At Digital Artist we’re massive fans of the fantastic artwork that comes out of the Bristol scene in the UK. From 15th July to 8th August 2011, two of our favourite illustrators, SPZero76 and Loch Ness, will be combining their talents in a group show that combines digital and street art to showcase some of the pair’s finest work. We caught up with SPZero76 for an interview (and a few words with Loch Ness) as they were starting to set up the show…

Please introduce yourselves and tell us a bit about your artwork…

My name is SPZero76 (Solo Productions Zero talent since 1976) and I’ve been drawing since I could hold a pencil! I just couldn’t find anyone to buy my art back then! Ha! My art is inspired by comics and street art and was recently described as Dark Disney, which I like, as my art features a mix of random strange characters.

I’m Loch Ness, an Illustrator/Artist who currently lives in Bristol, UK and I’m the brains behind Loch Ness Illustrations, the psychedelic passage through my surreal images and quirky characters. I emerged from Bristol’s vibrant art scene, and my free flowing psychedelic imagery and unique characters have got me recognition by commercial clients and many people from around the world.  My inspiration also comes from comic art as well as music, especially from the Sixties and the psychedelic era.

Could you briefly introduce your group show – what kind of artwork are you displaying?

This is the first time we have put on a show together and it will feature many canvases inspired by work we have created for different projects and jobs throughout 2011, so far. There will also be plenty of original ideas in there too!

When and where is the show?

The show starts at 6 till 10pm on July 15^th 2011 at Weapon of Choice Gallery on Park Street, Bristol.

What’s your connection to the Weapon of Choice gallery?

We have both exhibited work before at Weapon of Choice, in group shows. I (SPZero76) got in touch with Cheba and Sam (who own WOC) about my art featuring in their magazine, which lead to me joining Cheba on a painting job in Plymouth. Since then I’ve never looked back and always get involved with anything they have going on. They are a great pair of guys and Weapon of Choice is an awesome thing to be involved with. My first meeting with Loch Ness was at the Christmas Group Show in December 2010, although we were already working together, via post and email, on a project I run called Collaberation Nation.

This isn’t the first time the two of you have worked together – could you tell us about the joint projects you’ve done before?

As I mentioned, I first worked with Loch Ness on Collaberation Nation, then a month after our first meeting, at WOC Christmas Show, we teamed up to draw live at ‘Dirty Old Town’. Since then we have worked together on many projects including painting two ‘Mack Daddys’ hairdressers, several bars, Red Bull’s Canvas Cooler Project, and drawing live with Collaberation Nation at Upfest 2011. We recently finished working on two full size fibre glass gorillas for Bristol Zoo’s 175^th Anniversary which was a fun project to be a part of, but the scariest project we worked on together was when we teamed up with Squirl, to make up The Collaberation Nation Team at Upfest, where we took part in a Secret Wars competition against three other teams and won.

Drawing live on stage in front of hundreds of people with no pencils or sketchbooks is a terrifying prospect, but that’s nothing compared to the art being judged by cheers and clapping. The fear that no one would clap was hilarious!

Would you say the Bristol scene has influenced your artwork?

I have lived in Bristol since ’96 when I moved here to study Illustration at UWE. The Bristol scene definitely inspired my art, and I even remember some of the graffiti and flyer designs, plus I knew a lot of the street artists back then, before I moved away for a few years. On returning I got back into the Bristol scene when I helped organise The Glostunbury Festival at The Golden Lion, where we had loads of big names in the Bristol street art scene painting live.

Stylistically the show combines street art and digital art – do you think there are connections between the two in your work?

I used to always create a digital version of every canvas I painted. I think that our crazy characters and bright coloured styles fit perfect in each realm. We both rely on our sketchbooks and organic illustrations so from that starting point it’s easy to take either route to create art.

We hear you two will be doing some live drawing on the opening night, any plans on what you’ll be creating or will it be spontaneous?

Ha! Yep! We will be drawing live at The Big Chill bar after the show, so we will have to remember to stay sober! We usually work out what we are going to draw live together first. We even did that when working out what to draw at Secret Wars, where we couldn’t look at our sketchbook! The Big Chill will be easier than Secret Wars though as there is no pressure and we can draw whatever we want from our sketchbooks! There may have to be a certain amount of spontaneity though, as we are both busy leading up to the event.

