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In our latest edition of book picks we highlight titles from Wee Society, Intercom, Universe/Rizzoli, Laurence King, TBW Books, HarperCollins and Princeton Architectural Press. In addition, we take a look at a stunning new typeface from Lost Type. All this and more after the jump.
The Moderns by Steven Heller and Greg D’Onofrio
Looking for some new inspiration or something to add to your winter reading list? Here’s a few of the titles that we’ve received within the last month or so. Included are awesome titles from Abrams, Blast Books, The Monacelli Press, Thames & Hudson, Wee Society and Princeton Architectural Press.
Are you a fan of design and type related books? If so, these Kickstarter campaigns might be of interest to you. The first supports a stunning reference book on the 1972 Munich Olympic Games’ identity system. The second is a detailed biography on designer W.A. Dwiggins. Learn more after the jump.
Here it is! Our annual Design Book Gift Guide! In this list, we’ve compiled our favorite titles from the past year. We hope this helps you find the perfect gift for your loved ones this holiday season.
I have been anxiously awaiting the release of Ghost – a chilling new collection of short stories from a team of writers and illustrators with roots at Pixar, Disney and Paramount. Through word of mouth and cryptic Facebook updates, I have been tracking the book’s progress and this week I was excited to finally get my hands on a copy.
Produced by Illustratus, Ghost marks the studio’s first foray into publishing. If the book is indicative of future releases, then they are off to a very good start. Sizing in at 9.25” x 12”, this mighty tome (or should I say tomb?) contains 13 hair-raising vignettes told through the voice of a reclusive groundskeeper. In each tale, the author meticulously summons the spirit of campfire nights of a youthful past through vivid storytelling that is equally engaging as it is terrifying. Interacting with and shaping the words are a series of dense and haunting visuals. Employing snow-bleached landscapes, speckled textures and muted tones, the images take on an ephemeral and otherworldly quality. The end result is aesthetically stunning and will serve as a worthy benchmark for a new generation of ghost stories.
Ghost is available for pre-orders today, with books shipping out as early as November 1st. In addition, you can pick up a copy at a special book launch, art auction and Halloween party this weekend in LA. Included in the auction will be original art works by Pete Docter, Sanjay Patel, Chris Sasaki, Jeff Turley, Daniela Strijleva, Albert Lozano and many others. Tickets for the event can be purchased here.
Alex Trochut’s covers for the Penguin Books Galaxy Series beautifully capture the unique essence of the captivating stories that made each book a pioneer of its time. The covers’ typographic compositions and bright colors are inspired by the books’ settings and narratives. For Robert A. Heinlein’s Stranger in a Strange Land (1961), Trochut cleverly arranges the type to highlight and represent the clash of views addressed in the novel. The word “stranger” appears facing a different direction than “strange land.”
New Metaphor Books is a new online bookstore that specializes in rare and unique books that focus on graphic design, film, architecture, fashion, and photography. The shop’s collection features diverse views on each art form and is a true treasure trove of amazing out of print books.
Here it is, our annual book gift guide! Below you will find over 30 titles from our favorite publishers. Included are our top picks for illustration, graphic design and typography. Enjoy!
Created by the team behind OFF LIFE, Yellow is a celebration of illustration and the artists who’ve made it their own. Through Yellow, OFF LIFE wanted to show that illustration isn’t just a medium of pretty pictures; that it can be as powerful as any photograph or piece of writing. With this in mind, they rounded up 52 of the world’s most exciting artists, allocated them each a week of the year and asked them to illustrate one news story that broke within their seven days. The result is an entire illustrated year from 52 unique perspectives. And with the year nearly up, we’re collecting every piece into a beautiful hardback book that showcases what illustration can bring to the biggest issues of our time.
Artists include Jean Jullien, Hattie Stewart, Supermundane, Malika Favre, Ian Stevenson, Stanley Chow, Grace Wilson, Pete Fowler, Martin Rowson, Matthew the Horse, Charlotte Mei, Jamie Coe, Chris Riddell, Martina Paukova, Chris SimpsonsArtist and (literally) dozens more.
OFF LIFE will be taking orders over the next few days through their Kickstarter campaign. Pick up your copy now!
If you’re looking for last-minute gift ideas, we’ve got you covered. We received some exciting new titles this week, just in time for the holidays. Included in the list below are titles from Gestalten, Lars Muller, Kat Ran Press and Metropolis Books. These titles along with many others can be seen in the full version of our Holiday Book Gift Guide.
12.05.14 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 
Comments closed
Here it is, our annual book gift guide! Below you will find over 30 titles from our favorite publishers. Included are our top picks for illustration, graphic design and typography. Enjoy!
11.25.14 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | Comments closed
Bernd Kuchenbeiser’s 61 books with black type on white cover lovingly pays homage to the printed word in all it’s glory. Created for a recent event at Vitsoe’s Reading Room, the book also serves as an analog companion to his impressive blog. Contained within is a cohesive collection of titles bound initially by the color (or lack of) of their cover. Accompanying each entry is a brief paragraph that details the qualities whether physical or conceptual that have attracted Bernd’s attention. Available at select Vitsoe shops, the book is free while supplies last.
04.18.14 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | Comments closed
If you’re looking for holiday gift ideas, here are a few suggestions. We’ve compiled our favorite books from the past year into one giant list. Included are titles focused on editorial design, typography, identity work and brainstorming.
12.06.13 | Dave | Found design | 4 comments
I love giving and receiving books and with the holidays approaching I find myself reviewing my own wish list as well as preparing shopping lists for others. Recently, Chronicle books asked if I would like to take part in their #GiveBooks campaign and in the process gift nine books to family and friends. I gladly accepted the challenge and I’m excited to announce that in the spirit of the holidays one lucky winner will win my gift picks.
11.06.13 | Dave | Contests and giveaways | 8 comments
From Magdalina Stancheva comes a book on the father of Bulgarian graphic design, Stefan Kanchev. Featured are hundred of sketches, photos and logos from a master craftsman whose work adorned the largest and well-known institutions in Southeastern Europe.
09.23.13 | Dave | Found design | 3 comments
Our friends over at House Industries have teamed up with Chronicle Books for a special stationery collection. Featuring notebooks, labels and postcards, each set is decked out in metallic ink, thick type and the usual embellishments that you’ve come to expect from the House crew.
A Handbook of California Design, 1930-1965 is the latest title from LACMA curator Bobbye Tigerman and profiles 140 of the most significant design figures from the mid-twentieth-century. As a companion to the catalog California Design: Living in a Modern Way and the exhibition of the same name, the book features Grain Edit faves such as Saul Bass and Alvin Lustig, as well as many lesser known but influential practitioners. Also included is an extended reading list, images of the exhibition installation and sources for further research.
Designed by the award winning designer Irma Boom, the book is a beautifully crafted object in its own right. The layout is restrained in its approach, but shines within the subtle details. I especially appreciate her “Connections and Collaborations” diagram which takes on a pattern-like quality that possibly emulates some of the textile work of the era.
You can pick up a copy at the LACMA shop as well as Amazon. The exhibition, which recently wrapped up in Tokyo, makes its next stop at the Auckland Art Gallery, New Zealand on July 7th of this year.
06.04.13 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 1 comment
Several years ago we featured the Philographics poster series by UK based Genis Carreras. We just received word that the popular series will soon be available as a book as well as a postcard set. Currently Genis is raising funds to being print production. You can support this effort here.
05.07.13 | Dave | Found design | Comments closed
Flying Eye Books is the latest branch in Nobrow’s budding empire. The imprint will strictly focus on Children’s titles while retaining the same quality and curation that you would come to expect from Nobrow.
For their first release, they worked with award-winning UK-based illustrator Viviane Schwarz to create an awesome robot book – literally. The aptly titled Welcome to Your Awesome Robot provides you with everything you need to design, build and test a robot from cardboard. With instructional comics and Vivienne’s charming sense of humor as your guide, the book is fun to read and makes for an excellent family activity.
04.01.13 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | Comments closed
Mi Diccionario Ilustrado – Illustrations by Acosta Moro
If you’re looking for a fun gift for the holidays, we still have a few copies of Mi Diccionario Ilustrado in our Etsy store. Any remaining copies after the 23rd of December will be taken down in preparation of our new online shop.
If you’re looking for holiday gift ideas, here are a few suggestions. We’ve compiled our favorite books into one giant list which include illustration and design titles from larger publishers, as well as privately pressed items.
12.07.12 | Dave | Found design | 22 comments
A Huge thanks to Chronicle Books for sponsoring this week’s RSS Feed!
Jim Henson’s iconic puppet characters, fantastic worlds, and warm humor have delighted millions of people of all ages. His incredibly diverse body of work, from the Muppets to the world of The Dark Crystal, reveals his charm and genius to fans old and new.
Now, fans can journey through Henson’s life with Imagination Illustrated, The Jim Henson Journal. The book, a visual experience compiled directly from the private notes that Jim faithfully kept throughout his career, features hand-written entries and a trove of little-seen visual material from The Jim Henson Company archives, including rare sketches, personal and production photographs, storyboards, doodles, and much more. Read an excerpt here!
Save 25% and get free US Ground shipping on Imagination Illustrated when you use promo code JIMHENSON at chroniclebooks.com.
Interested in sponsoring the Grain Edit Feed? Visit our sponsorship page for more info.
My interest in photography has grown recently and i’ve been on the prowl to find quality books on the subject. One of my latest additions and the one i’m most excited about traces the history of the Swiss Photobook. Compiled by the Swiss Photographic Foundation (Fotostiftung Schweiz) and published by Lars Mueller, Swiss Photobooks from 1927 to the Present highlights classic and influential titles that exlemplify the era. Weighing in at 7.5 pounds, the massive visual compendium features lush spreads, in-depth summaries, an extensive bibliography and introduces over 60 pieces. A pleasure to look at and an engaging read, this volume is a well-crafted ode to the distinct character of the Swiss Photobook.
06.26.12 | Dave | Uncategorized | Comments closed
3 years, 148 posts, 904 comments and over 2.5m visits later, Design Assembly (as we know it) is no more. But, instead of slipping quietly into the night, they wanted to capture all the energy that’s gone into making and maintaining the site and put it to a greater cause — fighting cancer.
‘3’ archives over 100 published articles, comments included, as well as showcasing new and exclusive words and images from some incredible people.
