Submarine

Today I went to the cinema as a birthday treat to see the film 'Submarine' written and directed by Richard Ayoade. A comedian most famous for his geek shique role in cult comedy The I.T Crowd. I knew I would like it before we'd even set foot in the cinema. And you know why this is? The aesthetic loveliness in the design of the poster.

The connection between type and imagery flows beautifully across the poster, with the photo of the main character seemingly submerged in the cyan on the bottom third of the page. A symmetry in the text at the top of the page with the three primary colours in conjunction, means that the entire poster only uses them three primaries, white, and the absence of colour that is black. This is of course with the exception of the directors name in orange at the bottom, which in normal circumstances may ruin the effectiveness, but in this case it actually works. It keeps the poster balanced and adds enthasis on the writer and director, a very important man in the film making process.

And on top that, I thoroughly enjoyed the film and I recommend it to anyone who's searching for a light hearted feel good comedy. I loved it, and my guess is so will you.

BIG essay

Figurative painting is a skill which is very hard to master to the standard of excellence. And even harder to morph into distressed imagery while still keeping that perfect form. Yet this is something that Jenny Saville, Francis Bacon and Lucian Freud have all manage to do magnificently. Comparisons between the three artists are not only present in their love of the human anatomy, but also in the ways they have evolved their attention to detail from artist to artist. Not exaggerating beauty for the mass public and expressing realistic views of taboo subjects in regard to the human body.


Jenny Saville is a female painter who was born in Cambridge, England in 1970. Her works are usually of large scale interpretations of naked overweight women and disturbed human form. The paintings of these women are often very no holds barred and depict the gritty realism of the human body and its beauty and imperfections. These studies are dark reflections and a deep contrast to the mass publics’ presentation and perception of the human sculpture.
Saville learned and observer a lot of the human anatomy in New York, 1994, where she sat and watched plastic surgeon Dr.Barry Martin Weintraub in his working process. During the times she was watching, she was granted the chance to photograph and document the cosmetic surgery and liposuctions that Weintraub performed. The interventional techniques that Weintraub performed would also go on to influence her understanding of excessive human fat and the extremes of body shapes.

Some artists which are often compared to her, and with similar work styles, are Lucian Freud, Francis Bacon, Willem de Kooning, Pablo Picasso and Peter Paul Rubens, (Bacon and De Kooning were her personal biggest influences).

Saville’s paintings ‘Strategy (South face/front face/ north face)’ appeared on the third Manic Street Preachers album and her piece entitiled ‘Stare’ was the art vinyl for the ninth Manic Street Preachers album. Of these two pieces that were used for album covers, my personal favourite is ‘Strategy’. The way everything down to the title monsterises this woman, and shows her not as a showcase for feminine beauty but as a structure (the title often used for achitectual and orthographic plans) is an thought but never spoke idea. A taboo subject that Saville has approached without fear of disgust, and it is that controversial decision to truthfully portray her models that has propeeled her to the forefront of figurative painting. There is a sense of loyalty to oil painting as a medium for Saville and as technology constantly advances she has resisted the temptation of switching media.

Her arguably most famous piece ‘Stare’ (Feature on the cover of Manic Street Preachers album cover ‘Journal for Plague Lovers’) is once again done in oil paints. And although it was praised by many and even reciever 2^nd prize for best Art Vinyl, I am not a fan of the image. I can recognise the skill and workmanship put into painting it but as a whole, I’m not keen. The colours are very bland and pastelly, although it could be argued all her works are of this nature, the exaggerated skin tones are not expressed as vibrantly as they are in some of her other works. With the obvious exception of the bloodied bruising on the subjects face.

In conclusion, my opinion on Jenny Saville is varied. The imagery and the messages she portrays in her work are unmatched, but my personal taste does not include her works. Tonal contrast is a favourable point and her use of different colours and shades to highlight and define shapes can be quite beautiful in its own unique way.

Lucian Freud is a German born painter, born on December 8^th 1922 in Berlin, however he became a Naturalised British citizen in 1939. Grandson of Sigmund Freud, The pair were regarded as similar in that Sigmund was nicknamed master of the mind, while Lucian was known as master of the body.

