artists

SHEFFIELD ARTISTS

Sleeve art: If it’s good, it’s boss and stays in the memory as long as the music it’s wrapped around. From Peter Blake’s PopArt Sgt Pepper’s creation through to Roger Dean and Storm Thorgusson’s overblown 70s trips, to Peter Saville (Factory) and Vaughan Oliver’s (4AD) label defining goes in the 80s and not forgetting Sheffield’s own Designer’s Republic good images have always complemented good sounds.

Ian Turley chats to JIM CONNOLLY aka Friend Of Batman whose Brit slanted DC fixated visions have been turning heads nationally and Sandman also catches up with NICKY KIRK, the man responsible for the visual side of Sheffield electro label, Giovanni Chrome.

All images: Well, who d’ya think?

JIM CONNOLLY

If you’ve been to a local gig recently it is probable that you have seen badges, flyers, posters or CDs that feature artwork which looks like it’s had a little bit more thought put into it than just having the band’s name scribbled across in marker pen. You may have been wondering one of the following questions: Where did they come from? Where will I see them next? And What kind of crazy mind came up with them?

This story starts way back at a church jumble sale. Amidst a pile of tatty cardigans and over-streched track suits a young Jim Connolly stumbled across his first ever Batman comic. Taken in by the caped crusader’s sinister cool, Jim was hooked.

Jim’s (un)healthy interest in a wide range of comics lead to many childhood doodles which in turn lead to a degree in illustration and animation. He became proficient in using computers to develop his art as well as the traditional pens and pencils.

He developed a unique style, mixing the darkness of the American DC comics with a quirky British twist, drawing subjects which are easily accessible and recognisable but adding ironic or just plain silly reference points, “I once had to do an ad for a leisure centre, no-one noticed that in the corner of the swimming pool I’d drawn a floating turd, it made me laugh to think of it being there on promotional material.”

He also messes about with classical art. One picture is an interpretation of the Mona Lisa, from a distance a good likeness, upon closer inspection you notice that it’s actually a transsexual Kurt Cobian smiling back at you.

Influenced by a local publication called Babypop Jim started printing his own handmade comics and contributed strips for various fanzines.

All this was still very underground work, with a small readership. Jim’s first pieces to reach a wider audience were the flyers and posters which he produced to promote local punk-rock lunatics The Ape Drape Escape for whom he was the original drummer. When the band released The Fracture Clinic EP last year Jim was once again called upon this time to design the sleeve. His cool cartoon impressions of the band won him praise on a national scale, everyone from Kerrang! to The Sheffield Telegraph was digging his style.

His work on the CD also impressed London rock band The Barbs who paid Jim to design the artwork for their recent Bury You single, “This is when the pressure started, I hadn’t been paid for my work before.” The striking imagery of the members of the band in a pose that mimicked the cover of a Batman comic in which Robin dies was also used to promote the release, full colour ads in the NME and other magazines boldly stood out and worked so well that he has done the sleeve art for their forthcoming album.

A strong supporter of the local music scene, Jim has also worked with many Sheffield bands, the impressive list includes Richard Hawley and Relaxed Muscle. A picture of a deranged skeleton Jarvis is one of the highlights of his collection and can be seen as one of the extras on the enchanced version of their album, (the keen eyed among you will notice that one hand has more fingers than the other, another of Jim’s weird little twists).

With offers of work flying in think and fast Jim hopes that he can continue working with bands, designing sleeves, t-shirts and eventually animated videos.

A selection of Jim Connolly’s work has recently been on display at the Green Room on Devonshire Street, to find out more and to see his work go to:

www.revhedgraphix.co.uk

NICKY KIRK

Giovanni Chrome put out dangerously warped electro stuff by the likes of Jeff Sleaze, The Arts & Leisure Foundation and Winter North Atlantic. Nicky Kirk, a backstreet Architecturalist with a cold futuristic bent, designs all their sleeves…

What’s your background as regards design / art etc?

Well, I have been doodling since I was really young. This began with large two-dimensional landscapes of spacemen and aliens. Generally they attacked each other, though sometimes they ended up in a variety of erotic poses (I wish they hadn’t been thrown out). I guess those early interests in landscapes and spatial expanses developed over the years and I went to study architecture at the University of Sheffield. This was a 6-year course that I completed 3 years ago. However I have not quite finished yet as I am due to take my final exams in February 2005 which, if I’m successful, will allow me to use the term ‘architect’ legally – it’s all a bit ridiculous really.

