Origin Story — Miles Glyn Art

”Miles is the most famous British artist that nobody knows !!!” STIK 2023

Sad Skull on Giant Banner, NORDIC REBELLION , NORSK OLJE DREPER, Drawing, Illustration, Linocut , Linoprint, by Miles Glyn

An Extinction Rebellion banner with one of my skull illustrations, put up on a bridge between Norway and Sweden, 2021 by @ExtinctionR_SV , I assume they got taken off to jail, : ( , great work !!!! !!!!!! !!!!!!

Sad Skull on Giant Banner, NORDIC REBELLION , NORSK OLJE DREPER, Drawing, Illustration, Linocut , Linoprint, by Miles Glyn

Miles Glyn is one of the Original Art Group that created the Visual and Communications identity of Extinction Rebellion. Clare Farrell and Miles where working on the #BODYPOLITIC project already. They teamed up with Clive Russell and Charlie Waterhouse of ‘This Aint Rock n Roll’. We had a meeting with Roger Hallam, where he set out the mission, which would become Extinction Rebellion.

Declaration Of Rebellion Against the British Government, Symbol and Flags designed by "Gold Frog ESP", flags made in my house and many by Miles Glyn.

Miles started drawing and created a Lino Block, ‘First Skull for XR’ to be printed on Hi-Vis vests, along with Blocks using the ‘Extinction Symbol’ which was designed by ‘Goldfrog ESP’. Miles designed some and oversaw the making of most of the handmade art assets for the early events in his house in Hackney, this became the XR- Art-Factoy. The print images he created were used by Clive Russell to create the stunning graphics for print and online.

First Skull 2018, Drawing, Illustration, Linocut , Linoprint, by Miles Glyn

First Skull for XR 2018

Graphics for XR by Clive Russell

Later Miles wrote a chapter in the XR handbook, THIS IS NOT A DRILL, and made illustrations.

THIS IS NOT A DRILL book, Clare Farrell and Miles Glyn wrote the best chapter, illustartions by Miles Glyn

From 2018 we worked on the XR project, I hand cut all these Lino blocks and would print up high-vis for the first actions, then printing onto clothes.

Handcut Lino-blocks, early Extinction Rebellion by Miles Glyn

Around this time i bought my first set of woodtype, i did a heavily inked set of prints that used to design the XR font Fucxed caps.

Letterpress Futura Condensed Bold, which was used to make Fuxed Caps font.

The first blocks saying EXTINCTION REBELLION, before Clive designed the logotype.

Handcutting Word Lino-blocks by Miles Glyn

Sandtimer, sized for human back, Drawing, Illustration, Linocut , Linoprint, by Miles Glyn Art

A sandtimer to go on a human back.

Printing Hi-Vis, Sandtimer, sized for human back, Drawing, Illustration, Linocut , Linoprint, by Miles Glyn

Then the logotype !!

Mobile Workbench, handcutting Lino-blocks by Miles Glyn Art

We wanted to soften the visual messaging so i made a butterfly, all the blocks in the begining where designed to go on the human body, as an extension of the #BODYPOLITIC project, so maximum 240mm wide.

Handcutting Lino-block, Drawing, Illustration, Linocut , Linoprint, by Miles Glyn Art

With these Lino and wood blocks, and using quick drying ink we can print anywhere, this is in the middle of the road in Hackney, in a pre-first-rebellion out reach event.

Printing in the Road, Occupied space, Temporary Autonomous Zone, Block Priniting by Miles Glyn Art

Goldfrog ESP designed the ‘Extinction Symbol’, and designed the flags, he wanted them to not be like nation flags, he cut a wood block and we printed all the flags in my house. After XR got very big we got a warehouse to work in, the new Art-Factory !!

Printing XR flags in my House, by Miles Glyn and other volunteers.

Flag printing in my kitchen.

The reveal.

Flags drying in the kitchen.

And on the first floor.

I made a bee to symbolise ‘Citizens Assemblies’, flag designed by Clive Russell.

Hi-Vis Printing in my house, by Miles Glyn

When it became apparent that April 2019 was gonna be big, it meant that we needed other assets, i made a block in a rush and we made these.

Screenprinted Patches, screen Print, Tell The Truth, Rebel For Life, Make Ecocide Law, by Miles Glyn

As events got larger I started screen printing patches.

Miles Glyn Screen Printing patches, screen print, REBEL FOR LIFE

Off course the whole house got covered in patches.

Patches Travel Far, Extinction Rebellion, by made by Miles Glyn Art

Some of the sheets of patches travelled far across the world, as XR did.

Ines Painting Huamn Sized Banner, handmade , with Miles Glyn Art

We hand painted banners also, later on I made giant word blocks and giant picture blocks so that we could mass produce these.

Miles Glyn Art painting Banner for Extinction Rebellion, Human sized Banners

Printing Flags for Extinction Rebellion, by Miles Glyn Art

I made a scaled up Butterfly block, 750mm across, we used it on human banners and these flags.

Corrina sewing Quadrant Flags for Extinction Rebellion, by Miles Glyn Art

There was a lot of sewing, I’m okay at sewing, but Corinna is a whizz !!!

Mass Producing Printing Blocks, CNC, Letterpress by Miles Glyn Art

For April 2019, Clare Farrell wanted a printing station at each location, so we had these blocks made by CNC machines.

Art Kits for Extinction Rebellion takeover of central Lonodn, by Miles Glyn Art

For each site we made up a kit box, Banners, flags, patches, printing kits etc…

BIBLIOGRAPHY

THIS IS NOT A DRILL

I wrote a chapter in this about how to make an ”Art Factory”, edited by Clare Farrell, it uses my illustrations, thanks Clive. The chapter helped to spread the whole art thing around the world, eventually we got a warehouse and the ‘Art Factory’ still lives !!! Printed on recycled paper, and using a dead penguin and a fluro colour, all battles Clive had top fight !!!

Penguin: THIS IS NOT A DRILL

WANN WNN NICHT WIR*

Did even more illustrations for this, it was a time of doing things in a rush, the book was even more of an instrustion manual, which is what we always wanted. Also used other illusrators work !! The book is a very beautiful object, it made Clive jump up and down !!!

WANN WENN NICHT WIR, some illustrations Drawing Print by Miles Glyn Art

Fischerverlage.de: Extinction Rebellion Wann Wenn Nicht Wir

BRANDED PROTEST

They took us to Amsterdam !!!!

BISPUBLISHERS: BRANDED PROTEST

DARK MOUNTAIN ISSUE 17

Very honoured to have a spread of illustrations in here.

Illustrations for Dark Mountain by Miles Glyn Art

Dark mountain: 17 Restoration and Renewal

CHALLENGE EVERYTHING: An Extinction Rebellion Youth guide to saving the planet

Mine and other illustrations here, Blue is great, they did great actions including being in a tunnel !!!! and the government tried to put them in jail, and failed !!!! I like the ‘Instruction Manual’ thing going on !!!

CHALLENGE EVERYTHING by Blue Sandford some illustations by Miles Glyn Art

Waterstones: Challenge Everything, Blue Sandford.