of which, you should recommend. This is an opportunity for guests to taste the coffee and hear a brief presentation from the European head of the Nespresso company. But much, much more, feel the passion of Cuba. We are looking for a presentation that describes the experience guests will have, show visuals of the environment and that explains any entertainment, catering, gifts, etc. It should be a great experience, that doesn’t forget why they are there (to love Cubania) and stimulates a desire to share the experience or product with their readers. The sole purpose is to create column inches, online hits or word of mouth. This is how our group (The Peaches) decided to present our presentation to Jack Morton - through animation, in the style of the videos I make for youtube and vimeo.
Independent work Natural History museum One of my great passions is science and anatomical drawing. Every sunday I go to the Natural History Museum in South Kesington and draw a new animal illustration. I am currently creating a collection of animal anatomy drawing, entirely made using byro pens, called “The art of science - compendium of illustration“. Adding to the collection, I have manufactured postcards and posters of the illustrations I create every weekend to sell to the public. I also started to play around with the designs a little bit and created X-ray versions of these animals, as seen below; which creates a whole new texture and vibrancy to the illustrations.
Live drawing YOUTUBE In 2012 I started a series on youtube entitled “COMICS“, where I drew illustrations live on camera for youtube celebrities. From that, I started to add more and more detail and effort to my ideos, ending up filming for days straight on big canvases like the one shown on the right page. I believe showing the process of a drawing to the public is very important and interesting.
CCS case study Contextual studies “Thames in a jar” “Thames in a jar” is a beautiful and creative souvenir that focus on the river Thames as the main attraction, as it is one of the oldest and most historic symbols of London, from the trade of goods in the early 18th century and the water sports nowadays. Its simple and home-made look design make this souvenir so heart-warming and welcoming for the tourists visiting the city and it can be found among touristic boats or along the river in areas as Westminster or Tower Bridge. “Thames in a jar” is a practical yet lovely gift and it is very easy to transport, due to its size and shape, and eco-friendly as it is entirely made from British made recycled materials. This souvenir will make you remember the remarkable times you experienced during your visit and will allow you to take “a piece of London” back home when it is time to departure. What is a souvenir? That was the first thing that came to my mind: the concept of this object and what people expect it to be or represent and also why they feel the need to purchase something every time they have a new experience outside their residential area. According to Oxford dictionary, a souvenir is “A thing that is kept as a reminder of a person, place or event” and they can also be called of “Memorabilia”, as it is something that makes us remember. General public usually refer to souvenir as something bought in another country or different place, a little present or reminder of the journey there but it doesn’t have to be an object, it can be something that does not exist physically like, for example, adopting an animal at a zoo. You can’t take it home but you were responsible for giving out money to support the creature. The idea of getting something, usually a physical object that reminds us of a place (brings us memories of a location, experience or even emotions) is not a new or modern reality. The human being has been collecting objects since we’ve started speaking; you could say it’s a social behaviour or that it’s part of the human nature, but other animals also do so. We like purchasing things that make us feel or remember states of mind we had in a certain place, like it is some kind of nostalgia. Souvenirs changed how places are recognised and described. Getting a souvenir is now part of the tourist’s experience in a place and it is expected by the visitors to have an entire market of objects they can choose so they can remember that place later. In what design is concerned, in the past few years, souvenirs have been a target of discussion between designers and tourism companies and retailers. Designers and art practitioners around the world have been complaining about the lack of originality and sophistication of the souvenirs sold. Twin memorabilia (exactly the same products produced for different places, details being the only different thing that make them not to look alike, egg. Bags and t-shirts) has been increasing over time, mainly because of globalisation, bringing issues like self-identity, traditionalism and materiality to be explored by social thinkers. Material culture and design history nowadays have been more related than ever, designers are creating purely for society’s mass consumption. As written by Nigel Morgan, a professor from University of Cardiff, “The accumulation and consumption of the physical artefacts of tourism materialize self-identity and mediate our sense and memory of place.”
Souvenirs are highly significant, not only for the buyer but for the country’s economy. I want my souvenir to be something more than a simple fabricated object, making the target audience inspired, nostalgic, bringing them a touchstone of memory instead. My creation has to be something that is meaningful, but, of course, matches the concept of “souvenir” but changes the trajectory of its production (something that can be created by recycling and using materials produced and made in the country, instead of relying on mass production like most of the souvenirs in the market nowadays.) As part of my research for this project, I interviewed some tourists in Piccadilly Circus, in order to fully understand what exactly is expected from foreign tourists from souvenirs and their ideas for what would be interesting to take with them in their journey home (as an illustrator/designer, it is crucial to talk directly to the clients and what they have to say). Three lovely families visiting London accepted to answer some questions: all of them agreed that most souvenirs sold today don’t have any kind of identity to it and do not represent the country very well. “Originality” is probably the biggest issue relating to the merchandizing sold around London and England and all the three families appeared to be concerned about the production as well, which is something that I want to focus with my souvenir. Souvenirs main aim is to allow tourists to take a reminder with them but they are also important to help improving local and national economy and, consequently, to encourage visitors to return and visit the city again, generating new markets.
