Croatoan Design

Freelance design, illustration and photography in Cardiff, Wales. I post my new work here. www.croatoandesign.co.uk

[croatoandesign]

Last month I illustrated a feature on Deptford Goth for the final issue of Zero Core magazine. I was really happy with the finished result so decided to make some prints. I thought it would be cool to make another version to go with it, and here they are! They've turned out great on matte card. 

The prints are available to order now from my Big Cartel store, individually or as a set. 

[croatoandesign]

Here's a Welsh language alphabet print that I recently designed for Ti a Dy Deip! We went for a bright modern look with lots of different animals, people and objects. It was a lot of fun making a different illustration for each letter, even if the personal pronouns were bit of a challenge!

The print is now on sale over on the TADD website.

[croatoandesign]

I designed this cover for the cassette release of Strong Enough by Prides and Lauren Aquilina. The song gets a tape release on Kissability for Cassette Store Day on 27 September - more info on this and the label's other CSD releases here.

[croatoandesign]

Here's the poster I made for the Darkened Rooms screening of the The Fly in Techniquest in Cardiff Bay! Darkened Rooms and Chapter are teaming up on Saturday 4 October to show the Cronenberg classic as part of the BFI's brilliant Sci Fi season.

Huge thanks to Tom Betts for asking me to make a poster for another of my favourite films and for putting on these brilliant events - can't wait for this!  

Tickets are available here and you can buy an A3 print of the poster if you so desire here.

[croatoandesign]

I recently designed a range of display materials for Swansea University for their stand at the National Eisteddfod. These display walls contained six information panels that detailed the past, present and future of the University for prospective students, as well as info on the University's research projects. This was a great large-scale project to work on, creating vector graphic icons to clearly illustrate the different sections. 

[croatoandesign]

Waaaaaay back in 2011 I designed the cover and packaging for Fanatical Love, the debut album from Cardiff heroes KUTOSIS. I'm really pleased to say they invited me back for album number two, Dream it Away. 

Working with the band, I took inspiration from the new album's fuzzed-out summer sounds and films like Dogtown and Z-Boys to put together a surf-tacular range of artwork for the LP and accompanying singles, as well as a screen print and tee to support the record's release. 

This week I got to see the the whole package in physical form for the first time and I couldn't be happier - Jude from the Printhaus in Cardiff has done such a great job on the screen prints, and it's so exciting to have finally designed a 12" sleeve.

Dream it Away is released 30 June by Jealous Lovers Club and is available to pre-order on 12" or digital download now from https://kutosis.bandcamp.com/ - the first 50 orders get the limited edition screen print, so get your skates on!

The band are launching the album with a gig at Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff, on Thursday 3 July. See you there! 

[croatoandesign]

Wow it's been so long since I posted anything here! Busy busy on lots of big exciting projects that I can announce soon! 

I did manage to fit in a bit of poster design though - I always love making posters. Especially when they're roller derby posters, and super-especially when there's a movie theme too!

The Fresh and The Furious is an awesome one-day competition for fresh meat held by the GTA Rollergirls in Toronto, and the first derby event that I went to when I lived over there in 2012. So it's pretty cool that I got to make the poster for this year's tournament!

Big thanks to Ginger for getting in touch - love that I can still make artwork for GTAR from the other side of the world! 

[croatoandesign]

Tiger Bay Brawlers hosted a roller derby double-header yesterday at Talybont Sports Hall - as well as TBB's own B team taking on Newcastle Roller Girls, there was also a chance to see a men's bout between South Wales Silures and Tyne and Fear.

Both bouts were incredibly entertaining and hard fought - I enjoyed my the physicality of my first men's bout, and the TBB v NRG face-off was brilliant, with the crowd really getting into it. Then it was off to the after party (at my old student pub) for pool-cue limbo dancing and push up challenges...

[croatoandesign]

I have a few really nice A3 prints of my Nosferatu / Bride of Frankenstein and Dracula Darkened Rooms posters for sale for £12 each plus p&p - if you went to these amazing screenings and want a little keepsake drop me a line at [email protected] - thanks to Peter Richards for sending me this photo of his print in some great company in his monster room!

[croatoandesign]

I spent this last weekend in London, and while I was there I went along to Defend the Palace, where Glasgow Roller Derby took on LRG Brawl Saints before Tiger Bay Brawlers faced off against LRG Brawling. It was an incredible afternoon of derby - the atmosphere at Crystal Palace was just brilliant, and the action in the second bout was so intense! Great to see so many Cardiff people in the big smoke to show their support. 

You can see the full set from the Brawlers bout on Facebook here and Flickr here, and the Glasgow bout here and here.

[croatoandesign]

I designed this poster for the excellent Darkened Rooms screenings that Chapter Arts Centre and Cadw are putting on in two castles in South Wales in February.

I had a lot of fun combining two of my favourite movies into one quad poster design. Looks really cool in the lightbox at Chapter too, even next to Meryl Streep! 

More information on the Facebook page here.

[croatoandesign]

Whoo! Zero Core, the magazine I design, was featured in this Observer article on music magazines today - really proud to see it looking so good in such excellent company! 

Issue 8 is coming your way in February - keep your eyes peeled for more lovely-smelling printed awesomeness! 

[croatoandesign]

Happy new year! First 2014 tumbling honours go to this poster I made for a Red Medicine gig at Clwb Ifor Bach in April.

Taking a load of great bands that begin with H, they've put together an excellent night of RAWK, with Hotel Wrecking City Traders, Heavy Petting Zoo and Howl. So good even the devil would throw the horns.

More info on the Facebook event page here.

[croatoandesign]

Tiger Bay Brawlers vs Helsinki Roller Derby at Talybont Sports Village, Cardiff on 7 December 2013.

On Saturday Tiger Bay Brawlers played host to Helsinki Roller Derby, in an awesome derby double header where both TBB and HRD A and B teams went head to head. 

Tiger Bay beat Helsinki by the narrowest of margins in the 2013: A Skate Odyssey tournament back in May so there was a really fun rematch vibe to the night. Both bouts were really impressive nail-biters, with TBB B team and HRD A team taking the wins. 

See the full set on Facebook here or on Flickr here.

[croatoandesign]

Wondering what to get that 'special' decomposing loved one for Christmas this year? My 'Misfit Love' print is available from my web store!

[croatoandesign]

Christmas shopping for your favourite Cardiffian? The non-limited version of my Hometown Cardiff print is available from my web store! 

[croatoandesign]

Poster design for Life in Cold Climates at Gwdihw on 19 December 2013.

The photograph features DB MacMillan, or 'Captain Mac', arctic explorer and author of 'Four Years in the Frozen North' looking pretty snug.

More info on the Red Medicine Promotions Facebook page.

ALSO, if you're at a loose end in Cardiff this saturday, Red Medicine have a stage at Undertone as part of Cardiff Mind Fest, featuring the excellent Heavy Petting Zoo and the mighty Gindrinker. It's all for a good cause, raising awareness of mental health issues and money for Cardiff Mind, so get to it!