This blog is now defunct

Sorry to say but this year I've been so busy with work that I haven't had time to post any thing about my students on here. Apart from my sarcastic remarks about right wing people on Facebook I've haven't written much either. This will change with new projects and career opportunities ahead of me this year.

Thanks for your support in following this blog over the last 7 years. If you want to see what I'm doing now migrate to my other blog http://happyaccidentgraphicstorytelling.blogspot.co.uk/

Peace and harmony to everyone X

LCC Graphic Design and Spatial Design student work

There is so much good student work being produced at LCC this year I will have to resurrect this Blog so you can see what you are missing out on. I think May and June will be the best time to do this ahead of the degree shows. Nice.

Karl

D&AD Student Awards Success

Congratulation to Linda Halaszova, 2nd year student on the FdA Graphic and Spatial Communication, who has won a prestigious D&AD Yellow Pencil award for her project in the Environmental category.


http://www.dandad.org/awards/student/2012/categories/2/environmental-design/10642/linda-halaszova


Both Valerie Mace and I are proud of our student's achievement.


Karl

Living the Dream

Is teaching part of living the dream? When I started out over 18 years ago to interact with curious minds as a lecturer did I have any idea where this would lead me?

One of my MA peers is always mentioning that she's “living the dream” and we should all do the same. I'm beginning to feel that I should adopt a similar attitude to her.

I do have a problem however; I've forgotten what the dream was.

One dream that is coming true is the arrival of a 2-screen cinema at the end of my street. In September Barbican Cinema 2 and 3 will emerge and I will be a mere 5 minutes away from projected happiness.

Film is the dream and I need to make that dream become real. 

To be continued...

From The Loom Room - Exhibition 13 to 17 April 2012 at Blackall Studios

Get along to this excellent exhibition featuring the work of over 60 contemporary artists/ illustrators including my good self.


Karl

Final Reflections on this Blog - Part 2

It is with a heavy heart that I have decided to stop adding content to my Happy Accident Blog. I started it in November 2006 and it has led me to some interesting places. Hopefully has been of use to students and practitioners of visual communication.

I will continue my other Blog Happy Accident - Graphic Narrativ you can follow me there by going to http://happyaccidentkarlfoster.blogspot.com/ and you can also follow me on twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/graphicnarrativ

My Alumni Meet Up will now be incorporated into the Yo Illo Meet Ups (monthly) and I hope to see my former Illustration students there. Go to http://www.yoillo.com/ for more details.

Thanks for the good times.

Karl

Final Reflections on this Blog - Part 1

I found a photo of myself today aged 20. Boy I was young then. I also found some artwork from those days it made me remember how hard we worked to get our degrees. Tough then and tough now. Students, work hard, believe in your worth and fight hard to be successful. 


Karl

Exhibition Time at LCC

Two exhibitions for you to check out and enjoy currently on show at London College of Commmunication (LCC) 12 – 20 January 2012 Monday – Friday 10am – 5pm; Saturday 10am – 4pm LCC Gallery and Containers, Elephant & Castle, London, SE1 6SB LCC presents ‘Artefacts & Affects: Exploring Objects through Sound, Space and Moving Image’ Students from BA Sound Arts, BA Interaction & Moving Image and BA Interior Design have worked collaboratively to select and creatively respond to art works from the Cuming Museum’s Southwark Art Collection. See the results of this encounter including installations, film and sound pieces in the LCC Gallery and Containers located at the front of the College. To accompany this exhibition the LCC are hosting a Community Event on 14 January as well as a Talk with Professor David Toop on 19 January. http://newsevents.arts.ac.uk/event/exhibition-artefacts-affects/ Illustration Final Year Interim Show http://newsevents.arts.ac.uk/event/illustration-final-year-interim-show/ 


Karl

R.I.P. Ronald Searle

Ronald Searle 3/3/20 - 30/12/11 passed away peacefully in his sleep with his family beside him. He requested a private cremation with no fuss and no flowers.

One of the legends of cartooning has passed into a shadowy veil aged 91 years. A major influence on myself and many of my contemporaries. Master Searle's lines soared and his draftmanship excelled. Oh to make at least one mark as good as his.

My favourite story (tho rather grim) was when his Japanese captors broke his right hand to stop him drawing. He was of course left handed and kept on drawing the most haunting images.

I raise my glass of Perrier Jouet to you and yours, cheers!

Check out http://ronaldsearle.blogspot.com/ and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAphPpFa-sc

Karl

The Power of Making at V&A

Get yourself down to the V&A before the 2nd. I visited on Monday and it's a fascinating exhibition. Name checks for Students from CSM, LCF and Camberwell. Let your creativity take up the challenge http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/exhibitions/power-of-making/

6 September 2011–2 January 2012

The Porter Gallery
Room 48
Admission free

R.I.P.

