Publishers Club Zine {screenprint}

Earlier this week I went into the one69a studio at Islington Mill in Manchester to test screenprint the Publishers Club zine covers!

Islington Mill is a beautiful old building with a seriously cool community of artists and creatives {yes I was ready to move in!} and there is always something going on… workshops, events, even yoga!

I met up with Mark {here he is above looking wistfully out a window…} who is not just an awesome screenprinter he is also a very generous host. He showed me around the building and introduced me to lots of different people – and after a quick coffee and chat we got down to some screenprinting!

I took a few photos while I was there to show the process we went through from finished artwork, burning the screens and then to the actual test printing of the zines. Hope you enjoy!

THE ONE69A STUDIO:





First let me show you their amazing studio space! It’s one large room shared by a group of people including one69a, a furniture craftsman, graphic designer/illustrator and fashion designer.

FINAL ARTWORK:



We are extremely lucky for our first Publishers Club zine to have 4 amazing cover artists: Lesley Barnes, Simon Wild, Stephen Chan and Daren Newman. As we didn’t have time to test them all we decided to use the artwork of Daren Newman as it had the finest detail and would be the more difficult to print.

TRANSFERRING THE ARTWORK ONTO THE SCREEN:




Once the artwork was printed onto acetate we then had to burn the artwork onto the screen.

BURNING THE SCREEN:




Usually there is a vacuum seal that would help keep the acetate flat for a clean transfer of the image but it’s broken so this is  Mark’s high tech way to keep the acetate flat. Love it!

WASHING THE SCREEN:




This is the part I like! Once the screen is burnt the transferred image magically appears once the emulsion is washed away.

CHECKING THE TRANSFERRED IMAGE:




Mark checking how the transfer went…



Success!

SCREEN PRINTING:






Once the transfer had been completed it was then time to see how the images went once transferred onto paper {and the zine!}

THE FINAL RESULT!




Doesn’t this look amazing! We were really happy with how the image transferred. It even picked up the fine detail of the line work from Daren’s illustration and looked like the cover had been hand inked. After this test I can’t wait to see how the other covers turn out once printed.

THE PUBLISHERS CLUB X INKYGOODNESS EVENT!




Don’t forget our event is on tomorrow {eek! very exciting!} and we will be releasing our first Publishers Club collaborative zine – Totummy!

The Publishers Club and one69a will be set up in the basement at Cord Bar in Manchester so come down and have a go at screen printing your very own zine cover! We will also be screenprinting t-shirts, tote bags and prints. It’s going to be so much fun!

Saturday 12th March, 1-7pm,
Cord Bar, 8 Doresy Street (off Tib Street), Manchester

Daren Newman {Words & Pictures Exhibition}

My sweet friend Daren Newman from Me & My Pen will be exhibiting his beautiful illustrations and typographic work next Thursday night at Cord Bar in Manchester. This is his first solo exhibition and he will be showing over 60 pieces of work – many of them previously unseen!

If you can’t make it to the opening night you can always join us on Saturday 12th March at Cord Bar for the Publishers Club x Inkygoodness event. You might even be lucky enough to screen print a limited edition Daren Newman piece yourself…

Publishers Club Zine Submissions {1 week left!}

Just one week to get your submissions in for the very first Publishers Club Zine! 

We’re looking for original illustration, design or photography that continues the theme of ‘Totem’. If you would like to get involved then please visit here for more information on how to submit your work. 

As there is limited space in the actual zine we will be having a slide show projection of every submission during the day of our Manchester event where we will be releasing the Publisher Club zine {you will even be able to pick and screen print your own cover! But more on this later…} 


Even I have been inspired by the theme and have been creating some artwork for the slide show. It’s still not finished but I thought I would show you all a little sneak peek below… {I’m not sure about the silver thread yet… it’s still a work in progress…}

Looking forward to seeing how others have interpreted the theme!

Bec

Blanket News {Exciting Update!}

The start of a new year is always a chance to refresh the creative juices and I have exciting plans for Blanket this year!

My plans include a relaunch of the Blanket brand and a new-look website and to finally bring a long-cherished dream to fruition and release the first printed version of Blanket!! {I told you it was exciting!}

What this means is that the online mag will be taking a short break while I prepare for these changes. The first step for these initial changes is to also ask my readers what they think.

