Tensile Strength (or How to Survive at Your Wit’s End) Tour Posters are Looking Sharp
Holly Gallagher approached me to create promotional materials including a bespoke illustration for her latest show Tensile Strength (or How to Survive at Your Wit’s End). Holly is a theatre-maker, director and facilitator who was keen to create a recognisable brand for herself and have promotional materials for her shows that will stand out from the crowd.
Between October 2018 and September 2019, Holly Gallagher is touring her latest show Tensile Strength (or How to Survive at Your Wit’s End). Holly is a theatre-maker, director and facilitator who was keen to create a recognisable brand for herself and have promotional materials for her shows that will stand out from the crowd. The goal was to create bold promotional items, but also set a distinct style, colour palette, font choices etc. so Holly’s future shows can follow suit.
The show was produced and commissioned by ARC Stockton, and funded by Arts Council England, and supported as part of the Third Angel Mentoring Scheme 2017 in association with Sheffield Theatres.
Tensile Strength (or How to Survive at Your Wit’s End) tells the story of three different characters all experiencing stress. The stage is full of buckets which act as a metaphor for stress, at one point in the show, the audience is asked: Imagine you have a bucket; and all the things you have to cope with in life as water going into that bucket. Raise your hand if your bucket is A) Empty B) Half full C) Overflowing.
After discussing the show over a hot drink with Holly, we decided an illustration involving an overflowing bucket would be perfect for the promotional materials. I included the show description ‘A Show About: Stress, fear, pressure ,sadness, mental health, when things are all a Bit Too Much and then the cat goes missing’ within the bucket which is spiralling into an abyss, much like how it feels when you get so stressed you can’t think straight. Holly also received brand guidelines which give her the colours, fonts etc. she needs to continue using her brand online.
“I have been a fan of Abby’s work for some time now, and have always particularly loved the boldness, detail, and colours used in her work. So when I needed a designer to work on my new show’s poster it was a no-brainer for me to approach Abby.
The process of working with Abby has been a real pleasure! This was my first time using a graphic designer to create content for a show, as well as the largest tour for a piece of work I had put together. So my timeframes, deadlines, and expectations were continually changing. Abby was understanding and flexible with every change that happened, and has been more than generous with her time and dedication to the project.
The final design Abby created is a beautiful piece of artwork and has really done an effective job in advertising the show with countless people complimenting its posters, flyers, and social media images! I’m beyond happy with the professional finish Abby has gifted my show with and am so pleased to have a proper brand design for my future work now too.
I would recommend anyone to Abby for graphic design work if they want a high quality, fast, flexible, and personable experience!”
Holly Gallagher’s stage set up for Tensile Strength (or How to Survive at your Wit’s End). Photo by Davey Poremba
Sending My Artwork Worldwide - Where Can I get a Vintage View to?
The feedback Vintage Chartered Financial Planners received on the artwork since I created it for them, has been nothing short of remarkable and so rather than keep the image to themselves, they decided to share it with the world by sending ‘Vintage View’ postcards to all corners of the globe.
In June 2018, I was commissioned by Vintage Chartered Financial Planners to make an illustration of Roseberry Topping.
The feedback they received on the artwork since its creation has been nothing short of remarkable and so rather than keep the image to themselves, they decided to share it with the world by sending ‘Vintage View’ postcards to all corners of the globe.
I loved this idea and got involved immediately by sending the postcard to family, friends, business connections and clients all over the world, from New York, Hong Kong, Africa, Spain and Switzerland to name just a few. Below is a collection of those who helped. Watch the video below to find out more about the project, or read the press release Businesses Unite with Roseberry Topping Artwork.
If you would like a postcard please contact Vintage or myself so we can get Rosie even further!
Dehli - India
Taken at Humayun tomb in Dehli by photographer and letterpress artist, Francis Fitzgerald. See his work here.
Hong Kong
Taken in Hong Kong by Laura, who is a teacher, teaching English as a foreign language.
Namibia - Africa
Taken by Kathryn at Elevation Marketing while on a tracking expedition with Ray Mears at Erindi Game Reserve, Omaruru.
Amsterdam
Taken by my cousin Megan and her partner Frazer.
Clarence Pier - Portsmouth
Taken by Anjalee Burrows, an aspiring children’s book illustrator, who just completed her first illustrated book, The Hospital Hoppities.
Kedrodasos - Crete
Taken by Malcolm Wray a professional photographer living in Crete.
Reykjavik - Iceland
Taken by Lucy and Paul who run For the Love of the North, they offer North East related Gifts, Prints and Cards which are sourced directly from the artists.
Valencia - Spain
Taken by Karen at Vintage Chartered Financial Planners on her many travels.
