Helen Murgatroyd Lecture

I really enjoyed Helen's lecture, I found it to be quite relaxed and felt on board with what she was saying. As I've mentioned before its nice to have visiting lectures by people who are not 'massive' designer's but people we can relate to.

Helen showed us some work she had been producing from her time in uni, from her year out to her time on the MA printing course. Although some of her current work was quite different I found her drawing and printmaking to be some of the nicest illustrations I've seen. Although I didn't quite understand some of the inventions she had made and some of the more 'out there' pieces, I really enjoyed looking at her hand drawn pieces and her web site is full of them!

I liked the way all of her work was experimental and very hand based, something I personally appreciate more. I also found it interesting when she told us that she worked as a post woman for a year in between uni and her MA course. She had the idea that if she was a post woman in the mornings (to pay the rent) she would be able to spend all afternoon on her work. What a brilliant idea!! But although that was the plan it didn't stop her from sketching while on the job!

I really like the linear approach Helen has in her work, and her rough looking sketches look lovely, especially the work she produced for Alice Russell, the album art work and ideas that were made for merchandise on her tour.

I also really liked the illustrations Helen created for the TV show "Vicar Of Dibley". She worked along side 'doodledoo motion' who did the graphics for the show and made the title sequence and stings to introduce each clip. Helen created drawings as backdrops that appeared behind interviewed celebrities, lovely sketches! (Similar to drawings she did as a postwoman, and also mapping out her home, which she showed in the lecture.)

Something I felt comforted by was the fact that Helen had a year out after uni, as she felt like she didn't know what she wanted to do and felt like she hadn't found herself. This was comforting because I myself am a little bit unsure about what I want to do, and as Helen said she valued the time out, and I think that's what I might need. It's something I need to think about, but until then I have lots to do!