100% of the profits from the sale of this publication will be shared
proportionately between 3 charities with a combined global reach:
Cancer Research UK — United Kingdom
LIVESTRONG — North America
WCRF International — Rest of world
Pick up a copy at their site.
03.12.12 | Dave | Found design | Comments closed
I recently received a copy of the newest book by the great Steven Heller & Lita Talarico called Typography Sketchbooks, showcasing pages from the sketchbooks of 100+ typeface designers and letterers. The scope of this book is actually slightly overwhelming, drawing attention to the fact that what we normally think of as a small group of specialists actually is a vast spectrum of people doing different sorts of type-related work.
10.21.11 | Liz Meyer | Off Our Bookshelves | 7 comments
On a recent and most adventurous trip to the South of France, I had the pleasure of visiting the small village of Montolieu. Known as the “Village of Books,” Montolieu has a grand array of artisans that specialize in book binding and printing as well as antiquarian bookstores specializing in everything from vintage periodicals and antiquities to comics, art and kids books.
Today’s post will unearth some of my favorite finds from my trip, including books illustrated by J.P. Miller, Charley Harper, and Alain Gree.
07.08.11 | Grace Danico | Off Our Bookshelves | 10 comments
Our friend Will over at 50 Watts (formerly A Journey Around My Skull) is holding a fun contest. Participants are encouraged to design a Polish edition of their favorite book. Top prize is $400 with runners-up winning some snazzy books including One Thousand Polish Book Covers by Aleksandra and Daniel Mizieliński and Born Modern: The Life and Design of Alvin Lustig.
05.16.11 | Dave | Found design | 3 comments
With a collection of 3,250 glorious icons, Handbook of Pictorial Symbols is great inspiration for any designer. Gathered from sources from around the world, these elegant yet minimal icons are a reminder that simplicity is truly key. Below is a small selection of my favorites from the book.
01.04.11 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 7 comments
If you’re in San Francisco tomorrow night, I recommend stopping by The Exquisite Book Signing and & Live Drawing event. Artists in attendance will include Julia Rothman, Lisa Congdon, Caitlin Keegan, Susie Ghahremani, Kelly Lynn Jones, Tom Neely, Eunice Moyle and Lorena Siminovich.
10.13.10 | Dave | Events | 2 comments
San Francisco based artist and illustrator Lisa Congdon has always been fascinated with with collecting, arranging, and organizing her collections. On January 1, 2010, Lisa took it upon herself to photograph, draw, and occasionally paint these collections for the entire year, and thus, the Collection a Day 2010 project was born.
Documenting objects ranging from vintage books and matchbox labels to colorful bits and bobbles, each collection is well curated and carefully composed. Recently, Uppercase announced that these incredible collections will be made into a book, available Spring 2011.
09.23.10 | Grace Danico | Found design | 2 comments
Our good friends at Chronicle Books recently released Creative, Inc.: The Ultimate Guide to Running a Successful Freelance Business
I’m excited to welcome both Meg and Joy to Grain Edit today for a special Q&A session. Ok, here we go!
09.05.10 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 2 comments
In 1964 United States Steel called upon the nation’s electric utility companies to reconsider the current look of our power stations and transmission towers to be both functional and beautiful. Two years later, Henry Dreyfuss and Associates were commissioned to investigate possible design alternatives, and I believe they were documented in a book entitled “Power Styling” which was produced by United States Steel in the mid-to-late 1960s. I discovered a copy not long ago, and the inside illustrations are absolutely amazing. Unfortunately, there is very little information listed, so I can’t say for sure if the concepts belong to Henry Dreyfuss and his team. I contacted the office of Syd Mead, who did several illustration projects for US Steel, to confirm the artwork, and sadly he was unfamiliar with this piece. If anyone has information on the Power Stylings project or the mysterious illustrator, please drop a note in the comments.
More images after the jump. Don’t miss this one!
06.28.10 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 21 comments
Los doce trabajos de Hercules – Illustrated by Miguel Calatayud c1973
Miguel Calatayud is a Spanish illustrator and is best known for his work in the world of comics. I dug up a couple of his books, both of which were published in the 70s by Editorial Doncel as part of their Trinca collection. If your a fan of the early work by Push Pin Studios and the bold styling of Peter Max, I think you will really dig Miguel.
I have a couple extra copies of each book. If you like what you see you can pick up a copy of either Los doce trabajos de Hercules or Peter Petrake in the grain edit shop.
06.02.10 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 21 comments
Wow! Great collection of European book covers from A Journey Round My Skull. So fun to look through. I love the balance of naiveté and compositional sophistication throughout these jackets. It’s amazing the depth that is achieved through simple illustrations and good color choices.
05.05.10 | Ethan | Found design | 12 comments
The Books Concert Poster by Sonnenzimmer. Measures 18″ x 24″
Our poster pick for the week was created by Sonnenzimmer. Sonnenzimmer is an art and screen print studio based in Chicago. The studio is owned and operated by artist’s Nadine Nakanishi and Nick Butcher. We’re certain you’ll find their work as appealing as we do.
The poster pictured above really puts the negative space to good use. The simple, colorful shapes balance the overall composition while the broken up landscape forms a a dynamic window to the world. You can purchase this poster here.
03.03.10 | Dave | Uncategorized | 3 comments
I had a blast speaking at Chronicle Books’ 555 event last week. Huge thanks to Suzanne LaGassa and the rest of the Chronicle crew for the invitation. The theme of the night was centered around blogs/design communities. Lauren Smith and Derek Fagerstrom from the Curiosity Shoppe and Smarts and Crafts, David from BoingBoing, Joe from Typophile, and Suzanne from the Chronicle Book’s blog also presented that night. Each of us we’re given five minutes to speak about our process and inspiration. It was great to meet everyone and I hope this series continues!
You can see pictures from the event here.
10.15.09 | Dave | Grain Edit News | Comments closed
Will over at the excellent Journey Round My Skull posted an amazing collection of Polish book covers. There is some seriously wacky stuff going on these book jackets. Whats up with beard face?
10.12.09 | Dave | Found design | 15 comments
Dick Bruna- Book covers
Lets start the week off right. How about a dose of Dick Bruna book covers.
10.05.09 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 24 comments
Celestino Piatti + dtv: The Unity of the program – Edited by Jens Muller
Two weeks ago we featured the Philips-Twen book from Lars Muller’s new A5 series. Celestino Piatti + dtv is the third title to be released in the series and my favorite of the bunch.
Celestino Piatti was born in the little Swiss village of Dietlikon on January 5,1922. Early on his parents recognized his talent and secured him training at the Kunstgewerbeschule (School of Applied Arts) in Zurich and later a graphic design internship with fellow Swiss designer Fritz Buhler. After four years with Buhler he left to start his own studio and eventually landed the job of a lifetime. In 1961 Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag (dtv) hired Piatti to design their bookjackets. A comission that lasted up to his death in 2007. For over thirty years, he endowed the books published by dtv with a singular and unique look. He became the most productive book designer of all times, producing covers for over 6300 books that sold in a total print run of over 200 million copies.
10.01.09 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 2 comments
Last week I had a chance to stop by the 45th Annual San Francisco Book Sale which was held at the Fort Mason Festival Pavilion. The place was filled with books. According to the event’s website it is the biggest book sale on the west coast. The five-day event features 300,000+ books in over 50 categories.
09.29.09 | Dave | Found design | 11 comments
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!
09.16.09 | Grace Danico | 1970s, Found design | 11 comments
Philips-Twen: Realism is the Score – Edited by Jens Muller
Just got my hands on a few of the Lars Muller A5 titles and they don’t disappoint. I’ll try to get photos of all three titles up on grain edit within the next week or so. Unfortunately these titles are unavailable in the U.S right now, but should be available soon. Amazon has a release date of October 1st.
09.15.09 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 6 comments
Celestino Piatti and dtv: The Unity of the Program – Edited by Jens Muller
I can’t wait to get my hands on these books.
Lars Muller has just launched the A5 series of books. The series is intended as a growing archive on graphic design. Each volume introduces outstanding personalities and important themes from the history of international graphic design, with numerous illustrations, essays and interviews. The series kicks off with books focused on Celestino Piatti, Philips-Twen and Hans Hillmann.
I’m really excited about the Celestino Piatti book. For more than 30 years, he endowed the covers of books published by dtv with a singular look. With more than 6300 covers to his credit, amounting collectively to a total of 200 million volumes, Piatti was one of the most productive designers of all time.
09.01.09 | Dave | Uncategorized | 6 comments
Le Vaillant Petit Tailleur – Illustrations by E. Probest c1963
I’d like to thank Burgin over at Vintage Kids’ Books My Kid Loves for inviting me to guest post on her wonderful blog. If you haven’t been to her site before your in for a real treat. She often features kid’s books from the 1950’s-1970’s and from some of my favorite illustrators including Abner Graboff and Ed Emberley. For my post, I decided to share a french book entitled Le Vaillant Petit Tailleur. You can see all the mages here.
07.30.09 | Dave | Grain Edit News | 1 comment
Corporate Diversity: Swiss Graphic Design and Advertising by Geigy 1940-1970
A few months ago we featured the book Corporate Diversity: Swiss Graphic Design and Advertising by Geigy 1940-1970 on grain edit. At the time the book was only available in Europe. We’re excited to announce that it is now available for purchase in the U.S. I highly recommend this book. Don’t sleep on this one! Lars Muller and the Museum für Gestaltung Zürich did an excellent job presenting the material.
You can purchase the Book here. Get it before it sells out!
07.07.09 | Dave | Uncategorized | 10 comments
Innovations – Illustrations by Syd Mead
The last time we mentioned Sam Grawe on grain edit we were drooling over his collection of ceramic owls. Sam is the Editor-in-Chief of Dwell and member of the ultra cool nu balearic cosmic disco band Windsurf. Here for grain edit readers Sam shares pictures of some of his favorite books and the stories behind his finds. Enjoy!
06.10.09 | Dave | Designers Bookshelf | 9 comments
Mein Erster Brockhaus – Ein Buntes Bilder – ABC c1963 Published by F.A Brockhaus Wiesbaden Germany
What young German boy wouldn’t want a book filled with Spargel, Spatz, Specht and Schwable? (most of those were birds..but one was asparagus. I’ll let you guess which one.) This alphabet book is filled with those little dudes. If I ever go to Germany, I’m taking this book with me. I’ll be name dropping German nouns all day. This is the OG way to learn a language. Watch out Rosetta Stone!
04.21.09 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 8 comments
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!