Any more joint live drawing events planned for the summer?

We are painting live at several festivals over summer and have a bunch of jobs in the pipeline, including painting a Jeep and a lorry. We are always on the lookout for any other opportunities though.

Finally, what’s next for SPZero76 and Loch Ness?

We will continue working together, but also as part of Weapon of Choice and Collaberation Nation as well as promoting ourselves as individual artists.

Bristol’s Start Gallery space will be playing host to a magical exhibition about woodlands from 3rd May to 14th May 2011. I caught up with curator Paul Roberts to find out a bit more about the show, entitled Deep into the Woods.

Digital Artist: What’s the concept behind the exhibition?

Paul Roberts: ‘Deep Into The Woods’ is about recreating the magical mystery of the woodlands. The group of illustrators who have taken up the challenge are some of the leading contemporary image-makers in the UK at the moment. Creating specific work for the show, each illustrator has been digging into through all sorts of childhood memories. Remember those romps through the woods, climbing up trees, finding odd, hidden caves amongst gnarly roots, spying sneaky birds and playing hide and seek? Drawing further inspiration from the power and heritage of our national woods and its creatures, the group have produced a stunning body of work to fill the gallery walls of the Start Gallery, located above central-Bristol’s bustling bar, Start The Bus.

Digital Artist: Who is exhibiting and what kind of artwork can we see?

Paul Roberts: Exhibiting for the two weeks are Dave Bain, Jon Boam, Amy Brown, Seb Burnett, Matthew the Horse, Stuart Kolakovic, Rosie Miles, Paul Roberts, Log Roper and Henry St Leger.  This eclectic selection of illustrators are producing all manner of work, from clever sculptural pieces to intricate line-drawings to intensely odd painterly pieces to outlandishly fun printed characters.

Digital Artist: What do you want to encourage people to think about with this exhibition?

Paul Roberts: Other than giving people a sense of getting back in touch with the natural beauty of our woodlands, the show is in strong support of The Woodland Trust, expressed through the wealth of wonder, excitement and play found within the artwork. The opening night is an opportunity to meet the artists, get a first good look at this exclusive show and purchase many-an-item from a selection of artwork, prints, t-shirts, and badges. There will also be live music from Feel The Folk’s Heg Doughty and Lizzie Murray, plus some DJs playing “woody” tunes and an opportunity to stick your name in the hat for a chance to win a luxury overnight stay at the DoubleTree Hotel.

‘Deep into the Woods’ will be open to the public daily from 3rd May  – 14th May 2011, with the preview night on May 1st, from 6.30 – 9pm.

Start Gallery (above Start The Bus), 7-9 Baldwin St, Bristol, BS1 1RU

Open: Tues-Sat (10.30am – 5.30pm) Sunday (Noon – 5pm)

Down to the Woods is brought to you by 8ball and benefits The Woodland Trust.

Image above: Dream Boat by Dave Bain,  © Dave Bain and courtesy of Paul Roberts

If you’ve noticed quite how often the UK city of Bristol pops up in Digital Artist then you’ll have realised that the South West of England is a remarkably creative region, especially when it comes to illustration and digital art. The Somerset town of Shepton Mallet will be celebrating that this week with the second annual Shepton Mallet Digital Arts Festival. It’s a celebration of the inspiring and creative digital art coming out of Somerset, Bristol, Bath and the wider South West.

On Friday 26th November, there will be workshops and masterclasses in photography, digital imaging, animation, film-making and creative writing.

On Saturday 27th November, there will be a showcase of films and animation, and the winners of the Festivals Digital Arts Awards will be announced.

On Sunday 28th November, there will be presentations, talks and debates on the subject of digital futures.

For a full schedule of events, visit the Shepton Mallet Digital Arts Festival website by clicking here. And check out some of the entries for the Digital Arts Awards below!

