tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16210679640917888562012-01-27T22:47:03.823ZA Visual CollectionLaura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.comBlogger731100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-13351880704695737292012-01-24T16:32:00.001Z2012-01-24T16:40:47.449Z

It's taken a while to post this, as I have been super busy with work lately, but I just wanted to share these lovely stage graphics that Patrick Wolf had at his November Brighton gig. I have no idea who did them unfortunately... On the upside, it was one of my best gigs to date!

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-28505124459971052782011-08-13T19:50:00.003+01:002011-08-13T19:53:11.536+01:00

Some new street art that has gone up next door in the last few days...

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-81471026716803938092011-07-20T21:19:00.002+01:002011-07-20T21:27:12.064+01:00

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-30256736060044522302011-07-19T16:11:00.006+01:002011-08-13T19:49:39.304+01:00

A couple of weekends ago I treated myself to a screen printing workshop at Print Club London to polish up my printing skills. A day of messy and hands on fun was had by all and I will post up the fruits of the day as soon as possible...

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-68235316789406607022011-07-19T16:01:00.007+01:002011-07-19T22:56:43.891+01:00

Have just ordered a bargain first edition of this incredible looking book about Indian architecture. The black and white photographs from this book that I have seen on other blogs like anambitiousprojectcollapsing.com and butdoesitfloat.com are incredible and could certainly provide rich inspiration for an endless variety of design and creative projects. Can't wait for it to arrive!

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-36831015547095472011-04-06T20:08:00.004+01:002011-04-06T20:13:58.228+01:00

My lovely mother's first solo exhibition in a while... is at the St Dogmaels Gallery near Cardigan in West Wales from April 9th till the 4th June – it is a show featuring new work since she completed her MA two years ago. So if you are in the area check it out!!!

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-66787425359289682502010-10-19T16:53:00.020+01:002010-10-19T17:15:50.464+01:00

So, I took a trip all the way from Pentagram's stomping ground in West London over to the far East and the Anti-Design Festival. After working on the London Design Festival's exhibition graphics and it's V&A map, I was keen to see what the festival's angry little brother was all about...

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-44605899495619574812010-09-20T23:10:00.013+01:002011-07-19T22:59:11.108+01:00

I have been helping out with design for the London Design Festival at the V&A while interning at Pentagram and have had some great experience working with signage and wayfinding graphics amongst other things. So it was exciting for me to see all the LDF work installed and in situ! As part of the festival there are a series of breakfast talks - which, you know, is hard for me being rather fond of

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-7432321452417963592010-09-11T15:02:00.020+01:002010-09-11T15:29:38.642+01:00

Everywhere you go in Japan you encounter everyday objects and items that are just exquisitely designed - coins, tickets, maps, logos, leaflets, buildings, signage... The aesthetic seems different to that of other countries - in terms of style and the way things look, but also in terms of the importance placed on 'designing' the little things in life. Japan really seems to understand the role of

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-79518067714988417322010-09-11T14:58:00.003+01:002010-09-11T16:47:57.440+01:00

This is what I see when I wake up in the morning, open my eyes and look up... perhaps a slightly altered reality.

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-19376355108402146642010-09-11T14:09:00.029+01:002010-09-11T15:02:26.549+01:00

Some of the detail I enjoyed on the constructions in the V&A's Architects Build Small Spaces exhibition. The mini-buildings conjured up a variety of emotions ranging from claustrophobia to cosiness, intrigue to suspense and curiosity to apprehension. Of course, the buildings were very interesting as spaces and architectural works, but I found the details of the pieces the most beautiful - the

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-70983964670245488042010-08-06T17:15:00.005+01:002010-08-06T17:21:38.083+01:00

Four of my Japanese photographs are being exhibited in the St Dogmaels Gallery summer show! If you're in the area (West Wales) check it out! If you're not in the area you can see my photos here.