One of Freud’s most iconic images was his portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, which divided both the press and art critics. In the portrait she wears a severe expression and her features are heavily rendered, in the style Freud has become famous for over the years. Some of the critics seemed surprised that Lucian Freud had the audacity to paint his monarch in his usual intense, penetrating style and even went on to call it a travesty. But in my opinion, it is a more realistic approach to painting than exaggerating beauty and erasing any blemishes. Freud takes her features and showcases her rugged, tired self not as hindrances but as part of who she is. The particular attention to her crown shows him highlighting her personality, as that is her character and pretty much all she is recognised for. The colours are dull, pastel and exaggerated in the shadows of her face, which is not a style I find aesthetically pleasing but the not-so-delicate tonal work is mysteriously luring.

Freud’s self portrait is my favourite of his pieces. The muscles and wrinkles in his face make a monstrously realistic map of shadows and contrast. His dull, expressionless face and naked torso are shown and there is an air of vibrancy in this image unlike his other paintings. Light hitting his face from the side casts a dark aura across his chest and lower face, and he shows no fear in exaggerating the amount of shadow cast.

In conclusion, Lucian Freud’s artwork is a representation of the true human form, and it is clear he has influenced the likes of Jenny Saville in their work. Unafraid of controversy, he shows his ability to paint and also take influence from his grandfather’s, Sigmund Freud, Psychological work.

Lucian Freud is a German born painter, born on December 8^th 1922 in Berlin, however he became a Naturalised British citizen in 1939. Grandson of Sigmund Freud, The pair were regarded as similar in that Sigmund was nicknamed master of the mind, while Lucian was known as master of the body.

One of Freud’s most iconic images was his portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, which divided both the press and art critics. In the portrait she wears a severe expression and her features are heavily rendered, in the style Freud has become famous for over the years. Some of the critics seemed surprised that Lucian Freud had the audacity to paint his monarch in his usual intense, penetrating style and even went on to call it a travesty. But in my opinion, it is a more realistic approach to painting than exaggerating beauty and erasing any blemishes. Freud takes her features and showcases her rugged, tired self not as hindrances but as part of who she is. The particular attention to her crown shows him highlighting her personality, as that is her character and pretty much all she is recognised for. The colours are dull, pastel and exaggerated in the shadows of her face, which is not a style I find aesthetically pleasing but the not-so-delicate tonal work is mysteriously luring.

Freud’s self portrait is my favourite of his pieces. The muscles and wrinkles in his face make a monstrously realistic map of shadows and contrast. His dull, expressionless face and naked torso are shown and there is an air of vibrancy in this image unlike his other paintings. Light hitting his face from the side casts a dark aura across his chest and lower face, and he shows no fear in exaggerating the amount of shadow cast.

In conclusion, Lucian Freud’s artwork is a representation of the true human form, and it is clear he has influenced the likes of Jenny Saville in their work. Unafraid of controversy, he shows his ability to paint and also take influence from his grandfather’s, Sigmund Freud, Psychological work.

Lucian Freud is a German born painter, born on December 8^th 1922 in Berlin, however he became a Naturalised British citizen in 1939. Grandson of Sigmund Freud, The pair were regarded as similar in that Sigmund was nicknamed master of the mind, while Lucian was known as master of the body.

One of Freud’s most iconic images was his portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, which divided both the press and art critics. In the portrait she wears a severe expression and her features are heavily rendered, in the style Freud has become famous for over the years. Some of the critics seemed surprised that Lucian Freud had the audacity to paint his monarch in his usual intense, penetrating style and even went on to call it a travesty. But in my opinion, it is a more realistic approach to painting than exaggerating beauty and erasing any blemishes. Freud takes her features and showcases her rugged, tired self not as hindrances but as part of who she is. The particular attention to her crown shows him highlighting her personality, as that is her character and pretty much all she is recognised for. The colours are dull, pastel and exaggerated in the shadows of her face, which is not a style I find aesthetically pleasing but the not-so-delicate tonal work is mysteriously luring.

Freud’s self portrait is my favourite of his pieces. The muscles and wrinkles in his face make a monstrously realistic map of shadows and contrast. His dull, expressionless face and naked torso are shown and there is an air of vibrancy in this image unlike his other paintings. Light hitting his face from the side casts a dark aura across his chest and lower face, and he shows no fear in exaggerating the amount of shadow cast.