My main goal is for the tourist/buyer to go back home “carrying a little piece of the place they visited”, so why not making this literal? “Thames in a jar” is the name of my project, it consists in two parts so the buyers can choose between buying the product already made or make it themselves. The product involves a bit of sand extracted from the river Thames put in a glass jar (jam jar) and decorated with a so British tartan fabric bow tie. I’m quite concerned about making my souvenir totally green and environment-friendly and to be completely made out of English materials, as well as produced in the country. This creation is quite simple and cheap to make as the only materials needed are glass, fabric and sand which can all be obtained using natural and/or recycled fonts. The glass could be acquired from recycling and modelled and styled by companies all around London. There are over 14 glass factories and studios/galleries around the city and more than 60 all over United Kingdom, which means there are enough companies to fabricate the material and it can be produced nationally, instead of being made abroad like China or Vietnam. The sand can be directly taken from the river, without any down sides to it, as the river has an excessive amount of sand all along London town and it must be extracted every year, to prevent any floods from happening. The excess of sand in the river will allow the production of this souvenir to be 100% green friendly and also helpful to maintain the levels of sand as desired by government services.
Just in central London, there are over 34 fabric/textiles manufactures and factories, and more than 100 all over UK that can assure quality fabrics and all British made. Although getting the fabric needed for my souvenir’s bow tie from scratch would still be a green, affordable idea, it would be more than enough to get the scraps from the textile industry production. There are associations specialized in the resell of fabric and general textile waste called “textile recycling industries” that get the wasted fabrics in the market again, re selling them in very cheap prices, making “Thames in a jar” a very inexpensive souvenir not only to produce but to purchase too. “Thames in a jar” could be found in markets or shops along the river Thames, focusing on areas like Embankment, Tower Bridge, Victoria, Westminster, and St. Pauls (etc.), where the number of touristic activities and restaurants have been increasing for the last few years. It could also be sold aboard touristic boats or as part of touristic plans/trips for these Thames boats as it is a strong and original souvenir for who chooses to spend a day navigating in the river. And here’s where this project can take two different paths: the tourist can either buy the souvenir already prepared or buy a kit (empty jar, little shovel and ornaments) that will give them the experience of not only making the product from scratch but, most importantly, experiencing a day exploring the river Thames when the tide is low. A group of tourists can be arranged at certain times per day and they would be guide by a tourism guide around the “beaches” that the river creates when the tide is low. They would learn about history, biology, and what’s really under all that water and, of course, bring home a little piece of London with them at the end of the trip. The target audience for this souvenir would not only be foreign tourists from all over the world but also English and general British visitors; The river Thames is considered a landmark of London for various reasons, such as trade, for its history and even beauty, and there’s not many things in today’s market representing it just by itself, this is one of the reasons why my souvenir consists in an alternative object, as well as it is something that goes against mass production and is 100% made of recycled materials, helping the environment and making the customer happy. This souvenir would also make tourists grow a particular interested in river Thames, working as “a little teaser” for what their visit here would be like and being a way to make them break on an adventure through London, understanding the city and most certainly picturing the city too, as river Thames often works as a help for “mind maps” keeping new visitors from getting lost in the city. The design of “Thames in a jar” is rather simple but yet it is a lovely ornamental and creative object that the visitor can easily take home with them, and it’s also perfect for a gift/present to those who couldn’t come to the trip. As I mentioned before, its production is clean and environmental friendly, and the charges very low, making this souvenir a very flexible, easy going present. This souvenir works as a beautiful memorabilia, capable of creating an individual and creative memory of the city and bringing the tourist’s a wider understanding of its urban experience in London. It’s also a very different gift: instead of just being a plastic object or a figurine of something that the tourist had the pleasure to visit in London, “Thames in a jar” is literally a piece of London that you can take back home, which makes this souvenir so special.
Other work Illustrations
Workshops and Exhibitions As part of our research and to aid our understanding of our studio and other modules, we had several visits, talks and workshops throughout the year. For our studio “Tales of the Uncanny“ we went on a series of trips to places such as: The Royal College of Surgeons, Hunterian museum in Holborn, The Grant museum of Zoology and Comparative Anatomy at UCL, Tate Modern and the Old Operating Theatre museum. As an explorative process we had a series of life drawing sessions with both male and female models. with the intention of building our skills in tone and form along with learning the use of dramatic lighting. To help us create visually engaging journals we also had a session on bookbinding, particularly using a concertina technique. For our general practices, we attended very interesting workshops such as vinyl printing and cutting, laser cutting, 3D printing, more book binding sessions, letterpress and dragon frame, for animation purposes. We also attended a talk every friday as part of the University’s program (Speaker’s corner), some of the best talks were for example, Bompass and Parr, Diogo Lopes and jAKe.