Articles by Grace Danico

Brooklyn based artist and designer, Scott Albrecht, creates incredible work using my favorite material: wood.  Creating objects ranging from wooden sculptures to typography, Scott’s work is conceptually and visually striking.

This piece, titled Heart Hands, is featured in his solo show “SOMETHINGMISTAKENFORNOTHING” at San Francisco’s The Curiosity Shoppe. The show opened last weekend, and is up until the 26th of September. If you’re in or around the Bay Area, definitely check it out.

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This past weekend, I had the privilege of visiting Jordan Provost and Jason Wong, the dynamite duo behind Brooklyn based stationery and gift line enormouschampion. Their incredible collection of letterpressed cards, screenprinted cloth, and wooden goods features images of animals, love, and nature, as well as bold type. In this studio visit, Jordan and Jason show us some of their favorite things and offer a couple of handy hints on organizing and collecting.

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Christopher David Ryan describes himself as a “a graphic artist, illustrator, daydreamer, pseudo-scientist, wanna-be astronaut and untrained intellectual.” Recently, he published the third installment to his As Overheard in the Back of My Mind series of books, which features a collection of thoughts and images from the depths of his psyche.  Chock full of peppy people and inspirational adages, this book is a great addition to your bookshelf.

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Swiss designer, Donald Brun (1909-1999), has designed an incredible amount of posters, all of which showcase a recognizable style featuring bright punchy colors, varied textures and interesting forms. This poster, created in 1956 for the International Festival of Music in Lucerne, is no exception with it’s array of shapes coming together to form the colorful scroll of a cello.

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Josh Kenyon and Colby Nichols are the dynamic duo behind Portland based illustration and design studio Jolby. Inspired by elements found in nature and the sea, the twosome collaborate on everything from original artwork, patterns, album covers, and t-shirts.

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Attention all type fans: Brooklyn based designer and Grain Edit favorite, Jessica Hische has some new prints for sale at her shop! Taken from the first six sets of the Daily Drop Cap project, these individual letterpress prints display the various lettering styles we’ve come to love.

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Sprout (2005)

Remarkably eerie, yet beautiful painting by Portland based artist Josh Keyes. Keyes depicts a multi-faceted landscape where the creatures are left to adapt to new and often unsustainable environments.

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Summer is here, and tis’ the season for road trips! This illustration, created by Russian illustrator Iv Orlov, depicts some folks out for an evening drive along a line of colorful trees. Entitled “Night Rio,” this piece uses combines cool blues and greens with bright corals and yellows for a nice tropical feeling. Orlov uses some great shapes throughout this piece, evident in the various cars and leaves of the trees.

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French illustrator Blexbolex is killing it with the illustrations for his latest book Dog Crime, published by Nobrow Press . Inspired by whodunit films from the ’50s and ’60s, Dog Crime is about a man running for his life as he’s entangled in a heated conspiracy. Printed using three spot colors, Blexbolex’s illustrations are bright and punchy as they use an array of overlaid forms.

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Summer is officially here, and what better way to spend it than a day at the beach!

This illustration, created by French illustrator Aurélie Guillerey, depicts just that with its cast of characters enjoying a day of fun in the sun. The composition is balanced as it focuses on kids making a pretty awesome sand fort while having other people enjoying outdoor activities in the background. The use of color is cheerful with the perfect amount of textures to highlight small details. Let’s go fly a kite!

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London Based illustrator, Rose Blake, is one of my favorite illustrators at the moment. This print, entitled Annus Mirabalis, playfully illustrates the first stanza of the poem “Annus Mirabalis” (Latin for “Wonderful Year”) by Philip Larkin. Rose successfully sandwiches two ambiguous love making figures between the Chatterly ban and the Beatles’ first LP, creating a striking and awkwardly funny image. Her use of color is delightful with the poppy orange as a nice contrast to the dark plum and light blue tones.

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London based illustrator, Clayton Junior, has a keen eye for precision as shown here in this image from the “A View From London” exhibition at the London Transportation Museum. Here, he depicts the hustle bustle of the city in a delightful way by cohesively weaving the intricate details of buildings and people with an eye-catching color palette. If I had my choice, I’d want to be one of the kids on the scooter instead of the commuter with the briefcase.

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Every line counts for Texas based illustrator and artist Toby Thane Neighbors. Created as part of the Story Motel group show at the Owl & Lion Gallery, this illustration successfully weaves warm tones and detailed lines to transport us to the old frontier. Neighbors has a nice way of cataloging objects in his works, and this piece is no exception with its bag of bullets, feather, and hungry badger at the heels of the pensive gamekeeper. Read the rest of this entry »

Photo: Kate Bingaman-Burt

Did you buy something today? Do you remember things you’ve purchased within the last week, let alone within the last year?

