Monday, May 14

Quitting Social Media - An Experiment

Hello friends,

I've not been using this blog anymore - I've moved over to a blog that is integrated into my website. (I know. So fancy.)



Also, if you're been looking for me on social media recently you'll notice that I'm not there.

WHAT IS GOING ON?

Right now I am doing an experiment that involves using no social media. During this time, however, I will still be updating my portfolio, blogging and writing email newsletters to report on my progress and findings.

Want to hear how it's going? Click here to stay in the loop :)

In the meantime, you can read more blog posts over at www.katiechappell.com/blog


Wednesday, June 28

The Summer Timetable


Here is the full lineup for summer's creative workshops in Berwick upon Tweed. Lots of stuff for all ages! :)

visit tinyurl.com/makenmove to see the full list of workshops.


Tuesday, June 27

Early Bird Discount - GOLDEN TICKETS


I just wanted an excuse to post my illustration of these pigeons, really. 

There are going to be 3 discounted tickets per workshop, which are dished out on a first-come-first-serve basis.

See the workshops and book your place here.

Coooooo, cooo. 

Upcoming Children's Workshops in Berwick upon Tweed

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! Here are this summer's Making and Moving offerings.

Last summer 'Making and Moving' workshops were born. They are a combination of creativity and movement, and after a successful summer holidays we ran Christmas sessions and Easter workshops. 

The combination of getting creative, and then getting up to run around and play games works very well for younger children, and these workshops are open to ages 5-10.

We are running these from East Ord Village Hall this year (we love the Scout Hut but it is all booked up for summer). East Ord Village Hall has a PLAY PARK next door, and is suitable for children with pet allergies as there are no dog training classes happening there. Hooray!



Let's cut and stick! Googly eyes, pipe cleaners, old magazines, scissors and glue. We have everything you need to make THE MOST BEAUTIFUL COLLAGE EVER. A couple of games thrown in, and this looks to be a very fun afternoon indeed!

Calling all bug and flower fans! If the weather is nice we'll go outside, but if it's not nice,  the garden can come inside to us. I hope it's good weather so we can go and play outside in the park!

I love unicorns, do you? For this workshop we will use a lot of bright colours, glitter, and create our very own wearable unicorn designs. (And we'll play some unicorn games, of course.)

Learn some exciting techniques for making prints. These are all small-child friendly and use washable ink so you can relax while they make some mini masterpieces for the fridge!

Raaaaargh. Time to channel your inner Tarzan and paint lots of colourful and exotic jungle creatures and plants. There's a tonne of inspiration in the jungle and we'll spend the workshop painting to our hearts' content and playing jungle-related games.



Tuesday, June 13

Katiedraws' Degree Show Top Tips / 2017

If you follow along on Instagram, you'll have noticed that i've been reporting on degree shows for A-N The Artists Information Company. It's been great to see all the amazing work, and flick through a million sketchbooks.



While I'm not an expert on the subject (i've had 2 degree shows in my entire life and I don't remember putting any effort into either of them. Sorry Mum.) I have noticed a few things that would make it much more painless for the audience to find out more about the artists, and to share their work more easily. Maybe my next degree show will now be fabulous and amazing and the best thing I have ever created? Who knows - stay tuned 'cos it's coming up this August at Edinburgh College of Art.

Anyway, without further ado, let me tell you things which I think may be helpful.

Beautiful textile work from Fine Art student at Newcastle University, Eve Kershaw. https://evekershaw.wordpress.com/ 

Business CardsA million. You need to print a million. And sprinkle them everywhere so that even if each visitor takes 5, there will STILL be enough for the next people. At the degree shows I went to report on, only about 50% of the work had a business card to go with it. Postcards are nice too, but business cards are really necessary. I want to get home and look at the business card and think "ah yes! That person! That work! I remember everything".

Go back and refill your business card holders daily, and leave a little back up pile incase there's a very busy day.

Information to include on your business card:
  • Your name
  • An image which matches the stuff in your degree show
  • Your website (you don't have a website? Make one! My current website was built with Virb, and my new website is being built in Squarespace.) 
  • Your social media stuff. If your social media is all just personal/for friends then it's worth making a Facebook/Instagram/Twitter account just for your art. You don't have to do all three, but one is better than none.
Cool business card options I saw at the degree shows:

Business cards with little packets of seeds attached to them, big big long postcards, stickers, a business card made from perspex(!!), wooden business cards and top trumps-style business cards to name but a few.

Empty business card holders = a sad sight :( :( :(

'Woolarch' (a combination of wool and potato starch) created by Edinburgh College of Art product design student, Ellie Carr-Smith


WHO AAAARE YOU?
I spent most of my time trying to figure out who did what. If your business cards are there then this is taken care of, but it takes 2 seconds to stick a bit of foam board with your name and a bit of writing (optional, of course) on the wall beside your masterpiece. When there are 3 people's names on a wall at the entrance of a room, it's *almost* impossible to figure out who did which pieces of work in said room. "Hmmm does this bit of experimental work look like it was done by a Rebecca or a Megan?" Don't hide your name. Don't hide your business cards. Put them somewhere obvious so that idiots like me can easily find them.

"Millenni-Med" created by fine art student at Newcastle University, Jennifer O'Neill. You can check out her Instagram here.


Have an online presence related to your art + be aware of your internet footprint
If people want to know more about your work, then there's a high likelihood that they will search for you online. Make sure theres something, ANYTHING, on there which involves some photos of your work, and a quick description of you and your practice. It takes 10 minutes to whack a few photos on a Facebook page, Instagram account or Twitter of your work, maybe even you in the studio. Make sure the work photos match the work in your final show - make it easy for people to find you.

Also, take a moment to log out of your social media and search for yourself. What pops up? Is it drunk photos of you from 2007? Revisit your privacy settings and make sure all of that stuff is buried in the past, privately, where it belongs.


Bla bla bla / too long, didn't read #tldr

If people can find you online, share your work and credit you, then you are more likely to reach a wider audience. Also, it's nice to get feedback! Let people tell you they like your work.

Make it easy for people to find your degree show stuff on the internet. Tell people who you are, share your work and be proud of all the stuff you made.

The end.



Wednesday, May 3

The Leaders of Tomorrow - St Gallen Symposium #47 - 2017


Hello from Switzerland! I'm here doing some editorial illustration as part of the magazine team at St Gallen Symposium, 2017. It's the 47th symposium, but the first time there's been an in-house illustrator.

Here are a few posters I illustrated to signpost rooms where work sessions are happening. There were 13 of them, here are the ones that A. I could find (the building is huge and sprawling!) and B. I could get a good photo of. There is some fancy blue and pink lighting/dark rooms where even MY wonderful iPhoneography couldn't quite capture them. Hah. Kidding of course.

Carla captured this shot of everyone holding an illustration and standing on stage. Alas, I missed that bit. Thank you for the photo Carla!












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