Goodbye Joe Simon, Christopher Hitchens and Russell Hoban. Thanks for your inspiration and your intelligent creativity. Joe co-created the original super soldier, Russell gave me Riddley Walker and Christopher will now know if there is a God afterall.

If you are passionate about life then you will have had a life worth living like these guys.

Karl

Twitter again

I'm getting the hang of this now. I've even got some followers. It's quite liberating to reduce my words down to 140 characters and still have something that makes sense.

Karl

Twitter

I'm now part of the Twittersphere or is it the Twitterverse you can follow me @graphicnarrativ to see what I'm doing there.

Karl : ))

Ghosts of Gone Birds Exhibition

More stuff from the most delicious exhibition I've seen in a long while : ))

Ghosts of Gone Birds Exhibition - Barbara Ana

Splendid work by my former student Barbara Ana Gomez http://barbarana.com/

Exhibition 'Ghosts of Gone Birds'

Get yourself to this exhibition over in Shoreditch from next week. Ghosts of Gone Birds featuring the work of some very talented creative people.

GHOSTS OF GONE BIRDS will be presenting its latest show at the Rochelle School, Arnold Circus, Shoreditch, London E2 7ES from Nov.2 – 23rd featuring over 200 new works from artists as diverse as Sir Peter Blake, Ralph Steadman, Charming Baker, Rob Ryan and Kai & Sunny. The show is dedicated to breathing artistic life back into the bird species we have lost. There will be live printing, talks, readings and performances.

http://www.ghostsofgonebirds.com/


Karl

Former FdA Graphic and Spatial Communication Student Carlo Viscione

Follow this link to see CollabCubed review of Carlo's excellent solution to the dA Graphic and Spatial Communication Year 2 Heathrow Terminal 5 assignment.

Well done Carlo.

http://collabcubed.com/2011/10/25/flow-by-carlo-viscione/


Karl

4th LCC Illustration Alumni meet-up 21 October 2011

Thanks to everyone who attended the 4th LCC Illustration Alumni meet up on Friday 21 October 2011. Big shout going out to Bárbara Ana, Sergio Fernandez Gallardo, Dan A Bowden, Marcin Nowak, Eduardo, Ian Barraclough, Clive Baron, Monica Smolenska and Caroline Thomson. Great time was had by all lots of chat about art and life. Thanks Dan for The Urban Gerbils and your treatment for a picture book. Clive 25 years break on a painting must be a record. See you all again soon.

Karl

LCC Illustration Alumni - Eleanor Ashfield

My New illustrated kids espionage thriller "Ralph is (not) a Spy" by Corinne V. Davies, illustrated by El Ashfield, features an evil merry-go-round horse; a long-legged car and hamster who can do morse code! - out October 2011- get it now in Waterstones & bookshops and also here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ralph-not-Spy-Corinne-Davies/dp/0955690536

My previous illustrated children's books: Ralph is (not) a Vampire made the top 3 of the People's Book Prize 2011 (see us at 2: 30 at http://www.peoplesbookprize.com/ ) ; was nominated for the Royal Mail Award, and Ralph is (not) a Superhero was shortlisted for the Gateshead Children's Book Awards.
Join the facebook fanclub - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ralph-the-Superhero/196125338717?ref=ts

Also pix of me and the author on www.ralphisnotasuperhero.com, If anyone is up in Edinburgh on Thurday, 3rd November, they can message me on twitter / contact the publisher through the facebook fansite and come along to the launch from about 8 p.m. (cake, games and a show as well as lots of book signings and fee alcohol) on top floor of the holiday Inn, Edinburgh, next to the Zoo.

Eleanor

Alumni projects 2011 and 2012

Calling all my former students, please get in touch if you have any projects you want me to promote on my Happy Accident Blog and Facebook/ Twitter.

I know you are all busy with work etc but if I have no content then my Happy Accident Blog will be very quite.

That is all.

Karl

Sketchbook sample images

More on sketchbooks. Check out these drawings which feature Chris Priestley's detailed studies of people and some architectural drawings from several sources.

Your work can be graphic, detailed or impressionistic but it must be honest and it has to be made on a daily basis. Whatever format of sketchbook you use keep it with you at all times so you are able to respond to external stimuli.

Karl







Images © Chris Priestley

This is a Sketchbook too

Blogs can be used as a form of sketchbook. They contain information and ideas in a diary form and allow one to promote links to other websites and Blogs through new media. A Blog can be a dynamic learning tool for you and others.

Once again remember if no one sees your work and reviews it then it's not worth making it at all. Visual Communication should do exactly that visual and communicate.

What are you waiting for get that Blog up and running?

