The Ben Tallon Dirt Sheet

Where were we, where was I and Where to from here?

2011-03-27T12:13:00.000-07:00

So it's been almost a year since I last blogged on the Dirt Sheet. Traveling does that to you. Leaving our little Island with my entire belongings in two bags my head was swimming with innovative ways to chronicle my adventure. As it goes, the only way this happened aside from the old camera was in my head. Suits me fine as the memories I have will be stored forever and the inspiration that jumped right in me was amazing.

I could sit here and bore you stupid with tales that thrill me but will leave you in that state of conversation where you never really listen, just wait for the next break to share your own story where I Replicate and continue the cycle. But instead I've been channeling the sensory overload of New Zealand road tripping into my creative projects. Illustration remains the core of my endeavors but branching out is the focus for me in 2011.It's a small world and this was driven home when I was still working for my UK clients, but you often need to be in the right place at the right time and as glorious as the internet is for our business, I missed the buzz of the city and the doors that open from being where it's simply happening. You can interact with people but the face to face meeting with a fellow creative must not be underestimated.

So a month back in the UK and I'm going to be working on a feature film that's just started shooting in Manchester. Poster design and art direction. An opening that really gets me buzzing, film is a chief inspiration that gets me going. I think it's important to challenge the traditional boundaries of your discipline if you want to make an impact. I guess it comes down to desire and ambition. A book project is also in the making, a film documentary road trip to Serbia's EXIT festival. But amongst all these things I've been making a lot of time for the bigger picture- Charity work. Certain parts of the world have been fucking hammered of late by mother nature and it's time for us creative souls to stand up and be counted. Work produced for UNICEF, The British Red Cross and Luv TKYO exhibition have all bee enjoyable and hugely rewarding knowing that they'll be helping those that need it the most. See below for the pieces.

Quenched Unsigned

2010-05-01T08:38:00.000-07:00

Apologies for the age that has passed since my last post but it's been a blur the last couple of months.Sitting here on this nerve wracking Saturday afternoon watching the footie results awaiting what coul be promotion for my belove Leeds. Scratch that. Useless bastards.

Anyway... If someone had told me that I'd be running two businesses about a year and a half ago I may have slapped them. But here we are putting the finishing touches to the launch of Quenched Unsigned. Dan Skerritt and myself have pooled our talents and under our new identity are offering the best unsigned musical talent across the UK and hopefully soon beyond an all round package including reviews, bios and visual identity. Website coming next week at http://quenchedmusic.com

On other fronts a whole host of new work about to hit your eyes in the coming month including a 12.5 meter banner for the new Next flagship store on Bond Street in London, Design Week, Mix Mag and The Guardian among others.

New Interview

2010-01-29T05:36:00.000-08:00

My name is Ben Tallon and I am a media whore. Heaven forbid I should ever get a front cover, I will take the piss. I'm talking Zoolander, paint flying at me, leaping out of bushes full on Vogue shoots. You have to milk these opportunities. But for now I'm delighted to have my first Double Page feature interview in Advanced Photoshop. The kind people from the mag made contact just before Christmas and I jumped at the opportunity. Have a read here at the Dirtsheet. It's been a busy period of late, all good after the New Year lull. Upcoming project working with film makers on a potential world first but we'll save that one for another day...

Refreshed Mind

2010-01-13T10:41:00.000-08:00

The fire is back in the old gut after a much needed three weeks off any kind of design work. I'm sure anyone who's passion is also their job can relate to the same problem of never stopping. Sat up in bed talking to imaginary Art Directors at 4am isn't advisable but unavoidable at times... So an amazing three weeks complete with over indulgence in films and the once a decade treat of beating Manchester United at Old Trafford, simply beautiful. Back in the studio and loving the long days that will lay the foundations of 2010. Dead at the minute but that's January for you... Time to get organized. Regardless of him being a close friend of mine, I believe Danny Allison is about as good as it gets in the design business at the moment. Check out this feature in Computer Arts this month- in my book the best thing he's done so far. Also catch up with his adventure in Australia in his Transit Camper- 'The Whore from 94.' http://dannyallison.co.uk/blog/

Christmas Special

2009-12-25T12:09:00.000-08:00

The first Christmas since 2005 that I haven't been laid up in bed with flu and well worth the wait. Back in Keighley for a few days and a few great catch ups sealed by seeing some nugget over the road fall on his arse in true slapstick style in the snow and the bound back up squaring up to his unseen tormentor. Hilarious. WWE Deluxe Aggression Randy Orton action figure has to sit top of the presents list. Yes I'm 26, yes I have my own business but the thrill of getting a new wrestling figure has never faded! Great to speak to Danny earlier- a close friend currently down under. Check out his blog- a great read at http://www.dannyallison.co.uk/blog

A great little post lunch walk and a few great walks with the old hound Crash produced a few nice wintry photos

Boyhood Dream

2009-12-23T05:26:00.000-08:00

I recently made a boyhood dream reality by doing an interview for the official Leeds United FC glossy magazine. From the age of 6 I've been a massive Leeds fan and if you'd told me at 15 years old, the height of my fanaticism that I'd be interviewed in the magazine I may have wet myself. Once I realized I wouldn't be playing professional football I never thought I'd be appearing in the mag but it's strange how things move in full circles! First my illustrations, now my mug ha ha! What makes it a little sweeter is being on the next page to Kelly Jones from the Stereophonics! At the same time as my fanatic peak I used to listen to Performance and Cocktails- the soundtrack to my early days of chasing girls albeit at Bradford Ice Rink and Shipley swimming pool! Have a read...

2009-12-22T10:19:00.001-08:00

The positive side of snow...