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-30376029963580617102010-07-06T12:20:00.012+01:002010-09-11T14:47:56.016+01:00

A friend directed me to this online tool created by John Baldessari that lets you put together your own still life - lots of fun! My effort is below... You can try it out here...

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-74655416272449964442010-07-04T22:08:00.005+01:002010-07-24T13:51:06.247+01:00

Fun lettering made out of milk bottles - as seen at Art At Rhosygilwen this Friday...

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-45730451728901997662010-07-04T21:10:00.019+01:002010-07-04T22:45:38.367+01:00

This week I took two days out from country life and got on a train down to London to take part in Futurising... It was actually really useful - more for boosting self-esteem and energy levels than anything else! It was inspiring to be back in London, despite the heat and the dodging of people, and I think it has topped up my attitude batteries and convinced me to be more shameless and more dogged

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-31052444425752680092010-06-17T22:49:00.001+01:002010-06-17T22:49:39.122+01:00

I am very excited to say that three of my Japan photographs have been selected for the Art At exhibition in early July. The three photographs are below, they are:Sky, TsuwanoRaked gravel, KyotoScreen, TakayamaArt At is on the 3rd and 4th of July in Rhosygilwen, Pembrokeshire, West Wales. You can find out more at their website www.artat.org.uk

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-43596327533047885602010-06-17T22:45:00.014+01:002010-06-21T00:53:02.405+01:00

New business cards hot off the press - arrived today in unassuming little boxes... What can I say, I'm a bit more excited than I should be... Anyway, they are kind of also a sneak preview of my new website, which is also on its way!

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-42856548958787658892010-06-17T15:11:00.004+01:002010-06-17T15:16:20.878+01:00

I have just discovered this great photo of the t-shirt I designed for The Guardian's 2009 Hack Day - obviously it wasn't just the lucky Hack Day geeks that got to wear it!!!

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-22797744471382708912010-06-11T14:19:00.007+01:002010-09-12T18:45:13.693+01:00

Having spent a lovely day in Capel Iwan mono printing with friend and local artist Philippa Sibert, I have been developing the prints into something a bit more mixed-media. Here is one of the pieces I have been working on... Click for more info on Philippa's home/art space and work.

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-10346795737779015022010-06-11T13:34:00.004+01:002010-06-21T18:55:45.570+01:00

Coming soon... I intend to upload images of old and new experimental work thatI have done. Watch this space!

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-11283007220631919122010-05-20T23:28:00.005+01:002010-06-03T09:58:31.928+01:00

Vote vote vote! Please. I have designed a poster for Don't Panic's new theme Time. My poster is called Tea Time. I hope you like it! You can vote by clicking here.

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-88696098587247391132010-05-16T16:58:00.001+01:002010-05-16T17:00:48.792+01:00

Head London have designed Hubbub's new website featuring my illustrations! You can see various screengrabs of the website and a photograph of one of Hubbub's vans on the Head London Blog. I also co-worked on the brand identity and logo for Hubbub last summer. The images below are from the Head London Blog...

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-658931115934542382010-04-21T19:31:00.012+01:002010-04-22T00:36:34.930+01:00

Reminiscent of the much-loved Channel 4 idents, this music video is a lovely example of a narrative that pays off a long, seemingly tedious wait with a beautiful surprise. Plus the visuals fit perfectly with the theme of the song... which is always nice. You can watch the video on YouTube.

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-7973701016166293862010-04-19T18:12:00.046+01:002010-04-21T19:22:29.558+01:00

Kyoto is hard work. So much to see. So many crowded buses to navigate. But it is worth it. Yes it is. The millions of temples and shrines plus the real life walking talking Geishas on the street - fantastic. I particularly enjoyed overhearing peoples 'what's the point?' reactions to the classic zen gardens... hmmm. We were lucky enough to behold some blossom - the quintessential Japanese tick in

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-20711856824113084272010-04-19T18:10:00.012+01:002010-05-01T13:07:48.724+01:00

The most amazing spread of Japanese food, and all - would you believe it - vegetarian! The wonderful ladies at Hoshi Ryokan in Tsuwano did us picky eaters proud. And doesn't it just look gorgeous too - the colours and presentation are enough to make your mouth water!