Leeds
Taken at the Corn Exchange in Leeds by graphic designer, Adam.
New York
Taken from the Empire State Building in New York, by illustrator Amy Dipper.
Brazil
Taken at Vale nature reserve, one of the largest protected areas of Atlantic rainforest in Brazil. Taken by Amy who is studying zoology and is an aspiring writer, currently writing for Campus Society.
Geneva - Switzerland
Taken at Jet D’eau fountain by Andrew at ProJuice.
Camden Town - London
Taken by Becci, currently studying for her PhD in Biochemical Engineering at UCL.
Yonago-shi - Japan
Taken by Chi at Call Kanda shrine while she was visiting her family.
Madrid - Spain
Taken at the park, Parque Cerro del Tío Pío, but the locals know it as Las Siete Tetas (The Seven Tits) because it was an old landfill of seven mounds, which has been turned into a park. Taken by the lovely couple, Waine and Ruben.
Corfu - Greece
Taken on holiday by my parents, Paul and Angela.
New York - Central Park
Taken by Rebecca, who lives in Canada but was on holiday in New York.
Copenhagen & Paris
Taken by Andrea who was following the U2 tour and travelling a lot.
Toronto - Canada
Taken by Vicky, who used to travel past Roseberry Topping a lot when she was living in England, and reached out on social media to me. Taken at Hudson’s Bay Company.
Algarve - Spain
Taken By Beverley Lawson, Spanish Tutor in Darlington.
London
Taken by Anne-Marie, holistic therapist at Kismet. Photos taken on the cable cars over the Thames, and next to the life-size marble statue of Queen Victoria, at Guys and St Thomas Hospital.
London
My own contribution while on a trip to London. I snapped a photo at the London Eye and a scene of the Palace of Westminster and Big Ben (currently getting a makeover)
Little Loch Broom - Scotland
Taken by Michael Ritchie, a student at Edinburgh University.
Budapest
Taken by Nina York.
Wales
Mount Snowden, taken by Debbie Branson.
Press Release: Hartlepool Borough Council Railway Station Artwork
Twelve bold new pieces of artwork have gone on display at Hartlepool railway station, the designs show popular Hartlepool landmarks.
Article by Hartlepool Mail:
”Twelve bold new pieces of artwork have gone on display at Hartlepool railway station.
The designs – by Cleveland College of Art and Design graduates Abigail Taylor and Owen Smith – show popular Hartlepool landmarks, including the National Museum of the Royal Navy, Greatham Beck, the Heugh Battery Museum and Hartlepool Marina. Abigail and Owen won the competition run by Hartlepool Council to create six pieces themed on key locations in Hartlepool-based on the hey-day of railway posters of the 1920s-1950s. Once they had won the competition the council commissioned them for a further six pieces.
“The new artwork looks great and provides a stunning welcome to the town. Hundreds of thousands of visitors pass through the station each year and this is a way to showcase some of the great attractions on offer in Hartlepool.”
Pictured (L-R) are Abigail Taylor, Owen Smith, Councillor Christopher Akers-Belcher and Francis Fitzgerald, from Cleveland College of Art & Design.
The artwork was also used as the backdrop for the general election in June 2017
Owen, 26, said: “We worked with our photographs and sketches of the areas to create rough collages, in pursuit of the scenic compositions of the golden age of railway poster art. “We were able to pin down some compositions right away, while others took shape organically as we worked.”
The pair remember very well the day they found out they had won the competition. Abigail said: “We were sat in a busy pub checking emails on my phone and suddenly I just flew up out of my seat and started whooping! “Of course, then I had to explain to the table of confused faces that we had won the railway art competition we’d been telling our friends about, and before we knew it, everybody was buying us shots to celebrate! Everybody was really pleased for us, then we had a wonky walk back to the station, smiling our faces o ff!” She added: “It feels very surreal to see the artwork up at the railway station in Hartlepool “The largest we’d seen the artwork until that point was as A3 printouts! I guess most of all we were just incredibly pleased to be giving something back.”
“Having studied for three years at CCAD’s Hartlepool campus, and graduating in 2015, we regard the town with a growing fondness and nostalgia! Hartlepool is a place of modest beauty that will always be special to us. It was a pleasure to revisit those locations we frequented throughout our studies, and to stand back now to admire the view. ”
Further Reading
Press Release, Hartlepool Life: Art Graduates on Right Track with Winning Designs
Press Release, Hartlepool Mail: New Artwork Brightens Hartlepool Train Station
Press Release, Northern Echo: New Artwork from CCAD Graduates on Display at Hartlepool Railway station
Blog Post: One Year On - New Products and Hartlepool Council Catch Up
Snowy Photo: photography by Jennifer Jayne Toothill (moonjenphotos) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moonjenphotos/