In conclusion, Lucian Freud’s artwork is a representation of the true human form, and it is clear he has influenced the likes of Jenny Saville in their work. Unafraid of controversy, he shows his ability to paint and also take influence from his grandfather’s, Sigmund Freud, Psychological work.

Lucian Freud is a German born painter, born on December 8^th 1922 in Berlin, however he became a Naturalised British citizen in 1939. Grandson of Sigmund Freud, The pair were regarded as similar in that Sigmund was nicknamed master of the mind, while Lucian was known as master of the body.

One of Freud’s most iconic images was his portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, which divided both the press and art critics. In the portrait she wears a severe expression and her features are heavily rendered, in the style Freud has become famous for over the years. Some of the critics seemed surprised that Lucian Freud had the audacity to paint his monarch in his usual intense, penetrating style and even went on to call it a travesty. But in my opinion, it is a more realistic approach to painting than exaggerating beauty and erasing any blemishes. Freud takes her features and showcases her rugged, tired self not as hindrances but as part of who she is. The particular attention to her crown shows him highlighting her personality, as that is her character and pretty much all she is recognised for. The colours are dull, pastel and exaggerated in the shadows of her face, which is not a style I find aesthetically pleasing but the not-so-delicate tonal work is mysteriously luring.

Freud’s self portrait is my favourite of his pieces. The muscles and wrinkles in his face make a monstrously realistic map of shadows and contrast. His dull, expressionless face and naked torso are shown and there is an air of vibrancy in this image unlike his other paintings. Light hitting his face from the side casts a dark aura across his chest and lower face, and he shows no fear in exaggerating the amount of shadow cast.

In conclusion, Lucian Freud’s artwork is a representation of the true human form, and it is clear he has influenced the likes of Jenny Saville in their work. Unafraid of controversy, he shows his ability to paint and also take influence from his grandfather’s, Sigmund Freud, Psychological work.
Francis Bacon was born in Dublin, Ireland on 28^th October 1909 to two English parents. He later moved to London at the age of sixteen, and then furthermore lived in Paris and Berlin for another two years. As an artist he was chiefly known for his figurative paintings in a graphic and emotionally raw style. The abstract figures he painted were more often than not isolated in cages or boxes against bland, flat backdrops. Bacon's dramatic and exciting work gained international recognition and acclaim. His first major show took place at the Hanover Gallery, London, in 1949. His first solo exhibition outside England was held in 1953 at Durlacher Brothers, New York.


The first piece that I was drawn to is called 'Portrait of Pope Innocent X'. The image was originally painted by the Spanish artist Diego Velazquez, who painted the original version of the Pope in 1650. It is not of any culture, but Bacon said he wanted an excuse to use those colours. It belongs to no tradition, but in my own opinion, Bacon adopted his own tradition by making all his paintings violent and gruesomely misshapen. The painting looks like acrylic paint on a canvas, but at the same time the paints are rugged and harsh like oil pastel or charcoal. It's an abstract piece, and it gives the impression that the artist was lashing at the canvas with his paintbrushes. The painting just looks really violent. There is the figure of the Pope sitting bolt upright with his face in an angry blur screaming in horror, And his figure is sat on what used to be a throne, but the base has blurred and disappeared into what looks like light. I presume it could possibly be an anti-religion piece as the light is swallowing up the pope. And his lack of legs, with just the white cloth in place gives the automatic assumption of a ghostly figure. That with his demonic face further asserts the image of something far from human. I like the way the painting looks like it has aged with the colours running down the canvas and this has a positive effect on the immortal image, with the classic catholic colours to assure you that this indeed resembles the Pope. 

The mangled features and almost inhuman colours in this portrait are made in the same way as his portrait of the Pope. The way the muscles and bones in his face are stressed to show the movement and colours look almost as if his skin has been removed from his face and the snatomy of his head is shining through. The dark crimson and blues once again reflect the tones within muscle structure but could also show bruising. Bruises perhaps relieving something of his self in that he has scars hidden but he can only express them through his artwork. The menacing style of art is a constant in his portfolio and it is very recognisable upon viewing, that it is his work.