04.03.09 | Grace Danico | Designers Bookshelf | 3 comments
In addition, to the Grain Edit Facebook group we’ve created a fan page. This will not replace the Facebook group, but we do plan to use it to announce special events and giveaways.
Join us at the Grain Edit Fan Page.
03.19.09 | Dave | Grain Edit News | 1 comment
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…
03.13.09 | Grace Danico | Designers Bookshelf | 20 comments
I stopped by the The 42nd California International Antiquarian Book Fair in San Francisco this past weekend and saw some really nice books. This is the largest antiquarian book fair in the U.S. and features booksellers from around the world. I saw lots of great pieces by Piet Zwart, Bruno Munari and a ton of rare children’s books. I was really surprised by the prices though. Many of the books were overpriced, especially considering the current economy. Anyone else get a chance to go? Thoughts?
02.16.09 | Dave | Events | 4 comments
Zurich Excursions 1963-Printed by Orell Fussli in Switzerland
The Swiss do it again! Top notch layout by Franz Fassler. Fassler also designed the cover of anwendungstechnik moderner anstrichstoffe seen in our post on modern Swiss book design. This booklet contains information on escorted and non escorted tours around Zurich.
01.27.09 | Dave | Uncategorized | 6 comments
Eli No! tells the story of one trouble-making dog and the one word that is never far behind. The book was designed and illustrated by Katie Kirk & Nathan Strandberg of Eighthourday.
01.26.09 | Dave | Uncategorized | 21 comments
Chlapec a opička c1963
My good friend Wes dropped one heck of a link on me. Terry Posters is pure poster sweet corn. The shop is named after Monty Python member and director Terry Gilliam who was present for the opening. Their online store features a huge collection of Polish and Czechoslovakian film posters. The children’s poster section is especially nice.
01.20.09 | Dave | Uncategorized | 10 comments
Italia Modern Design – Published by PIE Books c2007
Japanese publisher PIE Books has put together some excellent design related books over the past couple years including Book Design of Graphic Designers in the World, Olle Eksell and Book Design of Graphic Designers in Japan. I picked up Italia Modern Design recently and it doesn’t disappoint. The book focuses on Italian graphic design from the 1950s-1970s and includes many of the heavyweights like Bruno Munari, Giovanni Pintori, Max Huber, Enzo Mari, Pino Tovaglia, Albe Steiner etc. It also includes a fair amount of work from Olivetti and Pirelli.
The people at PIE Books do a great job of sourcing and presenting the materials. They always dig up a few posters/books/magazines that I’ve never seen before. I just wish they would include an English translation (all the text is in Japanese) so, I can follow along with the notes.
12.15.08 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 21 comments
Found this 1968 yearbook for Depauw University a month ago. I have no idea how the island looking thingys tie in with the school, but I’m really digging it. I think I’m going to chop the front cover off and frame it. Anyone else have any ideas? Maybe I could use the top to make a series of designer trap doors. Mirage might be a fitting title for that. Trap doors will be the hot thing in 2009, just wait and see. I’m also looking to heavily invest in secret underground passageways and fish sticks. If you have a cave and box of Gorton’s….let’s talk.
10.29.08 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 8 comments
de openbare bibliotheek poster, amsterdam 1968
This is absolutely one of my favorite posters of all time. Design by Harry Sierman.
Harry studied at the Amsterdam Institute for Arts Education and later the Gerrit Rietveld Academy. After graduation he got a job with the Dutch publishing house: Querido He worked there for many years and became well known for his book design skills.
Back in January I had the chance to trade a few emails with Harry’s daughter in law. She was nice enough to send me a copy of a small book that focuses on Harry’s graphic design and typography work from the 1940s till 2003. I’ve attached a few scans from the book below.
09.25.08 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 3 comments
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Thanks to Geoff Wagner and the rest of the crew at Chronicle Books for for taking the time to show me around the Office. It’s a beautiful space with lots of nice architectural details including exposed bricks, beams and piping. Large globe fixtures dot the ceilings and remind me of the original Lightolier ball lights that are often found in the Eichler homes of the Bay Area. The entrance to the building hosts a bookshop open to the public. Towards the front of the shop, new books are showcased on top of rustic planks of wood recycled from one of the building’s previous tenants. The top floor features an employee lounge with floor to ceiling window walls and nice views of the Soma district.
09.04.08 | Dave | studio visits | 7 comments
Nieuwe Muziek – Concrete en elektonische muziek by Gerard de Wit c1968
Great cover photo of a dutch recording studio from the 1960s. Check out all the vintage analog recording equipment! So many buttons, switches, knobs, reel to reels and dials. If your into 60s computer interfaces, tape machines and old mixing boards, I highly recommend you check out Stewf’s amazing Control Panel Flickr group.
Mucho thanks to Chris at Groove Merchant for hooking me up with the booklet.
07.31.08 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 1 comment
Plantão Fatídico é de c1967 -O Assassino Nudista c1968 – No Calor da Noite c1968.
Beautiful book covers by Brazilian designer/ illustrator Gian Calvi. Very similiar to the Penguin book covers of the same time period.
I’m very interested in Brazilian design from the 60s and 70s, so If anyone has any images or info please send it my way.
(via design ref’s wonderful flickr set)
also worth checking:
07.31.08 | Dave | Found design | 13 comments
The Jungle Race – c 1967- Published by Bancroft & Co.
Super cool children’s book from Czech illustrators G. Seda and J. Pavlin. One of many pop up books the duo illustrated during the 1960s and 70s.
The short version of this story is: a lion, an elephant and and a giraffe try to put together a race and find out that their friends are totally lame. Their loser friends include trendy Zebra fashions snobs, snorkeling hippos and an antelope that likes to get tossed in the air by a gaggle of monkeys.
07.21.08 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 11 comments
Book cover for Jules Verne novel
Lots of great work to see at Argentinian design firm tholon kunst – Book covers, annual reports, logos and a cow grazing on a prime patch of white space.
07.11.08 | Dave | Found design | Comments closed
Of Great Masses Moving at Visionary Speeds – Small Book Series vol. 2
I’ve been meaning to post this for a while. Joel over at the design studio Forest (of The Drama magazine fame) sent us this swell little book that’s part of the Forest Small Book Series. Books in the series are released quarterly and feature various thoughts, sketches, collections, and travels. Each issue is handmade using French paper and designed by Forest.
Vol. 2 (seen above) features photos by Joel and quotes from CS Lewis’s Out of the Silent Planet. I really like the quotes Joel selected for inclusion in the book. Here’s one:
“To EVERY MAN, in his acquaintance with a new art, there comes a moment when that which before was meaningless first lifts, as it were, one corner of the curtain that hides its mystery, and reveals, in a burst of delight which later and fuller understanding can hardly ever equal, one glimpse of the indefinite possibilities within.”
Each issue is only $5, so stop by the Forest website and pickup vol. 2 and the recently released vol.3. You can sign up for a yearly subscription as well.
06.26.08 | Dave | Product Reviews | 1 comment
Creative America: Art director- Albert Squillace c1962
Thanks to Chad for sending this in. Looks very similar to the book cover design work of Paul Rand.
Also worth checking:
Modern Dutch book cover design
1960s Penguin books
06.19.08 | Dave | Found design | Comments closed
Our good friend and design champ Jason Munn designed the above bag for book publishing champs Chronicle Books. Chronicle wanted to create and encourage a non-wasteful, reusable bag solution, and Jason had the perfect caterpillar turns butterfly idea.
For more info, visit Chronicle.
Many thanks to Hannah for posting the mock ups!
06.06.08 | Ethan | Uncategorized | 5 comments
Charley Harper’s ABC’s – published by AMMO Books c2008
Greg over at daddytypes always posts top notch modern design goodies for kids and dads alike. Yesterday he posted this sweet ABC book which features Charley Harper prints. At $10 this is a must for any Charles Harper fan.
You can buy the book here.
Also worth checking:
We posted a bunch of images of the heavily sought after Giant Golden Book of Biology, written by Gerald Ames and illustrations by Charles Harper (Copies sell for $300 +!) Click the link below to see the image gallery.
Charley Harper illustrations – Giant Golden Book of Biology
also see:
Charley Harper Ford Times
06.04.08 | Dave | Uncategorized | 3 comments
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Ephemera from the Soviet Pavilion at Expo 1967 (World’s Fair)
I found this guide book a few weeks ago hidden in a box of old paper goods. I almost dropped a loaf when I saw the maps contained within. The maps display the table arrangements and walking paths for each floor of the Soviet Pavilion which was designed by Russian architects M. Posokhin, A. Mndoyants and B. Tkhor. Simple and effective layout of the information. I love Circular blobs, lines and arrows and these maps are chock full of that good stuff.
The Soviet Pavilion was filled with cool exhibits including; Russian postage stamps, Matryoshka dolls and folk art, space exploration as well as a restaurant that featured bliny and Ukrainian borsch. I wish I could of gone, but I wasn’t even born yet.
06.03.08 | Dave | Uncategorized | 6 comments
Lots of Bots c2008 – Text by Kiki Thorpe – illustrated by Ben Butcher
Ben Butcher of Pixar recently stopped by to give us a preview of the new WALL-E picture book Lots of Bots which he illustrated. The book is the precursor to the film, which is due to hit screens this summer. In the interview below, Ben discusses his thoughts and process in the making of this beautiful book. Where it was possible, we’ve included Ben’s original artwork alongside images of the finished book.
05.12.08 | Dave | Found design | 32 comments
Many thanks to the good people at Tomorrow for stopping by last week, and for the gift of this beautiful bookmark. The bookmark is part of a promotional piece marking their recent contribution to “Trees for the Future“.
05.06.08 | Dave | designers promotional items | 6 comments
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Richard Erdoes – Policemen around the world c1967
Richard Erdoes was an author and illustrator. He was born in Vienna, Austria in 1912 and later immigrated to the United States. The book above is one of a 3 part “around the world” series. The other two books were Musicians of the world and Peddlers and Vendors of the world. Both of which, were produced around the same time in the late 1960s.
It looks like Erdoes’ used a combination of Pen/ Ink and gouache to achieve the finished look found in the images above. This reminds me of the work of Miroslav Sasek who I believe used gouache as well.
Many thanks to grain edit reader Thorsten Schmidt for sending the following Richard Erdoes link in:
Richard Erdoes magazine illustration
You can pick up a copy of Policemen around the world at Amazon.