During the latter half of the course I really began to try and develop my ideas of representation of space through two-dimensional drawing. I was lucky to have an outlet outside of my studies for this and got into drawing flyers for nightclubs (particularly Remedy). I incorporated my interests in perspective onto the flyers and they seemed to go down well. Now I work as an (illegal) architect and artist, which is perfect really as it means I get to mix both disciplines with each other.

How did you come to work with Giovanni Chrome?

I’ve been fortunate to have been involved with Giovanni Chrome since the beginning and have seen it become a truly superb label. Ed (the mastermind) Carter has been a good friend of mine for many years now. We knew each other from our hometown of Leicester. In our teens there was a big bunch of us who were good mates that used to play in bands and hang out. Ed and I ended up going to the same University and not knowing anybody else but each other used to sit in the pub together. We used to (and still do) plot various plans and come up with different ideas about all sorts. Music was one thing and after a short stint of making music together Ed went off and set up Giovanni Chrome. He knew of my passion for off the cuff imagery and my dedication towards the final piece and asked me to do their first CD. I don’t think that anybody at that point understood or realised what a great project Giovanni Chrome was to become. Now after 8 releases I think all involved are eager to do more and push the label in really positive directions. I can’t wait to get onto the next drawing for them as I love the process behind it and bouncing ideas between the artists and myself.

What’s your process in designing those sleeves?

Each sleeve has been borne from an emotive response to the artists recording. For example, Jeff Danger’s and Paul Sleaze’s Rowdy Roddy Peeper / Spies 7 inch was a representation of their interests into voyeurism and fear, combined with my craving for perspective. I attempt to create something that encourages the viewer to look twice and see the image in a different way they saw it the first time. In creating the pieces I tend to mix different media (ink and computers) and produce a large standalone drawing. I then amend the drawing to the correct format for print and use pieces from the artwork to generate all additional paraphernalia (labels, inserts etc.) Again there is a similar theme for each release to generate a little bit of identity and continuity for the label.

And the future….?

Unfortunately time pressure and faulty e-mails kyboshed the rest of the interview so we don’t know what the future holds for Nicky. Reckon it’ll be good though...