As Blanket’s readers have helped to shape Blanket into what it is today, I’m now seeking your feedback by releasing a survey. After the last survey {2 years ago!} it gave me greater clarity on what my readers wanted and I was just buzzing with enthusiasm and ideas on how I could move the magazine forward – and I know it will be the same this time!

I’ve deliberately keep the survey short {it should just take 5 minutes or so} and just as an added little thanks you will also go into the draw to win a MINI DIANA LOMO or 1 of 5 Exclusive Blanket Packs.

It’s a really important {and to be honest – scary!} step I am taking with Blanket and I want to make sure I do it right – so your feedback would be truly appreciated!

Please click: TAKE THE BLANKET SURVEY!

many thanks!
Bec

The Publishers Club x Inkygoodness {Manchester event!}

Image via Concrete Hermit

I am excited to announce that The Publishers Club will be teaming up with Inkygoodness to create our next event in Manchester!


Some of you may know {especially if you were at our first London event!} that I am involved in a little side project called The Publishers Club with my fellow independent publishers Dave Hughes of AMMO Magazine, Julian James of NewSugar and Gordon Reid of Middleboop.

Founded in 2009, The Publishers Club aims to support the continued evolution of the independent publishing scene – both printed and digital – through a series of collaborative events and workshops held around the United Kingdom and further afield.

The Manchester event will be held at Cord Bar in the Northern Quarter on Saturday 12th March from 1pm to 7pm.


We have organised activities to happen during the day including live drawing from artists onto Character Totems {confirmed artists are Moot, Matt Saunders, Fon Fon & Toy Factory} and LIVE screenprinting by one69a{www.one69a.com}. We will also be releasing the very first Publishers Club Zine! {Read below on how you can get involved in this!}

Were hoping the day will be a relaxed networking event where people can just come and go during the day (or stay all day if they want!). So please come and join us for some creative fun!

You can find our more about the event via our Publishers Club mail out {sign up here} or RSVP on our Facebookpage!

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS {THE PUBLISHERS CLUB ZINE!}


If you can’t make the event you can still get involved! As part of the Publishers Club x Inkygoodness event in Manchester we will also be putting together our first zine!

The theme for our first zine is ‘Totummy’ and we’re looking for original art, design or photography submissions to be featured in it’s pages. As an extension of the Totem draw with Inkygoodness we are looking for submissions that continue the Totem theme. Need inspiration? Look here, here and here!

This is your chance to get involved in the first limited edition Publishers Club zine!

Submissions Info:

1. Complete your submission by the 1st March 2011
2. Make sure your piece is A5, portrait, black and white and 300dpi (print ready)
3. Attach it to an email with your full name and a short paragraph about you and your piece.
4. Send it to us at: submit [at] thepublishersclub.co.uk

Page to Page / Face to Face

Blanket has always been about bringing creative people together from around the world – and this feel good story is where this ethos was taken literally!

The story starts back in Issue 24 {The Landscape Issue} when two artists both submitted their images to Blanket and were featured in the issue. Joanne Thies from Australia submitted the image on the left and João Bento Soares from Portugal submitted the image on the right.

When it came to laying out the pages of the magazine I decided to place their work side by side as I thought their work complimented each other beautifully. I did note at the time that it was a coincidence that their first names started with the same first 3 letters… I love things like that.

Just after the magazine was released Joanne contacted me to say she would be traveling to Portugal {another happy coincidence} so I suggested she should get in touch with João while she was there so they could meet face to face… and they did!

You can follow along the story on Joanne’s blog I Love Saturdays. The first post is here {where João and Joanne first make contact via her blog} and the second here {after their meet up in Portugal}.

I love so much about this story and I am happy to have played a small role in bringing these two amazing artists together. For me it sums up exactly what I have always wanted Blanket to be – a place where creatives all over the world can get together to meet and share ideas {of course I always thought it would be limited to virtually…}
I do hope this story might spark some more creative meetups around the world! Or maybe you have a similar story of meeting someone? I would love for you to share if you do – it doesn’t have to be related to Blanket – just if you have met up with someone after getting to know them through their blog or twitter. Email me at editor {at} blanketmagazine.com

Enjoy your weekend!
Bec

Let’s Celebrate! {Issue 25 is here!}

Celebrations are all around us at this time of year but we have something extra to celebrate here at Blanket – our 25th issue! Scroll down to see what we are celebrating…

best wishes,

Bec

PS/ A big thank you to We Are Willow collaborative musicians Chris Butler and Simon Connor for allowing us to use their track ‘Pictures You Drew’ as a free download this issue. It’s our extra special gift for you this Christmas. Enjoy!

