Victor Juhasz Draws Trump

The story behind Rolling Stone Magazine's Trump The Destroyer cover, drawn by Victor Juhasz.

***Contains fruity language***

First Years, Tenth Project - Typographic Posters

Our first year students have just spent a challenging and fruitful two weeks working alongside our 'national treasure', H.R.H The Typographer Royal, Dame Rhiannon Robinson OBT*.

As you probably know, Dame Rhiannon is a demanding taskmistress with a ruthless, critical eye that can spot the slightest typographic imperfection at more than twenty paces. 

Luckily for our novice students she took them through the fundamentals of good typography through a series of lectures, on-screen tutorial sessions and lots of experimental play (see previous post).

This is but the start of a very long journey, but even after such a short time the students can all spot loose tracking, unfortunate apostrophes, orphans, widows and line lengths that are too long or too short.

The project was deceptively simple. Take some information about a typography event that looks like this:

...and turn it into something beautiful like this:


Liam (21), Year 1 Graphic Design 

Like all our two week projects, we put great emphasis on the journey (the ideas development work) not just the destination (the final poster), so here are lots of examples of what can be achieved during two weeks...

First, let's have a look at some of the results of the type-play workshops:















...and now let's see the final pieces presented on feedback day:

 Designed on paper, made beautiful by the Mac...

 H.R.H. dispensing words of wisdom

 Young Laura (21) has a strong sense of the perpendicular.

 "...and swing to the left!"

 Jim's got his gold sovereign ring tangled in Carrie's hair poor thing!

Grillust Goes on Tour

You're probably aware that Grillust and 'rock music' are virtually synonymous. There's not a day goes by when we aren't contacted by record company A&R people who need to hastily name a new band or artiste. For example, we've recently given the world of music:

• The Floppy Collar Hoops (Psychedelia)
• Selfie and The Soup Eaters (American Roots Rock)
• Concrete Pontoons (Prog)
• N'Shit (Drum 'n' Bass)
• Beef Walkabout (Hair Metal)
• Brown From the Waist Down (Folk)
• Minuscule Internet Pipe (New Rave)
• Cheese Pioneer (Synth Pop)
• The Flowery Cartouches (Psychedelia [again])
• Barnes Wallace and His Bouncing Bombs (50s Rock 'n' Roll)
• Digital Monty Don (Speed Gabba)
• The Savage Corners (Death Metal)

However, we are aware that we've been living vicariously and with that in mind we've decided to 'hit the road' in the summer break and take in some of the 'happeningest' music venues the North has to offer.

The Grillust team have created two bands. Headliners Aural Fixation and support act, Elitist Pedestal.

Aural Fixation comprise:

Tony "Perked" Peart - Lead Guitar
Martin "Why am I here" Fowler - Drums
Dwayne "Wee 'Un" Bell - Lead Vocals & pocket billiards
"Jiminy" Jim Millington - Bass Guitar

and have a sound that could best be described as 'tuneless'.

Elitist Pedestal are a much more highbrow proposition, peddling as they do Semiotic Synth Pop. Interestingly they are also the world's first four-piece trio...

Their line up is as follows:

Nick "NO, I don't look like Morrissey" Dodds - Vocals & Barthes (yes he does)!

Rhiannon "No Mercy" Robinson - Triangle (isosceles)
Zoe "The Duchess" Garnett-Scott - Glass Harmonica (broken)

"Future" Dave Robert - Stylophone

Come and see us - after all, we've got plenty of tickets left.

Stars in Stripes

Last Tuesday was the official Grillust Stipe Day - what do you mean, you didn't know?..

Grillust students were called to arms in order to change the world on the 21st of March this year, in Grillust's inaugural "Stripe Day". 

The day involved a series of stripe related events, including getting dressed up in stripes, inserting stripes into mint humbugs, campaigning (successfully) to get 'The White Stripes' to reform and finally, devising and implementing 'triple yellow' parking (see below). This Über parking enforcement is designed to instil the 'fear of god' into those selfish drivers who persistently ignore 'double yellows' outside convenience stores, post offices and fast food outlets.

The turn out was excellent, and this is a tradition we hope to be carried on across future generations of Grillust Designers and Illustrators. 

Students were not put off work by the blinding amounts of stripes. From left to right: Jim, Danielle, James M, Sarah, Leanne.

 Don't have a stripey shirt? Try masking tape! It's the perfect substitute. 

 Grillust United - the 2016-17 North West League champions.

 Bridget Riley's worst nightmare...

A fun day was had by all and long may the stripes 'n' stripes keep flying...

Scenes from the Life Room - Now in Colour!

Bumper catch-up edition...