For the past four years, Portland based illustrator and educator Kate Bingaman-Burt has documented all of her purchases with daily drawings. The end result of this documentation: a new book published by Princeton Architectural Press, entitled Obsessive Consumption: What Did You Buy Today?

Started as a break from drawing credit card statements, Kate’s ink drawings are entertaining and intimate as they put a face on ordinary objects that we consume on daily basis and often don’t think twice about. From sunglasses and snacks to wedding bands and a dog, these objects tell a personal story we can all connect with as members of consumer culture.

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Philippines based artist, Dan Matutina, has a keen eye for rich textures and geometric shapes in his works. Dan started a poster series inspired by his friends Facebook statuses called Status and Shapes. This piece, titled (Sheena Padilla) “LET’S MAKE BAKA, DON’T BE TAKOT,” translates to “Let’s fight, don’t be afraid.” The hot hues clearly communicate the heated adrenaline in a fight, and the shapes are positioned in a way that looks like two fighters boxing.

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As a kid, watching Sesame Street and 3-2-1 Contact was a daily ritual. Of course, there were particular animations from those shows that I could watch endlessly, such as three rocks squabbling about how cross a lake. With the advent of YouTube, these animations have resurfaced and offer a trip back to simpler times of wonder and discovery. But who made them?

Introducing Al Jarnow, the mastermind behind the short films embedded into our collective memory. Celestial Navigations: The Short Films of Al Jarnow compiles a retrospective of Jarnow’s familiar animations from CTW along with his more obscure shorts. Jarnow experiments with geometric shapes, color, scale, and proportion in his films, creating everlasting works that communicate changes through time and space to both young and old.

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The latest installment to the Grain Edit interview series takes us to Seattle, birthplace of grunge music and home to illustrator and designer, Sasha Barr. I was first introduced to Sasha’s work a few years ago when I stumbled upon his website, positively titled “This is the New Year.” His work often employs rough textures, intricately drawn patterns featuring elements from nature and little creatures, and cool color palettes.

In this interview, Sasha discusses how he made the trek from Tennessee to Seattle, his influences and creative process, how he landed an awesome gig working at Sub Pop Records, and also shares incredible views of his awesome home.

Let’s dive on in!

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This illustration from Sweden based illustrator, Ingela P Arrhenius, is a real hoot! It features a earthy colored owl with a geometrically patterned body against the cool colored tree and background. The composition is neat and symmetrical and it makes me feel like hiding in a tree for the day. Who’s in?

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Typographics is where it’s at!

This illustration, designed for Computer Arts Projects, is by Moscow based artist Aske. Created for his personal art project titled Sicksystems, Aske playfully shows the various levels of typography…literally! He has a real knack for using interesting forms, bright colors, and celestial details in his work.

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Kansas based illustrator and designer, Ty Wilkins, has a keen eye for illustrating animals in a neat and refreshing way. This fox, one of the first in a series of animals, uses minimal geometrical shapes and rich hand painted textures. As a nod to his typographic interests, each illustration incorporates an asterisk, which adds visual charm. I wish I had this little guy as a pet!

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Buenos Aires based illustrator and artist, Nate Williams, is a force to be reckoned with! This illustration, entitled Lion and Molecules, uses an earthy palette reminiscent of A&W root beer; the chocolate brown layered over the orange and cream is a real treat! It’s choc full of organic shapes and patterns, including really lovely star bursts and variations in line texture and weights. Nate’s hand drawn type is also very fun and unique as it juxtaposes thick and thin, masculine and feminine.

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Berlin based illustrator and designer, Cristóbal Schmal, has an impressive collection of work under his moniker Nomono. This particular piece, created for INOPOLIS’s guided tour for the 90th anniversary of Bauhaus, celebrates Berlin as the modern city. The color palette is limited and the imagery is quite striking. I really love the rough textures and geometrical figures in this illustration, especially the red ray emanating from the foreseeing eye.

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Portland based illustrators, Aaron Piland and Ayumi Kajikawa Piland, are the dynamic husband-wife duo behind APAK. This particular work, created for Tinlark’s 3rd Anniversary Show, nicely juxtaposes a geometric structure against the lush organic blue and green forms. Their work is very much a fantasy, with mythical creatures and animals coexisting in a dreamy imaginative world.

