G2

G2d
Originally uploaded by Peter Rea 13

In November, The Guardian G2 magazine were asking for people to submit photos with 'G2' included in them... so I gave it a go. They didn't get chosen, but here they are (click photo for more).

Cobbles

Cobbles
Originally uploaded by Peter Rea 13

I spent my lunch break yesterday photographing Manchester's back streets, where the snow hadn't been turned to sludge by heavy traffic. The tyre tracks and footprints created interesting compositions, especially with the cobbles and double yellow lines peaking through the ice.It turned into a texture and composition investigation (as usual).

Matthew Halsall at Band On The Wall

Matt Halsall, Band On The Wall
Originally uploaded by Peter Rea 13

DJ Set at the Step Up! night as part of Gondwana Records Christmas Party.

Placebo at Manchester Central

Gig review at CityLifers.co.uk

Envelope B

Ready to be sent to Caralyn in Indianapolis. I just need to find somewhere to put the address.

Black and White Jazz

Sound Check
Originally uploaded by Peter Rea 13

More photos from the Matthew Halsall Maida Vale session, but in classic jazz monochrome.

Matthew Halsall at Maida Vale

Matthew Halsall at Maida Vale 26
Originally uploaded by Peter Rea 13

I took photos of Matthew Halsall and his jazz band as they recorded a session for Gilles Peterson's Radio 1 show. Maida Vale is an amazing place, the studio sounded incredible and the music was superb. I think it's being aired in January so listen out for it.

Broadcast

Broadcast
Originally uploaded by Peter Rea 13

I've just got in from this incredible gig at The Deaf Institute. Drum machines and synths with occasional guitar and beautiful vocals in front of a projected psychedelic kaleidoscope. Fantastic.

A full review is at CityLifers.co.uk

Envelope A

One down, 25 to go. I'm posting this tomorrow to William (c/o shouldhavezagged) in Indianapolis.

If you're on the list and haven't already forwarded your delivery address to me, please do so to rea.peter@gmail.com

Six Organs of Admittance

My first review for CityLifers is online. Six Organs of Admittance with Cyril Snear, Gnod and Irma Vep.
City Lifers

A-Z Free artwork envelopes

I enjoyed making the 10 free artwork envelopes and I've got a stack of spare blank envelopes sitting on my desk... so if the demand is there, I'll send out 26 more. Comment on this blog if you want one and send a delivery address to rea.peter@gmail.com.

*CLOSED*

Cafe from outside

Cafe from outside
Originally uploaded by Peter Rea 13

No, I've not turned to graphic design. This is a photo of Manchester's Civil Justice Centre from the street, with authentic tree reflection... and my legs.

Mouldy old bricks

The Deadheads
Originally uploaded by Peter Rea 13

I'm a sucker for mouldy old brickwork and graffiti. Manchester's old railway bridge, which runs across the city, supplies plenty of hidden archways for drunks and vandals to express themselves. Some 'well to do' students laughed at me when they saw me take this photo, giving me a taste of how a punk with pink mohican and safety pins might feel.

The Deadheads are a Manchester band, I found their Myspace page... I prefer their artwork to be honest.

Foundation

Foundation
Originally uploaded by Peter Rea 13

The dull evening sun shining on the top of the wall was what first drew my attention to this scene, and I also considered the possible narrative that could be attached. Just before dark is probably my favourite time to take photos because of the interesting sky colours and shadows... as well as the street lights that start to switch on.

Envelope 10/10

The last in the series of free envelope art... this one is for Richard in Withington.

G2b

G2b
Originally uploaded by Peter Rea 13

I wanted to christen my new camera by testing it with something I've tried before and I'm loving the results. I got a Nikon D300s with 18-200mm V2 lens... a macro would've been more helpful here but I'm certainly not complaining. I can't wait to take this out for some old fashioned street photography.

I went for a complicated composition, the colours came out just great and I'm pleased with the blurred background (limited DOF, I believe).

The first of many!

Envelope 9/10 Completed

3: Performed some selective burning with a birthday candle, splattered white ink, more black pen, some 2H pencil, used a Chinese brush pen and some stencils. Typed the address and jobs a good un. This one is for Neil in Manchester.

Env 9/10 WIP Part 2

2: Put the envelope in my bag when the ink was still wet... later, had to peel it off the cover of a rather expensive photography magazine. Drew some shapes in black and red and got a little annoyed with how things were going... so I set it on fire.

Envelope 9/10 Work In Progress

1: Take one envelope, drop orange ink onto it, try moving some ink and regret it, wipe with a tissue and then drop white ink on it to cover up the crap bits. Smear as appropriate.

Envelope 8/10

I tried something different with this one. I dropped turquoise ink onto the envelope and smeared parts with a ruler. I then used this as a template to draw around. I like to think of it as controlling chaos.

Heading to Fredericksburg (great name).

MŌDART

The last printed edition of MŌDART magazine was in March this year, it contained a fantastic range of contemporary illustration, artwork and photography and is sorely missed. Two 250 page 'best of' books have been scheduled for release but hopefully they will resume normal service in 2010.

It's like a European thinking man's Juxtapoz.

IWA Reunion show in London

Graduates (including myself) from Manchester Met Illustration with Animation are displaying their work at The Coningsby Gallery in London all this week.

I'm displaying 4 photos including this one:

"Indigo"

I hope you can make it

Envelope 7/10

Off to Terry Border in IN... wherever that is.

