Varoom 32 – The New Issue

Illustration, Culture, Society

Winter 2016

Cover image by Marshmallow Laser Feast

Photograph by Luca Marziale

Purchase here

Covering social media for illustrators, what the new canon (influences, directions) for illustration could be, virtual reality through the eyes of a dragonfly, a children’s book made of cards, an educational cat in space app and a visual investigation of a long submerged Essex village, Varoom 32 lives up to it’s theme of The New.

Featured in this issue:

The New Social

Derek Brazell gets expert insight from six illustrators prominent on various social media platforms. Sarah McIntyre, Ping Zhu, Frannerd, Holly Exley and duo Cachetejack, reveal the gains, the frustrations and contrasting takes on selfies.

New Formats New Stories

As illustrators seek to exploit the possibilities of new media tech for their work, Ben Newman and Minilab studios talk through the central issues of collaboration, storytelling and avoiding lazy clichés in transferring print to digital books.

The New Canon

Varoom asks leading thinkers and makers of illustration to identify 5 key works that could set down a new canon for how illustrators engage with the world, discussing the possibilities of animation, virtual reality and the concept of social media as an illustrative space.

Motion

Shane Walter discusses Virtual Reality with Marshmallow Laser Feast, delivering an exciting insight into MLFs project, In the Eyes of The Animal, which uses VR as the ultimate visual storytelling device to reveal the world beyond human senses.

Teh Nw

Darryl Clifton and Rachel Gannon explore how illustration itself can be used to see illustration differently. Their group show Mut Mut features, acting as a platform to find new ways of seeing illustration and respond to the ‘new’.

Also in this issue:

Paul Davis tackles the conundrum that is the ‘new’. Bridget Marzo introduces Paris based Les Trois Ourses (The Three Bears) and their latest book, Aller-Retour by Katsumi Komagata. Martin Colyer speaks to Ali Fitzgerald, illustrator and cartoonist, giving Varoom an insight into the world of Hungover Bear and Friends, a comic that follows an ordinary bear, that we could all probably relate to. John O’Reilly talks with Peter Nencini about his collaboration with design agency Europa. The project explores identity and the notions of boundaries, addressing the refugee crisis, the challenges of volunteering, and the effect it has on community identity. Marian Bantjes’ centre spread is a visual feast. Line, texture, shape and typography merge together, creating a visually playful message.

Varoom 32 is available from good book stores and the AOI Shop. 64 pages of great images and insightful comment. Discover The New.