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London designer and illustrator Emily Alston, better known by her moniker Emily Forgot, takes us on quite the journey in this illustration for Design Week.

She features a cascade of chairs, lamps, and other household accessories layered upon each other to create a surreal environment. The colors in this piece play with light, with its soft tints of cyan and salmon juxtaposed against a dark chocolate background. The really sparse patterns hidden intermittently within the shapes are a real treat too!

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La Boca is a London based design firm specializing in transporting its viewers to places of the future by means of the past. This record sleeve, created for Arcadion, has a nice composition with the symmetry of the two magnetic looking objects on the edge of what seems like a portal into space. The warm gradient behind the bold text nicely juxtaposes the cool waves of the galactic landscape. This is where I’d like to be today.

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London based illustrator and animator, Celyn Brazier, sure has a way with color! Reminiscent of George Dunning’s psychedelic Yellow Submarine, this particular image depicts the sea and earth with its abundance of creatures, homes, and people. The composition is positioned so that everything feels connected. The images of floating jellyfish, zooming cyclists, and carefree birds also provide a nice natural rhythm within the imagined landscape.

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Pakistani International Airlines poster (1960)

English artist and designer, Tom Eckersley (1914-1997), created numerous posters from the 1940s to the 1980s. Eckersley’s work communicates strong messages by employing bold overlaid colors, simplified forms, and informative text.

This poster, created for Pakistan International Airlines, depicts a dapper looking gentleman in Swiss garb. His playful image is simple, clean, bright and colorful; a stark contrast from the dark turquoise background. The composition is pleasing to the eye; as the figure gazes at the distant aircraft, we too are gazing at his cheerful image. Let’s all go to Geneva!

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Image from The Seed

London based animator and illustrator, Johnny Kelly, has an impressive body of work. This particular image, from his short animation The Seed, depicts the journey of an apple seed through its natural cycle of life. The Seed features stop motion and 2D animation, with faceted paper cut forms, vibrant colors, and a lot of attention to detail.

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The latest addition to our interview series takes us to the lush green mountainsides of Portland, OR, home to Powell’s Books, incredibly delicious food carts, and one of my favorite illustrators,  S.britt. I originally found his work in 2002, and it piqued my interest in the illustration we feature on Grain Edit today.

Inspired by artists such as Ed Emberley and Richard Scarry, S.britt’s work employs playful images, bright colors, and a sense of humor (aka FUN). In today’s interview, S.britt discusses some of his favorite things about Portland, his education, and reveals his interesting creative process. This is one interview you don’t want to miss!

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Keith-yin Sun and Judi Chan of Pigeon Post have created a wonderful set of postcards celebrating timeless stories of undying love from around the globe. Inspired by myths and folklore, the set consists of six beautifully designed cards in the shape of a stamp, honoring the tradition of sending mail. This particular postcard depicts Hinemoa & Tutanekai from Aotearoa (New Zealand). Read the rest of this entry »

Feeling indecisive? Not sure what’s going on? Baffled?

This painting by French artist Remed, entitled Clair Confus (Clearly Confused), uses alternating patterns and bright punchy color to achieve a potentially unstable mind state. Remed’s eye popping collection of paintings employ interesting geometric patterns and forms often exploring inner workings of the mind and explorations of the body. Read the rest of this entry »

During a recent trip to New York, I had the pleasure of visiting the illustrious designer, Jessica Hische. In addition to creating wonderfully precise type, such as her Daily Drop Cap series, Jess carefully curates her incredible studio / home that I’m proud to feature on the site today. In today’s studio visit, she gives us advice on collecting furniture, and has a pretty awesome surprise at the end! Take a peep…

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Space is the place, and I’m completely head over heels over UK illustrator Matthew Lyons!

This particular illustration, entitled Planet 4570 (1961), is a fake movie title that incorporates dramatic light and shadow, minimal brushstrokes, jewel-like crags, and strong type. His aesthetic is incredibly refined for his young age (21), and his work employs contemporary interpretations of the space age future, which feels new yet distantly familiar.

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2010 Calendar by SeeSaw Designs.

Having trouble remembering what day it is? Still stuck on 2009? Well friends, the future is today!

This particular calendar, designed by SeeSaw Designs, nicely juxtaposes organic forms and geometric shapes. The pairing of the corals with the varied blue hues is pretty dandy too.

We’ve compiled a list of some of our favorite calendars of 2010 for all you procrastinators out there. Check it out!

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It’s out with the old, in with the new. Goodbye 2009, hello 2010!