The Blanket 2011 Calendar!!

All Blanket Subscribers will receive the Blanket 2011 Calendar free with Issue 25 {or you can purchase it separately for $6 in the Blanket Online Store}

Blanket’s Cover Art

Our cover this issue was a collaboration between UK illustrators Thereza Rowe and Simon Wild. In our feature article we speak to both and ask them how they came up with the concept for our cover and they give us tips on how to achieve a successful collaboration.

Blankets Featured Font {FREE with this issue!}

Manuel Viergutz {aka EM-VII} a design student from Germany took inspiration from the Times New Roman font to create our featured font ‘Hand Times’.

The Blanket  Calendar Artist Interviews

We introduce you to our 12 Blanket 2011 Calendar artists: Adam James Turnbull, Mark Malarky, Patrick O’Leary, Santiago Merino, Niki Pilkington, Devon Smith, Stephen P Loya, Ekaterina Koroleva, Rohan Fraser, Christopher Davison, Amy Friend and Reena Makwana. Read their interviews and see more of their work inside this issue.

Creative Writing

Blanket writer Jonathan Hulme invites us all to join him on his New Years Revolution.
Illustration by Nicola Rowlands.




Gwendoline Watson gives us helpful advice on how to be merry this Christmas (and no it doesn’t include drinking too much mulled wine}. Illustration by James Cotton.

Interviews

Our newest Blanket contributor and writer Charlotte Rivers interviews Liss Winnel from the distinctively dreamy blog Daydream Lily {Liss also introduces us to some stunning photographers!}.

DIY Tutorial

Our crafty Jessica Wilson {aka Jek} shares her Christmas memories and a DIY Tutorial on how to make Clay Ornaments.

Here’s my work… I hope you like it…

Artists featured inside this issue: Randi Antonsen, Claire Bradley, Kate Bushuk, Jo Cheung, Cinaski, Anne Cobai, Stella Asia Consonni, Oleg Danilovich, Philippa Garrard, Daria Hlazatova , Christine Johanson, Jough McLeod, Lin Mei, Nicole Mueller, Monica Rizzolli, Nicola Rowlands, Aida Sabic, Emily Sams, Fake Sartorialist , Christina Song, Åsa Wikman, Yuk Kee Yip and Eddie Yuen.

Issue 25 {sneak peek!}

Issue 25 is almost complete so I wanted to release a little teaser to show you all what we have in store {including a snippet of our very colourful front cover collaboration between Thereza Rowe and Simon Wild!}

Once again this issue will be jam packed full of goodies – including a brand new Blanket Featured Font!
Blanket writer Jonathan Hulme invites us all to join him on his New Years Revolution.

Gwendoline Watson gives us helpful advice on how to be merry this Christmas (and no it doesn’t include drinking too much mulled wine}.

Our newest Blanket contributor and writer Charlotte Rivers interviews Liss Winnel from the distinctively dreamy blog Daydream Lily {she also introduces us to some stunning photographers!}.

And ever so crafty Jessica Wilson {aka Jek} shares her Christmas memories and a DIY Tutorial on how to make Clay Ornaments.

Plus we will finally be able to reveal our 12 chosen artists who will feature on the Blanket 2011 Calendar! Find out more about them and their work in our exclusive interviews.

Don’t forget all Blanket Subscribers will receive the Blanket 2011 Calendar free with Issue 25 {or you can purchase it separately for $6}

Blanket 2011 Calendar {submissions closed}

Just a quick update to let you know submissions have now closed for the Blanket 2011 Calendar. We had such an overwhelming response {over 90 submissions!} and the level of talent is seriously outstanding {you guys rock!]}. Right now I wish there were more than just 12 months in a year – but unfortunately tough decisions have to be made.

Of course the task {and the responsibility!} of choosing just 12 artists was too much for just little ole me so I decided to ask 6 amazing {and secret for now!} Guest Judges to help in the decision making process. So together we will be choosing the final 12 artists and notifying them very soon!!!