In conclusion, Francis Bacon is a figurative painter who captures the raw essence of the human form. In all it’s grit.

And it is clear that his authoritive stamp on the world of art has influenced a lot of other painters, and many more to come.


Their three arguably most important pieces (Saville’s ‘stare’, Bacon’s ‘Portrait of Pope innocent X’ and Freud’s ‘Queen Elizabeth II portrait) are all very similar in my opinion. They all show a degree of authority in not bowing down to the modern perception of beauty and showing the world how our bodies were meant to be seen… in their true form.  My favorite of the three artists would have to be Lucian Freud, simply for his self portrait. The use of colour and contrast in that image is just breathtaking from my perspective. Not showing himself as a model of masculinity and perfection but as a simple human being with just as many imperfections as all of us.

Parkway Drive - Album art

"Mother mercy, take my hand.
Follow me through this forsaken land.
Father time, return what's mine.
The innocence you stole from these eyes."

(Parkway Drive - Home is for the Heartless)

A lot of my inspiration in art and design comes from music and lyrics. Whether it be my own compositions or that of other artists/bands. A particular favourite band of mine is the Australian heavy metal band 'Parkway Drive'. The aggression and rage put into the music just makes you want to move and when listening to them while doing your artwork, It simply helps express emotions and bond with my design on a personal level.

Here are a couple of the band's album colours from previous years, They're not particularly fantastic artworks but the colour schemes and ideas behind them are genuinely brilliant in my eyes.

Critical Analysis - Lucian Freud

Lucian Freud is a German born painter, born on December 8^th 1922 in Berlin, however he became a Naturalised British citizen in 1939. Grandson of Sigmund Freud, The pair were regarded as similar in that Sigmund was nicknamed master of the mind, while Lucian was known as master of the body.

One of Freud’s most iconic images was his portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, which divided both the press and art critics. In the portrait she wears a severe expression and her features are heavily rendered, in the style Freud has become famous for over the years. Some of the critics seemed surprised that Lucian Freud had the audacity to paint his monarch in his usual intense, penetrating style and even went on to call it a travesty. But in my opinion, it is a more realistic approach to painting than exaggerating beauty and erasing any blemishes. Freud takes her features and showcases her rugged, tired self not as hindrances but as part of who she is. The particular attention to her crown shows him highlighting her personality, as that is her character and pretty much all she is recognised for. The colours are dull, pastel and exaggerated in the shadows of her face, which is not a style I find aesthetically pleasing but the not-so-delicate tonal work is mysteriously luring.

Freud’s self portrait is my favourite of his pieces. The muscles and wrinkles in his face make a monstrously realistic map of shadows and contrast. His dull, expressionless face and naked torso are shown and there is an air of vibrancy in this image unlike his other paintings. Light hitting his face from the side casts a dark aura across his chest and lower face, and he shows no fear in exaggerating the amount of shadow cast.

In conclusion, Lucian Freud’s artwork is a representation of the true human form, and it is clear he has influenced the likes of Jenny Saville in their work. Unafraid of controversy, he shows his ability to paint and also take influence from his grandfather’s, Sigmund Freud, Psychological work.

Information found on:  http://painting.about.com/od/famouspainters/p/bio_LucianFreud.htm

Critical Analysis - Jenny Saville

Jenny Saville is a female painter who was born in Cambridge, England in 1970. Her works are usually of large scale interpretations of naked overweight women and disturbed human form. The paintings of these women are often very no holds barred and depict the gritty realism of the human body and its beauty and imperfections. These studies are dark reflections and a deep contrast to the mass publics’ presentation and perception of the human sculpture.

Saville learned and observer a lot of the human anatomy in New York, 1994, where she sat and watched plastic surgeon Dr.Barry Martin Weintraub in his working process. During the times she was watching, she was granted the chance to photograph and document the cosmetic surgery and liposuctions that Weintraub performed. The interventional techniques that Weintraub performed would also go on to influence her understanding of excessive human fat and the extremes of body shapes.

Some artists which are often compared to her, and with similar work styles, are Lucian Freud, Francis Bacon, Willem de Kooning, Pablo Picasso and Peter Paul Rubens, (Bacon and De Kooning were her personal biggest influences).