Netherlands based illustrator, Esther Aarts, created this holiday greeting card for van Ditzhuijzen accountants. Its charm lies in its personified objects, such as the gleeful teabags and toothy stapler, set against coarsely textured backgrounds. I really like the color scheme with its varied pink hues in stark contrast to the grainy black, and the hand drawn type is also an added plus…making way for a fresh new year.

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Take a look at these adorable smiling faces filled with holiday cheer!

J.P. Miller’s illustrations for Kathleen N. Daly’s Jingle Bells (1964) are just so festive and inspirational! The story is a nice twist on the old holiday tune, and is about a sleigh full of animals that help Santa when he needs it the most. I love Miller’s use of color and texture to achieve different values, and his depiction of animals are always so whimsical. Did you notice they’re all smiling with sweaters on?

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Dear Santa, Hanukkah Harry, and Kwanzaa Ken:

Searching high and low across the vast realm of the interwebs, we’ve collectively compiled probably one of the hugest lists imaginable with some of our favorite artists! We’ve all been on our best behavior, assisting elderly ladies and gents across the street and working our fannies off. Please take a moment to give this list a good read, and say you’ll bring some of these things our way!

Sincerely,
Grain Edit & Friends

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By land, sea, and air, this illustration takes us everywhere!

Created by illustrator Robert Samuel Hanson for Monocle magazine, this landscape playfully takes us to the scenic countryside to the bustling city. The piece is nicely laid out, with a very clean, matter-of-fact style.I really love all the details Robert’s included, from the tequila truck and Mayan temple, to the billboard advertising cerveza and masked news person…this is where I want to be today.

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I spy with my little eye—a dapper gentleman suffering from writer’s block!

Created for Markkinointi & Mainointa (Marketing & Advertising) magazine by Finnish illustrator Lotta Nieminen, this illustration has varied textures and layers that work so well together. The color palette is cool and complementary, and I really dig the different shapes that she uses to accentuate the man’s face and clothing…symmetry at its finest!

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Mmm…deliciously patterned sweets!

Swedish illustrator Jonas Bergstrand has an awesome eye for patterns and keen sense for earthy color. These posters, originally created for Pippi Day—an anniversary celebration for Astrid Lindgren’s children’s hospital, nicely juxtapose thick and thin lines, and also has many interesting patterns and forms.

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I visited New York last week, just in time to attend the opening reception of the Lubalin Now exhibition at the Cooper Union.

The place was incredibly packed with ladies and gents in polychromatic garb, chatting about type with a nice drink in their hand. It was interesting to see the work of contemporary designers, such as Jessica Hische,  Brett Macfadden, Justin Thomas Kay, Deanne Cheuk, and HunterGatherer, juxtaposed against Lubalin’s original works.

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Ah! Nothing beats a spot of tea and the company of man’s best friend!

The composition of this print, created by Buenos Aires illustrator Sollinero, is nicely balanced and uses a relaxing color palette consisting of warm ochres and cool blue. I really love the patterns and details throughout the print, especially the little baubles that tie the rug, lamp, lounge chair, and gentleman’s pants together.

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Play that saxophone letter E!

Norway’s Darling Clementine designed this jazzy poster for Blårollinger, a concert series for children and adults in Oslo. I am in awe of all the little creatures and singing and playing instruments; they fit so well with the large type, which have also been personified to have fun! I also really dig the color scheme, with its warm and cool complements…very appropriate for the season and weather.

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YES! Our wall decals from the Poketo and Kitsune Noir collaboration, SPACETIME, finally arrived! This collaboration features four of our favorite illustrators: Mike Perry, Damien Correll, Cody Hudson, and Andy Miller. These gents each designed wall decals, shirts, and wallets.

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Step aside Partridge Family, there’s a new bus in town!

This four-color print, by the wonderful Phoenix based illustrator Meg Hunt, incorporates a few of my favorite things: animals, transportation, and lots of patterns! This mobile zoo accounts for a lot of animals, including a llama, zebra, long necked giraffe, and even a tiny little quail. I really love the juxtaposition of wood grain patterned bus against the intricately patterned road and buildings, and the color scheme makes me want some bubble gum. Fun!

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“With a Private Boat” by Alberto Cerriteño

Terrible Yellow Eyes is a collection of works inspired by Maurice Sendak’s beloved children’s book, Where the Wild Things Are. Illustrator and animator Cory Godbey created the project to pay tribute to and celebrate Sendak’s story about a young boy sailing to the land of the Wild Things and conquering its inhabitants.

