Toca magazine issu

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eda akaltun

edward carvalho monaghan

kaiyee jelly

lucinda roger

matt johnstone

mia kennedy

gathering freelance creatives

colour x central saint martins graphic design alumni

Hello !

TOCA gathers freelance creatives

around the world, from graphic

design and photography through

fashion and fine art, we explore their

independent work ethics and pursue

of personal passions.

In this very first issue, we celebrate

one of the most loved visual

language, colour. We featured the

alumni of Central Saint Martins BA

Graphic Design course, from last

year’s fresh grads to 10 years experi-

enced designers, who not only have

good eyes for colour but also know

how to manipulate them with orgin-

ality. Here they share their fascinat-

ing work and insight into the design

indutry as a freelancer.

dedicated,

TOCA

eda akaltun


kaiyee jelly

lucinda roger

matt johnstone

mia kennedy



Hello !



















dedicated,

TOCA

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01

Featured Artists + Designers

The Central Saint Martins Graphic

Design Alumni

/ Eda Akaltun

/ Edward Carvalho Monaghan

/ Matt Johnstone

/ Mia Kennedy

02

Survival guide

03

Contact

C o n t e n t s

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F e at u r e d

a r t i s t s +

D e s i g n e r s

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Cont emporary R etro Pr i n t erCont emporary R etro Pr i n t erEda Akatlun

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BA Graphic Design

with Illustratin / 2007

We

Pick Me Up

Herman Miller

BAFTA

Krug Champagne

BFI Publishing

The Financial Times

Huffington Post

Therapy Today

The Guardian

New Scientist

Condé Nast Traveller

The Telegraph

American Way

Johns Hopkins Magazine

Faber & Faber

The New York Times

Nobrow

V&A Museum

Time Out

Elle Canada

Bulletin

Brunswick Review

Australian Financial Review

New Staxtesman

Harvard Business Review

Eye Magazine

Reader’s Digest

Der Freitag newspaper (Germany)

Wired

Nature magazine

Washington Post

Mac User

Stanford Social Innovation Review

Brummell

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T: Can you describe your first time re-

ceiving a client’s job?

E: I was in my last year studying illustra-

tion, and I was doing quite a lot of print-

making at the time. We had our ‘work

in progress’ show in the middle of the

year and some of those prints got me a

job with the Telegraph magazine to illus-

trate a series of Horoscopes for a year.

I had just started working with mixing

collage and printmaking and they liked

that style. The art director said she was

looking for something original and a bit

darker, as opposed to the deliberately

feminine style you tend to see in the

horoscopes section. It was the start of a

good relationship with them that led to

other commissions after I graduated.

T: What’s your favourite colour?

E: In my work it’s a combination of light

blue and pinkish red.

T: Being an international student, do

you find it hard to start your career in

the UK after graduating?

E: I don’t think being an international

student changes the fact that getting

a job in the creative industries is never

easy. It just makes the experience more

stressful perhaps, usually because of

visa situations. If you are depending on

an employee to sponsor your work per-

mit to stay in the UK, they may prefer

not to take on that responsibility in ad-

dition to giving you a job. Unfortunately

that is just the reality of the situation,

but it should not dissuade anyone from

trying.

Personally, I don’t think the international

aspect made such a big difference

for me, what was much harder for me

to decide was whether or not to be a

freelancer.

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T: A lot of students struggle as a freelancer,

what’s one piece of advice you would give to

those who just started their career, especially

international people?

E: You have to create as much work as you can,

but only share or send out the best of it. You also

need to have a good website that is simple to

navigate and only displays your strongest work.

Overloading your portfolio or promotional mate-

rial with everything you’ve ever done is not only

distracting, but will lead people to potentially

overlook good projects that show you in your

best light. I can’t stress the importance of editing

enough.

T: What was been the most enjoyable but tough-

est project you did?

E: The Bafta commission was definitely the most

enjoyable, but also the hardest. I had about a

month to create invite designs and watch about

40 long-listed movies, but only 10 days to illus-

trate the 5 best film nominations, once they were

decided upon. They sent me the screening copies

of all the movies in batches and then collected

them back usually the next day or a few days

later. I had to watch, sketch and take notes of

all those films as they all had the potential to be

short-listed. Once the DVDs were gone, I didn’t

have anything to go back to, it was intense!