Don’t forget! Obviously there is only a limited-number of 12 spots on the Blanket Calendar so if your work is not chosen you will still have the opportunity to have your work featured in Issue 25 as part of our ‘Here’s my work…’ Gallery. All successful applicants will be emailed with notification next week.

Good luck everyone!!

Issue 25 {it’s a cover art collaboration!}

Illustration by: Thereza Rowe


Illustration by: Simon Wild

As per-usual we are very busy in the background preparing for our upcoming release of Issue 25 {look out for it in early December!} It’s an exciting milestone we will be reaching – not just because it will be number 25 but it will also mark 4 years of Blanket! {seriously where does the time go??} Anyway we couldn’t possibly let number 25 pass by without some kind of celebration!!

So including the very exciting release of the Blanket 2011 Calendar - featuring our soon to be chosen and announced 12 calendar artists {submissions are still open by the way – but be quick as the deadline is this coming Monday, November 15th 2010} we will also have an exciting cover art collaboration from two very talented UK illustrators Thereza Rowe and Simon Wild.

Both Thereza and Simon have a history of collaborating with other artists but this will be the very first time they have collaborated together on a project – so I am more than excited that our cover has given them the opportunity to finally work together – and even more grateful that they will complete it on very short notice and on a very short deadline – what professionals!!!

As individual illustrators their work is outstanding so I can only imagine the greatness that will come from their collaboration – and I am so interested to see how they will interpret my open {and deliberately vague} brief of “It should be bright, colourful, fun and shout ‘WOO-HOO’ at the top of it’s lungs!”

Blanket Poster on SALE {50% off this week only!}

ONE WEEK ONLY!!!! THE BLANKET POSTER FOR JUST $5 (or £3!}

The Blanket Poster features 56 international artists, designers and photographers on one giant patchwork poster. The poster is packaged in a unique hand folded origami sleeve {with extra details including the debossed uv type on the front}.


Among the artists featured are Deanne Cheuk, Si Scott, Jeff Kleinsmith, Amy Sol, Beci Orpin, Jeremyville, James Gulliver Hancock, Anke Weckmann and Julianna Swaney… plus many more! It’s guaranteed to put a smile on your face and keep you creatively warm! Click here to purchase!

Poster Size: Folds out to 570mm(h) x 950mm(w)

Sleeve size: 190mm x 190mm


Posters are dispatched from the UK and Australia depending on your location.


OFFER ENDS: Friday November 12th 2010.

** NEW ISSUE FOR DOWNLOAD**

Issue 24 – The Landscape Issue

We have another big issue for you to enjoy {yep all 152 pages of it!} In Issue 24 we are exploring the power of a landscape and how it can be manipulated, changed, re-constructed, shrunk or viewed from a different perspective. Scroll down to see what we have for you in this issue!

Enjoy!

Bec

Blanket’s Cover Art

We introduce you to our Blanket cover artist for this issue, Jo Cheung, whose ‘landscape’ illustration was influenced by her childhood holidays in Hong Kong.

Blankets Featured Font {FREE with this issue!}

The issue would not be complete without our Blanket Featured Font! This issue type designer, Darim Kim, brings us her font ‘My Fair Cody‘ which was designed as a tribute to her dog.

{DIY Tutorials}

Regular Blanket contributor Jek is back this issue with a brand new DIY tutorial on how to make a Diorama{Western style!}



We welcome new Blanket contributors Becka and Richard from Bliss in a Teacup {you met them in Issue 23 and we are so excited to welcome them to the team!} . Their DIY tutorial will show you how to create aLandscape Mobile.



I will also be showing you an easy Photoshop Tutorial so you can create the illusion of Tilt-Shift Photography {it will have you turning all your holiday photos into miniature landscapes!}

Artist Interviews

In our feature article we interview five very different artists that have all looked to the landscape for inspiration and are interpreting it in their own unique way.


1. Erin Tyner’s, photographic series Half Awake are carefully staged miniatures that depict 
an unfolding scene of a lone figure in the landscape.


2. New York photographer, Matthew Albanese, can spend months assembling his model landscapes using everyday materials such as faux fur, steel wool, ground parsley, paprika, sugar, and table salt. His photos are so realistic that at first glance many people mistake them for actual landscapes.


