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Championing creativity

Advertising • Animation • Art • Graphic Design • Illustration • Photography •

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Work / Illustration

Lino-cuts by Sophy Hollington find visual resolution between modern life and ancient spirituality

Words by Billie Muraben, Tuesday 16 August 2016

Sophy Hollington’s latest commission from The New York Times, the cover of its Book Review, sees her take on complex, dystopian themes with skill that only comes with lots of practise. Not being one to cut corners, most of Sophy’s commercial work takes the form of relief prints, created using the lengthy process of lino-cutting. “I love the finality and physicality of slicing in to a fresh sheet of lino. It’s impossible to make a piece of work that looks apologetic”; she says. “Lino is un-compromising as a medium, it helps to practise and get really good at representing certain elements. It’s almost like a tool-kit, which, when woven together in different combinations, can spin many a yarn and look compositionally very juicy.”

Ghouls, plane crashes, animated gravestones and the apocalypse have long been stalwarts of her work, as we saw in our last piece on her prints, band artwork and editorial commissions back in early 2015. Sophy says: “I’ve been subliminally obsessed with monuments and obelisks since a university project required I visit three of London’s largest cemeteries. Other recurring themes include asteroids, apocalyptic landscapes and automobiles. I enjoy sending up my fears, either dressing them up in garish colours or stripping them back to their elements when I’m working in lino.”

Inspired by the likes of Paul Nash, Eduardo Paolozzi and Milton Glaser, Sophy’s personal practice runs from the serious to the satirical with ease. From trying to find visual resolution for the conflicts between modern life and ancient spirituality, to fan art and anthropomorphic burgers, she has an equal appreciation for, and ability to tackle both the most complex and simple pleasures.

Sophyhollington-update-05-int — Sophy Hollington: For The New York Times

Sophyhollington-update-09-int — Sophy Hollington: For The New York Times

Sophyhollington-update-10-int — Sophy Hollington: Novella

Sophyhollington-update-07-int — Sophy Hollington: For The New York Times

Sophyhollington-update-08-int — Sophy Hollington: For The New York Times

Sophyhollington-update-12-int — Sophy Hollington: Kar

Sophyhollington-update-11-int — Sophy Hollington: Change of State, Novella

Sophyhollington-update-06-int — Sophy Hollington: Untitled

Sophyhollington-update-13-int — Sophy Hollington: Existential Bliss

Sophyhollington-update-01-int — Sophy Hollington: Yes Ettore

www.sophyhollington.com

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Lucy Bourton — 03 December 2018
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It's Nice That — 06 December 2018
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Jyni Ong — 05 December 2018
Work / Animation The animated short giving Isle of Dogs a run for its money

Ah, the self-initiated brief. We all remember this, the term in university when you’re finally left to your own devices to create something that’s truly you. But, maybe, the course you’ve chosen led you down a path where the creative disciplines that are piquing your interest are on the periphery of the subject that your degree is titled. This was the case for Ieuan Lewis and George Warren, two graphic design students at Kingston University who’ve created Uki, a short animation that’s received a nod from the BBC and the BFI, and is giving Wes Anderson’s Isle of Dogs a run for its money.

Lucy Bourton — 05 December 2018
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Ruby Boddington — 05 December 2018
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Jyni Ong — 05 December 2018
Regulars / Bookshelf Thomas Traum's Bookshelf provides a glimpse into his thoughtful and pragmatic practice

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Ruby Boddington — 05 December 2018
Regulars / Nicer Tuesdays Tickets for Nicer Tuesdays December now available!

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It's Nice That — 04 December 2018

Work / Graphic Design Corners’ graphic design work exemplifies the beautiful language of Han-gul

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Jyni Ong — 04 December 2018
Work / Publication Then There Was Us' look-back at the World Cup is fond, celebratory and democratic

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Ruby Boddington — 04 December 2018
Work / Graphic Design DIA channels NYC and gives Squarespace its signature kinetic treatment in brand refresh

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Ruby Boddington — 04 December 2018
Work / Illustration Illustrator Inji Seo discusses the differences in producing personal and commercial work

For illustrators, the transition from creating mainly personal work, to mainly commissions is a desirable place to be. To know your illustration practice is in demand and worthy of being in admirable magazines is highly rewarding, however, it can also be daunting to move into commercial spheres where there are clients to please and targets to meet. The illustrator Inji Seo has smoothly made this transition in the last year, not only does her work look great spread across glossy magazines such as Elephant, it has also matured and improved, seeing deeper experimentation with composition and colour.

Jyni Ong — 04 December 2018
Feature / Graphic Design Laughing at the world of graphic design with Tracy Ma

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One of the designer’s first jobs was at Bloomberg Businessweek, where a three-month stint became a five-year job. Between 2011–2016 Tracy worked her way up to deputy creative director, ultimately working on over 200 issues. Throughout her time at the publication her visual output chopped and changed in style, but the sense of humour was consistent; she’s perpetually contextually clever with content. When provided with visuals that were “often scarce or shitty,” she’d utilise the potential of typography as an image. In her current position as visual editor at The New York Times’ style desk, Tracy continues an approach to editorial which puts the reader’s engagement first. In the run-up to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s big day, her first Times piece saw her design an extensive – and comical – FAQ of “everything you wanted to know” about the royal wedding. Question 27 asks “Would it be at all possible to surf this website without such cutting-edge art direction?”. The answer it displays? No. Obviously.

Lucy Bourton — 04 December 2018
Work / Art Evan Roth's latest artwork gets to the bottom of the internet's deep roots

We’d wager a substantial sum of money that most of you reading this have never really considered how it is possible you’re reading this. Like television or the limitless supply of pepperoni slices at your local Pizza Hut buffet, the Internet is something that just happens.

Josh Baines — 04 December 2018

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