Book Cover Designs...




Here are some book covers I have designed. There was particular emphasis on the use surreal images.

Exposed, 120

I had one of those lovable, flimsy lomography cameras bought for me for my birthday. It has proved to be the most unreliable form of photography that I have ever experienced. That is what makes it fun. But if you are trying to document a journey, store valuable memories then forget it. I once ruined a film. It had some holiday memories on it. They faded in the light of day. I hung the insides of the film on my wall, vowing to do something with it someday. Here it is. It is about the frailty of memory. It is the repetition degrading memory. It is obsession. It is a 120 forma film. It is available to buy. Here is the synopsis...

This film within is in a delicate condition. It's purpose is to become exposed to the light, by you,and become ruined. You will slowly unravel the squandered scroll and reveal the history of it's wretched condition. A tragic story of a film and a neurotic destined to forget.

The Word of Celebrator...

I created the ultimate modern religion. Or I didn't create it, everyone else did, or maybe it was Heat magazine, or perhaps it was Hollywood. All I did was write it's scriptures and document them in a beautiful golden book.

Bird Song...

On Blackpool Pleasure Beach, as you may expect from any half decent or even indecent fair ground, their is a ghost train. Guarding it's entrance is a fiberglass recreation of Ghostbusters’ Slimer. The floaty green ghoul thing. What makes this automaton more spectacular than others within the ride, is that nesting within Slimers' mouth is a pigeon. She sits upon four eggs whilst the automaton rocks her back and forth day in, day out, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The park made the decision not to turn the mechanism off as it may cause the pigeon to panic and flee the nest. They are currently seeking further advise. Before mother pigeon knows it her eggs will hatch and her babies will be the ones fleeing. Flee the nest having never known what it is to be still. I would imagine this would have a similar effect upon the pigeons as spinning around really fast after a few too many drinks would have on us. So they will fly away, out of the nest, into the slow rotation of the earth. It feels strange but they are still moving, everything is great, freedom! Then they will perch upon a telephone wire for the first time only to plummet down to the ground with a mixed up head. What the hell is going on? It is best to keep moving. So they do. In constant motion, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They begin to suffer from exhaustion that will probably be followed by emotional trauma, then mental exhaustion, self destruction, a long chain of sexual partners, neglected illegitimate children and too many mouthfuls of those berries mother warned never to eat. After screwing up repeatedly they finally decide, enough is enough (is enough, I can't go on...) and resolve their problem. They return to the fair ground. They perch on a variety of rides. The Big One, The Traumatizer, Valhalla and the inside of Slimer’s mouth.
Over the last few months I had forgotten how it felt to be still. Being still comes with none of the negativity that the pigeons will face. It comes with veg lasagne, salad, mocha, a book and a corner seat in Oklamhoma. It comes with earning enough points on my Waterstones card to buy £9.04 worth of books ("You have enough points to buy this book, would you like to?" "Erm, no thank you I prefer to save them.") It is sitting with friends outside bars. It is the most amazing BLT I have ever eaten. It is finally giving your room a thorough clean. It is a leisurely mooch through thrift stores and finding a perfect summer poncho. It is sitting in the cinema without the pang of guilt. It is being able to relax and be intimate with the one you have neglected. It is taking a deep breath before I have to start moving again.


Over the last few months I had forgotten how it felt to be still. Being still comes with none of the negativity that the pigeons will face. It comes with veg lasagne, salad, mocha, a book and a corner seat in Oklamhoma. It comes with earning enough points on my waterstones card to buy £9.04 worth of books ("You have enough points to buy this book, would you like to?" "Erm, no thank you I prefer to save them.") It is sitting with friends outside bars. It is the most amazing BLT I have ever eaten. It is finally giving your room a thorough clean. It is a lesuirely mooch through thrift stores and finding a perfect summer poncho. It is sitting in the cinema without the pang of guilt. It is being able to relax and be intimate with the one you have neglected. It is taking a deep breath before I have to start moving again.

Insert Caption...

I have just spent 2 hours trying to write captions for the work being shown in the degree show. Two sentence per piece. Four pieces to write for. Two hours ago I thought, easy, this will take no time at all. Not so. Here are a list of things you do not want to be portrayed as when writing a caption:
Arrogant
Pretentious
An Idiot
Condescending
Patronising
Taking your self too seriously
Not taking it seriously enough
A joker/wacky/foolish
Blasé
Self involved
Self indulgent
Too 'Clever, Clever'
Belittling
A dick
Illiterate
Bumbeling
Incomprehensable

The art to writing the perfect caption is in avoid all these obsticles and let your personality shine through (you are therefore screwed if you are any of the above). Here is an example of good caption writing taken from the tv series 'Spaced'.

"Brian, Artist, Wanker."

Here are my captions:

Celebrity Worship
In a time of conflict, doubt and insignifcance. Having lost all sense of purpose and belonging. Humanity has found a new light, turned to a new God and formed the ultimate alternative religion. Celebrity.
The Book of Celebrity
Celebrity is the ultimate alternative religion. The Book of Celebrity documents it's scriptures.
Exposed, 120
I once ruined a 120 format film. The memories upon it faded in the light of day. I hung it's remains on my wall.
Books
This year I have married the practices of design and writing. I then consummated the relationship in book format.
OR (because I'm worried that people may not get the humor in the above one or think I am a dick but then again I don't want to sound like I take myself too seriously. but the below one is boring.)
Here are some books I have made. They were all formed through a love of creative writing, design and the beautiful relationship between the two.

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