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(Photo by Anna Wolf)

Let’s travel to the boogie down borough of Brooklyn, New York — home to the colossal rides and hot dogs at Coney Island, the beautiful Central Library, and one of my favorite illustrators Jim Datz.

For those who are in the know, Jim goes by the moniker Neither Fish Nor Fowl. His work is reminiscent of olden times, with images of sailors, explorers, keystone cops, and mustached men in bowler caps.

In this interview, he discusses his transition from architecture to illustration, dapper gents and hippies, his creative process, and reveals something that most folks don’t know about him.

Let’s dive right in, shall we?

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Los Angeles based illustrator, Christopher Lee, has an eye for designing kooky characters. This poster, originally created for Gallery 1988’s group show “Crazy for Cult,” has a fun take on some characters from cult classic movies. The colors are reminiscent of my mom’s old tupperware (hooray for avocado green!), and the mixture of type is really pleasing to the eye. From Howard the Duck to Data from The Goonies, there are so many little intricacies within each character of this poster that it forces my hungry eye to want more!

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Over the highways and byways we go on the free and open road!

Esquire magazine’s June 1955 issue playfully depicts a typical aerial view of a freeway using toy cars and colored paper. It’s composition is simple and engaging, with its bright primary colors, windy roads, and cars on the move. I especially enjoy the smart and effortless integration of the magazine’s mascot, Esky (designed by E. Simms Campbell), into the area within the highway and in the highway itself. The tiny map of the Motor City is a nice touch too!

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Vero Construc toy construction kit -1975

Nuts, bolts, and sprockets! These are the makings of fine toys, as well as these awesome vintage booklets!

Created for the East German toy company Vero in 1975, these colorful booklets itemize all of the pieces included in the “Construc” construction kit and instructs children in building a stop light. The back cover reads, “Toys With System for the Creators of Tomorrow’s World.” How inspiring!

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C’mon ride the train & ride it! Toot! Toot!

This cheerful train track is created by Tokyo based illustrator and character designer, Toru Fukuda. He runs a delightful website titled Drawing Wonder, where he illustrates whimsical cartoons inspired from the 1960s and 1970s.

This particular illustration depicts unhitched trains, alternate tunnels, a nice water tower, even a free wheelin’ mustached conductor! Using multiple hand drawn layers, bright primary colors and thick lines, Toru successfully channels his inner Ed Emberley. Who’s up for a ride to Happyville?

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(Photo credit: C. Taylor)
The latest installment to the Grain Edit interviews takes us to Milwaukee, Wisconsin: home to big name breweries, delicious Gouda, and husband-wife design duo…The Little Friends of Printmaking!

Melissa and JW Buchanan are the brains behind the Little Friends, and they are best known for their often outrageously intricate prints that explore everything from the complexities of the mind, fun-loving animals, to leisure time activities.

In this interview, they discuss the perks about working with their significant other, the highs and lows of attending art school, and their creative process.

And now, let the fun commence!

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Brazilian designer, Odiléa Toscano, illustrated delightful magazine covers and book jackets in the 1960s and 1970s. This particular illustration, created as the cover of Visão Magazine in 1962, omits a handful of energy as it uses bright complementary colors and geometric heavy forms and type. I really enjoy the intricate cutouts of the subject’s hair and the shapes he’s about to twist with his wrench!

(Via Design Diário)

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Ah, the joy and merriment of the carousel! This record cover by Portland based illustrator, S.britt, depicts all the fun adults can have riding on whirling whimsical animals.

Created for Canadian based bands The Low Tones and The Redstripes, this illustration juxtaposes cheery animals and people with the morbid title of “Spin Till You Die.” The assortment of colors remind me of my mom’s Tupperware from the ’70s, and the textures add a familiar worn-in touch. The pink and white of the carousel top are also like Mother’s Circus Animal cookies. Yum!

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If only travel posters still looked this good!

American illustrator, David Klein (1918-2005), created numerous travel posters for Howard Hughes’ Trans World Airlines (TWA) in the 1950s and 1960s. His posters use eye-popping colors, iconic landmarks, and scenic images to advertise global travel.

The composition of this particular poster is fantastic, as Klein sets the St. Louis Gateway Arch against a festively patterned background, emphasizing its momentous size. The analogous colors of the type, airplane, and old courthouse are a warm treat too!