T: Since your favourite style is collages, how many

sketches you need to plan out before you get to

the final design, and the actual process that you

have in order to convert them digitally?

E: I usually start with drawing a few thumbnails

and when I have a composition I like, I gather the

collage material. Once I have that, I start working

on it digitally. I give clients 2 sketches/ideas or

just one if it’s a rush job, and move to the final. I

always work digitally from the sketch stage when

the deadlines are short as it gives me freedom to

change things quickly.

I worked with a great design agency who gave

me a lot of creative freedom and support when

I eventually had to produce the 5 Best Film

nominations artworks. They knew and liked my

work and told me they hired me because of it,

so it was great to have their trust on such a tight

and important commission. I also got to go to the

BAFTA’s! Talk about a cherry on top!

I can’t stress the importance of editing enough

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I can’t stress the importance of editing enough

Eda Akaltun

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Eda Akaltun

We see a lot of 50s fashion and old style illus-

trations in your work, do they mean something

to you? And why did you develop a love for

them?

I’ve always been drawn to them and used to

only use my own family photographs in the

collages in the beginning of my career. I like

the contrast of black and white photos and the

grain and texture of old ephemera, texture also

being the reason why I love printmaking - it

works really well with bold, bright colours in

my opinion. I enjoy putting together some-

thing old and to a certain extent messy with

something clean and digital.

Do you think CSM has pushed your creativity

and shaped your personal style?

Definitely! The freedom you have to work on

your own projects means you can collaborate

and/or try out different methods of working. I

was so inspired by London and the history of

CSM when I was there. I tried to feed my brain

as much as I could and took the free time we

had outside the studio seriously. Also, I don’t

know if they still do it but if it weren’t for the

4 day projects we had to complete in the 1st

year, I would have never mastered my collage

skills! :)

Eda Akaltun

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I don’t know if they still do it but if it weren’t for the 4 day projects we had to complete in the 1st year, I would have never mastered my collage skills!

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Eda Akaltun

E dward carvalho monaghan E dward carvalho monaghan

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King of story-telling

Eda Akaltun

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BA Graphic Design with Illustration / 2013

The Trip, Illustration for Degree Show 2013

Pick Me Up

It’s Nice That Graduates

YCN

Juxtapoz

Ape on the Moon

Occupy

Creative Bloq

T: It makes us happy looking at your work,

there’s so much energy in it. Can you talk

about the use of colours and other ele-

ments in it as well?

E: I think the way to imbue a piece of

work with energy is to understand the

subject(s) you intend on creating. My

characters are normally engaged in some

kind of activity or movement that is

defined by their physical appearance. I

don’t borrow any popular tropes or mask

images onto a relatable scene so I have

to invent my own, to an extent. So the

movement or activity is particular to each

creation and gives the viewer an under-

standing of the character’s role or physi-

cal movement within its own world.

Colour isn’t something I spend much time

plundering, I normally just restrict myself

to a small palate and try to balance it well.

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T: We saw a lot of fantasies and creatures.

What’s the story and inspirations behind

it?

E: It’s maybe important to note that I

don’t have crazy shit pouring out of my

head. I normally try and fill a particular

space. So when i work on humans I like to

balance their clothes, limbs, bodies, hair

etc in an arrangement which is harmoni-

ous. I might have a particular idea that I

invest in and work around but normally

when I start draw ing I just try and occupy

a space. Through this, combined with the

experience of drawing quite militantly

since I was 4, I can normally just start and

finish a project without much procrastina-

tion because I’m comfortable to explore

by draing.

I’m not sure if that explains it very well…

Sorry about that, it’s very hard to explain

something that’s pretty natural.

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Edward Carvalho Monaghan

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T: Do you agree with the idea that rela-

tively young and inexperienced people are

getting more noticed in the industry?

E: Absolutely, illustration is developing a

new dialogue as an important art form.

Part of this dialogue is a noticeable lack of

dogmatic presences because there is no

singular method of working that is more

important than another. I think the reason

for this is that illustration is a community

based art, we produce personal work

but we always work with people and have

to deal with briefs. As a result we can

relate to people and each artist does so

in different ways. So regardless of age,

some people do it great and with more

bloggers and sites like it’s nice that, these

talented people will be shown to those

who are interested.

T: Does participating in competitions and

being part of the Pick Me Up fair help with

starting your career?

E: Pick me up changes the way you see

the illustration/design world. Everyone

is super nice and happy to be there.

