Introducing Season Zero Artwork and Illustration Studio

Season Zero is an art & illustration studio I discovered based in Germany. They've won numerous awards for their artwork in the music industry and produce original, striking designs. I caught up with Matthias to chat about their work. 

1) As musicians yourselves, did you always want to work on artwork within the music industry? 

I started to make music about 14 years ago. Since the bands I've played in always had the ambition to release music it was necessary to have an artwork and cover for our demos. So the first cover artwork I made was for my own bands. By playing live shows and meeting other bands I had the opportunity to do this for other local and underground bands. 10 years ago I began to work by my company name "Season Zero“ and continued to work for bands during my studies. 

Close to my final exams I got a phone call asking me if I would like to do an artwork for Universal Music Germany – it was an amazing opportunity for me to then go freelance after I did my bachelor thesis in Media Design. It was kind of a natural development and I’m thankful that so many bands and musicians gave me their trust, thereby allowing me to build up a portfolio over the years. One thing led to another and major bands and labels joined the ride.

  

2) What project have you been working on recently?

It might seem a bit strange but the last few projects I’ve been working on reflect the way in which I see my job quite well! I was working on the new album of Schwarzer Engel (a german Dark Metal/Gothic band) and for Glasperlenspiel (popular german Pop/Electro duo) – to name a few. Totally different styles, genres and labels – but that’s what makes it so exciting: every project has a different approach in style and feeling . It was always my goal to be able to translate any kind of design to fit the music of a band or musician. I'm working for underground Metal bands, as well as pop acts at the same time – which is cool. Through this I get the chance to venture into all kinds of different styles and artworks!

3) Do you have a preferred style of music to listen to whilst working?

Not really. If I like the music of the artist I’m working for I tend to listen to it while I'm working – but most of the time their music is still in process when I start to work on the designs. Though my musicial roots are rock/metal, nowadays I’m listening to a wide range of music like Folk, Jazz, Electro… for me the genre doesn’t really matter. It’s all about the song itself – either it’s good or not. 

4) Where do you draw inspiration with fonts for logotypes? 

 I’m a huge fan of traditional sign makers. I always try to find a way to see some kind of an image in the word that has to be transformed into a logotype or brand. It’s fascinating how every word bears it’s own potential to work with. Every letter has to be treated uniquely, thus it’s like a design micro- cosmos where every line, space and dimensions matters. 

Discover more of their work here 

Stolen Space Gallery, Whitechapel London

This weekend I visited the Stolen Space Gallery in Whitechapel, London. Based just off Whitechapel High Street, Stolen Space is a gallery showcasing artists which have been labelled as 'Underground Art', 'Street Art and 'Urban Art'. 

I love discovering new artists and galleries and this certainly didn't disappoint. The current exhibition entitled 'Back to Black' by Christian Guemy, aka street artist C215, who has been described as 'France's answer to Banksy, has drawn inspiration from his travels and the work he has produced seeks to reflect upon the experiences he has been met with on his excursions.

There was also exclusive signed copies of The Art of D-Face book 'One Man and his dog' and merchandise in the gallery.

The Gallery.

'Revenge'

 'Sarah'

 'Vanity'

 'Marlen'

'Purple Rain'

'Mask'

For more information visit the website here and on Twitter. It's definitely worth a visit!

Interview with Tattoo Artist Thomas Carli Jarlier of Noire Ink

Whilst browsing Instagram with the usual hashtags, I noticed a tattoo design which really stood out. I clicked on to it and discovered the wonderful Instagram account of London based tattoo artist Thomas Carli Jarlier from Chiswick Tattoo Studio - Noire Ink. Browsing his designs I decided I had to interview him to find out more about his work and the new tattoo studio. Tom kindly agreed to take the time out to have a chat about his work! 

How long have you been tattooing?

I've been tattooing for 6 years now, since the age of 21. I have always been a fan of tattoo art, to the point that I got my full sleeve done as soon as I was old enough. It all started with my passion for drawing since a very young age. My mother is a painter and professor of art, so she was a big influence for my interest in visual arts. For me, drawing and tattooing go hand in hand, you cannot be a good tattooist until you are a good artist. 

When was Noire Ink founded?

Noire ink was founded in September 2013. The idea to open my own tattoo studio had been on the horizon for a couple of years before I actually got to launch it. Thanks to such great tattoo artists such as Stephane Chaudesaigues, Duane Robinson and Paul Naylor, who guided me through the process, I was able to become an independent artist. It has also become possible thanks to support and input of my wife, who is developing the business together with me.

Where do you find inspiration?

On a large scale, inspiration is everywhere! I love seeing the fantastic work of my favourite tattoo artists, like Dimitry Samohin, Oleg Shepelenko (crazy good Russians!), Nikko Hurtado and picking up some of the techniques they use. I absolutely adore Marvel comics, and tattooing its characters if one of the most fun things to do. As for the realism style, the masterpieces by Michelangelo are a great source of inspiration. I also enjoy working in Polka-trash, one of the trends in tattooing nowadays. Its originators Volko Merschky and Simone Pfaff have done some mind-blowing works that really set my brain into the creativity mode..

How many tattoos do you have?

I have lost the count of my tattoos. Lots. There is still some space on my body that I keep for my tattooist friends. I have also done most part of my tattoos myself: I have tattooed my own legs. It is a great way to understand tattooing, before you touch other persons skin!

What music do you like listening to while tattooing?

Music is a massive part of the tattoo process, isn’t it? There should be something that overpowers the buzz of the machine (even though my rotary isn't too noisy)! My current favorite is heavy bluesy funk. It might not be typical of tattoo parlors, but I love working with D’Angelo in the background. Groovy and funky is my choice. I am also a professional drummer (with a degree in that stuff..), so music is among my main inspirations. If I have a long session of tattooing, I can turn on Big Bang Theory series at some point for a change :)

Thank you Tom for such a great interview, I can't wait to see future work! You can find the studio in Acton Lane, Chiswick, and more info on Twitter here and Facebook here