The community-based event was set up by a group of creatives who recognised that the South West of England was a creative hub of digital art and wanted to celebrate this. Claire Sully, Peter Wild and Dominic Weston explain on the festival’s website that “We wanted to create an event that not only would shout about the south-west’s success – in digital film-making, animation, photography, digital art and so on – but would also bring together artists to learn from each other and share experiences and expertise via talks and hands-on workshops.  This would then inspire the next generation of artists. We also wanted to interest the general public in digital arts – and see our region as innovative, creative and cutting-edge.”

Each year the Festival runs a competition to give the South West’s designers, artists, illustrators and animators something to get their teeth into – you can see the stunning calibre of work submitted from these entries.

All I Want for Christmas is a seasonal charity project. The brainchild of illustrator, designer (and Digital Artist contributor) Ben Steers, the project sees a range of illustrators, artists and designers create greetings cards for the holiday season which are sold in packs of 20. All profits from sales will be donated to Young Bristol, a charity supporting young people in the Bristol area through youth clubs, volunteering programmes, training courses and outdoor adventures. “At a time of year when many people focus on what they want, the All I Want for Christmas cards project offers an opportunity to support those who need,” explains Ben Steers, who has himself done volunteer work for the charity.

This year the cards themselves have been created by some of the finest artists and illustrators out there – including Digital Artist contributors Aaron Miller, Jack Teagle and uberkraaft, plus well-known names like Rob Ryan, Simon Spilsbury and artist/musician Robert ’3D’ Del Naja of Massive Attack fame. And they’ll be launched to a suitable fanfare at The White Bear, St Michael’s Hill, Bristol on 4th November in an event that will see live drawing from Simon Spilsbury and Chris Malbon plus a charity auction featuring paintings and prints by the contributing artists.

Packs of the cards are strictly limited to a run of 500 and they’ll go on sale on the launch night. Visit www.alliwantforchristmascards.com to find out more about the launch event, the artists and this great charity project. You’ll be able to order the cards through the website after 4th November – so why not make a difference to a worthwhile cause and send your season’s greeting in style at the same time?

Bristol’s awesome independent music venue and art space Start The Bus is set to get a fresh new look as some of the city’s finest artists and illustrators collaborate to transform its interior.

On Saturday 31^st July a selection of local talent will take part in an all-day drawing event, turning decoration into a spectator sport as they use their skills to stamp some memorable imagery onto the bar’s interior.

With all the walls up for grabs and a bright new colour scheme planned the participants are bound to leave the space looking amazing. Everyone is invited to come and watch throughout the day for a chance to see some amazing artwork being created from scratch.

Each area of Start The Bus has been given its own special theme, which the artists involved will be free to interpret as they choose. For example, the bar is set to take on a piratical hue, whilst the challenge for the dance area is to cover the floor with a series of mind-bending optical illusions.

The project coincides with the Bristol Harbour Festival, which is taking placing throughout the city centre Harbour across the weekend.

Start The Bus is an independent venue committed to supporting Bristol’s creative scene as well as featuring talented artists and musicians from around the world. To find out more, visit www.startthebus.tv.

Confirmed artists (click for details):

Dave Bain

Cami Dobrin

Inkygoodness

Hot Soup

Peskimo

Seb Burnett

Ben Steers

Hannah Baber

Sarah Dennis

Happy Monday! I’m back after a few days holiday last week (with surprisingly good weather for the UK, too!). In my absence my inbox has filled up with all sorts of marvellous things to share with you. First off it’s back to Bristol, UK, this time to take a look at the AnyForty Versus exhibition. From the release:

“The exhibition will be held at the Start the Bus art space on Baldwin St from Friday 11th June till Sunday 13th June.
AnyForty invite you all to come down and check the fresh talents of the hand picked collective who are all part of the extended AnyForty family. If you just want to mill around at your own leisure, swing by on the Saturday or Sunday and witness the fitness.

AnyForty are proud to announce that all proceeds from the show will be donated to Knowle West Media Centre, a Bristol-based charity which works with the community to develop the creative, educational and social potential of people within the surrounding area.

KWMC produces high-quality film, design and media work, provide exciting experiences for young people and runs a diverse programme of arts activities, including exhibitions, events, talks and screenings. Limited edition prints of the work that is being showcased will be available to buy at the show for a bargain price of £10, with all proceeds going to KWMC.