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Cecilie Ellefsen is a Norwegian illustrator and animator with a fine talent for creating intricate dioramas made of paper and plastic. Her work incorporates brightly colored cutouts of animals, forests, and mythical creatures. Her compositions pose a lot of depth, and they’re so fun to look at (especially when they’re lit!). Read the rest of this entry »

Illustration for Cottage Life Magazine

Edward McGowan is an Edinburgh based illustrator with a keen eye for bright colors and rough textures.

This particular illustration, created for Cottage Life Magazine, features a white house surrounded by tall cone shaped clusters of trees and various patches of green. The composition draws one’s eye to the tiny house and skinny path, which connects the earth to the sea. The textures within this piece are coarse, and the illustration itself is reminiscent of those found in my old Social Studies books from elementary school.

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Editorial Design for Issue One of Pendulum Magazine (2009)

Ah, the bustling city. This magazine cover by Canadian dynamic design duo, Komboh, has it all: high-rises, cars, trucks, and busy people. Juxtaposing the grime of the city is a thick, clean white coil, which adds a simple graphic element to the crowded urban streets. The design is straightforward, clean, unpretentious, and nice to look at.

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Illustrations for Good Magazine by Always With Honor

Let it be known! These are charted waters, literally!

Designed by Brooklyn based creative collective Always With Honor for GOOD Magazine’s June issue, this devastatingly entertaining info graphic depicts the “Largest Bankruptcies in History.” Its design is straightforward, simple, and fun as it uses bright colors and geometric shapes. Each boat appropriately corresponds with the data, with tiny sailboats depicting small money loss and huge cruise ships depicting major losses.

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After feeling around, I’ve come to this conclusion: I can afford a relaxing day in the sun and enjoying more work by UK based illustrator Marcus Walters.

Created for Barclays Bank, this illustration is bright and cheerful amidst a neighborhood of homes for sale. The clever type contained within the cloud nicely complements the analogously colored homes. I especially enjoy the intricate details that lie within the trees and the decoration of the homes. Read the rest of this entry »

One of my favorite past times is sewing, and seeing this poster by Paris based graphic design and illustration studio, Supercinq, makes my crafty little hands flutter with joy!

I love all of the playful shapes and objects within this poster, as well as the clustered mix of fancy hand drawn type. I especially like the color scheme of this piece. The black hand holding a white needle with red thread provides a nice contrast against the lightly textured aqua background.

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It’s a fact: adding the letter “D” at the end of the word “Designer” creates a “Designerd.” Should we be ashamed of this? I SAY NOT!

This clever little poster by Brazilian based graphic designer and illustrator, Pablo Lobo, is for the Designerd in all of us. Its monochromatic color scheme resonates true simplicity, and I like how the delicately fancy white typeface is set against a dark thought bubble.

Maybe the thickly mustached gentleman is contemplating the quirks of his next big project? Or perhaps how awesome it is that he’s designed the first pair of pantoes (pant-shoes)!

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What a way to hold your keys! These Alphabet! keychains by Mike Davis of Burlesque Design are not only fun, but functional too! Originally created as a poster design and gift for his niece, these little letters are now a series of vinyl zipper pull keychains for Kidrobot. Each tiny colorful package contains a surprise letter. Mmm…the letters “B” and “D” look so delicious!

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Original Soundtrack from Yuki 7 film, Roman Rendezvous

The latest addition to our Grain Edit interview series takes us to the sunny, pigeon littered streets of Los Angeles: home to Hollywood - movie capital of the world, and artist Kevin Dart. Heavily inspired by films and artwork from the ’60s, Kevin beautifully creates the dazzling, glamorous, exciting world of Yuki 7: a gorgeous feisty international globe-trotting spy.

In today’s interview, Kevin transports us to the year 30,000, discusses his adventurous background, and of course his inspiration for creating the Yuki 7 character. Before we get started, here are a few examples of Kevin’s work…

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Adventure, mystery, intrigue! This irresistible giveaway package has it all!

To commemorate the July 3rd release of Seductive Espionage: The World of Yuki 7, we’ve teamed up with the wonderful Mister Kevin Dart in presenting The Yuki 7 Screen Gems Giveaway! This package is chock-full of behind-the-scenes goodies, sure to make your jaw drop!

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Chris Bettig runs a studio out of his home in Los Angeles, CA called The Mountain Label. He has an impressive amount of work consisting of laser etched wood, collages, paintings, and lovely prints. Over the weekend, I had the pleasure of visiting with him. In today’s Grain’s Eye View, Chris gives us some handy advice on collecting and an interesting glimpse into the future.

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Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls! Check out this lovely poster created by London based illustrator Natsko Seki!