Envelope 6/10

On it's way to Steph in Massachusetts.

Alert!

I spent the last year at uni wondering around Manchester looking for anything to snap. This was down one of the many backstreets that I found myself in, I'm not too sure of it's purpose but it looks quite hostile... it's like an air raid siren or something.

Envelope 5/10

2 in one day... I'm really pleased with this one and don't want to over cook it. Heading to Kim in Virginia:

Envelope 4/10

On it's way to Florida:

Sand Animation and Matthew Halsall

I studied Illustration with Animation at Manchester Met University, and this is one of my experiments in the second year. My tutor, Vanessa Cuthbert, introduced us to Caroline Leaf's work... she creates stop frame animation using sand on a lightbox. I gave it a try, this is my second attempt... music by Matthew Halsall - A Far Away Place.

Photo Artists

My Illustration with Animation course led me to research photography as a means of storytelling. I had previously been a big fan of Jeff Wall's work (below) which opened my eyes to a whole new use for a camera, as I had originally only used my shots for background research or as a reference point, during projects.

So in my final year at university I dedicated my time to researching 'Photo Artists' and walked around the streets of Manchester with a borrowed Nikon. Below is a list of photographers whose work I admire, with examples.

Richard Billingham - Untitled:

Rut Blees Luxemburg - Liebeslied:

Jitka Hanzlova - Dancing & Tight Rope Walker:

 

50 60 200 + Envelope 3/10

I took this photo earlier this year for an album sleeve design. It's proved to be my most popular image (on Flickr anyway) and it was printed as a CD sleeve for the debut album of Manchester band Cyril Snear.



It's a typewriter, which I found in the street, shot through a magnifying lens with a mirror and lit by a ring light.

Envelope 3/10 is now on it's way to Maryland, USA.

Tom Waits + Envelope 2/10

After watching 'The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus', Tom Waits stuck in my memory... and so today became Tom Waits day. I'm on the 10th album in a row and only considered stopping after hearing 'Way Down In The Hole' (which made me want to watch The Wire).

In the rain... Tom Waits

Envelope 2/10 has been dispatched to JDH in CA, USA. I'm not happy with the fella in the Post Office's placement of the Airmail sticker, so I won't be using him again.

2562 + Envelope 1/10

Today I bought the new 2562 album 'Unbalance' from Piccadilly records. It sounds great, heavy bass with interesting bloops and bleeps. Great artwork too. Some of it reminds me of early Goldie and late 90's drum and bass, I kept expecting it to kick into some heavy jungle. Love it!

Well I can't describe it very well... why not just listen? and then buy it



Envelope 1/10 has been dispatched to Justin... hope the postal strike doesn't delay delivery too much.

Free envelope

The first 10 people to comment on this blog will get a free hand drawn envelope sent to them.

- Closed.

Thank you for taking part, envelopes will be posted as soon as I can make them.

Postal Strike

If no one will deliver my letters, at least it gives me something else to draw on.

Wes Anderson

Bill Murray dancing to minimal techno in a blue diving suit is the funniest thing I've ever seen.

The new Wes Anderson film Fantastic Mr. Fox is now in cinemas, it's a stop frame animation based on the Roald Dahl novel with voices from George Clooney, Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman and other Wes film regulars. Critics love it, it looks amazing and I'll automatically go see any of Wes's films anyway so I'm there.

The Fantastic Mr. Fox trailer

This model is on display in Gap, Manchester.

The Twilight Sad and David Lynch

I can't understand why this band aren't pulling bigger audiences and more radio air play. The second album has just been released, which emulates the first in that I can't stop listening to it from start to finish. Everyone who I've introduced them to have loved them and yet they remain underground, playing small venues to 100 or so people... for which the band appear overwhelmed and humbled.

Their sound is a perfect blend of deep, thought provoking calm before they hit you with a wall of sound and ear splitting rants from the heavily accented Glaswegian front man. Last night at The Ruby Lounge Manchester, they performed a stunning set to a small but passionate crowd. With the apparent lack of marketing funds, I take it upon myself to sell them to anyone who I think will like them... (anyone who has ears) so here's a link to their website: The Twilight Sad

On Twitter last night, David Lynch asked for links to artwork, so I posted a portrait of him that I drew on 12" vinyl. Page views have shot up so I'm hoping the great man himself took a peek.

The Dead Weather

 I'm still buzzing from seeing Jack White's new band The Dead Weather at Manchester Academy on Monday. They made the album sound ten times better... it was a show rather than a gig, which to me is what separates the great from the tolerable. On stage were genius musicians stepping into an alter ego, with Alison Mosshart from The Kills on vocals. They made the experienced support band (who I quite liked) look like a group of lads from the pub who had sheepishly decided to play us a few tunes that they'd put together.

The all encompassing spell of their dark, spitting goth rock blues show was crushed when the lights went up to reveal a crowd of middle aged couples in their smartest shirts and dresses, and by students wearing retro 80's (bad) 'fashion' and glam rock/Dynasty haircuts... who also loved it.

So, I recommend watching The Dead Weather's videos. And here's a photo that I took in Manchester in January, which is suitably dark.

Now he's blogging too...

Why start a blog? Well, it'll be more relaxed than my website, more business like than my Facebook, more detailed than my Twitter, updated regularly unlike my MySpace, not forgotten like my Bebo and will contain links to my Flickr, YouTube, Last.FM etc...

So then... what to write?