WHAT EXACTLY IS A SKETCHEL?
A sketchel is a new shoulder satchel concept that houses original, one-off art on flexible canvas panels by leading international artists and designers, and amazing up and coming artists and designers too.

This makes each sketchel a unique art work, while still being a functional product, and the canvas panel is protected behind a thick, clear PVC cover. The sketchel is made of black vinyl, with metal fasteners and rivets, adjustible shoulder strap, and internal pockets.

Sketchel is something very personal, and one of a kind. It is not a mass market or mass produced product at all... but rather, the opposite of that.

No one in the world will have the same sketchel as you.

WHO CAME UP WITH THE IDEA?
Jeremy from Jeremyville and Megan Mair were one day flying to Paris from New York in January 2004. As is their custom, they drew a lot on that flight, and one idea that came from that was sketchel. It has been growing and fine tuning in their heads ever since, and after they finished producing and designing the Vinyl Will Kill! book in mid 2004, they decided to find time to make sketchel a reality. Neil from DESIGN Lab is also involved with the sampling and production of the sketchels, to get them JUST RIGHT.

WHAT'S THE SKETCHEL SHOW?
Sketchel will be launched as an art show during the Semi Permanent design conference in Sydney, March 2005 (at a specific date and venue to be announced). The show is presented by Design is Kinky and Jeremyville, with many amazing supporters (see right)

For those living under a rock for the last few years, Design is Kinky are one of the leading design community websites in the world today, and host the extremely popular Semi Permanent conferences, as well as find time to publish books and magazines, such as the very cool and informative art/design magazine Empty.

CAN I CREATE A SKETCHEL?
Each artist contributing to sketchel has been/is being selected by a core curatorial committee, and is invited to create a design specifically for sketchel, in any medium, from stencil art, graf, illustration, texta, pen, ink, screenprint, applique...These art panels are then made up into sketchels.

The standard of sketchel designs is VERY HIGH, and if you feel you have what it takes, please email me and we'll check out your site!

Please keep in mind, we have had such a huge response to this sketchel concept, that we'll be continuing it after the initial show, so check back and maybe you can contribute later, if you are not selected for this first event...
No worries!

LOGAN HICKS, WORKHORSE
Logan from Workhorse Collective, and sketchel contributor, has been doing some amazing stencil work, check it out, and click below to enlarge.


This design is entitled Union Square.
I reckon something like this would rock on a sketchel.

FIGHTING
Simply brilliant work from sketchel contributors Niall McClelland & Lukas Geronamas of Fighting (Canada). Below is Lukas' leaf work. There's just so much great stuff over at their site, a must to check out. Navigate through the 'art projects' and 'art shows' area for the juicy stuff. If there was a 'website of the day' t-shirt to hand out, this site would get it.

Niall and Robin (www.rocamm.com) also recently had a 10 page spread in Arkitip magazine, september 2004 issue.



LUCY McLAUCHLAN AND MATT WATKINS FROM BEAT13
I first saw Lucy's work in the Pressure skateboard show in Sydney, around 2002, and have followed her work ever since. Great to have Matt and Lucy from Beat13 (UK) doing some sketchels. Can't wait!

Lucy's also done a cover for Lucky mag, painted a Rolls Royce with Matt for Kangol, and appeared in Bambi in Japan. Click on some of Lucy's early work from 2001, below.



ILIA OVECHKIN, OLYMPIC
At 19 years of age, sketchel contributor Ilia Ovechkin from iamolympic.com has already worked for Arkitip, Threadless, Agnes b., and Readymade Magazine. I love his style very much. Memorable images like dracular teeth with braces, and a cool sparseness and restraint thorughout his work. A definite talent to watch.




JON BURGERMAN SKETCHEL
Awesome work by Jon Burgerman, UK uber-doodler and rising star on the international design scene. He's appeared in most of the best group art shows in recent years, and also in books such as Hollywood:The Remix by Wooster Collective, the recent Pictoplasma conference in Germany, and also in Vinyl Will Kill! by Jeremyville, published by IdN. He's a top bloke too. Below is 1 of his 3 designs. Click to enlarge.

DAMION SILVER
I first saw Damion's work at his show at Halcyon in Brooklyn, in early 04, and have had him in mind ever since to collab on something. Happy to announce he's now a sketchel contributor.



He's also involved in the Tsunami Relief Show in NYC @ halcyon the shop

halcyon the shop, Plumnotion and PUMA present HARD TIMES : An Art Show For Tsunami Relief with additional support from theXpo, Vapors Magazine and Tiger Beer.