Some people are established, some are

just starting and some are somewhere

in between but everyone can relate to

each other, we all spur our peers on. So

that helps to bolster enthusiasm because

illustration can be a reclusive vocation. It

can certainly help with jobs and getting

noticed but the relationships with people

is the most valuable thing I’ve obtained.

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T: Any particular obsessions?

So regardless of age, some people do it great and with more bloggers and sites like it’s nice that, these talent-ed people will be shown to those who are interested

I know I’ve shown loads of other illustra-

tors work to people with opportunities

and hopefully they will do the same.


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Digital or Traditional? A combination of the two, a

heroic attachment to one is un-

necessary. Both can be utilised

to achieve positive results.

Circles without a doubt.

Circles or Squares?

21

T: Do you think CSM was the right school for you?

In hindsight yes. I was a real piece of shit when I was

studying but I think my qualms were with arts education

in general.

I’m not too convinced that illustration in a modern sense

can really be taught. Vocational universities will teach

you what you need to have something of a career (quen-

tin blake for example) but csm capitalises on the idea

that everyone there is really special and enigmatic and

attempts to teach you how to be more crazy and con-

temporary. I think that’s a load of shit, especially selling

that idea to people but the thing it gets right is the oc-

casional incredible tutors, like Alan baines and Douglas

the bookbinding tutor. The “company” is selling you a

ridiculous idea, they encourage a certain kind of creativity

with administrative barriers. They pick and choose what

should be a part of their artistic repertoire of revolution

e.g. the framed graffiti as you walk towards the library

and then tell you that you can’t get paint on the floor.

This double standard is something that brews lukewarm

bloggers that want to fit in so much that they assimilate

themselves with the identity of the institution entirely

and equal amount with a huge distaste for the hypocrisy.

THAT is the thing that the university really has to offer, it

is an accidental digression but it will add to the character

of students greatly by helping them identify what is right

and wrong (in their opinion) of the art world. That quality

is what made csm right for me.


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Matt John ston eMatt John ston eThe technical charmer

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BA Graphic Design / 2005 Fish, Chips and Mushy Peas

The Guardian

Greenpeace

Nike Drink in Brighton

Energyshare

Nokia

Penguin Books

Bloomberg

‘Car free’ campaign Derwent Pencils

1 Granary

Ape on the Moon

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T: Can you talk about the use of colours in

your work?

M: I like bright vivid solid blocks of colour and

sometimes certain areas I use halftones of

dots or lines. I’m fond of the colouring of old

comic books that use limited colours and half-

tone patterns that create different tones and

that has definitely influenced my work.

T: Your work is very delightful and charming,

do you need to be in a certain state of mind or

mood in order to work?

M: No, I like to just get on with it and tend

to work better with a set deadline to work

towards. I find I am not so productive if I have

no limit on time.

T: Any particular Obsessions?

M: Currently snakes

T: Do you compromise or do you stay true to

your style for every jobs since the beginning?

M: I would like to think I have a style of illustra-

tion and I always attempt to create images in

an imaginative playful way in the style that I

naturally draw in.

Im fond of the col-ouring of old comic books that use limited colours and halftone patterns that create different tones

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Matt Johnstone

T: Lots of people had hard times surviv-

ing in the industry being freelance and

individual, so what has been the toughest

experience you have had since the start

of your career?

M: I find the toughest part of being free-

lance the time between jobs. I feel good

and productive when I am in the routine

of going into my studio and working on

commissions. The hard part is when I

have gaps between commissions and this

is when I need more of a positive attitude

as it is natural to start questioning your

work. I have learnt that in order to be

more productive it is best to stay posi-

tive, stick to your plan and not to worry

about it too much.

T: You’ve been working constantly with

The Guardians and you also worked with

many other magazines like Time Out New

York, what’s the process of getting the

job with these clients, and do you enjoy

working with them?

M: Yes I have been very lucky to illustrate

for The Guardian newspaper since 2007

and I love it. I’m interested in Sport so it is

a dream job really. I contacted the Guard-

ian after I graduated from CSM and sent

examples of my work to them.

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T: Would you say competitions is a crucial

part of starting your career after graduating?

M: I haven’t entered lots of competitions my-

self so I don’t know. I think firstly the quality

of work needs to be good and you need to

get people to see it if this through social me-

dia, competitions, blogs, websites or exhibi-

tions or commissions then it is all contributes

to getting your work seen and then hopefully

more work.