2009-12-22T10:10:00.000-08:00

If you're anything like me and live in England you'll probably share the same views on snow. Immense when it comes down and sticks, up there with toast and sex when you don't have to go anywhere and can just get out with the camera and roam. Fucking diabolical when you have to go anywhere on wheels. Whisper it at a conductor and the entire rail network collapses. The road's just become hostile strips of enemy territory for cars and inevitably you have to sit and watch the poor bastards sat in whichever airport the despondency correspondents for the BBC News could reach with their Christmas melting along with the slush on their wellies. I once had a Norwegian friend who almost lost her mind when she saw how pathetic we were at coping with it. "We just whip out the spikes," she said in amazement. Anyway after returning from Brixton trapped inside a train, trapped inside a hangover off the back of my agent's Christmas party and The Big Issue London staff party (I know people), I managed to upload the snaps I captured along the way. Also check out the classy snowman in the Church yard in Hulme, Manchester.

2009-12-16T06:01:00.000-08:00

Still plenty paint rollers and loose wires knocking around and the meeting room (pictured) could easily be straight from Pan's Labyrinth or Silent Hill! Fear not, it'll be all nice and bright when it's complete but the skeleton of THE place to work in Manchester is well and truly in place.

Return to Openspace

2009-12-16T05:55:00.000-08:00

I cannot put into words how relieved I am to be out my bedroom and back in Openspace and back into the Squared Circle (My own little corner). There's something very soul destroying about waking in the same place you're going to be spending the next 10 hours or so sat at a desk stressing over bloody splash accuracy and colour palettes. Anyway, after clearing a job this morning I found the time to scurry around and take some cheeky photos of the space albeit in it's 7/8 state of completion.

Graft Relief

2009-12-12T12:08:00.000-08:00

After completing a trying four weeks working from my nest I have managed to retain the majority of my marbles. The initial 'one week' that we had to be out for turned into a month but the mezzanine is looking sexy as we speak. We got in there today and got the place hoovered, two coats of varnish and much more and how refreshing it was to graft without the mental niggles of illustration. Footie on the radio, brews aplenty and a omnipotent steak and guinness pie with veggies and chips. Now it's pure bed, hot chocolate, WWE Smackdown chased by Match of the Day. Nice to round up the tiny minds project thanks to the kindness of Ramona Costantine. Ramona sells the Big Issue outside Manchester Central Library and kindly posed for my photographs from which I put together the visual profile on this blog. See my official site HERE for the full set and outline of the project's origin.

What is this job?

2009-12-09T13:15:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure there are many other jobs that involve erratic evenings that involve the following: Updating Blogs and portfolio sites, whilst watching a WWE Wrestling VHS pay per view event from 2000. Checking off a to do list that includes a job for a juggling and fire breathing show whilst eating an entire bar of 70% dark chocolate. Then obeying a random urge to work out in the front room with the weights the previous tenants left behind. Next up, awaiting the return of my flat mate from work to find out who he brought home last night to provide me with a dose of 4am 'Blind Man's Porn.' Yes the wall between our rooms is that thin. Is there any wonder that I wake up thinking such stupid things like 'there's a beaded dragon in my bed.' I wouldn't know the meaning of 'resting one's mind' if it beat me down with a Bratwurst sausage. Oh yeah, new illo too, a portrait of the late German goalkeeper Robert Enke.

Untitled project

2009-12-06T13:20:00.000-08:00

Apologies for my lack of updates of late. I've been consumed by my latest personal project. I've been increasingly irked by people's small mindedness. I am attempting to encourage all you talented creatives to use your skills to help those who need it, the people who have things to say but no voice to say it with. The image is a powerful tool and I think we have a responsibility to help. Anyway, since moving to Hulme, I have been delighted by the community spirit. The local boozer is off the hook. It doesn't matter who you are, what you look like or which way you swing, everybody just gets on. So I have been creating a series of portraits and hand drawn bios. The focus should be on their achievements but the emphasis will be a tongue in cheek reflection on the way small minded people dwell on people's race, sexuality, social standing etc... Tomorrow I am going to head into the city and commission a Big Issue seller to be photographed, tell me their story and feature in the 4th of the series. Watch out on my website they'll soon be up.

Oh my dear Leeds...

2009-11-29T06:01:00.000-08:00

I sit here watching my beloved Leeds United in the FA Cup 3rd round at Kettering Town and every one of our many falls from grace in this competition runs across my nightmare reel. Why I vent here I do not know but I am well and truly in the throes of petrification. Fused to my sofa I beg of you Leeds, just score a fucking goal and put me out of my silly misery.

YDV

2009-11-28T13:22:00.000-08:00

I'm currently planning a big personal project with the aim being to get you fellow creatives to get more involved in socially significant work. I have been working with the brilliant new Social Enterprise Youth Discovery Ventures to help re-brand the product which should soon be going live online. I'm also going to be involved in some of the projects helping the disengaged young people in our society to recognize their talents and showing them the way to furthering them.

Welcome to the Ben Tallon Dirt Sheet

2009-11-28T13:08:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the Ben Tallon Dirt Sheet. It's a Saturday night as I'm creating this, social life has been put on hold for the minute. Over the coming months I shall be banging on about absolutely anything that I feel like sharing. Design, Illustration, Music, hangovers, Sarcastic Fringe Heads, you name it. I shall also be sharing any innovative or relevant design I come across so feel free to fire over anything you feel I may be interested in putting up online. Speaking of links, check out the blog of my close friend and former studio mate from the Snoozing Ken, Danny Allison who has just set out on The Road to Somewhere.