Art Lab: Useful workshops

Jasmine Walsh IVM

​Art Lab: Today at Apple with Alva Skog








































A group of DPS students from the 0602 collective and third year IVM (illustration and visual media) students decided to go along to a talk at Apple Convent Garden by Alva Skog to learn more about her style, process and how she’s grown from graduating last year, to now being featured in The Guardian and Apple. Alva Skog is a Swedish illustrator based in London, UK with a BA in graphic design from Central Saint Martins, UAL.

Whilst she talked us through her process of working on an iPad and with the Procreate app, whilst also showing us time lapses of how she uses a warped sense of perspective, often exaggerating hands and feet to help her illustrate a story or news article. She also explained that whilst her work often includes characters, she personally tries to make these look as gender fluid and diverse as she can, alongside fitting in her clients wants and needs from their briefs. Skog explained that  in her last year of University (CSM Graphic Design) she was questioning more and more what she should do with her career after studying and started to apply for competitions, live briefs and going to more talks. This helped her expand her style, not only by listening to harsh criticism but also by gaining confidence in what works best for her in her own style. 

She then led us through a workshop and encouraged us to draw and experiment in a similar style as her, as she walked around the room giving us advice or teaching us little tips and tricks. At the end of the talk we each showed our work on the screen as people gave advice or words of praise.  As far as workshops and talks go, this is definitely one of the most insightful platforms a few of us have ever been to. Rather than some University workshops and talks that can feel over curated, tense and judgemental towards your work, Skog and the Apple team managed to curate a talk and safe space for artists and art enthusiasts to create and be productive in, all whilst teaching us more about a piece of technology thats becoming more and more highly desired for digital work. A few of us noted that this method of teaching and workshop tutorial was far easier to follow and be creative in then some of our past University experiences with workshops.

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