In this piece, Seki combines hand drawn elements with intricate details of collage. I love that the bright primary colors are platforms for the bevy of performers, including busy cyclists and trumpet tooting trained seals. She really captures the magic and enthusiasm of the circus with the layered composition, all of which remind me of Boniface’s Holiday by Russian animator Fyodor Khitruk. Did you happen to see the bear on the bicycle?

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Ah, if only trees really looked like this!

Los Angeles based artist, Christopher Bettig, created this neatly abstracted tree for GRSF’s Tree Show V. I really enjoy the cool analogous colors paired with the varied stacked geometric shapes. This piece has a nice overall balance with its symmetrical design, and totally reminds me of the geometry found on the exterior of the Mary Blair designed “It’s a Small World” ride.

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What a scrumptious illustration by Finnish illustrator and designer, Maija Louekari! She has a sensational eye for bright punchy colors, geometric forms and patterns, as well as fine lines. Louekari won a design competition staged by the Univeristy of Art and Design Helsinki and the iconic textile and clothing designer Marimekko in 2003.

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Can’t see the wood for the trees - Poster for shop opening.

Today we would like to introduce you to UK based illustrator/designer, Jeffrey Bowman whose work has been influenced by everything from space exploration and the wonders of the universe to the intricacies of type face creation and pattern repetition.

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Wayne Pate runs a whimsical design studio in Brooklyn, NY called GoodShapeDesign. He has the best doodles, and also sells playful prints on his website. Today, we have the pleasure of getting the Grain’s Eye View on Wayne’s studio, including info on his favorite objects and some handy organizing advice.

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German based designer, Till Wiedeck, really melts my heart with his fabulous collection of type. This particular typeface, titled “HM Melt,” was inspired by a simple letter “a” found in a mid-’70s edition of The World of Logotypes by Al Cooper. It’s terrifically impressive that he was able to create such a fresh typeface solely based around the shape of one letter. I really love his experimentation with geometry and the positioning of various drops, simulating that the type is really melting!

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Finnish designer and illustrator, Janine Rewell, has a wonderful way of fusing colorful detailed illustrations with clean, simple type. There are surprises in every corner of her work, this piece being no exception.

Created for the Helsinki in Berlin music festival in 2008, we see a lot of musical imagery, with guitars, flutes, and keyboards hiding throughout the illustration. I especially like that there are even tinier images playfully hiding within the text. It reminds me of playing “Hidden Picture” while reading old Highlights magazines at the Dentist’s office as a kid. I also enjoy Rewell’s use of wine bottle and martini glass buildings. Although densely clustered, her composition is right on, implying “”We’re gonna drink, listen to good tunes, and have fun!” Wahoo!

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(Photo credit: Adam Wallacavage)

The next addition to the Grain Edit interview series takes us to Philadelphia: City of Brotherly Love, home of founding father Ben Franklin and the Liberty Bell, and double agent Tim Gough. A man of mystery, by day, Tim works as the Art Director for the Philadelphia Weekly. By night, he emerges from the cheese steak littered streets of Philly to do one thing: rid the world of dull illustrations.

Tim successfully melds images of spies and monstrous creatures with bursts of color, densely clustered patterns and rough textures, creating dynamically rich works. In this interview, he discusses his hometown and background, perplexing experiences after college, influences, and his creative process.

And now to reveal the enigma…

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Designer and blogger, Michelle McCormick, has an incredible eye for collecting an array of bits and baubles. Her bookshelves house a wonderful assortment of books, colorful stamps, and tons of interesting objects, all of which are featured on her blog Inspiration Resource. Michelle has a great eye for intricate details, and her blog showcases various themed collections, posted daily as sources of inspiration.

Michelle happily shares all of these things with the readers of Grain Edit. Enjoy!

And now, over to you Michelle!

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YES! I am really digging this fun and colorful design by Andy J. Miller of Koma Design. Created for Palmercash T-shirts, this design reminds me of one of my favorite animation shorts from Sesame Street featuring an out of this world pinball machine. Miller’s composition is dense, but it’s constantly keeping the eye moving. Every shape and figure melds and trickles it way into another someplace else, creating an overwhelmingly pleasing pattern.  His candy coated color scheme is pretty yummy too!

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Amy Cartwright is a talented illustrator who designs and illustrates cards, books, and other products for clients including: Hallmark, 3M, Scholastic, and Proctor & Gamble. In her spare time she curates one of our favorite blogs, Stickers and Stuff. The blog showcases vintage kids books and wonderful examples of modern design. Here for grain edit readers Amy shares pictures of some of her favorite books and the stories behind some of her finds. Enjoy!

