Merry Christmas

Been creating a few Christmas cards and trying to get in the spirit since I received my first today. I've been trying to figure out the candy cane also, made a few candy crutches, zimmer frames and other walking aids.

White Sex

I just got back from the printers with some samples. I've been working on some t-shirt,bags and one vest. This t-shirts my least favorite design at the moment, but has the best surface feel as its kind of a cut vinyl which is raised from the fabric. Loads more to come from this quest for the ultimate merchandise! 

Zig Zag Man, Smoking Graphics

You're not an illustrator until you can draw a horse

ENG v USA

Busy working on lots of new digital collages and as always I have a fascination with the tacky or vulgar side of life. 

Did a little logo for my friends at Plain Jane's 

New t-shirt design I'm waiting to get back from the printers. I might actually wear this one myself, as I usually have a tendency to feel like a knob wearing anything I've made.

Smoking graphics Zine. Smoking like a chimney.

Thats right people, those are bouncy balls and this is a quick mock up of my new bag. More variety and detail/simplification of the balls required. Bouncy ball bags £15

Digital arts not without glitches.

http://www.youngbrun.com/

I have a feature on the youngbrun website which is a selection of fantastic artists, photographers, designers and me. I urge you to check it, and click on the links to some of the worlds best people.

Dazed & Confused

I got a little feature on the Dazed and Confused website, please check it out and a peruse.  

http://dazeddigital.com/

Some cryptic 80's looking collage made from the stuff on my desk top, relevant to absolutely nothing.

Smoking through stacks

One of the many collages I've made on the train trying to kill an hour or two. 

Pimp cup in progress, but until then it can be the Holy Grail.

Chee$e

First attempt at cheese,Image from the new gangzine. Not too sure about it yet, maybe a block or even green, little gang mice maybe.

Smoking graphics

Graphics taken from Westboro Baptist Church's protests boards,but I'm sure they wont mind if I'm spreading there anti smoking message. I realize the ignorance I'm portraying.

Smoking graphics

I just bought these, all I need now is a dog.

Business card

I've made lots of changes to my business card and finally its ready to print. Simplified and tidied up, lets hope it gets me some new work.

Vest bag

This is an idea I sent away to the shirt printers before I went on a little vacation and can't wait to pick it up. I have a few meanings for it, but mainly for my word play exhibition. The carrier bag is known as a vest carrier bag for obvious resemblance to a vest, so there we have it. Simple.

Smoking graphics, quadruple filter.

Unused drawing practice from The Ultimate Illustrator, upside down drawing. When you turn an image upside down you are making it somewhat abstract and unrecognizable. This forces you to draw what you see as opposed to recycling on memory to draw something. I decided to drop this as I couldn't create the graphics I wanted within the deadline and its a bit naff. 

Nothing better than a wod of cash and a cool breeze, thats why I've been making flip out money fans.

Image rape

A new t-shirt design I made for myself, if you'd like one give me a shout. 

An idea I had for my website whilst searching myself in google. Started making it then realized it was quite lame. New website and work coming soon.

A few fags + a Vice

I've been commissioned for a few collages, this is one I did whilst in the pub. I've been working on some more conceptual collages for the commission such as a piece called A layer of GRIME, which incorporates grime music and cleaning products. Hold tight for that one as it seems to take forever finding the right elements.

Frame

Rizla +

When researching a project I find that I hold a lot pointless facts that are only good for boring a friend over a beer. Which is such with my latest project. The myth of how Rizla began is one I'd like to bore you with as its one I can relate to. As the legend goes, one rainy day in the French city of Angoulême, Alexandro Rizlette de Cramptone Lacroix was inspired to begin the production of rolling papers when he traded a rolling paper for a bottle of fine champagne and realized their potential market. I cant remember how many times I found a Rizla the most valuable thing to have on my person. 

A couple of Henry's blowing one-another 

Some of my latest editorial work, I dunno if I'll get away with the title. I'm not sure if its too much, you tell me. Is it offensive? Can easily be turned into something more poetic and beautiful. As this is just a sketch I'll layer and vector it to make it look top dollar. Maybe check back here or my website to see the finished piece and title I could get away with. 

Smoking Graphics

Illustration from the new zine, triple filter. 

Smoking Graphics

More artwork from my new zine Smoking Graphics to come. All images in the publication are smoking and graphic design related. Blog image is taken from the end papers of the publication.

Competition

Because I now have merchandise like a pro and I'd like to see if anyone looks at this blog I'm running a competition. Therefore if anyone can email the answer to where this favorite logo of mine is from, then they will win a Mercedez-Bombz bag.

More Is More

My illustration of the Bill Cosby quote "Grey hair is God's graffiti" has a feature on More Is More. Its a fantastic website with greatly inspirational work and I'm seriously chuffed to be featured on it.

