Tuesday 18 December 2007

DAVID PEARSON DESIGN






These are a beautiful set of books designed by David Pearson who designs in all areas of print, mostly books but branding as well. I think this set shows how pared down design can be very evocative, and I like the botanical but modern style.

Monday 17 December 2007

BAD FOOT



This has been my view for the last week.
I had a bad foot, I went to hospital on my birthday.
I had to keep it up in the air.
so no going into work.

I had to face my fear of being ill whilst being freelance. Luckily I had enough extra work to cover me and I'm not so scared of being ill anymore so maybe it was good ?

also I wrote into a radio show - Nemone on 6music and got my story read out which was quite some excitement for a girl who hadn't left the house for four days !

but this isn't about my design work so there will be a more focussed post next time ...

I LOVE MIKE PERRY

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Thursday 6 December 2007

MIKO DESIGN

Yes this is the third post for today but I just had to put it up - I look at MIKODESIGN and rather densely only just realised she has a blog. I love this Babushka - there's a selection of others on the Miko design blog as well.

VIEW FROM MY WINDOW

Look at the colour of that sky! This is the stormy view from my window at work. The only sign of hope is the rainbow. Images taken by Mick Connor, who I have sat opposite at work for about a year now. He is a talented visualiser and I looking forward to printing some of his designs/illustrations onto T-shirts at some stage in the future ( he is also talented at making up rude words to songs that have kept me entertained at work) bye mick x ( I'm leaving for a life of freelance from 21st dec)

DESIGNER/PRINTERS

I like Galbraith and Paul's statement :-
"Designed with an artist's eye
Made with a craftsman's hands
Dedicated to the Studio Workshop tradition
Evolved in original and unexpected ways"
lovely to see studio shots as well !

Here is a traditionally trained and established wallpaper designer/printer based in Dorset :- Hugh Dunford Wood learned his wallpaper technique following the Arts and Crafts tradition pioneered by William Morris, as an apprentice of Peggy Angus in the 1970s.


The thing I particularly like is the colour descriptions of the wallpapers they are grouped in bold, cool, natural or warm. This is more aligned to the way paint is described - I think it helps people imagine what these wallpapers will evoke in their interiors.



Tuesday 4 December 2007

MOD GREEN POD

I recently found this company Mod Green Pod whilst researching for something totally different, it just goes to show you never know where inspiration will come from...

this is what they say about themselves :-

"Taking organic from hippie to hip.
Mod Green Pod sprouted from a simple quest. Co-founders and sisters-in-law Nancy Mims and Lisa Mims loved swank design and sustainable goods, but they couldn’t find anything that combined the two. Refusing to choose one over the other, they started their own company. Both veterans of the fashion industry, Nancy helms Mod Green Pod’s design, and Lisa handles the business. With offices in Austin and Boston, they create products that won’t harm the planet, its manufacturers, or users, all without sacrificing style."

The printing industries' effect on the environment is an issue I often contemplate as I wash a screen and realise just how much water must be used by printers - let alone all the other environmental impacts the industry must have. It's great to see people actively finding DESIRABLE solutions to these sorts of issues.



These are images of the Mod Green Pod print room in action, this is really inspiring for me to see these. I love the fact that they show the care that goes in to this beautiful work.

Thanks for the inspiration Mod Green Pod, so great to see this work and the fact that other individuals with a passion are making small businesses work.

Friday 30 November 2007

RUSSIAN DOLLS AND CHRISTMAS CARDS

I saw this lovely card in my friend's sketch book and found out it came from Oliver Bonas. I was working with some Russian doll designs a little while ago ( see early posts ) and recently print and pattern blog ran a feature on all the Russian dolls around at the moment. So here are some good ones she featured. ( even wall sticker Russian dollS - heaven !)
AURINKO SHOP

Nouvelles Images



some other christmas cards I like :-



Thursday 29 November 2007

PRINTING PRESSES AND WALLSTICKER DESIGNS

A recent wall sticker design I did for a competition. Expect to see more of my own work coming soon as I have been preparing for printing so now I'm ready to get going.







I am thinking about my Identity/logo as I have to put it on my Christmas cards before I send them out. Luckily I have a few contacts in logo and identity design to offer advice but it is a different experience being the client. Whilst researching I came across the company Sea Design that did one of my favourite designer's identity Jocelyn Warner. I have known of Sea Design and loved their work, for awhile but didn't realise they had worked on Jocelyn's identity. Also this is one of the another nice one by Jill Green currently exhibiting at LPS (see below)




the current exhibition at LPS is "Present(ing)" showing the work of john Dilnot Jill Green and Anthony Burrill





I haven't written for a little while because I have been very busy in this place - London Print Studio. I thought I would show the environment I'm spending a lot of time in a the moment and these beautiful machines. For some reason I really like the look of the printing press ?

Tuesday 20 November 2007

EXHIBITION

Yesterday I went to brighton to see an amazing exhition by William Kentridge we also visited The Regency Town House where by chance we had an extremely interesting talk about restoration and discussed a lot about the wallpapers of the time. Apparently the house in Victorian times had gilt gold wallpaper - some serious bling !


Monday 12 November 2007

ETCHING - BEES AND FLEAS

This is a trial plate for a technique called aquatint - it's mainly used to put tone into prints. It's bad photo but it is a very grainy result, I do like how it creates a dreamy image. I would really like to work into this some more even though it's a trail piece.

Saturday 10 November 2007

Donkey cards are printed

I made the observation earlier that 'it's all about styling' so I tried to photograph my newly printed Christmas cards with beautiful Living etc. type props, provided by my very stylish flatmate. Umm... think i need to work on the arrangements!


This is one of my prints from my degree course in the background.
Today whilst I was printing I meet a talented graphic designer Random Boy
Here's some of his illustrations :-

DEBORAH BOWNESS

I was very excited to see that one of my favourite wallpaper designer/printers has done a Christmas linen designs for Habitat - FEAST such a distinctive style that can work across many different subject matters - very clever lady!




Just wanted to say thanks to Keith from minimoderns for letting me know they've updated their site, now it's so easy to get great, beautiful wallpaper that kids go nuts for - gotta love the Muji wooden block skylines in the picture, it's all about styling !



I have the New York version of the "This is London" book which I pour over regularly to bring back happy memories of NYC. It must have been a big influence to Lizzie Allen a recent finalist at 100% design trade show. (image below)
LIZZIE ALLEN really should have her own posting but umbrellas wallpaper is so right for a rainy day like today! Now with all this inspiration, I'm off to do some printing.