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-56279072790748593312010-04-12T19:02:00.022+01:002010-04-19T18:14:55.407+01:00

Tsuwano feels like the place that time forgot. But we found it, and we will remember it!

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-77766898525857138272010-04-12T18:07:00.025+01:002010-04-19T14:54:04.740+01:00

Hiroshima is an uplifting city. It is extremely hard to stretch your mind around exactly what this city has been though - it is mind boggling. A nuclear bomb was dropped by a B-29 bomber from the United States and hit Hiroshima at 8:15am on the 6th of August 1945. It pretty much incinerated everything. Hundreds of thousands died either immediately or as a result of the bomb. However, the Japanese

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-28435595685800306122010-04-12T15:48:00.036+01:002010-04-19T15:19:14.393+01:00

Takayama is a lovely, sleepy old town. Full of narrow old streets, traditional dark wood houses, second hand shops selling charming blue and white ceramics, sake breweries and interesting little craft museums. But the best thing about Takayama, in my opinion, is Yoshijima House. This house was built in 1907 in a wonderfully restrained and stark Japanese style. It is regularly featured in design

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-62246130189354510642010-04-12T15:10:00.030+01:002010-04-19T15:34:40.251+01:00

So we wanted to see more of the countryside... And to be in it rather than observing it. So we took a short 7km hike between two old countryside towns in the 'wilds' of the Kiso valley. To be honest it was the most civilised 'hike' I have ever been on, with immaculately tended stone and gravel pathways all clearly signposted. So we weren't going to get lost! The scenery along the way veered

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-78358729846346543512010-02-22T07:39:00.009Z2010-02-22T09:44:30.569Z

Mount Fuji didn't hide! Although a little hazy, we saw the majestic mountain... we nipped up another nearby mountain in a cable car and saw Fuji from there, we walked around the lake and saw Fuji from there... we stood on the bridge and saw Fuji from there. We saw Fuji. There was also the most amazing fireworks display ever the night we arrived - truly wonderful - I've never seen fireworks like

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-26911566206329350372010-02-22T07:13:00.039Z2010-04-21T20:53:08.826+01:00

The train out to Yudanaka was great - the scenery of mountains and snow in the hazy sunshine was just lovely. We arrived at our Ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) and to our joy had our first private room since the Keio. It was warm and cozy and very traditional with futon mat beds and a floor table with a foot warming electric heater underneath and blankets! You had to leave your shoes at the

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-45477942512587799652010-02-21T14:00:00.034Z2010-02-22T09:25:29.167Z

Nikko is a delightfully small and frosty town north of Tokyo that contains many UNESCO World Heritage temples. With the snow crunching under our feet we set off to see the sights and found some beautiful buildings with truly gorgeous and colourful architectural detail. The snow lay heavily on tree branches and made the scene look really picture-postcard Japanese. We stayed in a slightly

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-59666248301788819882010-02-21T13:30:00.059Z2010-02-22T12:31:44.427Z

Wow. So I don't really know where to start. Maybe the beginning. Tokyo Tokyo Tokyo - our saviour. The plane touched down and straight away things were oh so different. We stepped off the aeroplane into a calm and sterile environment that could have rivalled a high-tech science lab. A quick inspection of the nearest conveniences confirmed that Japan is in fact the cleanest and sparkliest place on

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-19446562121950119252010-02-21T13:19:00.027Z2010-02-22T08:46:28.884Z

Well we couldn't very well leave India without Ben seeing the legendary Taj Mahal, although from the look of the photo below you would think it was a bit of a tiresome monstrosity! We made a last minute and rather reluctant and weary journey to Agra from Delhi, arriving in the late evening and getting up at dawn to try and see the Taj Mahal at sunrise (sadly we were beaten by the Taj staff who