And now over to you Amy…

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Although it is raining, I’d love to join this golden man for a relaxing tranquil time at the beach. Finnish illustrator, Sanna Paananen, has a real knack for using rich saturated complementary colors and thoughtful line work. In this pleasingly orchestrated composition, we see a nice contrast between the golden sands of the beach and the blue details of the rain, umbrellas, and man’s speedo. Paananen plays with the positive and negative space, concentration, and shape of the rain drops, creating a rhythmically soothing effect to the piece. I especially like the simplistic details in the shell’s line work. Read the rest of this entry »

Like people playing footsie, some trees just wanna play rootsie!

Such is the case in this fun, skillfully crafted illustration by Italian illustrator, Bombo! (aka Maurizio Santucci). Like a fine puzzle, all the pieces fit together nicely. The composition creates a realistic pop-up environment that I wish I could travel to, and I really enjoy the tangled roots and the nervous expression on the tree’s face. Read the rest of this entry »

A few weeks ago, we had the pleasure of hanging out with Victoria of Milkfed Press, a letterpress and bindery studio based in Oakland. Her space is large and bright, filled with a wonderful collection of equipment and type, and was originally a grocery store where the owners used to stash cash within the walls.
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A simple, yet striking album cover designed by Human Empire. The head is constructed out of pure wood, and is reminiscent of the PBS logo from the early 1970s. The three dimensional strands of blocks on the side of the head look like stab wounds oozing with multicolored blood. If only our blood was that interesting!

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PUFF by William Wondriska. Published in 1960 by Pantheon Books Inc.

Wondriska creates an imaginary world where even the smallest things count by playfully juxtaposing the teeny character of PUFF against a backdrop of enormous red type, concetrated lines and textures, and monumental structures.

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Talk about a new spin on the old family portrait!

Icelandic illustrator/designer, Siggi Eggertsson, successfully combines unusual geometric shapes and muted colors to create refined abstractions. He has an impressive collection of work, ranging from posters and type to mosaics made from his collection of 20,000 basketball cards from the 90s. See more on his website, www.vanillusaft.com.

Images via Product of God.

I really love this piece by California artist and graphic designer, Andrew Holder. The composition is fantastic and somewhat unexpected, creating an illusion of depth amidst seemingly flat geometric shapes. I especially enjoy his playfulness with color and texture. To see more of his work, visit his website andrewholder.net.

(Image via the Hibbleton Gallery).

Philadelphia based illustrator and designer, Tim Gough, has a real knack for eye popping color and  juxtaposing thin, densely clustered lines with stronger meatier ones, creating some rich textures.

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One person we adore at Grain Edit is Japanese illustrator Rica Takada. Beauty and whimsy meet simplicity in each of her works. She uses natural vibrant colors and textured shapes to create depth, and also meticulously plays with clean and often rhythmic lines. Some of her work includes designing decorative pieces for the home, illustrating CD covers featuring wide eyed dreamy mod gals, and publishing books including Un Coin de Soleil and Moi Saison Préférée. Find out more by visiting her site, www.weekendstroll.com.

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I first stumbled upon Eleanor’s work while out shoe shopping a few years ago. I found a menagerie of Keds slip-on shoes with the loveliest animal patterns ever-imaginable…doves, giraffes, camels, and even cows! It was love at first sight!

Since that shopping extravaganza, I came to learn that the wonderful Ms. Grosch was behind those whimsical designs. Her work incorporates carefully chosen color palettes with geometric shapes and attentive lines, much in the style of her hero, Charley Harper.

In addition to designing for Keds, Eleanor has also designed for Alien Workshop, Urban Outfitters, and Chronicle Books. Her work diversely appears on rock posters, skateboards, apparel, and various publications. This past April, Print Magazine honored Eleanor as one of their New Visual Artists of 2008.

Before we bite into the meat of this interview, I’ve gathered a few nibbles and goodies of Eleanor’s work from the past years:

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Swedish illustrator, Klas Fahlen, has such an eye for detail and beautiful energetic line work. Some of his illustrations remind me of the work of Olle Eksell and Stig Lindberg. Check out Klas’ portfolio here via Art Department.

Pretty, bummed, and sad? No way! San Francisco based designer and illustrator, Liam Devowksi, is anything but that! His work is heavily influenced by bold ’70s type, and he successfully juxtaposes bright cheerful colors with lonesome emotional phrases. Liam also contributes to the pop art and design blog Viewers Like You, which features posts by Rad Mountain’s own Damien Correll.

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