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Also available for your viewing pleasure: Ryohei Yanagihara
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04.28.08 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 10 comments
 
All this week I will be guest blogging at Julia Rothman’s wonderful Book By Its Cover blog. This is one of my favorite blogs, so please stop by! Today’s posting is a beautiful book by Tim Biskup.
04.28.08 | Dave | Grain Edit News | Comments closed
1960s Japanese book cover designs
I don’t know much about the company that published the book on the right, but the book on the left was published by Kappa in 1963. Keep your eyes out for Kappa, they have other cool covers.
04.10.08 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 6 comments
(t) Jazz/ Rock voicings for the contemporary keyboard player c1974
(b) Jazz Improvisation for keyboard players c1978
I picked up these two books over the weekend. They are part of an instructional jazz book series produced in the 1970s for Studio publications and recordings. I’m not sure who responsible for the cover design but, I like how he limited it to a few simple shapes and the type. Both books are written by Dan Haerle, but there are others in the series by Rufus Reid and Ramon Ricker.
04.07.08 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 1 comment
VÃ¥rt svenska samhälle – by Sixten Björkholm c1963
Cool book cover illustration by Staffan Wiren. Great example of swedish modern illustration from the 1960s.
On a sidenote, just talked to my friend Joe Beats and he’s got a killer mix online that he put together for designer vinyl toy store Munky King. Listen to the mix here.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
(Staffan Wirén book cover via David at the Klockarp institute)
03.25.08 | Dave | Found design | 4 comments
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Typographes d’Estienne 1950
It’s been a while since I’ve posted any type-related goodness, so I figured it was time to post the slab of paper above. The book includes 40 – 50 pages of modern San Serif specimens worked into menus, advertisements and letterheads. In addition, there are several tipped in brochures and posters you can flip through. Given the title, I would assume this is an annual and that there are other years available.
03.09.08 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 8 comments
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Typographes d’Estienne 1950
It’s been a while since I’ve posted any type-related goodness, so I figured it was time to post the slab of paper above. The book includes 40 – 50 pages of modern San Serif specimens worked into menus, advertisements and letterheads. In addition, there are several tipped in brochures and posters you can flip through. Given the title, I would assume this is an annual and that there are other years available.
03.09.08 | Dave | Uncategorized | 7 comments
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Pino Tovaglia book – The rule that corrects emotion
In addition to this blog, I own a small design bookstore. As a bookseller, I find it hard to find publishers that consistently produce quality titles. Italian publisher Edizioni Corraini is one of a few publishers that I look forward to their new releases each year. If you own or have seen any Bruno Munari books, you are most likely familiar with their work. They have reproduced dozens of Munari’s books, many of which I own in my personal collection. In addition to the Munari collection, they have produced books on or by Martà Guixé, Enzo Mari, Aoi Huber-Kono (Max Huber’s wife),Taro Miura, Albe Steiner and many others. With this in mind, I was delighted when I received an email from them mentioning that they had been reading Grain Edit and that they would like to send a package my way.
I will cover the contents of the package in several posts. The first being the Pino Tavaglia book seen above.
03.07.08 | Dave | Product Reviews | 5 comments
This Land – A Geography of Canada by Edward Wahl c1961
Hans Kleefeld cover designer
Great book discovery by Rosemary Travale.
Hans also designed the original logo for the Toronto Zoo.
02.26.08 | Dave | Found design | 5 comments
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Giant Golden Book of Biology – An Introduction to the Science of Life c1961
Text by Gerald Ames and Rose Wyler – Illustrated by Charley Harper
It doesn’t get much better then this. This is Charley in his prime.
“In a style he called “minimal realism”, Charley Harper captured the essence of his subjects with the fewest possible visual elements. When asked to describe his unique visual style, Charley responded:
When I look at a wildlife or nature subject, I don’t see the feathers in the wings, I just count the wings. I see exciting shapes, color combinations, patterns, textures, fascinating behavior and endless possibilities for making interesting pictures. I regard the picture as an ecosystem in which all the elements are interrelated, interdependent, perfectly balanced, without trimming or unutilized parts; and herein lies the lure of painting; in a world of chaos, the picture is one small rectangle in which the artist can create an ordered universe.[cite this quote]
He contrasted his nature-oriented artwork with the realism of John James Audubon, drawing influence from Cubism, Minimalism, Einsteinian physics and countless other developments in Modern art and science. His style distilled and simplified complex organisms and natural subjects, yet they are often arranged in a complex fashion. On the subject of his simplified forms, Harper noted:
I don’t think there was much resistance to the way I simplified things. I think everybody understood that. Some people liked it and others didn’t care for it. There’s some who want to count all the feathers in the wings and then others who never think about counting the feathers, like me.”
– Wikipedia
02.25.08 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 29 comments
Christopher David Ryan is a “Brooklyn-based graphic artist, daydreamer, pseudo-scientist, wanna-be astronaut and untrained intellectual.” His work shows a similar range of experimentation — photography, collage, illustration, found images, etc. Why! He even makes pillows! On his personal website, Ryan is posting at least one image of his work per day for every day of the year. Busy, busy.
02.01.08 | Ethan | Found design | 2 comments
1960s penguin book covers
Things magazine..wheew sweet mother! They have put together a kick butt gallery of penguin book covers. Includes beautiful covers overseen by Jan Tschichold as well as the late typographer Hans Schmoller. My favorite years are between 1961-1972 when Italian art director Germano Facetti was in charge of design. Facetti enlisted Polish graphic designer Romek Marber to redesign the look of the Penguin series and the rest is history.
Side note: Watched Jules Dassin’s Brute force last night. Great Flick. I also recommend Riffifi which was directed by Dassin as well.
(via Ace jet 170)
01.29.08 | Dave | Seen Elsewhere | 11 comments
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Alain Gree – l’electricitie c1969 vintage kids book
Published by Casterman as part of the Cadet-Rama Collection
Woah! Pastel overload! Someone went crazy with the pink crayons. I love it though. Alain Gree’s illustrations are great. I can’t get enough of the bubble heads, mod clothes, pop colors and psychedelic scenery. In this book, Alain looks at electricity and how its used. It’s filled with teal buses, pink trolleys and mustard colored sewing machines.
On a related note, I have to give a birthday shout out to my friend Sean. Sean introduced me to Alain’s work so this post seemed fitting for today.
01.23.08 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 13 comments
You ever have one of those moments when your postal carrier hands you a package and you can see a tear fall from his eye? He might be crying because of the joy he receives from delivering little packages but most likely its because he opened your package around the corner and is emotionally struggling to give it to you. Well I haven’t had this experience yet, but the delivery of my Field Notes memo books might of been a good place to start.
Thanks to the man behind Draplin design for sending me a fresh package of goodies, including a pack of Field Notes. Field notes memo books are the product of Draplin Design and Coudal Partners latest collaboration and were inspired by “agricultural memo books, ornate pocket ledgers and the simple, unassuming beauty of a well-crafted grocery list”. Each book contains 48 pages pages of lovely gridded paper and a list of practical applications including “escape routes” and “shoddy sketches”.
My previous economy class memo book is a pitiful sight (seen above) so, I was excited to upgrade to the stylish business class Field Notes. I’ve started to fill the book with random notes and silly thoughts. What I like most about Field Notes is the fact that it easily fits into my back pocket. Its pretty durable as well, so if you sit on it, it’s not going to fall apart.
If your still looking for stocking stuffers for Christmas, this makes for a great gift.
Now available at Field Notes Brand
12.18.07 | Dave | Product Reviews | 1 comment
Several years ago The Finnish Book Arts Committee produced a retrospective entitled 60 Years of Best Finnish Book Design. The online exhibition includes illustrations and layout by Tove Jansson, Erik Bruun, Jukka Pellinen, Timo Sarpaneva, Markku Reunanen, Aleksander Lindeberg and Oili Tanninen amongst others. It only takes a few minutes to click through the slide show and serves as a wonderful introduction to some of Finland’s finest designers.
11.13.07 | Dave | Found design | 2 comments
When grainedit asked us to show our book collection for their blog, we were pretty excited. Getting it done, however, was half the battle. Not that we were lazy, okay, we were a little lazy, but the hard part was figuring out what stuff we liked the most.
It’s not that easy, here’s how it went:
Sean: [Looking though first shelf] “Oh, I like this one, this one too, we should put this one in”
Nicole: [sighs] How many do you plan on doing? That’s too many.
So here you go, a look at our bookshelf and here are some of our favorites.
Read the rest of this entry »
10.28.07 | Dave | Designers Bookshelf | 12 comments
Cosponsored by Chronicle Books, the San Francisco Center for the Book, and the San Francisco chapter of the American Institute for Graphic Arts, this year’s annual 50 Books/50 Covers show, which has been held at the SFCB for the past several years, moves over to the new Chronicle Books headquarters at 680 Second Street. The above sample gives you a glimpse of the talent you will be reviewing. ‘Arboretum’ cover designed by McSweeney’s Publishing.
Opening reception: 680 Second Street, San Francisco
Friday, Oct 26 from 6-8pm and is free to the public.
Please visit the ‘San Francisco AIGA’ website for more details.
10.05.07 | Dave | Design Events | Comments closed
Motif Wine by En Garde Interdisciplinary GmbH
Do you have a project you’re really proud of? Do you think it could win an award? Start off the New Year by taking a chance and entering the A’Design Awards, the largest design competition in the world. The annual event is held in Como, Italy and accepts entries for both conceptual and realized projects. Celebrating all areas of design, the competition is organized into 100 categories including Print Design, Visual Communication, Packaging, UI and UX, Photography and more. Entries will be evaluated by a grand jury panel composed of design professionals, academics, and members of the press from across the globe. Whether you’re a student or a professional, this contest is a unique opportunity to receive feedback on your work and obtain access to services that can help foster your career. To participate, register your designs before the deadline on February 28th.
Building and sustaining a design firm is a massive endeavor and until recently there has been a lack of material on the subject. In Run Studio Run, a new book published by Extracurricular Press, Eli Altman sheds light on the topic and shares valuable insights that help to shape his naming/branding agency A Hundred Monkeys. With stories and personal commentary, Eli digs into the nitty gritty of running a business and the challenges along the way. Joining him are a diverse cast of studio owners and freelancers including Aaron Draplin, Kate Bingaman-Burt and Brent Couchman that provide advice and tips throughout the book. Run Studio Run is still in fundraising mode, but should be released this coming Spring. To support production costs and secure a copy please visit the Kickstarter campaign. Prints, pins and notebooks designed by the team at Moniker are also available as special rewards for backers.