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-42466827024734899462010-02-21T12:47:00.032Z2010-02-21T13:19:33.471Z

So after a flight from Delhi in which Benj suffered with fever and much discomfort we arrived at Bagdogra airport and went to nearby Siliguri to await our appointment with the Darjeeling Toy Train the next morning. Siliguri was dull and pretty much just a frenetic and dusty transport hub devoid of interest or character (woah that was harsh). So you can imagine we were a bit fed up, when sitting

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-22874148376815122152010-02-02T14:17:00.051Z2010-02-21T12:34:39.542Z

The solidifying of a slightly bleak period in our Indian odessey began in Varanasi... I had been unwell in Kerala and was feeling run down and tired and Ben had developed a rather dodgy tummy towards the end of Kerala too. So after our lengthy nightmare journey to Varanasi on the coldest of cold Delhi platforms and a fab fun-filled night out at the wedding - we were, to say the least, feeling

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-79700418202420291432010-02-01T09:40:00.046Z2010-02-22T06:48:05.474Z

A Punjabi wedding... what can I say? Notoriously the most entertaining, colourful, epic and fun-filled of all Indian weddings! Bhangra dancing till the wee hours. Mountains of the yummiest food. The opportunity to dress up in traditional attire. We had the best time. And we owe it all to the lovely lovely Singh family who were so welcoming and warm to us. Thank you!

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-47927798183448525682010-01-31T16:40:00.062Z2010-02-21T12:38:34.746Z

So - back to Delhi again! You would think it would be hell having to come back to Delhi - literally many peoples idea of hell on earth - but no, it actually felt like a bit of a homecoming. To start with it was cold. Very cold. And arriving from the sweltering 35 degrees heat of the South it was quite welcome really and much more like what we're used to in the UK at this time of year. Also, the

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-13914679171554613072010-01-31T15:05:00.029Z2010-02-04T12:19:48.813Z

The Keralan backwaters absolutely live up to their reputation - I can't describe them well enough to do them justice really, so I will let the pictures do the talking... The only thing I will say, is that the photos just can't get across just how quiet and peaceful it is floating along in a little shikara boat, listening to the splish splosh of the oars, the rustling of the palm leaves above and

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-90693233530934587342010-01-20T09:29:00.047Z2010-02-21T12:47:07.248Z

And so our last stop in Kerala before we fly back to Delhi - Trivandrum is down almost right at the bottom tip of India and is a steamy hot and bustling no-nonsense town. We spent most of our time continuing the healing of our sunburnt skin, shopping for jeans (so that we don't look like total scruff-ball hippy travellers when we arrive in Tokyo), eating, and seeing a few of the local sights like

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-44816807613613491812010-01-20T09:22:00.005Z2010-01-20T09:29:37.140Z

I'm afraid I can't give Varkala a very good write up. On arrival I developed a bad cold and then just as this ailment was waning, me and Ben took to the beach for a spot of sunbathing and became incredibly sunburnt thanks to the fake sunscreen we had been sold in Palolem - top tip don't touch Banana Boat sun cream with a barge pole. So the next few days were spent holed up in our hotel room

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-24811965545632261002010-01-20T09:05:00.031Z2010-02-04T11:45:41.317Z

Our first stop in Kerala, Cochin was a little more touristy than we would normally like. It felt to me a little like someone had picked up a quaint Kent village and plopped it down in India... the place was full of middle class holiday-makers, shops selling 'Madam, I saw you coming' overpriced trinkets and cute tea and coffee shops. Having said this, it was certainly not an unpleasant little town

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-91905868956993084302010-01-11T12:15:00.017Z2010-01-19T12:52:19.185Z

Such a strange place - a discarded place which used to be the biggest trading city in the area, 'influenced' by the Portuguese into becoming a largely Christian state and so full to the brim with churches, chapels and cathedrals! Now that is all there is - the religious remains of what once was. Nonetheless, most of the churches and cathedrals are still in use and well maintained. Partly as a

