Graduate and lecturer Jasper Goodall has completed a project for the world famous whisky brand.
15 Aug 2013
Dubbed 'the god of illustration' in the German press, Brighton Illustration tutor and graduate Jasper Goodall recently took on the job of re-imaging the world famous Johnnie Walker brand.
Diageo, the company behind the whisky, wanted to re-image the famous striding man logo for its international, Black Label limited edition, working with a range of 'progressive artists and designers.'
In consultation with London advertising agency BBH, Jasper was chosen to work with Diageo and packaging design consultants Lewis Moberly to develop the first in a series of 'artist editions'. Jasper said, “When I was approached to reinterpret the Johnnie Walker Striding Man logo I knew almost straight away what I wanted to do: I recalled a visit to a whisky distillery years ago, and being shown the maturing barrels, ten years old, 12, 16 and so on. The guide told me about how slowly, over time, a small amount of whiskey evaporates and escapes the barrel, and how this is known as the angels' share.
"I thought how great it would be to try to visualise this concept, of spirits slowly rising up to the angels. I also wanted to try to capture the taste of Johnnie Walker Black Label graphically, it's smoothness, softness and golden warmth.”
The branding works over a number of 'tiers', the most exclusive being hand-signed and numbered magnums of Johnnie Walker Black label. The signing required Jasper visiting the bottling plant in Leven, Fife, to become part of the production line for two days.
Jasper Goodall's high-impact illustrative work is based on the rigorous craft and invention he brings to his work, something that is found throughout the community of creative practitioners and researchers at the Faculty of Arts. Following graduation from the University of Brighton in 1995, Jasper was immediately at the forefront of the reinvention and rejuvenation of illustration and helped pave the way for its huge resurgence during the last ten years.
Jasper is now a freelance illustrator with a client list that includes the worlds of music, fashion, advertising, publishing and editorial and exhibits and sells limited edition prints of his work.
As a tutor, he works with final year Illustration undergraduates at the University of Brighton alongside Roderick Mills. Describing his experience of teaching at the Faculty, Jasper says, "The University of Brighton BA(Hons) Illustration degree course is considered by many to be one of the best in the country. The tutors take a very progressive approach to Illustration and the course's student output ranges from traditional drawing-based illustrators, through to film makers, animators and occasionally students who wouldn't look out of place on a conceptual fine art course.
"We try to help students develop a personal voice and a set of skills to enable adaptability later on in life. Primary emphasis is on communication of ideas, often through varied media, to teach the students that strong ideas and clear communication come before developing a technique based style, thus enabling them to have more choices and 'creative mobility' in the workplace.
"I really enjoy teaching, I have realised that the more you teach the more you learn. The act of articulating a concept to another person seems to make your brain work in a particular way, so that you come to understand the subject more and more as you help students over the years. It really is a two-way relationship."
