Daniel Lewsley: News

I dream of designing a Black Keys gig poster...

2011-06-27T19:34:00.000+01:00

Poster Process - The Black Keys from DKNG Studios on Vimeo.

Poster Boy

2011-06-15T15:04:00.000+01:00

So I've not updated my blog for a while, but I always see that as a good sign that I've been keeping busy. A lot of the work has been pretty mundane and "un-bloggable" (is that even a word?), but here's a collection of some event posters I enjoyed doing.

Dunnie deal

2010-12-04T17:10:00.001Z

Flyer design for Brooklyn band The Dunnie Bobos.

Jack Cheshire

2010-11-23T12:08:00.000Z

My latest piece of artwork for London-based folk artist Jack Cheshire.

Based on the Saturn Returns live music video:

MUSIC VIDEO - Jack Cheshire - Saturn Returns from Enter the Treehouse/HIDEOUT on Vimeo.

Deluxe BMX advert

2010-11-22T17:59:00.001Z

Helped the good people at Enter The Treehouse by supplying them with the music for their latest advert for Deluxe BMX. It's a short acoustic track I recorded (purely hobby-based!), and I'm really happy with how the whole thing turned out. Check it out:

Deluxe BMX Advert from Enter the Treehouse on Vimeo.

Slightly off-track from my design work, but it was fun to do..!

Gig Posters

2010-11-09T16:36:00.000Z

Decided to spend my spare time designing posters for bands. I hope to do many, many more in the near future because I loved designing each one of these - trying new things a well as refining old techniques. I'm currently in talks with my good friends at Enter The Treehouse to offer my skills to bands as part of a complete creative package that will include music videos, gig posters and tour apparel. Potentially exciting times.

The first video I streamed when I got the internet back

2010-11-09T14:18:00.000Z

I love these guys. They seem to surpass themselves every time.

BIG BANG BIG BOOM - the new wall-painted animation by BLU from blu on Vimeo.

The Romance of Ballooning

2010-09-20T18:40:00.002+01:00

Another completed illustration as part of my reintroduction into the art of visual storytelling.

The art of protest

2010-09-10T11:43:00.000+01:00

The animation doesn't exactly do the cause any favours, but you should take in what it's got to say: http://savethearts-uk.blogspot.com/

My favourite window

2010-09-08T16:36:00.001+01:00

"Alone, I awake to a Philadelphia morning. Sunlight beating past the winter's chill that creeps through the window sill. Now I hang on for your return, like the 'mums pinned to your bedroom wall..."

This is my first illustration in (shockingly) well over a year.

A lot has changed in that time and so has my approach to design. I have piles of sketches and concepts ready to be turned into something visual, and I intend to use these to experiment with my illustrative technique.

It was strange devoting my time again to illustration. I loved every moment of it.

Arcade Fire - The Wilderness Downtown

2010-09-01T10:27:00.008+01:00

Check out this wonderfully made interactive music video as part of Arcade Fire's upcoming US tour. I don't want to say much else, I'd rather you simply experience it for yourself:

http://www.thewildernessdowntown.com/

Sans HipHop

2010-08-27T13:34:00.013+01:00

Stumbled across this little gem of a music video. What makes this for me (aside from the unbelievably catchy 'Elton John-esque' hook) is the simple use of typography, composition and bold colour. Very simple, but very well executed.

I challenge anyone not to crack a smile watching this:

World Cup posters

2010-05-14T16:44:00.005+01:00

I came across an article by football blog Who Ate All The Pies showing various World Cup posters through the ages (well... since 1930). Some of the designs are amazing. Here are a few of my favourites:

Just goes to prove a good design will stand the test of time. The full gallery of posters can be found here.

Wedding bands and a wedding 'brand'

2010-04-20T10:55:00.013+01:00

My sister's wedding invitations went out in the post today. I gave Gemma and Mitchell an early wedding gift by designing them their very own personalised invitations:

The flower element on the front is based around the couple's initials 'g' and 'm', as well as that universally recognised symbol of love - the heart. Awww...

I still have my work cut out for me though as I plan to continue this design on the 'order of service' handouts, the wedding breakfast table plan and even the menus. I hope it all comes together and adds that extra element to the whole day.

