Harder Than You Think

Remember that post where I designed a sleeve for Laura Marling's 'The Beast'?

Well, that alongside 699 other individually crafted record sleeves raised over £30,000 for the Art Against Knives charity! Here's a little video from the day.

As well as contributing a print for Laura Marling, I also designed a cover for another band involved with the project, Public Enemy. A band of whom I am very fond of, having seen them live in Nottingham when I was 18 years old.

Above is the front cover of the design, which was digitally printed for the exhibition.

Thanks again to Kevin for asking me to be a part of the show. It's always great to know that you can make a little difference to a big cause!

If you want to see all the other covers for the project, then visit the Secret 7 site, which I highly recommend that you do.

I Need My Girl

The National.

What a wonderful American band. Having just released their sixth studio album 'Trouble Will Find Me' I find myself constantly in discussion with friends and family about just how great this band are.

After purchasing the album last week I have listened to it every day. It is beautiful, sombre, restrained, complex, melodic and a whole host of other adjectives fans would adopt to articulate their praise and love for the NY five piece.

Early highlights include 'Fireproof', 'I Should Live in Salt' and 'I Need My Girl', the latter of which I have decided to artistically interpret using magazine cut-outs, acrylic paint and colour-transparent overlays.

'I Need My Girl'

Mixed Media (2013) with frame 33.5 x 28.5cm

Not sure whether to sell the piece yet, if there's any interest then I'll put it up in the twoducksdisco Big Cartel shop. Or email me at twoducksdisco@gmail.com

If you haven't heard the album yet, I suggest you do so. Here's a live version of 'I Need My Girl'. Enjoy.

The Beast

I was honoured to be asked to participate in this year's Secret 7 project, curated by Kevin King.

If you don't know, Secret 7 involves 700 artists/designers being given a blank sleeve each. The artist picks a song from a list of 7 bands/musicians, which they can illustrate in any way they see fit. Each 7" sleeve (including vinyl) is sold for £40, every penny of which goes to Art Against Knives.

I picked to illustrate 'The Beast' by Laura Marling using the print-making technique, linocut; a process which I felt suited Laura's traditional-folk style.

The opening exhibition took place in London at Mother, 10 Redchurch Street, London, E2 7DD on Thursday 11th April, ahead of Record Store Day (Saturday 13th April).

Here's hoping that last year's £33,500 was topped!