Jon McNaught is an illustrator and comic book artist who captures the small comforts of everyday life. He often draws characters enjoying quiet activities like reading books or making coffee. An avid printmaker, he enjoys crafting linocuts and screen prints comprised of humble shapes and limited color schemes. These simple elements add an extra dose of harmony to his wholesome and serene compositions.
Basik Packaging by Saana Hellsten
Present your packaging skills to the international design community by submitting a project to the A’Design Award & Competition. From wine bottles to tubes of mascara, the contest reviews packages of all kinds. The jury panel judges each design based on criteria such as form, innovation, material choice, functionality, and more. Winners will receive an A’Design Prize, which includes invitations to the award ceremony in Como Italy, PR support, guaranteed publications of their work, and other services. If packaging isn’t your bag, the event offers other categories such as Visual Communication, UI and UX, Photography and more. To participate, register and submit your work here.
Keith Negley is an award-winning illustrator whose drawings easily transition between organic line work and rigid collaged compositions. His illustrations have appeared in national magazines, such as the New Yorker and Newsweek, where he’s covered subjects such as racial discrimination, medicine, and entertainment. In addition to his editorial work, he’s designed striking book covers and contributed to collaborative zines and gallery shows. He’s also published two books of his own titled My Dad Used to Be so Cool and Tough Guys (Have Feelings Too).
ITAL/C is a multidisciplinary studio that prides themselves on their diverse array of projects. From wine labels for small vineyards to global campaigns for large corporations, the studio has collaborated on ventures of all sizes. Adding to this varied collection is their assortment of side projects that express the shared interests of their designers. This work has taken on many forms including board games, animations, and silk screened notecards. Most impressive is Indoek, a surf-centric blog run by the studio’s founders. For the website, they’ve designed apparel, zines, surfboard wax packaging, and even curated a photography show. The blog’s most recent design endeavor is Surf Shacks, a book that documents the homes of surfers around the world and features ITAL/C’s original photography and illustrations.
Icinori is the moniker of the design and illustration team Raphael Urwiller and Mayumi Otero. Since 2007, the duo has collaborated on drawings for advertisements and editorial pieces. In addition to their commercial work, they focus on Icinori Publishing, a non-profit that has produced over 30 books and a large collection of prints. Utilizing limited color palettes, speckled shading, and fluid line work, their books illustrate original stories and traditional folktales. To get your hands on their gorgeous products, make sure to check out their shop.
Francesca Sanna is an illustrator and author who illuminates serious issues in a welcoming and endearing way. Through her book and side projects, she tackles subjects such as immigration, education, politics, and body image. Her drawings have a strong sense of narrative and feature lovable characters that confront their battles with strength and positivity. Her recent masterpiece is her book The Journey. With simple sentences and enthralling illustrations, she tells the story of a young family who flees their country to live in a safer area. The book’s fantastic imagery and clever use of color beautifully teaches children about the emotions and struggles that refugees often encounter.
Chris Cran Exhibition Catalogue by Stefan Canuel, RGD
Do you have a design, photograph, or rendering that you are really proud of? Submit it to the A’Design Award & Competition! The renowned event is held in Como, Italy and accepts applications for both conceptual and realized projects. Organized into 100 categories, the competition judges all areas of design including Print, Visual Communication, Packaging, and Photography. Entries will be reviewed by a respected panel of designers, academics, and members of the media from countries around the world. In addition to the A’Design trophy, winners will receive marketing assistance, certification support, and other services to help advance their careers. Whether you are a student or a professional, don’t miss this chance to share your work with the international design community. Register now before the upcoming deadline.
We’ve recently added a ton of great books to our shelves including titles from Princeton Architectural Press, Rizzoli, Laurence King Publishing, Thames & Hudson, and more! See them all after the jump. Enjoy!
Siobhán Gallagher’s wit and charm shines through her personal illustrations and self-published zines. Her hilariously relatable comics and writings depict the struggles of awkward social interactions, big city living, and modern tragedies such as accidentally liking a crush’s old Instagram photo. This knack for successfully translating contemporary strife has led Gallagher to create editorial illustrations for prominent publications such as MIT Technology Review and Bust. Her collaborative efforts with illustrator John F. Malta are also quite impressive. Together they’ve edited an anthology of apocalyptic art, titled Till Doomsday, and published two editions of their zine, We Out Here. To get your hands on Gallagher’s work, check out her new book, In A Daze Work: A Pick-Your-Path Journey Through the Daily Grind, which was released this July.
Between the first show Poster by Daeki Shim, Hyojun Shim
The 2018 A’Design Award & Competition is now open for submissions. The prestigious event features over 100 categories and will be judged by a panel of esteemed designers, scholars, and members of the press. In addition to receiving the A’Design trophy, winners will obtain career development services, invitations to exclusive design clubs, and other great prizes. The contest accepts applications for realized and conceptual projects from students and professionals. Register now to participate.
For today’s post we’ve highlighted a small sampling of past winners, including favorites from the Packaging and Print categories.
Raffinerie is an award-winning design studio based in Zürich. A favorite project of mine is their collaboration with the Solothurner Film Festival. Building from an established visual language, the studio developed a flexible identity system that they adapt each year. For this year’s event, they created a comprehensive campaign that included posters, invitations, and a program booklet. The promotional pieces highlight the festival’s energetic atmosphere and simultaneously promote its diverse collection of motion pictures. Prominently featured in the materials is a rectangular “O” which represents the screens the movies are projected on. This “O” is manipulated and morphed into a series of dynamic speech bubbles that interact with the film stills featured throughout the system.
Printmaker, JooHee Yoon, has continued to craft whimsical illustrations and prints that vibrate with color and personality. With Enchanted Lion Books she’s published two charming picture books, The Steadfast Tin Soldier and Beastly Verse, both printed with just three colors. She’s also done much editorial work, regularly illustrating for The New York Times, Plansponsor Magazine, and other prominent publications. To keep up with her work and to buy some of her pieces, make sure to follow her on Instagram and to check out her shop.
We’ve received some awesome titles from Nobrow Press, PIE International, Rizzoli, Standards Manual, and more. Also included are rad bandanas designed by Hitch, gorgeous linen journals from House Industries, and a collection of architecturally-inspired rubber stamps by Aurelien Debat. Check them all out after the jump.
Triangle Studio strives to design with “rational strategy and emotional harmony” in mind. This mentality helps them create clean and balanced compositions that shine with vivid colors and playful patterns. Based in Seoul, they craft packaging, branding, and editorial work for an array of clients. In addition to their professional projects, the studio releases a quarterly publication called Try Angle Papers. Here they experiment with different techniques, including marbling and papermaking, to create unique notebooks, posters, and postcards.
Savvy is a design, branding, and architectural studio based in New York and Mexico. While working with a global clientele, they craft sleek and timeless designs that highlight the unique characteristics of each product. This can easily be seen in their work for Index, an art book fair focused on independent publishers. For the event, Savvy crafted a brochure inspired by the range of styles and materials employed within contemporary publications. Featuring a variety of paper sizes and a vibrant flier, the piece encouraged curiosity and exploration. The finished pamphlet was an informative and striking piece of art.
If you’ve recently walked into a record store or flipped through the TV channels, you’ve probably seen the art of Jacob Escobedo. In addition to being the VP of creative design at Cartoon Network and Adult Swim, he immerses himself in a number of side projects. He’s designed album covers for bands, such as The Shins and Broken Bells, and crafted editorial illustrations for The New Yorker, MIT Technology Review, and other prominent publications. Highly influenced by vintage sci-fi book covers and artists like David Pelham and Jean Giraud (AKA Mœbius), his work is filled with galactic scenery and otherworldly characters. These cosmic compositions radiate with pink, blue, and purple rays of light that beautifully glisten against the darkness of outer space. Similar colors are also present in his series of album covers for Adult Swim Singles, a collection of free songs by contemporary musicians. The artwork’s marbled and oozing colors look as though they are dripping before your eyes. This optical illusion is brought to life on the project’s website where the illustrations are transformed into interactive animations.
Raphael Schoen is a Swiss graphic designer and co-founder of Präsens Büro, a studio based in Lucerne. Often designing for creative events and organizations, he’s produced a wide collection of posters that employ abstract collages and bold typography. In his poster for the dance performance, Ritual Warriors, he created an intricate composition that injected warmth and energy into the otherwise black and white photography. The fluid shapes of the photos further enhance the performers’ movements and create the illusion that they are dancing around the type.
Lucy Jones is an illustrator, designer, and printmaker based in the UK. She often designs posters for musicians and music festivals and takes on self-initiated projects such as designing book covers for stories in The New Yorker. Brimming with collaged photographs, loose brushstrokes, and handwritten scripts, her work is refreshingly uninhibited. By combining these elements with a small handful of colors and typefaces, Jones creates a signature style that is playful and unabashed.
The 2017 A’Design Awards winners have been announced! The esteemed award is presented to artists whose work demonstrates excellence in creativity, technology, and design.
This year the contest was divided into 100 categories including Visual Communication, Packaging, Photography, and more. Entries were carefully considered by an international panel of design professionals, scholars, and members of the press. Winners will receive the A’Design trophy, invitations to exclusive design clubs, as well as services to advance their careers. In addition, they will be honored for their accomplishments at the award ceremony in Como, Italy later this year.
Congratulations to everyone who participated! Here are some of this year’s prizewinners:
Kate Bingaman-Burt is a prolific illustrator, educator, and beacon of inspiration. Her passion for encouraging and cultivating creativity shines through her work as an associate professor of graphic design at Portland State University. This love for teaching also extends beyond the classroom, as demonstrated through her many lectures and workshops on drawing and zine production. In these discussions, she highlights the importance of artistic discovery and giving oneself time to explore and create. Additionally, she promotes rule-based projects that allow for a clear set of constraints. These values form the foundation for her latest endeavor, Outlet, a retail/workshop space. In today’s interview, we discuss Outlet as well as her many contributions to the teaching community.
This is the first part in a two-part interview series in collaboration with our friends at Skillshare. For a limited time you can take Kate’s class (as well as many other classes) for free. Click here to learn more and receive 2 months of Skillshare Premium for free.
and now on to the interview..
In our latest round of book picks we feature our favorite titles from Floating World Comics, PIE Books, Gestalten, Unit Editions, Electa, Universe, and more. Included is an enchanting story from our friends at Neighbourgoods, Type explorations from the folks at Spin, and a stunning monograph of the highly underrated Finnish designer Erik Bruun. Enjoy!
