Bookshelf: What's on the shelves of fast food lover Lewis Stringer?

We love illustrator Lewis Stringer because he’s unashamedly LOVES fast food. Lewis loves food so much that nearly all of his work is inspired by it, but it’s not really boring food like porridge or potatoes, it’s fun, exciting, greasy food like burgers, hotdogs, pineapples pizzas and steaks. So what does such an artist hold on his shelves apart from Mcdonald’s toys and singing Coke cans? We’re about to find out.

Vitamin D: New Perspectives in Drawing

My girlfriend got me this book for my birthday a few years ago because every time I was at her house I would always look at her copy and she is very precious about her books and I think she knew I would have stolen it sooner or later. It has a very eclectic mix of artists which is always refreshing when looking through a book. What I have to thank the book for is helping me discovering an amazing array of new artists.

Krazy Kids’ Food

A guy at uni told me about this book and I think it is the best £5 I have spent. It reinforces how much I appreciate the world of food packaging. The pocket size book oozes amazing graphics from the 1980’s. If you buy the book it contains a link to a website which is a treasure chest of archived fast food related material. This book helped me through the hump at the end of my 2nd year of my illustration course. The Genius of French Poster Art, Vintage Advertising with Character and _Meet Mr. Product: The Art of the Advertising Character_ are on the “to buy” list.

This is the way to the Moon

This isn’t actually my book so i guess i’d better fess up before he sees this (Cheers George). I love this book because of the fun narrative and the Illustration style used. It is very playful and is something that I like to link back to my own work when I get stuck with piece of work. If I ever get stuck on a piece, the easiest way to “loosen up” is to go location drawing. It is a way for me to not be so precious over a drawing.

Russian Criminal Tattoo Encyclopaedia Volume I

This book is pretty gnarly. This first time i looked through it i couldn’t believe some of things I saw. It is a documentation of a series of 3 volumes that looks at tattoos that were drawn onto Russian inmates. Danzig Baldaev a prison attendant, documented over 3000 tattoos and photographs of the prisoners telling their tales. I’ve had the book for a few years and was lucky enough to go to the Saatchi to see The largest private collection of Russian/Soviet art in the world on show earlier this year.

McDonald’s Collectibles, the definitive guide & collecting McDonald’s promotions world wide news letter 1997

This book is a rad. I got it from eBay for about £2 and when it came it had some crazy 3D glasses and the “collecting McDonald’s promotions world wide news letter 1997” in it. It has pictures, a price chart and descriptions of all the toys that you would get in a happy meal from 1987-1998. The coolest thing about looking through the book is seeing the toys that I used to have but then realising that they are now worth $$$$$$ on the McDonald’s black market. It was pretty interesting reading through the news letter because it has people’s wants, needs and trades on the back page.