Whilst we're talking weddings - a few couples I know have recently got engaged. Congratulations to A+E, J+J, and B+N! Who says things don't come in threes...

Re-Enter the Treehouse

2010-04-01T20:21:00.004+01:00

The creative empire that is Enter the Treehouse appear to be back doing what they do best - in the form of a beautifully thought-out music video for Jack Cheshire. The song entitled "Paperhouse" could have been made for ETT, from both the delicate and considered sound to the song title itself that screams what medium they should adopt for their adventurous stop-motion...

MUSIC VIDEO - Jack Cheshire - Paperhouse from Enter the Treehouse on Vimeo.

Sounds of the Sixties

2010-03-29T21:33:00.007+01:00

I had an early start on Saturday due to a meeting I'd arranged with a client for 7:30am. By the time we had finished, it was still early morning and I drove through a deserted Nottingham city centre with BBC Radio 2 blaring out my car stereo. I had no idea they did a 'Sounds of the Sixties' show...! It was awesome, and helped me uncover this little gem:

Sounds a bit like Jagger singing a song by the Who. Never heard of Thane Russal, and apparently neither has the Internet. Here's a snippet from a blogspot called PopArchives:

Thane Russal's British version of Security (1966), a garage-style pop arrangement of the Otis Redding song, seems to have been popular nowhere except in Australia, where it was quite a hit (#7 Sydney #24 Melbourne #4 Brisbane #8 Perth). In fact, a lot of Aussie Boomers might even know it better than the original.

Hopefully (thanks to some fine broadcasting by the Beeb) a few more people will have got to hear this awesome cover - aside from the Aussies!

The State of my trip

2010-03-26T19:39:00.003Z

I've just returned from a 5 month stint traveling across America. I was one of the few wanderers who opted for a vintage 50's Kodak instead of a laptop (although in hindsight a few blog posts along the way would have better documented my experiences for the reader). Here are four humble shots to show four humble days.

Case Studies

2009-07-07T15:40:00.002+01:00

I've started to produce a few illustrations for a financial company in the UK. This one is to go on their various Case Studies brochures. I took the wording quite literally (!), but have also tried to communicate the journey and process the brochures describe.

If you should go skating on 'The Thin Ice' of modern life...

2009-02-05T15:55:00.005Z

(A song about a white padded room)

So your hair is going grey, and your only 22.
Must be all of that dust that has settled on you.
But don't cry that it's lonely, because they're coming for you.

Sunlight creeps through a crack in the blind.
A beam to emphasise space and time.
And you try to occupy it, but you haven't got a clue.
So don't try, just cry that it's lonely, because they're coming for you.

And you've stopped trying to sell the time that you bought.
Rigor mortis from the death of thought.
Lack of why, and no more reasons to find something new.
And you try to ignore it, but they're coming for you.

And don't cry that you're lonely, because I'm coming for you...

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

2008-12-21T22:06:00.000Z

Xmas all over the world

2008-12-21T21:54:00.005Z

A friend asked me to produce a little illustration to give her daughter as a gift for Christmas. It needed to symbolise the actual gift she intended to give - to pay for all her daughter's inoculations when she goes traveling next year. I quite like the fact that this image looks festive without any obvious referencing (bar the fact its a bauble..!!). Not a piece of holly or ribbon in site.

Corporate identity - the hard way

2008-12-21T21:47:00.005Z

Here is a photo of just some of the elements that grew to be the corporate identity for a new financial industries company. The brief was very strict (with specific greens, all lower case, and no logo/image to be used) which was a challenge. Being primarily an illustrator, I am used to some degree of creative freedom! I enjoyed the challenge of tackling something different though, and I think the client was happy with the tone of the identity produced.

Pheonix from the flames

2008-12-13T15:16:00.002Z

You wouldn't notice me for I have been reborn.
I've crawled through the fire and now I fly,
Back to the ocean where you left me to die.

Yes you left me with nothing but malice and scorn.
And the same old reinforced barricades,
Increasing the notion that I wished you had stayed.

But now you wouldn't notice me for I have been reborn.
I've crawled through the fire and now I fly,
Back to the ocean where you left me to die.

not so Grimm update

2008-12-07T16:40:00.002Z

Here's a little photo of my illustration work I did for Jon Dodd, in all its printed glory. The aforementioned Mr Dodd has a spanking new site up and running so go have a look: www.jonathandodd.co.uk

The Ringmaster of The Hit Parade

2008-12-02T17:35:00.005Z

I listened to a lot of early Pink Floyd today...

