March 2017

Formes Vives is a creative collective that focuses on creating politically driven work for the common good. Consisting of three designers, Nicolas Filloque, Geoffroy Pithon, and Adrien Zammit, the trio aims to produce work that is original, demanding, and non-commercial. Often working with non-profits and activist groups, they hold a particular interest in crafting visual identity systems without using “authoritarian, tiresome graphic guidelines” that are often associated with corporate brands. This aspiration for individuality has built a colorful portfolio brimming with playful illustrations, bold collages, and large-scale installations.

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Ward Heirwegh, is a Belgian designer that runs an independent practice in Antwerp. Often designing for cultural and creative institutions, he created promotional materials for the Bâtard Festival and Bozar, Brussel’s Center for Fine Arts. Bold and intriguing, his work features dynamic typography coupled with abstract patterns and striking photographs. Leaving little room for white space, his layouts are filled with large type that is often fragmented, tilted, or stretched.

In addition to his studio work, Heirwegh teaches at St Lucas School of Arts and gives lectures and workshops across Europe. He also founded Sleeperhold Publications, an experimental research-based platform that has released books, posters, and vinyl records.

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There is a charming simplicity to Charlotte Trounce’s illustrations. With loose brush strokes and simple shapes, she crafts compositions that are whimsical yet elegant. Having a love for fashion, she often draws the ensembles of her favorite designers such as Stella McCartney and Max Mara. This passion has led to collaborations with magazines including Elle and InStyle where she crafted opening spreads and spot illustrations. Equally impressive is her ongoing illustrated pop-up travel guide series. Published by Walker Books, the series guides readers through San Francisco, Boston, Australia, and Great Britain.

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Three years ago, we featured the poster work of designer Felix Pfaffli. Today we are awestruck by the work of his latest endeavor, Studio Feixen. Easily transitioning from dynamic compositions to restrained layouts, they tackle a range of styles, yet always remain modern and playful.

While collaborating with the Luzerner Theater, the firm crafted a bold and flexible identity system that builds off of the theater’s most recent program. To highlight how the program explores new spaces, feelings, and perspectives, the system features a medley of compelling shapes and arrows.

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Rubio & Del Amo is an award winning design studio based in Murcia, Spain. From print to tableware, the studio pursues a diverse range of projects and makes each of them burst with color and personality. I’m especially fond of their cement and mortar packaging for Divendi. Utilizing bold geometric patterns and a clean layout, they turned cement into a product that looks attractive and modern. Their ingenuity earned them a Gold Laus at the 2016 Laus Awards.

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Inspired by pre-digital animation and illustration, Robert Beatty’s work is reminiscent of sci-fi paperbacks and psychedelic albums from the 1960s and 70s. Brimming with ethereal landscapes and otherworldly creatures, his work transports the viewer into a wonderland of lush color and delicate airbrushed textures.

Originally drawn to art through his interest in music, Beatty has gained recognition for designing album artwork for bands such as Tame Impala and Real Estate. While creating these impressive covers, he also crafted a body of unpublished pieces that are now exhibited within his debut book, Floodgate Companion.

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When I think of Canada, its mighty red maple leaf immediately pops into mind. But who designed this striking yet memorable symbol? Curious about the country’s design history, Greg Durrell developed a documentary that tells the stories behind Canada’s most influential icons and artists. Through in-depth interviews, Design Canada examines iconic identities including the CBC, CN Railway, the maple leaf, and how these symbols unite the Canadian people. Designers featured include, Burton Kramer, Rolf Harder, and Massimo Vignelli.

Durrell and his teammates, filmmaker Jessica Edwards and director Gary Hustwit (known for Helvetica, Objectified, and Urbanized), recently launched a Kickstarter campaign to finish and release the project. Donations will fund post production, sound mixing, color correction, and music licensing. If the team reaches their goal, the movie will premiere this fall, just in time for Canada’s 150^th anniversary. Backers receive awesome rewards including a digital copy of the film, fun accessories, and posters designed by Ernst Roch. To support their efforts and obtain amazing goodies, contribute to the campaign before it expires on March 30^th.

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Erich Brechbühl is a Lucerne-based graphic designer passionate about branding and poster design. Combining bold imagery and inventive typography, he crafts dynamic work for museum exhibitions and theaters. I am especially fond of the piece featured above. Inspired by the landscapes of Swiss painter Ernst Hodel, the poster was created for a critical play on Swiss tourism.

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Eleni Debo is an illustrator and visual artist living and working in Ghent, Belgium. With loose brush strokes, she crafts playful illustrations for books, editorials, and campaigns for companies throughout the country. Her personal work tells mysterious stories inspired by the transition between wakefulness and sleep, and the link between intimate spaces and the imagination.

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Neue is a cross-disciplinary design studio that often collaborates with Norway’s most renowned cultural institutions. Their designs for the Norwegian passports features a vibrant cover and lush internal spreads that highlight the country’s majestic landscapes. When placed under UV light, the pages change color and reveal hidden details within each drawing.

Unconventional materials can also be seen in their work for Statsbygg – the Directorate of Public Construction and Property. Using leftover building materials, they create sleek magnetic blocks that build symbolic keys for the owners of each new building.

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