ALEX VANN DESIGN
  • Home
  • PORTFOLIO
  • About Us
  • ARTICLES
  • CASE STUDIES
  • TESTIMONIALS
  • CONTACT
  • Brochure

CHARLIE AND THE MAGIC PEN : The True story of Charlie Grigg

8/15/2019

3 Comments

 
My good friend the writer and performer Billy Spakemon approached me early in 2018 about an idea he had for a children’s story about Black Country artist Charlie ‘Chas’ Grigg and asked if I would illustrate it.
Picture
Front cover of 'Charlie and The Magic Pen'

About Charlie and 'Our Best Kept Secret'

PictureCharlie Grigg
Chas was a modest family man, living all his life in the Black Country, who quit working full time in a factory to become highly successful comic artist for publishers DC Thomson, working on titles such as The Beano and The Dandy, and drawing characters like Desperate Dan and Korky the Cat. Anyone over a certain age in the UK (including myself) will have grown up reading these comics and they would have brought hours of fun and escape from the real world.

Picture
Charlie as a young boy
Picture
Me, performing a song I wrote about Chas
Picture
Emma Purshouse reading her new work about Chas
Picture
Billy Spakemon (seated) and Chas's son Steve Grigg
​I’d already been involved in a creative project about Chas called ‘Our Best Kept Secret’. A group of fellow Black Country artists, writers and musicians contributed work about Chas for a series of live shows to raise funds to get a blue plaque which was installed at Rood End School where Chas had attended as a boy. Read the article. 
Me, performing at one of the fundraising events for Charlie Grigg's blue plaque
Picture
Charlie Grigg's Blue Plaque at Rood End School, Langely

Dream to reality: Creating the book

​Billy knew I also did graphic design and illustration and so asked if I would illustrate a new story he’d written which tells Chas’s story for a young audience, about 6 years old and up. The message is an important one, that young people CAN feel that if they have a dream (like being a professional artist) then they should follow their dream, put the effort and tenacity in. Of course I said yes and then began the task of bringing Billy’s handwritten script to life. 
Picture
Billy Spakemon's original script
Picture
Chas's comic strip about Rufus Rabbit
Picture
Chas's comic strip about 'Bloop' for the Sunday Mercury newspaper
Picture
My initial scamp drawings of Charlie and the heading of the cover
Picture
Picture
Picture
I began by drawing outlines in pencil, then inked them and combined elements to make the required image. This example shows MY hand(!) drawing one of Chas's actual characters, Bloop (see above).
I then scanned the drawings and coloured them on the computer using Adobe PhotoShop®.
Picture
I did the design of the book too, combining Billy's words with the illustrations to create an engaging story for young people.
It took a lot longer than I originally imagined. I have empathy now for Chas, having to produce drawings for comics for strict deadlines, it’s a lot harder than it looks. I wanted to use a style that resonated with Chas’s own work – bright, colourful and full of wit and charm – and I hope I have done him justice and that people of all ages enjoy the story and images.
The finished book is 48 pages, 210x210mm in size and printed on gloss art paper.  Please Contact me if you’d like a copy @ £5.99 each. Early indications are that the book is selling well.
Picture
A sample spread from 'Charlie and The Magic Pen.'
Picture
Back cover of Charlie and the Magic Pen
Picture
A young person enjoying reading the book

Dementia and Dudley 'Me Myself & I' Support Group

Chas was living with vascular dementia late in life and his son became his primary carer. I met Steve Grigg during my research for the songs I wrote about Charlie for the Our Best Kept Secret show and I got to hold Chas’s original drawings of Korky the Cat and Desperate Dan and lots more. It was one of those moments in life that I will keep with me forever. Chas attended the Dudley dementia support group : Me, Myself and I - for carers and people living with the effects of dementia.
Picture

Chas never let on that he was a world renown artist, it only came out after his passing. It seems that my own life has paralleled Charlie’s. I also left my full time job to follow my dream of becoming a full time designer and art workshop leader. In another, more poignant parallel, my own mother developed dementia and passed away in June 2019. The Dudley Me, Myself and I Group has been a great support to me and my family and on 1st September 2019 myself, my partner and daughter are all taking part in Wolverhampton Half Marathon to raise money for the support group. PLEASE SPONSOR US!
Picture
Click the link to sponsor us!

BOOK LAUNCH SEPTEMBER 21st 2019​

There is a book launch event on 21st September 2019, to coincide with World Alzheimer's Day at Black Country Living Museum of Charlie and the Magic Pen and another, bigger book about the Our Best Kept Secret project - there will be live music, readings,  reminiscences and large screen projections. Some of the proceeds from this event and book sales are going to the ‘Me. Myself and I’ dementia support group. Click here for tickets.
​
Picture
3 Comments

"Support Life" Update: Getting the story of Rich McMahon out there

8/13/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
Picture
I was an artist on the Wolves in Wolves public art project in Wolverhampton in Summer 2017.
I designed and painted 2 5ft tall wolf sculptures: one called 'Old Gold' for Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club featuring facts and figures about the club and one called "Support Life" about suicide prevention and mental well-being in association with University of Wolverhampton.  You can scroll down this page to read an earlier blog post about the ‘Support Life’ wolf.