Where:halcyon the shop. 57 Pearl St., Brooklyn, NY www.halcyonline.com
click below for details!

SUPPORTERS:
See the logos of all the supporters above.

We are happy to have others join up, so if you are in the media, online or press, or have a community site, email me and let me know you're interested! ...and how you'd like to get involved. Thanks!

MORE CONTRIBUTORS:
There's still time to send in your url for the curatorial committee (ie a bunch of loosely connected designers from around the globe) we'll let you know asap. This will be for the SECOND stage of sketchel, as the first stage is all filled up now.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS BY CONTRIBUTORS:
Q: What's the sketchel bag colour?
A: Black vinyl, with a clear, thick, durable PVC cover protecting the art. Art canvas egdes bleed under the seam.

Q: Can I get a sketchel book?
A: We are distributing 2,500 books to the Semi Permanent 2 day pass holders, and with the remaining books we are looking at the distribution of them overseas in VERY selected stores only.

At this stage we can not promise every contributor a book, as we are not sure how much they will weigh yet and what we are up for, for shipping to every corner of the globe.

But all contributors visiting the art show will get a book, and also the SP 2 day pass holders. That's confirmed.

Q: Can I create my art digitally and output to canvas at a bureau?
A: Yes, but please stipulate outdoor, UV resistant inks. This option is for those not able/or comfortable with creating a hand generated design, or due to time constraints. But the majority of designs will be hand created.

Q: What are the exact dimensions of sections "b" and "c", on the specs?
A: Sorry, I should have made this clearer: You can create your design on the WHOLE of the 36 cm wide x 48 cm high canvas. Just be aware that the area that appears on the FRONT of the sketchel is infact the bottom section, indicated as section "a" on specs.

the other areas 'b' and 'c' are only loosely in those areas, nothing too defined, or exact, ie they are not rigidly defined areas, as the flap gently curves around the top of the bag, so there are no hard edges or sections that need to be adhered to!

so basically you can design ALL OVER the 36 cm x 48cm, but just keep in mind the area that appears loosely on the front , and the 1cm all around that is hidden by the seams. That's it.

And keep in mind that section 'c' appears upside down when made into the sketchel. Click on Bob Kronbauer's sketchel (right) to see how he did his.

Q: Can I send my art in a tube?
A: Yes, but don't roll it TOO tightly please!

Q: Can I still send in my URL to be involved in sketchel?
A: Yes, but make it vey soon to leave you enough time to complete it, if you are selected for the project.

SKETCHEL SPECS
If you are a confirmed contributor, here are the specs again in case they did not come through. click.
(may take a short while to open)

AUSTRALIAN RED CROSS
To aid in their tsunami relief efforts,
we are looking at donating a % of sales to the Australian Red Cross, from sales at the sketchel show during Semi Permanent. More details shortly as they get confirmed! Also, in the meantime, feel free to donate to the Australian Red Cross here

FRANMO
Sketchel contributor Francesca Boyd-Barrett (franmo) from the UK but now based in California, has some very kooky-cool, effortlessly gorgeous work over at her site. Great to see her Guinnea pigs getting a guernesey. The music at the site compliments the work really well too. Sounds like she's sampled her guinnea pig sounds.

Here is some work below from her Beautiful Decay appearance. Gee I love this. It would rule on a sketchel!




NEUARMY
Ryan is doing some great work at Neuarmy Check out the analogue work especially. (and click below to enlarge) Neu Army also worked on the very cool The Royal Magazine.




PLUS-THINK
Check out the NIIICE typography at sketchel contributor Dylan R. Mullins at Plus-Think, from Richmond Virginia, (US). Below is 'rough and tumble', which you can buy soon off his site.

SAIMAN CHOW
Hailing from Walnut California, Saiman Chow is one of my favourite designers, and is now in the sketchel project, thanks to the hook up from Dustin at Upso. Gee I could look at this for hours.

SEAN KELLY, SOLOGRAPHIC
Sean from solographic has sent in 2 sneak previews of his sketchels, mocked up, great work Sean. click to enlarge.

