Matt (Crav) Craven's Blog

Test Print

Crav — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 12:06:38 +0000

‘Work in progress’ from a New York Times commission last year.

In A Nutshell

Crav — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 18:06:24 +0000

I have some work in the new issue of Nutshell, a stunning pocket-sized image-laden independent literary magazine. Nutshell are launching issue three with live music and poetry at the Servant Jazz Quarters in London on 17th March 2012. Copies should be available soon after.

Read the bloody rules!

Crav — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 00:30:03 +0000

Taking cue from one of my fellow 2011 Norwich BA Illustration graduates, I began working on one this year’s D&AD Student Award briefs. I started it yesterday, everything was going well until just a few hours ago I read the rules…

The rules state, only full or part-time students a recognised FE or HE course may enter – with an exception of ‘new creatives’. These ‘new creatives’ must be under 26 or have finish their course within two years prior to deadline. Fair enough, but I read it again, carefully this time, and ‘new creatives’ can only submit work for the ‘make your mark brief’ – not the student awards…

So this is my embarrassing admission and unfinished entry that would have been submitted if I was on some post-graduate course… maybe.

Why can’t the rules be more like the V&A Student Awards? A word of warning (to myself) – in future read the fucking rules! – and in case your wondering, it’s the fat kid off Super 8.

Another Happy Customer

Crav — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 15:37:39 +0000

Cheers Sonia. Drawings for Summertime wont be available forever… buy it now, while you can! (LINK)

Found this…

Crav — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 15:17:59 +0000

Thumbnails for a narrative I was interested in illustrating – think I was 2008?

Bread

Crav — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:30:51 +0000

This is the first page of a story I’m drawing. Other food-related narratives may emerge…

Where have all the book illustrators gone?

Crav — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:58:30 +0000

This is a really interesting article by Melanie McDonagh for The Independent (20/01/12). I don’t wholly agree with some of the points raised about contemporary illustrator’s inability to draw… however a very good piece about the dearth of illustration in modern adult fiction.

This lull of illustration in modern fiction was one of the reasons why I illustrated Niall Griffiths’ novel Stump at university.

Link: Where have all the book illustrators gone?

Link: Stump Illustrations

Steve’s Dance

Crav — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:32:51 +0000

Can’t remember if he was dancing or play-fighting?

New Page: Stump

Crav — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 03:31:33 +0000

Added a new page to the website, will be fully linked-up soonish. I made these monoprinted illustrations in my final year at Norwich. They’re based on the novel ‘Stump’ by Niall Griffiths.

See here: crav.co.uk/stump.html

The New York Times

Crav — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 19:31:08 +0000

I’m pleased to show my editorial illustration in the Op-Ed section of the Sunday edition of The New York Times. The article written by Sarah Shourd, talks about America’s overuse of solitary confinement and her personal account of 14 months of solitary in an Iranian prison. Read the article.