"I know a room full of musical tunes, Some rhyme, some ching, most of them are clockwork. Let's go into the other room and make them work."

Off the radar/follow the leader...

2008-10-29T21:26:00.003Z

Oh dear, it seems I have been neglecting my blog. Apologies, I blame the credit crunch. Everyone else does. I've still been keeping the creative flame burning (although nothing worth adding at this stage). Here's an update of things I've been up to::

1. I took on a full time job working in the marketing team for an intermediary debt solution company (Zzz). The company is frighteningly more interesting than it actually sounds! And the job is awesome cause I get to bring my own artistic/creative thoughts to the team. And everyone I work with is pretty cool. I'm right in the thick of all this credit crunch stuff as well which is quite nice having the inside scoop on these issues. ILLUSTRATIONS TO FOLLOW...

2. I am planning a Dylan-esque tour of America next year - playing guitar in cafes, and keeping a sketchbook, travelling through loads of different states. So I've been writing future classic britpop/folk songs to aid this journey and to fill my setlists.
MYSPACE WITH TUNES AND IMAGES TO FOLLOW...

3. Been doing some corporate branding which I hope to be able to put up very soon (but very boring.)
DESIGNS TO FOLLOW...

4. Thinking on the bus.

5. Nostalgically looking back. Romantically looking forward.

6. Not updating this blog.

7. Thinking of a seventh thing to put here.

Space Disco Monkey / Guru Dee-dim

2008-06-28T15:58:00.009+01:00

How to spot a fake CV

2008-05-02T19:49:00.003+01:00

Here is a recent editorial I did for Director Magazine. The article discussed the implications of lying on a CV, and ways employers can safe-gaurd against these issues.

Little Red Riding Hood

2008-04-30T18:02:00.003+01:00

Heres another chapter image from my collaboration with designer Jon Dodd on a book containing stories from the Brothers Grimm fairy tales.

It's probably one of my favourites from the set of 9. Litttle Red Riding Hood. I've not seen them all printed and bound together yet with the text, so I'm looking forward to that.

Hiding out in the Treehouse

2008-04-30T17:48:00.003+01:00

The fine people at Enter The Treehouse have asked a handful of artists/lay-abouts to design a t-shirt for their side project entitled 'Hideout'. This was my first, half in-joke attempt at designing and eventually owning a t-shirt with David Crosby on it. Absolute legend.

Needless to say it wasn't right for the project. Aside from the irrelevance, the print job would have taken forever! Ce la ve....we hang onto the dream for a little bit longer.

I believe the designs will be on their website soon and available to buy. Eventually more artists work will be available. Have a gander. Tell them Danny sent you.

They all stand tall brought together, drowning in this rainy weather...

2008-04-08T17:47:00.005+01:00

A couple of new projects have been keeping me busy but I hope to be able to post them soon. Until then, heres the flyer I designed for my bands East Midland never-ending mini tour which is slowly rolling towards a short break to re-group and reflect. Next stop is a decent recoding studio to get some demos that don't sound like they were recorded on someone's mobile phone...

Times are Grimm...

2008-03-09T16:11:00.004Z

Currently doing the chapter artwork for a book containing Grimms' Fairy Tales by The Brothers Grimm. Above is Chapter 3 - Rapunzel.

I wouldn't usually consider my approach to illustration as being used for children's books and fairy tales, so I'm quite enjoying the challenge.

1984

2008-02-17T16:31:00.007Z

Finally got round to reading 1984 by George Orwell. This is a reaction to the moment Winston becomes lost in thought whilst staring into the endless universe of the paper weight.

Butterfly Wings 2003-2007

2008-02-12T17:36:00.001Z

Butterfly Wings change things so fast,

They passed me by on a summers day and i knew it couldn't last.

Back then her smile said it all, but it ended so quick,

My thoughts turn to ifs and to buts and it makes me feel sick.

But i'd take night over day to lie right beside her,

Pretend everything is okay,

and hide tears with laughter.

Butterfly Wings, they changed everything,

Butterfly Wings, such a terrible thing.