School portrait

This is a project I've been thinking about doing for a while, but hadn't quite figured out how to do it sensitively. It was something I thought about while studying Criminology in a Sociology class at the age of 14. As you can see this blog image is taken from Lombroso's notion of the born criminal through biological determinism, claiming that criminals have particular physiognomic attributes or deformities. Therefore you can tell a criminal by physical characteristics, such as large jaw, low sloping forehead, high cheekbones, long arms and fleshy lips. What I want to look at is the image of a criminal and of a victim in terms of a missing or wanted photo. What photo would be used if you were a missing person, one of you wearing a smile before a night out. Or if you had committed a crime and was fugitive. I'm not sure if I'll ever get round to making something of this, but if your interested and you'd like to contribute with this project please send me two photos of yourself and I'll make the effort to resolve the idea.

Graphic design is present in all aspects of our lives and football is no exception. The World Cup is in South Africa next year I can't wait, which made me think of this.. my all time favorite World Cup mascot. This is Ciao from the Italian World Cup 1990 and for me a perfect icon. Fingers crossed one day I get to design a World Cup mascot.

Long live the King

First edit of my new business card, a few elements need changing and replacing. Some issues with colours and blending, but all in all quite happy and can't wait to get it printed.

Plain Jane

I have a nice feature on the plain Jane's blogspot! Go check it out for all things fun and creative. http://plainjanesarticulate.blogspot.com/

Smoking Kool

Been working on some smoking related work again, its purely because I find smoking an oddity and there's some funny things that can be done with it. I'm also really interested in Joe Camel who is the coolest camel around in the 80's because he smokes, well he's dead now obviously. Yet again a random google search of Joe Camel brings up some great makeshift, ugly and random images. I'm currently working on the idea of different cigaret paper size scales. Such as green, blue, kings size, A4 and A3. Check back soon for some finished work. 

Death & Taxes

I'm working on an illustration called Death and Taxes for a zine I'm making and this is an image I found whilst researching it. A random google search can sometimes create magic for me, I love this.

VHS

I've been commissioned for some collage work and one of the places I like to find images is the charity shop and especially on VHS covers. This is one of my favorite A Beginner's Guide to Dried Flower Arranging. Finished work from this project to be uploaded to my website soon. 

White Sex

A little project I've been working on for fun and because I'm a graphics geek. An A5 book of reworked logos with type that have been changed to construct a sentence. This is the Boston White Sox logo and is one of my favorite logos/type piece. 

100% genuine picture

I've collected these cards from phone boxes ever since I moved to London a few years ago. With disapproval from my girlfriend and a fear that some pimp will beat me up. This is my favorite as its the most lo-tech. Black and white photocopy with nice type and nipple stars. I've had a huge pile of these laying in the corner of my studio just waiting for a good idea in which to use them. That time has come so watch this space for a new project I'm working on.

King of Graphic Illustration

The reverse to my new business card. The smallest thing that has taken me such a long time. Still haven't finished the other side, but when I do I'll be dishing these out like a dealer.

New look website coming soon after weeks of early rises and late nights!

Flexing my design muscles.

Getting work in this current economic climate is tough, but not when you have The Ultimate Illustrators equation to ultimateness.

Artists never use rulers, something I was told in art class at school. Ruler illustration from The Ultimate Illustrator guide book. The measurements have been changed with type to illustrate this FACT.

When I was at school I had to read the most in class, it became kind of a running joke that I was always the first made to read. Punishment for my short attention span, but with Macbeth I didn't mind as it has some great quotes and visuals. I've just started a new project which requires me to create images from Macbeth in the same kind of style as my Grey Hair is God's graffiti project (scenes set up and and photographed). As I'd like to just keep this blog for ideas and boasting all new work will be added to my website.

Feature on www.behance.net

For the love of House.

I combined two of my favorite things for my new zine.

Sticks and stones will break my bones.

I'm an awful babysitter and I'll never get my own show. 

Silica Hell back from the printers!

I started making my ex-girlfriend a card before we broke up. I got really interested in prison mail for some of the ingenious ways they get drugs through. Mixing paint with drugs and painting a child like drawing, thats got to be my favorite. We broke up before she got this, but if she had got it I'm sure this might have done the job and ended it for me.

Still looking for the perfect design job and constantly working on my curriculum vitae to make the biggest impact.

I've been creating a full colour txt based zine. This image was created purely for T-shirts but fits in nicely with the book. There's some funny poems I wrote, some funny sayings and some more random things. One of my favorites was written  in my tent at a festival the morning after the night before. I was feeling a little worse for wear and an ambulance kept on driving by the tent. Therefore... Take me away, feed me throw a tube & fit me with a catheter so I don't have to move. Awful I know, but summed up my hangover perfectly.

Tom and Jerry accidents

Yet again another image from my hard drive. A series of photos I thought about doing whilst watching Tom and Jerry cartoons on youtube. I was going to apply a series of Tom and Jerry accidents to humans. I did this test one and thought mehhh I'm not feeling it that much, therefore this is just an odd image on my hard drive.