The workshops that I held with various groups for vulnerable people (see various logos below) led to me reforming my community arts workshops company which you can visit here: Real Arts Workshops.

One of the things that was important to me was that the story behind the wolf was told via the dibond panel attached to the plinth. 
​
Picture
Rich McMahon. Photo (c) Justyna Ptak
​My good friend and previous musical partner Rich McMahon lost his own battle with depression in 2015. We worked together in a musical partnership for a number of years including on his show Beyond Borders touring the village halls around the Midlands and performing an eclectic mix of folk, pop and rock songs, covers and original, telling the story of how music can break down barriers.
Picture
Alex Vann and Rich McMahon. Photo (c) Paul Collins
​When I learnt that Rich had taken his own life it had a profound effect on me. Why didn’t he speak to me about his struggles? I’ve been there myself so I could empathise and maybe avert a disaster but then I never spoke to him about my own issues. So many questions came to me and a terrible feeling of things being left undone. We never wrote a song together, we didn’t do any studio recordings together we had so much more work to do.
Picture
Through the workshops for Support Life I was able to talk with professionals who work in this field and I was able to ask some of my questions. I gradually came to accept that even if Rich had been ready to talk (and he wasn’t) each person is a unique being with their own set of complex issues and my situation is different from his. See below for a list of these agencies with links to the work they do.

When Support Life was installed at University of Wolverhampton early in 2018, I noticed that the information panel wasn’t there. It bothered me that Rich’s name was missing when he’d been so important in the thought process behind the wolf design and painting. So I designed a new information panel and got in touch with the University about getting it installed. David Wedge from the Alumni office was really supportive throughout and I’m pleased to say the panel is now in place on the plinth and I hope people take the time to read about it.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Link to Wolverhampton Suicide Prevention Forum
0 Comments

AVD in the news!

11/27/2018

2 Comments

 
We were over the moon to feature in the newly launched ZERO DEGREES magazine.
You can read the issue here: Zero Degrees Issue One. It features many local Wolverhampton business owners and personalities including Jody Craddock, DJ Janos, Alex Is, Mel Eves and of course me!
Picture
Picture
There was also a feature in Express and Star about a Wolves in Wolves design I did recently for Tettenhall Remembers.
Picture
And I feature on a poster for Future First which is designed to inspire students at my old school! Now called Q3 Academy Tipton. 
Picture
And another Express and Star article is available online. It's about my Support Life Wolves in Wolves design being relocated to Wolverhampton University.
Picture
2 Comments

Designing a 5ft Wolf: #1 SUPPORT LIFE

7/1/2018

1 Comment

 
Alex Vann design for Wolves in Wolves
I was over the moon when I was approached late in 2016 to get involved in the Wolverhampton City Council's public art project 'Wolves in Wolves' as the designer of not one, but TWO of the 30 5ft tall wolf sculptures dotted around the city. (Actually, 3 if you count the miniature Wolves FC one, but more on that in a later article).
I'd admired several similar art projects in previous years: 'The Big Hoot' Owls in Birmingham, the Gorillas of Norwich and of course Liverpool's Superlambananas (and, later on, Penguins) and always thought it would be great to get to design and paint a sculpture such as this, so this is a case of a dream becoming a reality.
​
My brief was to design and paint the suicide prevention and mental-wellbeing wolf. Part is this brief was to hold art workshops with different agencies who deal with people at risk of suicide: P3, Haven, Papyrus : prevention of young suicide and Base 25, to get their ideas about what design should go on the wolf.
NHS 5 ways to wellbeing
NHS: 5 ways to wellbeing which feature in the bright orange jigsaw pieces on my wolf.
​Very early on came the idea of a jigsaw puzzle, which I tried to get away from, feeling it was too much of a visual cliché. However, I kept coming back to: usually a sign of a strong idea. It seemed to facilitate showing lots of viewpoints on the subject of suicide and mental well-being.
 