www.gcrecordings.co.uk
www.geocities.com/nickykirk


	SHEFFIELD ARTISTS Sleeve art: If it’s good, it’s boss and stays in the memory as long as the music it’s wrapped around. From Peter Blake’s PopArt Sgt Pepper’s creation through to Roger Dean and Storm Thorgusson’s overblown 70s trips, to Peter Saville (Factory) and Vaughan Oliver’s (4AD) label defining goes in the 80s and not forgetting Sheffield’s own Designer’s Republic good images have always complemented good sounds. Ian Turley chats to JIM CONNOLLY aka Friend Of Batman whose Brit slanted DC fixated visions have been turning heads nationally and Sandman also catches up with NICKY KIRK, the man responsible for the visual side of Sheffield electro label, Giovanni Chrome. All images: Well, who d’ya think? JIM CONNOLLY If you’ve been to a local gig recently it is probable that you have seen badges, flyers, posters or CDs that feature artwork which looks like it’s had a little bit more thought put into it than just having the band’s name scribbled across in marker pen. You may have been wondering one of the following questions: Where did they come from? Where will I see them next? And What kind of crazy mind came up with them? This story starts way back at a church jumble sale. Amidst a pile of tatty cardigans and over-streched track suits a young Jim Connolly stumbled across his first ever Batman comic. Taken in by the caped crusader’s sinister cool, Jim was hooked. Jim’s (un)healthy interest in a wide range of comics lead to many childhood doodles which in turn lead to a degree in illustration and animation. He became proficient in using computers to develop his art as well as the traditional pens and pencils. He developed a unique style, mixing the darkness of the American DC comics with a quirky British twist, drawing subjects which are easily accessible and recognisable but adding ironic or just plain silly reference points, “I once had to do an ad for a leisure centre, no-one noticed that in the corner of the swimming pool I’d drawn a floating turd, it made me laugh to think of it being there on promotional material.” He also messes about with classical art. One picture is an interpretation of the Mona Lisa, from a distance a good likeness, upon closer inspection you notice that it’s actually a transsexual Kurt Cobian smiling back at you. Influenced by a local publication called Babypop Jim started printing his own handmade comics and contributed strips for various fanzines. All this was still very underground work, with a small readership. Jim’s first pieces to reach a wider audience were the flyers and posters which he produced to promote local punk-rock lunatics The Ape Drape Escape for whom he was the original drummer. When the band released The Fracture Clinic EP last year Jim was once again called upon this time to design the sleeve. His cool cartoon impressions of the band won him praise on a national scale, everyone from Kerrang! to The Sheffield Telegraph was digging his style. His work on the CD also impressed London rock band The Barbs who paid Jim to design the artwork for their recent Bury You single, “This is when the pressure started, I hadn’t been paid for my work before.” The striking imagery of the members of the band in a pose that mimicked the cover of a Batman comic in which Robin dies was also used to promote the release, full colour ads in the NME and other magazines boldly stood out and worked so well that he has done the sleeve art for their forthcoming album. A strong supporter of the local music scene, Jim has also worked with many Sheffield bands, the impressive list includes Richard Hawley and Relaxed Muscle. A picture of a deranged skeleton Jarvis is one of the highlights of his collection and can be seen as one of the extras on the enchanced version of their album, (the keen eyed among you will notice that one hand has more fingers than the other, another of Jim’s weird little twists). With offers of work flying in think and fast Jim hopes that he can continue working with bands, designing sleeves, t-shirts and eventually animated videos. A selection of Jim Connolly’s work has recently been on display at the Green Room on Devonshire Street, to find out more and to see his work go to: www.revhedgraphix.co.uk NICKY KIRK Giovanni Chrome put out dangerously warped electro stuff by the likes of Jeff Sleaze, The Arts & Leisure Foundation and Winter North Atlantic. Nicky Kirk, a backstreet Architecturalist with a cold futuristic bent, designs all their sleeves… What’s your background as regards design / art etc? Well, I have been doodling since I was really young. This began with large two-dimensional landscapes of spacemen and aliens. Generally they attacked each other, though sometimes they ended up in a variety of erotic poses (I wish they hadn’t been thrown out). I guess those early interests in landscapes and spatial expanses developed over the years and I went to study architecture at the University of Sheffield. This was a 6-year course that I completed 3 years ago. However I have not quite finished yet as I am due to take my final exams in February 2005 which, if I’m successful, will allow me to use the term ‘architect’ legally – it’s all a bit ridiculous really. During the latter half of the course I really began to try and develop my ideas of representation of space through two-dimensional drawing. I was lucky to have an outlet outside of my studies for this and got into drawing flyers for nightclubs (particularly Remedy). I incorporated my interests in perspective onto the flyers and they seemed to go down well. Now I work as an (illegal) architect and artist, which is perfect really as it means I get to mix both disciplines with each other. How did you come to work with Giovanni Chrome? I’ve been fortunate to have been involved with Giovanni Chrome since the beginning and have seen it become a truly superb label. Ed (the mastermind) Carter has been a good friend of mine for many years now. We knew each other from our hometown of Leicester. In our teens there was a big bunch of us who were good mates that used to play in bands and hang out. Ed and I ended up going to the same University and not knowing anybody else but each other used to sit in the pub together. We used to (and still do) plot various plans and come up with different ideas about all sorts. Music was one thing and after a short stint of making music together Ed went off and set up Giovanni Chrome. He knew of my passion for off the cuff imagery and my dedication towards the final piece and asked me to do their first CD. I don’t think that anybody at that point understood or realised what a great project Giovanni Chrome was to become. Now after 8 releases I think all involved are eager to do more and push the label in really positive directions. I can’t wait to get onto the next drawing for them as I love the process behind it and bouncing ideas between the artists and myself. What’s your process in designing those sleeves? Each sleeve has been borne from an emotive response to the artists recording. For example, Jeff Danger’s and Paul Sleaze’s Rowdy Roddy Peeper / Spies 7 inch was a representation of their interests into voyeurism and fear, combined with my craving for perspective. I attempt to create something that encourages the viewer to look twice and see the image in a different way they saw it the first time. In creating the pieces I tend to mix different media (ink and computers) and produce a large standalone drawing. I then amend the drawing to the correct format for print and use pieces from the artwork to generate all additional paraphernalia (labels, inserts etc.) Again there is a similar theme for each release to generate a little bit of identity and continuity for the label. And the future….? Unfortunately time pressure and faulty e-mails kyboshed the rest of the interview so we don’t know what the future holds for Nicky. Reckon it’ll be good though... www.gcrecordings.co.uk www.geocities.com/nickykirk