Illustrators who have produced work for the project include 123 Klan, MegaMunden, Guy McKinley, Waste, Mr Bowlegs, iLK, 45 rpm and Another Example.

Full details of the exhibition and all the artists collaborating at  http://anyforty.wordpress.com“

If you’re a UK illustrator looking for some weekend entertainment then what could be better than getting together with a crew of like-minded individuals, kicking some tunes and chucking some paint around? Tough question, huh? Instead of taxing your over-worked creative brain trying to answer it, why not look up the coach or train times to Bristol and check out Upfest 10? Set up by illustrator Dave Bain (www.davebain.com), and held at the Tobacco Factory in Southville, Bristol,  this feast of illustrative awesomeness will, in its own words:

“..Be centred on live painting at the Tobacco Factory on 5th and 6^th of June. Over 200 urban artists and illustrators will be painting live over the weekend, with 50 artists having come from around the world to be a part of the event. The artists will be mixing it up with this year’s MashUP theme, with some very special collaborations due to take place.

Upfest’10 will kick off with a preview of the Urban View group show at View Art Gallery (159-161 Hotwell Road, BS8 4RY). The show features work from seven urban and contemporary artists and will run through 17th July.

Saturday, the festival will be in full swing at the Tobacco Factory (North Street, BS3 1TF). From 11am, over 200 urban artists and illustrators will be painting live. Visitors to the free event are also invited to take part in the painting, with a children’s painting area and the Kiss101 Give It a Go painting boards.

The Tobacco Factory will also host a Very Affordable Art Sale and dedicated print room, where original artwork and prints by the artists painting at the festival will be available for sale at bargain prices. There will also be badge making, clothing, and art material stalls around the venue.

Throughout the weekend, DJs, beatboxers, hip hop groups and MCs will take to two stages at the Tobacco Factory. Along with music, the world renowned Kompany Malakhi will host dance workshops on Saturday.

During the day (11 am to 6 pm) on Saturday, a live illustration event will take place indoors in the Tobacco Factory Theatre Foyer. In the evening (6 pm), six artists will battle it out in a Secret Wars live art competition. The public will vote to decide whether Upfest or Monorex will be named champions of the 90-minute battle at the Tobacco Factory Cafe Bar.

The evening will wrap up (10 pm to 4am) with the Upfest’10 Mid-Festival Party at Basement 45 (8 Frogmore St., BS1 5NA), presented in association with Kiss101, featuring The Loose Cannons, Ninebar Sound System, Chris Read (Music of Substance), Dave Cridge (Ninja Tune) and Kiss101 DJs. Tickets available at Bristol Tickets Shop (£4.50) or on the door (£5 before 11, £6 after).

Upfest’10 continues on Sunday at the Tobacco Factory from 10 am with additional live painting, music, and art sales. Upfest has raised over £10,000 for Nacoa (National Association for Children of Alcoholics) since the festival began and as in previous years, Upfest’10 will raise awareness of and fundraise for the charity.”

Check out the Upfest 10 website by clicking here. Hmm. Considering the amount of DA’s contributors who live in and around Bristol, I’m kind of regretting posting this – no hangovers for deadline day, okay guys? Not unless you’re bringing me back badges, anyway…

Writer and artist David C Hill will be attending the renowned Bristol International Comic & Small Press Expo next weekend, to sign copies of his esteemed yet off-beat comic, GLORY BE! –  offering fans a priceless competition opportunity.

Open to everyone who buys a copy of the comic at the event (or via the Glory Be website until 1st July 2010), which is held on 22nd and 23rd May at the Mercure Bristol Holland House Hotel and Spa in Bristol, UK, the competition gives you the chance to be immortalised in comic character form! You can pick up a copy from www.glorybemagazine.com if you can’t make it to the event. If you can, you’ll be treated to signed copies, the opportunity to chat to David C Hill, and to meet other upcoming and established comic book talent like Chris Claremont and the truly legendary Pat Mills.

For more info about Glory Be, click here.

For more info about the Bristol Comic Expo, click here.