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-8409028800404315242010-01-11T11:33:00.022Z2010-01-19T12:41:49.422Z

Panaji is a lovely capital city. All laid-back Portuguese/Indian charm and Mediterranean feeling streets. And at Christmas the Christian state of Goa's first city really comes into its own sparkling with fairy lights, brightly coloured paper stars, Nativity scenes, lit-up white churches against black starry skies, merry families out walking the streets and the mellow sounds of old fashioned

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-15700408278470506612010-01-11T10:59:00.021Z2010-01-19T12:34:04.799Z

Ah beautiful, relaxed Goa. Not so much the cheesy, hippy hang-out it's often made out to be (unless you want it to be), but a slow-paced, calm and sunny retreat away from India and the world. Sun, sea and sand are just the start! After a false start in a crummy Palolem hotel we found ourselves a beach front home in a bamboo hut about 10 metres from the Arabian sea (the yellow hut in the centre).

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-48472951485377520612010-01-11T10:40:00.021Z2010-01-19T12:27:31.368Z

Cosmopolitan, frenetic, modern, high-energy Mumbai. What a welcome. After a six hour commuter train from Aurangabad, we dragged ourselves over to notorious travellers' hang-out Leopold's for some lunch and a rest. And then something so unlikely happened. Those of you who have read Shantaram will know Leopold's as the cafe where much of the book is set and where Lin the main character spends a lot

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-8566452809335352222010-01-11T10:16:00.020Z2010-01-19T12:10:45.031Z

The Ajanta caves are another great place of wonder in India - making me think of the confused and mysterious happenings in E.M. Forster's 'A Passage to India'. Because of this they will always to me represent the exotic differences and difficulties between India and the West. Howevere, that's my personal reaction and the caves' are Buddhist representations. The religious art here was carved and

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-9170618567156519602009-12-22T17:50:00.041Z2010-01-19T11:55:00.217Z

Mandu's location is high up in the Vindhya mountains and atop a plateau. On the edge of this plateau sits Rupmati's Pavillion, a wonderful retreat built by the Muslim Sultan to entice the Hindu beautiful shepherdess and singer Rupmati - who he had fallen in love with - to be his wife and live in Mandu. Rupmati was from the plains down below the plateau and loved the river Narmada which flowed

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-1994317127071065472009-12-22T17:34:00.025Z2010-01-19T11:41:24.602Z

Mandu! A place I have been waiting to visit for such a long time. My hopes were high - and far exceeded. A tiny village deep in the central Indian countryside and approached via dismal and polluted Indore (so you have to pay a price to get here), Mandu is brimming with incredible ancient Afghan architecture. It is unique place. The village itself is a small, bustling community - as yet unspoilt

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-73493332788690848462009-12-22T17:17:00.021Z2010-01-19T11:22:22.450Z

It was also in Ahmedabad that we met Cam and Dennis, a couple from near Portland, Oregon - which was great - and together we visited Adalaj Vav stepwell and the incredible Modhera Sun Temple. Adalaj Vav was a brighter, golden coloured and more impressive well than Dada Hari Wav, but somehow it lacked the atmosphere and intrigue that I had loved so much in the less visited well. However, the

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-1347786781731271462009-12-22T17:01:00.025Z2010-01-19T11:13:04.414Z

Perhaps my favourite place in India so far - Ahmedabad - or Amdebad as the Indian's say - is an attractive, interesting and very Indian city, complete with all the annoyances and problems of a typical Indian city, but somehow more appealing than most. Things in Gujarat seem a little more prosperous and forward-thinking than many places in India. Infrastructure seems to be in a better condition

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-26299357733849042372009-12-22T16:48:00.017Z2010-01-19T10:59:45.897Z

So Udaipur... Perhaps the most relaxing and beautiful city in Rajasthan, known for being romantic and for starring in Octopussy alongside Sir Roger. It was wedding season while we were there, so we were spared a lovely boat ride on the lake by some very rich Mumbai-ites who had decided to rent out practically the whole of Udaipur including the City Palace to marry their precious children off. We

