Tag: Edinburgh

Muriel Spark 100

Muriel Spark 100 – student work exhibited at the National Library of Scotland.

This collaborative project between Edinburgh College of Art first year Illustration and Graphic Design students was inspired by the current exhibition ‘The International Style of Muriel Spark’, which celebrates the life and work of Muriel Spark one hundred years after she was born in Edinburgh.

Small groups of students formed a collective and worked on a series of tasks including creating a collective archive box inspired by Muriel Spark’s personal collections, the development of one character at different stages of their lives, a tunnel book in response to a piece Muriel Spark’s writing and a piece to help promote her work to a new, young audience.

Throughout the collaboration, the collectives were asked to research into the life and times of Muriel Spark, and to create different responses to their findings. The collaborative nature of the project meant that students had to find a common ground and identify common values to work with one another while delegating various tasks amongst the group.

The students attended a series of workshops and crits led by author Vivian French and artists / designers Brigid Collins, Mary Asiedu and Astrid Jaekel, which has influenced the work they have created. We are delighted to see the work displayed in the foyer of the National Library, where it will be on show until 29th May.

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Where are we?

Mapping the World

This collaborative project is inspired by and closely linked to the current exhibition ‘You are Here. A journey through maps’. The students from first year Illustration and Graphic Design worked in small groups and were asked to challenge what they know about maps, how they are made and how we understand them. They were encouraged to consider maps as a basis for storytelling beyond the attempt to represent factual information and investigate how maps may, for example, communicate emotional involvement in a place.

Each collective was given a series of tasks; this involved mapping a randomly allocated bus journey throughout Edinburgh, mapping their own personal journey from home to Edinburgh as a place to study, mapping a designated room at the National Museum of Scotland and lastly documenting the creative process of other students.

Throughout the 5 week project students were asked to attend a series of workshops and lectures led by Printmaker Jonathan Gibbs, Author Vivian French and Artist/Illustrator David Lemm to further enrich their skill set.

The group collaboration has been beneficial to our students who have been able to learn from their peers and experience their creative process. Skills were shared and tasks delegated amongst the group; for Illustrators and Graphic Designers this provides an invaluable learning experience building a solid foundation for their professional careers.

A selection of the work displayed at the National Library of Scotland until the end of May. 

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Mapping the City

First year illustration students are really getting to know Edinburgh now, and this week they completed a unique map-making project. They were set the task of creating a map that would communicate their relationship with the city. The maps did not have to be geographically accurate and could depict any area or aspect of Edinburgh as they have experienced or perceived it.

We began by visiting the Central Library on George IV Bridge and were treated to a look at some of the maps in the library collection. We then explored the various passageways and rooms around the library and sketched the views of the city from these vantage points. We also visited the ECA Library to look at the fantastic collection of artists’s books. These gave students inspiration for the physical format their map might take.

The students then developed their research drawings into maps of their own. The class produced a varied body of work, including intricate hand drawn ‘memory’ maps, digitally made board games based on their adventures around the city and fabric collages incorporating hand-stitched routes and motifs.

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ECA Illustration takes part in Book Week Scotland

First and Second Year students have been teaming up over the last week to produce small editions of books about Edinburgh’s famous Grassmarket as part of a collaborative book project between the Illustration Students at Edinburgh College of Art and Analogue Books to celebrate Book week Scotland.

Julie from Analogue Books did a splendid job of starting off our students last Wednesday and Thursday by showing them around her shop, and it has been very exciting to see their projects develop from early sketches and location drawings into fully fledged books and zines.

Come along at 2.30pm tomorrow, Friday 29th November for the book launch and students’ presentations in room 2.13 of Evolution House – samples of the books will be on display at Analogue Books from Saturday 30th November until Saturday 7th December. Come and have a look!

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