Ev

ian

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T: Do you think CSM was the right school for

you?

M: I think CSM helped me learn to experi-

ment with ideas. I realised what I liked and

didn’t like. It was the kind of place that if I

wanted to learn something specific I would

have to do it on my own initiative so that

probably helps me now I am an independant

artist. It was really once I was in the world of

commercial illustration that I began to know

that illustration was what I wanted to do.

Sp

ee

do

Nik

e

I think CSM helped me learn to experiment with ideas. I realised what I liked and didn’t like

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Matt Johnstone

m ia kenn edym ia kenn edyThe word player

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BA Graphic Design Design and Interaction / 2013

Quintessential Kitchen Alphabet

T: What’s your preferred colour palette for your

work?

M: Obviously totally depending on the piece, but

I tend to prefer using muted colours. Eg A yellow

will be mustard, an orange will be terracotta,

greens will be sludgey slimey.

T: Digital or traditional?

M: Personally, at this moment in time, digital. I

have fast turnaround jobs which I couldnt ever

find the time or money to produce in traditional

processes. Cmd+Z has become the most treas-

ured gift so far.

HOWEVER. If someone were to throw a heap of

cash at me to just spend all day screenprinting

and embossing and etching and letterpress-

ing and paper cutting, then I’d be an incredibly

happy girl

T: Do you agree with the idea that relatively

young and inexperienced people are getting

more noticed in the industry? What’s your opin-

ion about it?

M: Erm, I guess as a relatively young and (now

slightly less) inexperienced person I think it’s a

great thing. It may have more to do with the fact

that there’s just a lot more of us now than in pre-

vious decades and so there so much to celebrate

and by so many people. Graphic design is show-

ing itself off as an artform, and often merging

itself with other areas like illustration, fine art,

interior design and just having a lot of fun.

I guess the only downside would be falsely repre-

senting so many oppurtunities. Designers and

artists can be celebrated for a peice or collection,

but then with so many other talents they are

quickly forgotten. Just because you’re celebrated

once doesn’t mean an instant or even easy road

to success.

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Mia KennedyMatt Johnstone

33

T: Will you stay true to your style or change it

depending on the job and the client?

M: I’ve already sold my soul. So I work at an

agency, where I often get some great projects,

but as the only junior I also get a lot of duds.

Try and make a facebook cover image featur-

ing product shots of hard drives to some crappy

brand guidelines in 3 hours and you realise why

theres a fair bit of shit design in the world. Its ac-

tually very interesting and a brand new challenge

to create a great peice of design that isn’t your

style in the slightest.

Freelance clients come to you though because

they like what theyve seen so far, so its almost

expected to keep an element of your style in the

work.

T: Any particular obsessions?

M: Designwise? Mathematical design. Perfect

shapes, ratios and layouts.

Miscellaneous? Coronation Street. Im a Manc lass,

so I pretend its cause I enjoy hearing the accents

but really I’m now so involved that Ill get anxious

missing an episode.

T: Do you think CSM was the right school for

you?

M: Yes. It took me and my friends to realise youre

not paying for the teacher contact hours, youre

paying for your peers and their ideas and feed-

back and also the kids from the other courses.

It also took us too long to realise that if you

wanted to learn production skillsets then you

couldve gone to any uni, but at CSM you have

the teachers and peers to focus on context and

idea creation instead, ... even if it can be a little

pretentious at times.

It took me and my friends to realise youre not pay-ing for the teacher contact hours, youre paying for your peers and their ideas and feedback and also

the kids from the other courses

Mia Kennedy

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Mia Kennedy

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C o n t a c t

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TOCA [email protected]@Tocamagazinehttp://www.TOCAMagazine.co.uk/iOS/Android App TOCA

Featured Artists & Designers/Volume 01

Edward [email protected]://www.edwardcarvalhomonaghan.co.uk/Graduated BA Graphic Design/Illustration (2013)

Matt [email protected]://www.mattjohnstone.co.uk/ Graduated BA Graphic Design (2005)

Eda [email protected]://www.edosatwork.com/ Graduated BA Graphic Design/Illustration (2010)

38@Tocamagazine

eda akaltun


kaiyee jelly

lucinda roger

matt johnstone

mia kennedy



Hello !



















dedicated,

TOCA

Documents

Toca magazine issu