Karan Singh is an Australian artist living and working in Tokyo. Drawing inspiration from graphic design and op-art, he crafts illustrations and animations that burst with vibrant colors and bold patterns. His lively work has led to collaborations with an impressive list of clients including Sagmeister & Walsh, The US Open, and American Express. I especially admire his work for group exhibitions such as The Tōkyōiter and the OFFF 2016 Archetype book. To see more of his work and animations in action, visit his Instagram.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Working under the moniker, The Suffolk Punch Press, Adam Avery illustrates some of today’s hottest topics such as online education and renewable energy. His characters’ eccentric eyes and disproportionate bodies intrigue the viewer and beckon a closer look. Equally captivating, are his colorful blotchy textures that contrast with the clean lines and geometric shapes found within his compositions.
Creteleon Bottle by Tasos Polydorou
Do you have a project you’re really proud of? Do you think it could win an award? Start off the New Year by taking a chance and entering the A’Design Awards, the largest design competition in the world. The annual event is held in Como, Italy and accepts entries for both conceptual and realized projects. Celebrating all areas of design, the competition is organized into 100 categories including Print Design, Visual Communication, Packaging, UI and UX, Photography and more. Entries will be evaluated by a grand jury panel composed of design professionals, academics, and members of the press from across the globe. Whether you’re a student or a professional, this contest is a unique opportunity to receive feedback on your work and obtain access to services that can help foster your career. To participate, register your designs before the deadline on February 28th.
When describing themselves, Stockholm-based design studio, Snask, proudly states, “We worship unconventional ideas, charming smiles and real emotions. We see the old conservative world as extremely tedious and as our biggest enemy.” This passion for shaking things up and thinking outside of the box is obvious throughout their design, stop motion, and live action work. Taking on bold projects, like rebranding North Korea and crafting campaigns for female empowerment, the studio has proven that they aren’t afraid of taking on controversial topics in a fun and boisterous way.
I am especially captivated by their inventive use of different materials throughout their designs. From wood, to paper, to cake, they’ve built typography and props with just about everything. For the 2014 Malmö Festival, they created an impressive wooden typographic installation. Measuring 13×8 meters, it was one of the largest physical graphic identities in the world.
To use their creativity in other areas, Snask has submerged itself into a number of projects. The studio started a record label, launched its own line of beer, co-founded Yay Festival, and wrote a book about their failures and successes entitled Make Enemies & Gain Fans. Snask also travels around the world giving inspiring lectures on creative entrepreneurship.
Although I’ve been told not to judge a book by its cover, I want to read every book designed by Wang Zhi-Hong. From typography manuals to Albert Einstein’s Ideas and Opinions, Wang has tackled a range of translated volumes for Asia’s book market. Often employing geometric illustrations and minimal layouts, his work is clean, bold, and intriguing. His approach has earned him international recognition including six of Taiwan’s Golden Butterfly Awards, Kasai Kaoru’s Choice Award, and Excellent Works from the Tokyo Type Directors Club. To see designs from throughout his career, check out his book Design by wangzhihong.com: A Selection of Book Designs 2001-2016.
Amur Tiger Vodka Bottle by Guilherme Jardim
The world’s largest design competition, the A’ Design Awards, is now accepting entries. The renowned event is held in Italy each year and features a wide range of creative categories including Print Design, Visual Communication, Packaging, UI and UX, Photography and more. In addition to global recognition, winners gain access to services to further develop their career as well as feedback on their presentation. All entries will be judged by an international jury panel composed of design professionals, scholars, and members of the media. To take part, register your work before the February 28th submission deadline.
Since we last featured La Boca, they have continued to craft vibrant and work that summons feelings of nostalgia. Striving to create emotional connections through pop culture, they design retro-inspired posters, book covers, and album sleeves for clients such as 21st Century Fox, Penguin, and Adele. Their thoughtful and unique approach has not gone unnoticed and has earned them a slew of awards including numerous European Design Awards and Annual Design Awards. To get your hands on their colorful prints make sure to check out their shop.
From Fortune Magazine to restaurants in Croatia, Aleksandar Savić crafts illustrations and infographics for a range of clients around the world. Employing geometric shapes and muted color schemes, he crafts artful compositions that are playful yet refined. I’m especially impressed with his collection of portraits. Although the faces are built with flat shapes, his tactful use of color and striped textures make them dimensional and emotive.
From sporting goods to upscale restaurants, Jay Fletcher works with a variety of clients and tackles a range of design styles. Although he collaborates with large companies like the NFL and Smirnoff, Fletcher is also passionate about working with small businesses, especially in his home of Charleston, South Carolina. Utilizing simple forms, he crafts branding systems that burst with colorful narratives and are instantly recognizable. His inventive work has been recognized by numerous publications including Communication Arts, Print Magazine, and LogoLounge.
Founded by Maxime Prou and Adèle Favreau, Atelier Bingo is a French studio that specializes in screen-printed abstract compositions. Employing organic shapes, wild squiggles, and hand drawn polka dots, the studio creates an intriguing mix of colors and textures that are beautifully balanced and refreshingly playful. Through collaborations with companies like Poketo and Element, their patterns have adorned an array of products such as notebooks, skateboards, and blankets.
Drawing from Egyptian and Japanese folk art, illustrator Lili des Bellons crafts space-aged versions of ancient beasts and samurai warriors. Set amongst barren landscapes, these haunting portraits are glimpses into the everyday lives of these majestic creatures. Adding to the mystery of his work is the strange juxtaposition of the archaic characters and their modern clothing. In each portrait, they proudly sport patterned polo shirts and neon jumpsuits indicative of ‘80 fashion.
Looking for gifts for your fellow design-minded friends and family members? Check out our Gift Guide on Canopy where we have organized our gifts into five fun categories – For the Studio, Home, Design Books, Under $20, and For the Kids, but Kinda for Me. See a small sample of the guide after the jump.
We’ve received some amazing items in the past few months including books from Unit Editions, Princeton Architectural Press, Flying Eye, and more. If you’re looking for gift ideas, there’s plenty to choose from in here. See the complete collection after the jump.
From museums to estate sales, our Instagram feed is brimming with great finds including Barbara Stauffacher Solomon’s printed work at the SFMOMA.
Abbey Lossing is a Brooklyn based illustrator who crafts charming drawings and animated gifs full of lively characters and whimsical narratives. Her pastel color palettes and playful use of halftone patterns give her pieces a warm and lighthearted quality, reminiscent of children’s books and comics. Her work has graced the pages of Variety Magazine and The Magazine of Contemporary Illustration as well as Buzzfeed and Vice News. To see more of her portfolio and to take a peek at her process, make sure to follow her Instagram and blog.
At first glance, Kyle Platts’ work is as colorful and playful as a Schoolhouse Rock! segment, but taking a closer look might make you blush. As seen in his monthly comic, Vibe Consultant, and his book, Megaskull, Platts utilizes absurd characters and dark slapstick humor to point out societal follies. His more lighthearted illustrations can be seen within his collaborations with Moog Music and the Sydney Opera House. To take a look at his daily sketches and animated work check out his Tumblr and Instagram.
Michael Spitz is a freelance graphic designer based in New York City. From logos to illustrations, he tackles a wide breadth of projects and styles. Having a passion for typeface design, his portfolio is chock-full of innovative lettering and monograms. One exploration that is particularly impressive is a metallic bronze monogram that encases the entire alphabet and blooms from A at its center to Z at its rim. His inventive typographic designs are featured in the books New Graphic Design – The 100 Best Contemporary Graphic Designers and Typism 1 and 2.
The illustrations of Spanish artist, Raúl Soria, are filled with vivacious colors, whimsical patterns, and pleasant surprises. Although his work is already lively and often surreal, his use of animated GIFs gives his portfolio an extra dose of charm. Don’t be surprised if one of his characters suddenly gives you a friendly wink or curiously raises an eyebrow.
Looking through the portfolio of Lithuanian illustrator, Karolis Strautniekas, feels like stepping onto the set of a film noir movie. Brimming with dark silhouettes, cool tones, and grainy textures, his illustrations tell stories that are seductively mysterious. His work can be found gracing the pages of The New York Times, Forbes, and on his blog where he posts side projects and works in progress.
Twice is a Paris-based design studio founded by Fanny le Bras and Clémentine Berry. The duo combines organic textures and abstract shapes to design chic album covers, posters, and lookbooks. Their use of bright colors and bold photography make their designs just as unique and lively as the music and events they often accompany.
David Biskup is a London based artist whose illustrations have graced the pages of prominent publications such as The New York Times and The Guardian. His signature style combines bright colors, playful characters, and a touch of dark and risqué humor. In addition to his freelance work, he also publishes visual novellas inspired by his personal life and man’s relationship with creativity.
Here’s the latest round of books and goods to hit our shelves. Included are impressive new titles from Unit Editions, Princeton Architectural Press, Flying Eye Books, Extracurricular Press, GraphicDesign&, Laurence King and others. See all the items after the jump.
Inspired by skateboarding and comic books, Sonny Day and Biddy Maroney are Webuyyourkids. The duo layers colorful halftone textures and topographic patterns to create enchanting designs for clients across the globe. In addition to their digital work, they also share a passion for screen printing and hosting educational workshops.
Ludovic Balland is a Swiss designer based in Basel. His studio, Ludovic Balland Typography Cabinet, specializes in editorial layout, typeface design, and photography. The studio has created intricate typographic compositions and clever visual identities for many cultural institutions including Warsaw’s Museum of Modern Art and the Festival Antigel in Geneva. This past March, Switzerland’s Federal Office of Culture (BAK) awarded Balland the Jan Tschichold Award for outstanding achievements in book design.
Although he is busy working with clients such as Honda, Adobe, and Verizon, Polish graphic artist Peter Tarka (AKA Grate Studio) still focuses on self-initiated projects to explore different techniques and hone his skills. Using a mix of programs such as Cinema 4D, Photoshop, and V-Ray, he molds textures and patterns into three-dimensional forms to create abstract compositions and unique typographic structures.
Jeremie Claeys is a Belgian illustrator based in Paris. Highly influenced by comic books, movies, and music, he creates whimsical illustrations that are geometrically-charged. His personal side project, 100 Weird Faces, is a daily creative exercise in which he experiments with using different techniques.