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-32030746720838657072009-12-22T16:28:00.014Z2010-01-12T09:50:53.083Z

Ok, so I'm not very good at keeping up with this blogging malarky am I? No. And so much time and action has passed that it's all a bit of a blur, so I will keep things short from here on in (unless I have lots to say in which case I won't) and just jot a few general impressions :-) I'm sure no one's actually out there reading this crap anyway, so what the hell!Ranakpur - Jain temples. Huge. Epic.

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-19846186339126068262009-12-21T15:50:00.040Z2009-12-25T14:24:02.007Z

Jodhpur - a joy as always - didn't fail to lighten our spirits after our strange few days in Bikaner. We arrived at our deliciously clean and gorgeous hotel to see the sunny, bright, blue, cubist-looking buildings of the city us as we gazed down from the terrace outside our bedroom door. Behind us rose the imposing mass of Mehrangarh Fort. It was election time in Rajasthan and everywhere the

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-47127729479951821872009-12-21T15:40:00.007Z2009-12-24T17:06:36.990Z

I don't have much to say about the rat temple... it was something I can say I have done. However, I cannot say I really enjoyed walking around in my socks amongst rat and pigeon poo and mangy diseased-looking rats (some of whom were quite clearly dead)... However, whilst feeling slightly queasy at the state of the vermin infested temple, I did manage to get a nice shot of a little boy, so hey, it

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-31119949472332663262009-12-21T15:23:00.039Z2009-12-24T17:03:21.933Z

Bikaner was a strange and surreal experience to say the least! We arrived in the desert to dark skies and drizzle at 4am - and were met by Gouri our guest house owner and later-to-be guide. Once at Gouri's tall, narrow and dark town house in narrow red/dirt coloured streets we were sat down and given obligatory chai and chat... yes this was about 4:30am and the sun hadn't even risen yet! After a

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-80022506823355394182009-11-12T10:17:00.015Z2009-11-28T11:30:13.022Z

So Jaipur seems like so long ago now. I had wondered if I'd be able to keep up with a regular blog... Hmmm. Anyway, we saw some great sights and met some lovely people during our stay in the Pink City of Rajasthan. The typical tourist sights of Jaipur include Hawa Mahal, City Palace, Jantar Mantar, Amber Fort... and we saw all these plus the Royal Cenotaphs which were lovely. Although Jaipur is a

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-36878028538339079892009-11-12T10:12:00.008Z2009-11-28T11:18:10.150Z

One of my favourite places ever, the Golden Temple is spectacular, serene and totally wonderful. Words can't really do it justice...

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-58238715088083138802009-11-12T10:06:00.009Z2009-11-12T10:40:09.211Z

After surviving a Harry Potter-style night bus journey down through the foothills of the Himalayas and into the plains of the Punjab - watching night turn into dawn and then into the smog of the day, we arrived in Amritsar. Tired and aching from the bone-jangling ride we found that the hotel we had booked was less than desirable so headed off in search of something better for our buck. Amritsar

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-50923324972006574842009-10-22T11:11:00.030+01:002009-11-04T07:14:18.798Z

We have been in the Himalayan mountains, in the small town of McLeod Ganj, for a couple of weeks now. It is truly beautiful up here; clear air, snowy peaks, alpine covered mountain ridges and the maroon and orange robes of Tibetan monks dotted around. The Buddhist influence is everywhere as the town really only blossomed after the Dalai Lama came here to live in exile from Tibet. So this means

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-54178830506582226372009-10-22T10:47:00.017+01:002009-11-01T12:17:16.550Z

And so we left the chaos, filth, actual bodily molestations (not quite as bad as it sounds) and general craziness of New Delhi for the relative order and calm of Chandigarh. And we were not disappointed. Chandigarh is a relatively new city, built in a grid system designed by renowned architect Le Corbusier - which is one of the main reasons to visit the place. Le Corbusier also designed some of