Karl

AOI Images 35 exhibition and book success for former LCC student

Congratualtions going out to Barbara Ana Gomez http://barbarana.com/

Your work Fancy Fan in the recent AOI 'Images 35' exhibition at Bankside Gallery London was outstanding. Possibly the best entry in the competition. Good luck with you future ventures.

Karl

LCC Round About 2011 film of student works

Check this out Jack!

THE POWER OF MAKING at the V&A

Get yourself down to the V&A sucker.

6 September 2011–2 January 2012

The Porter Gallery
Room 48
Admission free

The V&A and Crafts Council celebrate the role of making in our lives by presenting an eclectic selection of over 100 exquisitely crafted objects, ranging from a life-size crochet bear to a ceramic eye patch, a fine metal flute to dry stone walling. Power of Making is a cabinet of curiosities showing works by both amateurs and leading makers from around the world to present a snapshot of making in our time.

The exhibition showcases works made using a diverse range of skills and explores how materials can be used in imaginative and spectacular ways, whether for medical innovation, entertainment, social networking or artistic endeavour.

Making is the most powerful way that we solve problems, express ideas and shape our world. What and how we make defines who we are, and communicates who we want to be.

For many people, making is critical for survival. For others, it is a chosen vocation: a way of thinking, inventing and innovating. And for some it is simply a delight to be able to shape a material and say ‘I made that’. The power of making is that it fulfills each of these human needs and desires.

Those whose craft and ingenuity reach the very highest levels can create amazing things. But making is something everyone can do. The knowledge of how to make – both everyday objects and highly-skilled creations – is one of humanity’s most precious resources.

Guest Curator, Daniel Charny

Calling out to former students of Illustration Certificates who studied at LCP/LCC 1999 - 2009

I have spent the last year locating and contacting former students of LCP/LCC who studied on the illustration certificates.

I managed to contact over 40 people. Some of them have attended the 3 previous LCC Illustration Alumni meet-up sessions or contacted me in a professional capacity.

I'm now searching for those of you who I've been unable to contact. So if you attended one or more of the following Edexcel or ABC Certifcate courses then get in touch with me by e-mail k.foster@lcc.arts.ac.uk

Thanks.

Karl

Edexcel Certificate in Practical Illustration

Edexcel Certificate in Experimental Illustration

Edexcel Certificate in Experimental Narrative Imagemaking

ABC Certificate in Illustration

ABC Certificate in Experimental Illustration

ABC Certificate in Narrative Illustration


Zoe, Robyn, Nick, Jed, Katia, Pietro, Mike, Kate, Judith, Matthew, Tom etc if you're out there get in touch.

MA in Illustration @ Camberwell College of Art London

I have been offered a place on the MA in Illustration at Camberwell. I'm really excited about this but know I have a lot of work to do. The course starts in October but I'm using my annual leave in August to start working on my research project.

'100 DATES' will become a reality. Check out my Happy Accident - World of Graphic Storytelling Blog for updates on this project.

Karl

Happy Accident becomes an LCC Alumni Blog

For many years dear reader I have published the work of the students I've had the pleasure of working with at LCC. As you can see below it's been a bumper year and the work has come in thick and fast.

I now wish to concentrate on publishing the work of LCC Alumni only on this Blog. With the ongoing LCC Illustration Alumni group that I set up in September 2010 it is clear to me that I should be focussing on these individuals and to communicate to the wider world their activities in the design industries.

I hope you will like the change and find it useful. Now I'm off to prepare for and interview.

Cheers.

FdA Graphic Spatial Communication Year 2 Degree Show

It's my pleasure to share with you selected works from the FdA Graphic and Spatial Communication Degree Show at LCC. The students and staff worked hard to put on the first show of this kind at LCC.

If you weren't able to get there then you truly missed out. You will be able to view the work from several degree courses at LCC by going to the website http://www.lcc.arts.ac.uk/

Well done and congratulations to the 12 students who showed their work Carlo, Carla, Charlotte, Kate, Marina, Ricardo, Stefania, Susana, Jeremie, Amy, Michal and Federica. You have my respect and best wishes for your future plans.

Karl

FdA/BA Design for Graphic Communication Degree Show

It's my pleasure to share with you selected works from the FdA/BA Design for Graphic Communication Degree Show at LCC. The students and staff have spared no effort in bringing together the strongest show at LCC for some years.

If you weren't able to get there then you truly missed out. You will be able to view the work from several degree courses at LCC by going to the website http://www.lcc.arts.ac.uk/

Well done and congratulations to Obie, Joe, Rob, Daniel, Nathan, Ben, Nic, Toby, Jack, Andrew, Lorna, Ella, Dominque, Kate, Mark, Josh, Katia, Max, Pimm, Scott, Ben and Richard to name but a few of the 90 odd students on these two courses. You have my respect and best wishes for your future plans.

Karl