SOME NEW DESIGNERS INVOLVED:
Gary Baseman (US)
Tim Biskup (US)
Amy Franceschini, Futurefarmers (US)
The Lazy Dog (FRANCE)
Furi Furi (JAPAN)
Genevieve Gauckler (FRANCE)
Dag Brandsaeter & Hilde Mork (NORWAY)
Ilia Ovechkin, Olympic (US)
Mr Papriko (SWITZ)
Anthony F. Jankovic III (US)
Bwana Spoons, Grasshut Corps/
Pencil Fight magazine (US)
OK101 / Area101 (AUST)
Huffer (NZ)
Strangeco (US)
Derrick Hodgson (CAN)
Toshiki Nakatani (JAPAN)
Jaime Hayon (SPAIN)
Rolitoboy (FRANCE)
Dave Silva (US)
Lifelong Friendship Society (US)
friends with you (US)
Matthew Cassity (US)
Tim Tsui, Da TeamBronx (HK)
Logan Hicks, Workhorse (US)
BigBros Workshop (MALAYSIA)
Niall McClelland, Lukas Geronamas,
Fighting (CAN)
esm-artificial (CAN)
Lucy McLaughlan, Matt Watkins,
Beat 13 (UK)
Franmo (UK/US)
Stephen Lau, eleven18/Popcornfactory (MALAYSIA)
Michael Dawidowicz, Urban Collective (AUST)
Saiman Chow (US)
Matt Ostrom, AD at WYWS (US)
Nadia Hunt (NZ)
Madsteez/ Mr Ween (US)
Damion Silver (US)
Emma Geary, Anarkitty (UK)
Howie Tsui (CAN)
Mimik (UK)

More to be announced soon!!!

(If your name is NOT shown on this page but you have confirmed, don't be alarmed, I'm going to add a FULL list once all submissions are in...VERY SOON! Just remember to send in your details if you have not already). Thanks!

THE SKETCHEL BOOK:
Shaping up well, more details soon!

SKETCHEL T-SHIRT:
We will also produce a special, low run sketchel t-shirt for the event, so:

Any sketchel contributor can send a design(s) in if you've got the vibe/inclination/urge/time... We'll send you a sketchel for your trouble, and 3 of the printed tees! And all the best designs will go into the sketchel book too... And I'll buy you (an imported) beer when you're in Sydney next, or in your town.

Specs:
* 1-2 colours only
* email to me as ai file v9 or lower only
* and also send your design mocked up on the template below
* design appears on a BLACK t-shirt only, nothing too tricky placement wise. Centre chest placement is fine!
* It can be about anything, but the 'sketchel' word should be in there. You can design any font.
* click on the template below.
*Due end of february, or sooner!


Nadia Hunt from New Zealand just sent a t-shirt design in, will post it here soon.

SKETCHEL LOGOS:
Have some inclination to create a sketchel logo? We'll add the best ones to the book, and credit and link you! All it needs to be is in the spirit of sketchel, with a 1 colour version too, and that's basically it.



Rob Cordiner from the Lardo, and sketchel contributor, has come up with an excellent sketchel logo. very atmospheric and subliminal. love it. Almost like a future city skyline.

Keep em coming! I'll add them here and link your site. We'll also put the best ones in the upcoming sketchel book. Here's one from Sean Kelly of solographic



BOB KRONBAUER
Sketchel contributor Bob Kronbauer, who heads one of the coolest indie clothing labels on the planet, Crownfarmer, (now stocked in Colette, Paris) just sent in a working draft of his sketchel design. (below, click to enlarge) NICE!

Also check out Bob's first book too,
Beach Glass, based on his very candid photographic work shot over a 3-year period. Awesome stuff, highly recommended. www.holy-water.co.uk



MATT CASSITY
Sketchel contributor Matt Cassity from Brooklyn, US, has some really awesome work, check it out at www.cassity.us He's also created work for Faesthetic magazine. click below to enlarge.



ESM-ARTIFICIAL
Sketchel contributor Kenn Sakurai from esm-artificial, (Canada) has been one of my favourite designers for quiet some time, and I was stoked to have him on board for sketchel. Kenn sent some recent decks he's done for the Colette/ Comme des Garcons store. click to enlarge. Ultra cool, how do I buy one?

UNGLUE MY LIMB
sketchel contributor Ross Holden from Unglue My Limb, has some really tasty work at his site. The sketchbooks are very candid and unfussed too, like flicking through them while visiting his studio.

MCA, EVIL DESIGN, US
This is either a really cute image, or exhibit A in the pending 'State versus MCA' child labor case.


Awesome work by sketchel contributor MCA. Also check out his fotolog. Gee I love his designs, have for ages.

BTW, He also has out some magnificent Qees by Toy 2r, which are featured in the new column on designer toys, that I am writing with Megan Mair, for IdN magazine. MCA is very prolific and very talented.