Matteo Colella is a graphic designer and typographer based in Singapore. His gridded typographic layouts and knack for minimalism combine to beautifully deliver information for the cultural institutions that he often designs for. His work as been displayed at the National Museum of Singapore and was recently featured in the book MIN: The New Simplicity of Graphic Design by Stuart Tolley.
Mainstudio is a Dutch design studio founded by Edwin van Gelder. The studio creates identity systems, books, and interactive digital media. They begin each project with an editorial typographic approach that eventually progresses to fuse content and graphic forms. By applying innovative printing techniques to their designs, the studio has won numerous international awards, including ‘Best Book Design from all over the world’ in 2013 from Frankfurt’s Stiftung Buchkunst and the Leipzig Book Fair.
Highly influenced by horror movies and Italian Art Deco, Daniel Zender’s colorful yet eerie illustrations have added some edge to numerous publications including The New York Times and Variety. He has illustrated hard-hitting issues such as war, security, race relations, and water waste, and has published is own comics and zines like Giving In and Nope.
In our latest installment of book picks we highlight new and exciting titles from Unit Editions, Princeton Architectural Press, Metropolis, Flying Eye and many others. All are worth noting, but we highly recommend TD 63-73, Very Graphic: Polish Designers of the 20th Century and Design for People.
“The Myths of Design” is a collection of advice, stories, anecdotes and interviews featuring some of the world’s best designers. The book is still in progress , but will feature Erik Marinovich, Aaron Draplin, Jolby & Friends, Kate Bingaman-Burt, Don Clark and others. To support production costs and secure a copy please visit the Kickstarter campaign.
We’ve received some wonderful titles this week and i’m excited to share them. Included are entries from Lars Muller, Chronicle Books, Print, Penguin Books, Walker Art Center, Vitra and Silvania Editoriale. See all the books and images after the jump.
I’ve been following the work of Christopher DeLorenzo for sometime now and i’ve always been impressed with his ability to skillfully navigate between illustration, type and design with the slightest of ease. Building on simple forms, he crafts character-driven work that is equally informed by his love for film and passion for literature. A native of Massachusetts, Chris briefly ventured into NY for a stint at Saatchi & Saatchi X. He has since returned, to take on the lead design / art director role at the clothing brand Johnny Cupcakes. We’ve featured Chris’s work on the site in the past, but in today’s interview he grants us a closer look into his work and process.
Brand Guide: Singapore Edition rounds up the iconic homegrown brands that attest to the current golden age of design in Singapore. Conceived by local design think-tank studio, Foreign Policy Design Group, this publication goes in-depth, featuring the brains behind some of Singapore’s most well-known and well-loved brands, such as Unlisted Collection:, The Lo & Behold Group, Papa Palheta, Ong Shunmugam, GOODSTUPH, DrGL, Supermama, BooksActually,and Plain Vanilla. Doubling as an alternative travel guide for the modern design traveller, Brand Guide: Singapore Edition hopes to share their appreciation for local brands and to inspire that in their readers.
Here’s the latest round of books and goods to hit our shelves. Included are impressive new titles from Nobrow, Chronicle Books, Lars Muller, Laurence King, F&W Media and Princeton Architectural Press. Especially worth noting is Unit Edition’s latest endeavor – a hearty monograph on Lance Wyman.
Minilab is a new app development studio from the minds of Nobrow and Flying Eye Books. Steeped in the same ethos as their traditional print counterparts, they aim to deliver memorable products that revel in strong visual storytelling. For their first project, they were tasked to bring Ben Newman’s best selling book Professor Astro Cat’s Frontiers of Space to life. You can download the app at iTunes and see a preview of the app in action here.
Werewolves! vampires! spiders with top hats! These are some of the creatures featured in a new monster picture book series by author, illustrator, and character designer Ralph Cosentino. Inspired by his love for monsters this collection pays homage to the folklore and stories he admired as a kid.
In the first book, readers are invited to rediscover Frankenstein, not as a menacing beast but as a gentle giant with a love for reading and foreign languages. Joining him in his adventures are a chubby bat named Claude and a lovable cat named Bela. Together they explore alternative uses for windmills and learn the finer points of Spanish music and dancing (I suspect the later pays homage to Ralph’s own background as the son of Argentinian flamenco dancers). To help bring the story to life, Ralph employs auditory phrases and expressive typography to encourage parents and children alike to immerse themselves in the experience and pretend to be their favorite characters.
After years of burning the midnight oil, Ralph is ready to bring the series to light (but don’t tell Dracula!). To secure a copy and earn cool stuff along the way, you can help support his efforts via this Kickstarter campaign.
Feast your eyes on the work of Anne Jordan, a book designer and recent winner of Print magazine’s New Visual Artists :15 under 30. Along with her husband – designer Mitch Goldstein – she maintains a small design studio in Rochester, New York. Through process-driven experiments with unconventional materials and techniques, she crafts work that embraces the elements of chance and limitation.
I’m excited to announce the upcoming release of Been Busy: The Art & Design of Mike Davis. As a founding member of Burlesque of North America, Mike has created concert posters, logos, t-shirts, stage graphics, album artwork and more for a wide range of clients including Nike, Rhymesayers and Kidrobot. This book provides a rare glimpse into his process and will feature never-before seen concept sketches and doodles along with a variety of projects that span his career as a designer. Been Busy is still in fundraising mode, but should be released in October. To support production costs and secure a copy please visit his kickstarter campaign.
Lovely work from Marijke Buurlage, an artist living and working in the Netherlands. With a love for animals and plants she crafts vibrant landscapes and precious moments that appear to be frozen in time. Many of her illustrations can be found gracing the covers of books and magazines along with posters and prints. Explore her world further at marijkebuurlage.com
Here’s the latest round of books and goods to hit our shelves. This week’s entries include items from Nobrow, Chronicle Books, powerHouse Books, Unit Editions and Princeton Architectural Press. See all the books after the jump.
Neenah paper celebrates the relationship between destination and design in their latest promotion entitled Future Classic. In a collaboration with Washington D.C.-based creative studio Design Army, Neenah Paper asked seven emerging artists to interpret the cities they live in, through design. The end result will be available in a soon-to-be released book.
Recently I had the pleasure of testing the Nix Pro Color Sensor. Originally developed in 2012, the compact Bluetooth enabled device allows you to easily capture and save colors from the real world. Simply hover over an object, click “scan” on the iPhone synced app, and Nix will convert the found color into RGB, CMYK, HEX, and CIELAB values. Once entered into the app, the color profile can be saved and organized into palettes to be referenced at a later time.
For designers, Nix is a dream tool that replaces the need to carry around heavy swatchbooks. Since it’s lightweight and roughly the size of a ping pong ball, it can be easily stored in a bag or backpack and it’s innovative design allows for a more accurate method of color matching. In addition, color swatches can be compared against each other, making for a powerful and effective tool for client work in the field.
For grain edit readers, Nix is currently offering 10% off a purchase of a Nix Pro Color Sensor.
We’ve received some wonderful titles this week and i’m excited to share them. Included are entries from Nobrow, Laurence King, Princeton Architectural Press, D.A.P, Fshnunlimited and Chronicle Books. See all the books and images after the jump.
On Tuesdsay, Designers & Books launched a special kickstarter campaign to reprint Ladislav Sutnar’s now classic Visual Design in Action. Published in 1961, the book has been out of print for over 40 years and due to it’s limited production, scarcely seen in the open market. If the campaign is successful, production will begin immediately and the book will be available as soon as this fall. To aid in the production, Designers & Books has enlisted an amazing team including Steven Heller, designer Reto Caduff and publisher Lars Muller. To support their efforts, please visit the official Kickstarter page and soon. Early backer discounts are available, but limited.
1001FreeDownloads is a new site where you can find thousands of images which are not only free, but royalty-free, and can be used for commercial and business purposes.The free downloads available on the site are organized under nine image types and categories: Vectors, Photos, Fonts, Icons, Wallpapers, Brushes, Styles, Patterns and Clipart and can be downloaded immediately without registration. Just pick and download, it’s that simple.
The Heart Index is a not-for-profit design compendium, raising money and awareness for Heart Research UK. Created by Craig Atkinson and Grace Bond, the book showcases a collection of hearts designed and interpreted by a host of contemporary practitioners including Adrian Shaughnessy, Spin and Wim Crouwel. See all the details here.
In our latest round of book finds we feature titles from William Wondriska, Friends of Type, Veritas and Princeton Architectural Press. It’s a brief. but solid list filled with solid additions to any library. See all the books after the jump.
Today, I have the pleasure of introducing Hannah Tomlinson, a designer living and working in Manchester. A former account executive, she stumbled upon the world of graphic design while working for an advertising agency. This new found interest sparked a desire to adjust her current career path and pursue an education at Shillington – a design school with campuses in the U.K., Australia and the United States. There, she received invaluable guidance from teachers such as Sarah McHugh and grain edit fave Jeffery Bowman. By honing her skills through a series of internships after graduation, she eventually landed a full-time gig at the multidisciplinary firm RetroFuzz. Today Hannah shares insight into the types of projects that drive her and how her experiences at Shillington better prepared her to enter a competitive work force.
02.04.15 | Dave | sponsors | Comments closed
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The last and final addition to our Design Book Gift Guide is alex wollner: brasil design visual. You can see images and a brief summary in our holiday wish list.
12.19.14 | Dave | Found design | Comments closed
Senior Designer – Hybrid Design (San Francisco, CA)
Graphic Designer – Hybrid Design (San Francisco, CA)
Faculty Position for the Illustration Practice MFA program – MICA (Baltimore, MD)
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12.18.14 | Dave | Jobs | Comments closed
Victoria -based Grosz Co. Lab has created a flexible identity system for the newly renamed Ascui & Co. Architects. As mentioned on the Grosz Co.website, they “developed a morphing visual language sequence along with a suite of ever changing ‘temperatures’ to encourage an on-going evolution of the brand through the client’s own creative contribution and experimentation”.
12.16.14 | Dave | Found design | Comments closed
Working with a limited color palette, Polish designer Marta Gawin has created a vibrant identity system that wonderfully captures the spirit and energy of the Katowice JazzArt Festival.
12.15.14 | Dave | Found design | 1 comment
Rasmus Koch is a small, but versatile design studio based in Copenhagen. Established in 2001, the studio is a two-time winner of the prestigious Danish Design Award.