Also early on I knew that not all the pieces would be in place and actually one of them might be missing.
What was coming out of the workshops was this notion of people feeling disenfranchised and unable to talk about feelings. I thought it was important that the design address that, as well as other issues that came up.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
​Some images from the workshops: Snakes and Ladders, noticing artworks (in this case Mondrian), Home, Family, LGBT ​(the photos are mine, the artwork belongs to the artists)
I was really pleased with the work that was coming out of the workshops and so the next step was to collate all the imagery and start planning the design to go on the wolf.
Alex Vann design for wolf
Initial design, showing ideas and the concept of the missing piece of the jigsaw, to be found on the plinth.
3D Design mock up of wolf
A Mini - Mini Wolf! I made this using modelling clay so that I could picture where everything would go.
Design west midlands
Planning where the pieces should go. They spiral up the body of the wolf, taking the viewer on a journey around it, taking in all the information as they go.
Alex Vann design
Can you spot the "mini-mini" wolf?
graphic design
Starting to put the pieces together.
Alex Vann painting wolf design
The artist at work! Photo © Chloe Minton 2017
Graphic design LGBT Wolverhampton
An important element of the design
Design Wolves in wolves
Close up of the plain jigsaw pieces before detail
Graphic Design Wolverhampton
The final Support Life wolf (plus mini mini wolf, and me) Photo © Chloe Minton 2017
Alex vann design Wolverhampton
Space for a 'missing piece of the jigsaw'
West Midlands design: mental health
The missing piece - which was to be found on the plinth
Support Life Alex Vann
Final studio shot 1 Photo © Chloe Minton 2017
Picture
Final studio shot 2 Photo © Chloe Minton 2017
Watch a video of the final bits of design going on:
The Official bit......
​
The design for this wolf came about following several workshops with different agencies. The jigsaw idea relates to how different aspects of life make up a whole person.


The five ways to mental well-being are picked out in the vibrant orange pieces and other imagery and words are used to support these.
Also shown is the board game ‘Snakes and Ladders’ which refers to how life can be full of ups and downs. The ‘missing piece’ can be found on the plinth.

Alex dedicates this wolf to the memory of his good friend Rich McMahon.

In Wolverhampton, between 2013-2015, 66 people ended their life by suicide. The majority of these 66 were men, a trend which is seen across the country and abroad.

Organisations’ and services across the city of Wolverhampton recognise the importance of taking proactive action to prevent suicide because suicide is preventable. In Wolverhampton, groups have come together to form the Suicide Prevention Stakeholder Forum. Coordinated through the Public Health and Wellbeing Team within the City of Wolverhampton Council, the forum is independently chaired and consists of a range of organisations from statutory, education and third sectors. Together the forum has undertaken a needs assessment on which basis a strategy and an action plan has been formed.

In January 2018 'Support Life' was relocated to Wolverhampton University.
Alex Vann Express and Star
Press coverage of the Support Life wolf being installed at Wolverhampton University
Watch a video about the relocation project:
1 Comment

    Author

     Alex Vann is a true all round creative. As well as owning Alex Vann Design he is the founder of the community arts group: Real Arts Workshops, a portrait artist and a gigging musician.

    Archives

    November 2021
    May 2021
    January 2021
    April 2020
    August 2019
    January 2019
    November 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018

    Categories

    All
    Access To Business
    Advert Design
    Advertising
    Alzheimer's
    Alzheimer's Day
    Anya Gallaccio
    Art
    Banner Stands
    Best Practice
    Billy Spakemon
    Black Country
    Black Country Museum
    Board Games
    Book Design
    Books
    Branding
    Business Cards
    Business Needs During Covid
    Business Stationery
    Cadburys
    Charity
    Charlie Grigg
    Chocolate
    Claes Oldenburg
    Comics
    Corporate Identity
    Covid 19
    Dementia
    Design
    Digital Illustration
    Drawing
    Eating Disorders
    Edward Ruscha
    Fabric Design
    Fliers
    Graphic Design
    Graphics
    Helen Chadwick
    Hints And Tips
    Illustration
    Janine Antoni
    Joseph Beuys
    Large Format
    Leaflets
    Logo Design
    Logos
    Marketing
    Mental Well Being
    Mental Well-being
    Online
    Packaging Design
    Painting
    Paul McCarthy
    Pencil Drawing
    Portrait Art
    Portraits
    Public Art Projects
    Pull Up Banners
    Signage
    Suicide Prevention
    Thesis
    Vascular Dementia
    Vehicle Graphics
    Vehicle Livery
    Video Conferencing
    Vulnerable Adults
    Web Design
    Websites
    Wolverhampton
    Wolverhampton City Council
    Wolverhampton Suicide Prevention Stakeholder Forum
    Wolverhampton University
    Wolves In Wolves
    Workshops

    RSS Feed

    View my profile on LinkedIn
Picture
ALEX VANN DESIGN
​The Studio,
26 Romsey Road,
​Wolverhampton, 
​WV10 6EX

Mob/SMS/WhatsApp: 07762 213885 
E-Mail: [email protected]
What our clients say
It was a pleasure to work with Alex, not only did he bring my ideas to life but he was kind enough to provide me personalised logos to suit different sections of my business and also in different formats (social media friendly etc). I’m so pleased with my logo and the customer service and communication was excellent! Thank you so much!"

Humaira Kayani, Edusen Tuition Limited
READ MORE
Let's get social
Picture
We can sign (level 6 BSL) and welcome enquiries from Deaf customers.

Copyright © 2025 | Privacy and Cookie Policy
  • Home
  • PORTFOLIO
  • About Us
  • ARTICLES
  • CASE STUDIES
  • TESTIMONIALS
  • CONTACT
  • Brochure