Saville’s paintings ‘Strategy (South face/front face/ north face)’ appeared on the third Manic Street Preachers album and her piece entitiled ‘Stare’ was the art vinyl for the ninth Manic Street Preachers album. Of these two pieces that were used for album covers, my personal favourite is ‘Strategy’. The way everything down to the title monsterises this woman, and shows her not as a showcase for feminine beauty but as a structure (the title often used for achitectual and orthographic plans) is an thought but never spoke idea. A taboo subject that Saville has approached without fear of disgust, and it is that controversial decision to truthfully portray her models that has propeeled her to the forefront of figurative painting. There is a sense of loyalty to oil painting as a medium for Saville and as technology constantly advances she has resisted the temptation of switching media.

Her arguably most famous piece ‘Stare’ (Feature on the cover of Manic Street Preachers album cover ‘Journal for Plague Lovers’) is once again done in oil paints. And although it was praised by many and even reciever 2^nd prize for best Art Vinyl, I am not a fan of the image. I can recognise the skill and workmanship put into painting it but as a whole, I’m not keen. The colours are very bland and pastelly, although it could be argued all her works are of this nature, the exaggerated skin tones are not expressed as vibrantly as they are in some of her other works. With the obvious exception of the bloodied bruising on the subjects face.

In conclusion, my opinion on Jenny Saville is varied. The imagery and the messages she portrays in her work are unmatched, but my personal taste does not include her works. Tonal contrast is a favourable point and her use of different colours and shades to highlight and define shapes can be quite beautiful in its own unique way.

Bibliography: http://www.brain-juice.com/cgi-bin/show_bio.cgi?p_id=77

Critical Analysis - Francis Bacon

Francis Bacon was born in Dublin, Ireland on 28^th October 1909 to two English parents. He later moved to London at the age of sixteen, and then furthermore lived in Paris and Berlin for another two years. As an artist he was chiefly known for his figurative paintings in a graphic and emotionally raw style. The abstract figures he painted were more often than not isolated in cages or boxes against bland, flat backdrops. Bacon's dramatic and exciting work gained international recognition and acclaim. His first major show took place at the Hanover Gallery, London, in 1949. His first solo exhibition outside England was held in 1953 at Durlacher Brothers, New York.

The first piece that I was drawn to is called 'Portrait of Pope Innocent X'. The image was originally painted by the Spanish artist Diego Velazquez, who painted the original version of the Pope in 1650. It is not of any culture, but Bacon said he wanted an excuse to use those colours. It belongs to no tradition, but in my own opinion, Bacon adopted his own tradition by making all his paintings violent and gruesomely misshapen. The painting looks like acrylic paint on a canvas, but at the same time the paints are rugged and harsh like oil pastel or charcoal. It's an abstract piece, and it gives the impression that the artist was lashing at the canvas with his paintbrushes. The painting just looks really violent. There is the figure of the Pope sitting bolt upright with his face in an angry blur screaming in horror, And his figure is sat on what used to be a throne, but the base has blurred and disappeared into what looks like light. I presume it could possibly be an anti-religion piece as the light is swallowing up the pope. And his lack of legs, with just the white cloth in place gives the automatic assumption of a ghostly figure. That with his demonic face further asserts the image of something far from human. I like the way the painting looks like it has aged with the colours running down the canvas and this has a positive effect on the immortal image, with the classic catholic colours to assure you that this indeed resembles the Pope. 

The mangled features and almost inhuman colours in this portrait are made in the same way as his portrait of the Pope. The way the muscles and bones in his face are stressed to show the movement and colours look almost as if his skin has been removed from his face and the snatomy of his head is shining through. The dark crimson and blues once again reflect the tones within muscle structure but could also show bruising. Bruises perhaps relieving something of his self in that he has scars hidden but he can only express them through his artwork. The menacing style of art is a constant in his portfolio and it is very recognisable upon viewing, that it is his work.

In conclusion, Francis Bacon is a figurative painter who captures the raw essence of the human form. In all it’s grit.

And it is clear that his authoritive stamp on the world of art has influenced a lot of other painters, and many more to come.