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-34871592506404200572009-10-18T11:28:00.017+01:002009-11-01T12:39:28.856Z

And we arrive - in Delhi - with a mild terror brewing in our stomachs and an apprehension of what awaits us around the metaphorical corner. Delhi does not disappoint in living up to its reputation of dirt, hassle, heat, exhaustion, incessant noise and assaulting smells. However, it also has a lot to offer and we managed to stay healthy and happy enough to brave the city and discover some of its

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-11773301347066986052009-10-02T17:28:00.004+01:002009-10-02T17:34:10.342+01:00

Julian Casablancas' new album is exciting me greatly - can't wait to hear more than the first single 11th Dimension which is great. Love the artwork and this video too!

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-25127250903643253202009-09-24T19:14:00.007+01:002010-04-22T00:39:02.564+01:00

After a lot of hard slog I have finally finished lauraheeks.com!!! I've designed this website to showcase my work - a kind of online portfolio. Everything on it was designed (AND BUILT!) by my own fair hand in Dreamweaver. I haven't had a chance to test it outside of Safari - so let me know if it looks poor in/on other browsers/screens. I may not make any improvements for a while because of the

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-51790282631858427252009-09-14T14:05:00.016+01:002010-04-22T00:40:18.448+01:00

Of course I am biased, but I really like the work my Mum is finishing off for her MA exhibition at the moment. Her work is based around stripes, but also includes folded pieces and work displayed in drawers! She might not agree, but some of it makes me think of oriental art - origami, slatted wood, wind chimes, bright reds and yellows next to muted greys, blacks and off whites... The exhibition

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-61016642639866988642009-09-10T17:26:00.006+01:002009-09-10T17:39:03.897+01:00

For my Mum's birthday last month I bought her a book called The Reader. However, it was not just any copy of The Reader - it was a special limited edition designed by Fallon. There are nine books included in the this lovely collection of classic literature - and I love the thick coarse cardboard cover which has die cut shapes that show through to the specially designed end-papers underneath...

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-53067984971326764242009-09-02T20:11:00.001+01:002009-09-02T21:30:31.972+01:00

Welcome to my 'The Things I See' blog! I have set up this blog so that I can record my daily observations, share my inspirations and showcase my work every now and then. The founding of the blog also conveniently coincides with my imminent departure off on an adventure around India and the Far East! So check back in for plenty of travel news. Feel free to leave me feedback if you so desire - it

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-33920841980606405072009-09-02T17:37:00.007+01:002010-05-16T17:01:24.080+01:00

Some illustrations I was asked to do for the branding of a local food delivery service in Islington. Some of the illustrations will be used on company materials and the sides of vans...

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-41747155973591531982009-09-02T17:26:00.000+01:002009-09-02T17:39:58.963+01:00

Another illustration I did whilst at GQ - also published in the August issue. It was for an article about the media coverage of the political situation in Burma...

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-73332891148123166382009-09-02T17:22:00.000+01:002009-09-02T17:41:02.865+01:00

Whilst on internship at GQ Magazine I did this illustration for an article on Ibiza back in the day. It was published in the August edition of the magazine...

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-62016744997358216172009-09-02T17:13:00.000+01:002009-09-02T17:42:07.367+01:00

Plastique Magazine were looking for visuals to use with an article they were doing on monograms. I submitted this - it is the initials of their tagline Explosive Fashion...

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-5310232855173296092009-09-02T17:11:00.000+01:002009-09-02T17:44:52.715+01:00

I entered and won a competition to design the logo for a new Latin American dance company La Divata. Here is the finished logo...

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621067964091788856.post-4263182324419713032009-09-02T16:45:00.000+01:002009-09-02T17:55:10.096+01:00

Muslim Aid asked me to design a poster for their fundraising Snowdon Trek...

Laura Heekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17797551583400252665noreply@blogger.com0