Studio 7: Blood and Oil

Studio philosophy

Inscribing the self and/ into the city

'Blood and Oil' is the title of the sixth chapter of Ian Sinclair's book London Orbital. Sinclair is the well established scribe of and for London. As a modern day psychogeographer, Sinclair writes about both himself and the city, the contemporary and the historical, what is concrete and material and what is memory or disappeared.

In borrowing this title, the studio 'Blood and Oil' asks you to engage with the city of London, through your own subjective belonging(s) in the city to create and construct a portfolio of visual and textual narratives and identities for and in the city.

You will draw upon: your subjective immersion in the city and everyday experiences, objective research: the complex of historical and contemporary texts, images (still and moving), sounds and experiences about/of and in London.

Research methods will be interdisciplinary, including, for example, drawing on design research (reflective practice, visual research, site studies), visual culture studies (text and image reading), art and design history (archival research, object analysis), cultural studies (critical theory, literary analysis, psychogeography) and social science (ethnographic research).

Projects

  • diarising of a 24-hour city experience (repeated, iterative)
  • London's nightscape
  • alternative souvenirs
  • stories that places and people tell
  • critical design: 'rethinking the city'

The studio will develop the analytical, strategic and creative thinking processes together with the skills related to creative identity and positioning of your own and others creative practice.

You will have the opportunity to focus a wide range of outcomes in print, web and e-media.

The studio will work with a number of live clients, including working for and with The Cass School of Design, promoting and exhibiting creative practitioners and collectives within the School.

Workshops will support the full range of graphic and illustrative media and methods required to enable this studio, including:

  • typography design and layout
  • drawing and realisation
  • letterpress
  • printmaking
  • software training: Adobe Indesign, Flash, Premier and Photoshop
  • Laser 3D

Visits to a variety of places, sites and institutions will inform your research and practice, including design agencies, publishing houses, illustrator studios, and London's museums, galleries, and key libraries. 

Study trips destinations include: Berlin and New York. The studio will also participate in the 'In The Valley' school-wide project.

Posters listing positive words such as Exuberant, Magnificent and Distinctive in different typefaces

Details

Course Graphic Design MA
Illustration MA
Tutor Dr Dipti Bhagat
Bruce Ingman
Tom Wilson
Where MA Studio 7, fourth floor, Commercial Road
When Mondays, Thursdays

Haley Doolittle
Sally Finning
Catia Jesus
Sofia Neves
Haneih Shojaeibaghini
Beth Whitmore