Some rejected artwork for the club night Human Juke Box. First ever drawing of a cock and balls so constantly breaking taboos. Nazis, drugs, cigarets.. whatever next?! I'm currently working on four new commissions, so lots of new work and long working days and nights to come. The top image is based on a typeface I've seen somewhere so cant reference that.. SO! come back soon as I have some new stuff I'm quite excited about finishing.

I has this at my degree show and its about a photoshop effect, very cryptic without a description. I could read peoples faces saying "what the fuc?".

I'm an author, this is an old project too. But I've re-wrote it, re-illustrated it and just sent it off to the printers for some promotional pack things. Silica hell is the story of a silica gel sachet that seeks a new carrier, therefore he looks for work. The first job he comes across is as a bar tender. He gets fired from this job due to his desiccant nature (soaking up of liquid). This kinda thing happens a series of time until he finds contentment in being silica gel whilst working at Barret's the shoe shop. Give me a shout if you'd like a copy.

Ruler

The start point to the word play piece ruler. Another piece I'm having professionally made for my exhibition and as promotional material. I have an edition of 100 being made, clear plastic, black lines, black text. Exactly like a shatter resistant ruler. Also can't wait to see this finished as its an idea I've had for a few years and just never got round to making. Watch out for my website on finished piece. 

Too many pointless type faces, I made my own. It had to be done. 

I'm having this laser cut in to 3 inch thick stone for  an up coming exhibition. Something I should have  done for my degree show. Can't wait to see what it looks like. Website to be updated soon with all new work, martincole.eu

This video was the starting point for my Surrender Dorothy Exhibition at the 

Wirr Warr Gallery Berlin in 2008. Its a long time over due blogging it. The clip 

is taken from the film After Hours and has to be one of my favorite films of all 

time. A fantastic project and awesome exhibition all round came from this.

This is the starting point to a promotional piece I'm currently getting manufactured. The finished piece will be a hard plastic painted ring with the type D&AD on the face and has my website printed into the band. This small piece has been a big stress with getting the right people to manufacture it. Fingers crossed I shall be receiving them with in the next month and please get in touch if you'd like one. 

As I've just graduated been working on my CV and some promo stuff as I'm looking for a graphics placement in a few months. Even used a ruler and everything, well smart. But until then working freelance, so please get in contact if you have anything for me or know of anything. 

+ I have a new business card as you can see peeking through.

I made an ugly poster, which I'm sure my mum won't like and would be more at home on a teenagers wall. But this is a piece I'm working on for my up coming word play exhibition. Come back soon as I'll be bloging more work from this project.

This piece will be part of my first solo show, which will be happening as soon as I can arrange an appropriate place to exhibit. The exhibition is all about word play and play on images. This blog image is of experimenting with the carrots, on the left is a week old sprayed carrot and the right was sprayed just yesterday. Therefore depending on the duration of my exhibition I will have to reproduce the piece. This piece is called '24 carrot gold' and therefore will feature the 24 gold carrots. Keep an eye on my website for the finished piece and info on my exhibition.

Brand new project I'm working on, more to come from this soon. I'm really into lo-fi illusions and childish tricks, therefore I have incorporated some into my latest project. Some real basic and obvious stuff, but fantastic. The series of works coming soon.

My website is up, but has old work on it. Its needs tidying up and totally changing up all the dated work. So in the mean time have a peek and come back very soon to see it modifications. martincole.eu  &  theultimateillustrator.com

Wirr Warr Exhibition Berlin '09

Surrender Dorothy was a collaborative project and exhibition with graphic designer Philippe Comtesse. The exhibition produced a series of installations and prints that explore the words surrender dorothy the actions of conflict  

Finished The Ultimate Illustrator for my degree show after using five different printers I finally found someone who could do a decent job.

Start of some TLGB promo artwork I was working on

http://www.myspace.com/thelivinggrahambond

Editorial work also printed onto t-shirts

+ A1 screen prints

Mercedez - Bombz

Re-worked Ultimate Illustrator cover

Editorial work - Image of conflict

The Neapolitan Neo Nazi is an image of juxtaposition, with something that 

embraces the mixture of different varieties and something that is opposed to this

Windows and Doors '09

I have an interview in the new cut!

thecutnewspaper.com

Latest work

Select Model Management email insert commission

I have some work and a feature in the new issue of Standard Magazine, check it out if you can read French or just like pretty pictures. 

I am now the Ultimate Illustrator and command a guru like status. Image from The Ultimate Illustrator.

VAM cover

Blood, sweat and tears

Nice

Image from the new book ,selling out

Front cover for my new book The Ultimate Illustrator - The book is kind of a self promotional piece /comical view on what it takes to become the ultimate illustrator and what's expected of you. For starters you have to be able to draw a horse and a high speed internet connection is a must.

Four really cool french guys I'm collaborating with. Screen prints and exhibition coming soon. www.myspace.com/4thfourthdimension

I have a feature/interview with BLU-MAGAZINE. 

blu-magazine.com