3. If you were a garden how tended would you be? It’s the question, Frank Plant, asks his viewer in his seriesHow does your garden grow?



4. The contrast of an urban/rural landscape is a constant theme for photographer, Lindsay Blamey.


5. In her series You Are Here artist, Megan Scheminske, paints canvases using Google map reference images.
• Collage artist, Jesse Draxler, chats to us about his work and collaborating with other artists.

• Blanket writer, Jonathan Hulme, teaches us The Road Rules we should know before we take our next roadtrip.

• Gwendoline Watson embraces her fear and spends a night camping in the wild Welsh landscape in her storyFeel The Fear.

• Photographic Series: Silent Landscapes Photographs from Iceland taken by me! ; )

Plus we uncover 47 emerging artist from all over the world in our Gallery sections!

• Re_action! Artists featured inside this issue: Aga Prokopenko, Agurtxane Concellón, Alice Rebecca Potter, Bradley Pinkerton, Dinesha Perera, Elisa Sandoval, Emma Simmons, Ester Grossi, Francesca Tollardo, Ilaria Bagnulo, Iva Cukic, Joanne Thies, João Bento Soares, Joy Chokchai, Justin Kendall, Katica Pedisic, Keegan Green, Laura Carey, Lucy Eldridge, Mark Payne, MundoCaco, Nafisa Kaptownwala, Faunesque {aka Philippe Constantinesco}, Rena Littleson, Sarah Cunningham, Steve Poxson , Tamar Dolev, Tatchara Lertkitcha, tchmo, Threepetch Suprakob, Veronica Romanenghi.


• Here’s my work… I hope you like it! Artists featured inside this issue: Adriean Koleric, Alvaro Sánchez, Andy Geppert, Anna Maria Pacchioni {aka Annulla}, Carla Thursday, Christina Song, Daniel Mendoza, Eileen Moreno, Elumas Preslecky, Everly dark, Faunesque {aka Philippe Constantinesco}, Holly Exley, Kristian Jones, Lauren Holmes, Lucy Eldridge, Mark Payne, Matthew Aurilio, MundoCaco, Nafisa Kaptownwala, Rebeccah Power, Rena Littleson, Sarah Cunningham, Steve Poxson , Tamar Dolev, Tatchara Lertkitcha, tchmo, Threepetch Suprakob, Veronica Romanenghi.

Behold! {Blanket Gift Subscriptions}

Yes that’s right. BEHOLD! We have just solved all of your Christmas present dilemmas. It’s the Blanket Magazine Gift Subscription! Spoil someone {or yourself!} with a Subscription for 6 issues of Blanket Magazine! You can purchase a Blanket Subscription {and other nifty products including previous Blanket issues, badges, artist cards and the Blanket Poster} in our Blanket Online Store. You’re very welcome!

Exquisite Book

The Exquisite Book – Published by Chronicle Books.

Back in Issue 20 {I Think I Can Fly Issue} of Blanket Magazine we spoke to Julia Rothman about how she {and her business partners Matt and Jenny from Also} were putting the finishing touches on their upcoming book. Now, finally we can all see the results of their first curated art book The Exquisite Book!





The book was based on the Surrealist game the Exquisite Corpse and involved curating 100 artists to collaborate together. The book itself is split into separate chapters with 10 artists completing a section beginning with certain phrases – for instance “In the Clouds” or “In the Mountains”. Personally I think splitting the book into themes was a very clever concept as it shows the diversity of each of the artists and keeps a nice flow to the book {not that by any means you would get bored looking at the amazing artwork!}.

The list of artists involved is seriously impressive {and just to name a few…} Betsy Walton, Jen Corace, Carson Ellis, Lauren Nassef, Nigel Peake, Camilla Engman, Julia Pott, Luke Ramsey, Kate Bingham-Burt, Lisa Congdon, Mike Perry, and of course Julia Rothman.






If you would like to read more about The Exquisite Book and the artists involved you can follow the current blog tour – and also check out some mighty fine blogs along the way!

It began yesterday with the lovely Erin from Design for Mankind and today stops in at My Love For You Is A Stampede Of Horses. If you are super quick you might even score yourself your very own copy of the book – head on over and make a comment to win!