12.08.14 | Dave | Found design | 1 comment
Design Director – Hybrid Design (San Francisco)
Project Manager – Hybrid Design (San Francisco)
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12.04.14 | Dave | Uncategorized | Comments closed
Here’s our picks for home and office gifts! Included are prints, desk sets and plenty of stocking stuffers. See all the goods after the jump.
11.26.14 | Dave | Found design | Comments closed
Holiday sticker set by Eight Hour Day
Looking to add some snazz to your holiday packages? Check out this brief, but beautiful selection of stickers, cards and hang tags. Included are items from Eight Hour Day, Juli Shore Design, Everlovin’ Press and Tom Froese.
11.26.14 | Dave | Found design | Comments closed
Powerless by Andy Westface
The holidays are approaching and with it the hustle and bustle of the shopping season. To help you the navigate the plethora of products that were produced over the past year we’ve prepared a series of gift guides aimed at designers and creative types. In this first guide we’ve teamed up with Redbubble, a creative community and marketplace, to create a curated list of prints and posters. Many of the illustrations featured in the list are available as t-shirts and tote bags as well. Happy shopping!
11.24.14 | Dave | sponsors | Comments closed
We’ve received some wonderful titles this week and i’m excited to share them. Included are entries from Pointed Leaf Press, Moleskine, Kat Ran Press, Buro Destruct, Princeton Architectural Press and Chronicle Books. See all the books and images after the jump.
11.13.14 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | Comments closed
Marcel Hausler is a designer living and working in Hamburg, Germany. A recent graduate of the Fachhochschule Mainz, he has worked for well known museums including the Bauhaus-Archiv Berlin and the Gutenberg-Museum Mainz.
10.20.14 | Dave | Found design | Comments closed
This week’s book picks include entries from Unit Editions, Princeton Architectural Press and Ridinghouse. See all the books and images after the jump.
10.16.14 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | Comments closed
Continuing our series of process related interviews, we chat with illustrator and designer Justin Pervorse. A Bay Area transplant via Atlanta, Justin has been relentlessly perfecting his craft over the last decade.
I first caught wind of Justin’s talents during his tenure at Mailchimp, where he injected his infectious personality into a series of slick illustrations and campaigns for the email giant. He has since moved on to Dropbox’s internal design department, a position that has allowed him to further expand his creative capabilities. Through the support of his peers, Justin and his team have created a series of self-initiated projects that explore and uplift the spirit of the brand. In today’s interview we highlight one of these projects, delve into his workflow and discuss his earliest days as a designer.
10.14.14 | Dave | Features | 2 comments
I was first introduced to Josh Brill and his work though through his Flora Fauna collection. With nature serving both as a catalyst and a muse, the ongoing series explores and catalogs the identities of plants and animals from around the world. To illustrate these explorations Josh chose to eschew conventional realism in favor of a style that echoes cubist techniques. The end result is vibrant, bold and visually intoxicating.
In addition to sharing the same passion for illustration and design, I was excited to discover that Josh and I shared a similar upbringing. We unknowingly haunted the same swimming holes and drank from the same slush puppy wells while growing up. This served as fodder to fuel our friendship and with this in mind, i’m delighted to present today’s interview with him.
09.29.14 | Dave | Features | 3 comments
After discovering a copy of the NYC Transit Authority Graphics Standards Manual in the basement of Pentagram, designers Jesse Reed and Hamish Smyth have set out to reissue this unique piece of history. For a limited time you can support their efforts through a Kickstarter campaign that has been set up. Starting at the $118 level, each backer will receive a copy of the reproduction which will include an intro by Michael Beirut. After this campaign, the book will never be reissued again. See all the details here.
09.16.14 | Dave | Found design | 1 comment
The mailman has been good to us this week and we’ve received an impressive list of titles. Included are new books from Lars Muller, Princeton Architectural Press, Laurence King, Chronicle Books, Rizzoli, Thames & Hudson and Nobrow. See all the goodies after the jump.
09.15.14 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | Comments closed
Dirk Laucke and Johanna Siebein are the creative minds behind the award-winning Studio Laucke Siebein. With offices in Berlin and Amsterdam they focus on branding and interactive projects for corporate and cultural institutions. In addition to their design practice, the dynamic duo are visiting tutors at the ‘Hochschule für Künste Bremen’/Germany.
09.05.14 | Dave | Found design | Comments closed
Here’s the latest round of books and goods to hit our shelves. This week’s entries include items from Nobrow, Chronicle Books, Universe, Korero Press, Ryan Gillett and Mid Century Magazine.
09.02.14 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 3 comments
NAVA is an Italian brand that has strong roots in the design community. Established in 1970, they have a long history of working with the leading designers of the day. Nendo Projects, Massimo Vignelli, Enzo Mari, Naoto Fukasawa and Max Huber are just a few of the designers that NAVA has collaborated with over the years. The success of these partnerships has allowed NAVA to craft a functional yet undeniably stylish product line that supercedes vain fashion. Many of these products have gone on to become icons that are still displayed in museums and galleries around the world.
We recently received a package from NAVA which contained items from the latest Michel Charlot collaboration as well as a classic notepad/daily planner designed by Max Huber during the early stages of the company. We explore these products in words and pictures after the jump.
08.27.14 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | Comments closed
In 1958, the inaugural issue of the Neue Grafik – The International Review of graphic design and related subjects – was launched by four Zürich-based designers. Led by Josef Müller-Brockmann, Richard Paul Lohse, Hans Neuburg and Carlo Vivarelli (LMNV), the journal became a catalyst for an emerging movement in design known as the Swiss School or International Typographic Style. Marked by its asymmetrical layouts, sans-serif typeface and strong use of grids, the International Typographic Style placed heavy emphasis on clarity and precision. Throughout the journal’s history, this rigid yet versatile approach to design was employed and readily adopted by the design community at large.
Original copies of Neue Grafik are scarce and rarely surface on the open market with single issues fetching three hundred dollars or more. With this in mind, I’m excited to announce the re-release by Lars Muller of this significant and sought-after periodical, with all eighteen issues now available as a facsimile reprint. Contained within a stunning red slipcase, the set also includes a 64 page booklet with commentary by Steven Heller, Lars Muller and Richard Hollis.
07.31.14 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | Comments closed
Designers are passionate about the products they use, so it’s no surprise that Apple has garnered an ubquitious yet cult-like status within our industry for their computers and hand-held devices. Jonathan Zufi, a mobility expert and self-proclaimed apple fanatic shares that sense of enthusiasm and has captured it in his latest endeavor. Over the past five years Jonathan has amassed an impressive collection of Apple-related products. Through thousands of photographs, an online site and the release of his book titled Iconic, he has documented Apple’s evolution and lovingly paid tribute to the company’s enduring legacy. Today we talk with Jonathan about his motivation for the project and the challenges he faced along the way.
07.30.14 | Dave | sponsors | Comments closed
Supernew Supergraphics by Unit Editions
This week we’re excited to feature titles from Chronicle Books, Nobrow, Flying Eye Books and Occasional Papers. See all the books after the jump.
07.16.14 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 1 comment
Secretly Label Group is seeking a full-time designer. The position will be serving the labels Dead Oceans, Jagjaguwar, and Secretly Canadian. This is an amazing opportunity considering the depth of talent found on these labels. Damien Jurado, Bon Iver, Jens Lekman and Antony and the Johnsons are just a few of the artists you could be potentially designing for. To learn more about the position, please visit the grain edit job board.
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07.15.14 | Dave | Jobs | Comments closed
It’s hard not to get lost in the vibrant landscapes of Brad Woodard’s work. His colorful illustrations beckon a response of thought and feeling and invite us to view the world in a more gentle and naive way. A native of the Pacific Northwest, he migrated south to Austin (via Boston) where along with his wife, he set up shop as Brave the Woods – a small but dynamic creative studio. With a burgeoning product line and an impressive client list that includes Target and Old Navy, the gifted duo have established themselves as an emerging force in design. In today’s interview we chat with Brad about the software that drives his workflow, his passions outside of design and more. Enjoy!
06.30.14 | Dave | Features | 3 comments
From books and ephemera to lettering and signage, see all our latest finds from the field on Instagram.
06.03.14 | Dave | Found design | 1 comment
Sign Painters is a documentary showcasing the past, present and future of the hand painted sign in the USA . Directed by Faythe Levine and Sam Macon the film serves as a companion to Princeton Architectural Press’s 2012 book release of the same name. The film features legends such as Keith Knecht and Bob Dewhurst and is now available online at signpaintersfilm.com, Amazon Instant Video and iTunes. The producers of the film have graciously offered grain edit readers a dollar off coupon for instant streaming and HD downloads. To redeem the coupon, visit signpaintersfilm.com and enter promo code “typography”.
05.27.14 | Dave | Found design | Comments closed
Here’s the latest round of books and goods to hit our shelves. This week’s entries include items from Nobrow, Chronicle Books, Lars Muller, The Walt Disney Family Foundation Press and Princeton Architectural Press.
05.21.14 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 1 comment
Public Access Design Fellow – The Center of Urban Pedagogy (Broooklyn, NY)
The Center for Urban Pedagogy (CUP) is looking for designers to join its Public Access Design program as 2014-2015 Design Fellows. They’re looking for NYC-based visual thinkers working in print, ux/ui design, motion graphics, animation, and illustration who are interested in bringing playful visual solutions to the challenges of design for social change.
Visit our job board to learn more.
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05.19.14 | Dave | Jobs | Comments closed
I first discovered Ed Nacional at the end of 2009 as he was completing his studies at Parsons. He had recently taken on a design internship for the New York Times and was beginning to explore his capabilities as an illustrator. I was instantly attracted to his his bold no-nonsense use of type and stylish yet minimal use of color. Since then, I have enjoyed watching Ed grow as a designer and seeing the projects that have resulted from his efforts. Others have taken notice as well, as popular brands and platforms like Skillshare and Wanelo have sought Ed’s expertise and artistic sensibilities in developing their identities. In today’s installment of the Design in Process series we chat with Ed about his workflow, his passions outside of the office and more!
05.05.14 | Dave | Features | 5 comments
Consistently solid work from Socio Design, a multi-disciplinary graphic design studio based in London.
04.24.14 | Dave | Found design | 1 comment
Enter the world of Scott Balmer, an accomplished illustrator from the UK. When he’s not playing tetris or dreaming of chocolate, he’s conjuring up brilliant imagery filled with mischievous characters and majestic beasts.
04.23.14 | Dave | Found design | 2 comments
This week we’re excited to feature titles from Princeton Architectural Press, Laurence King and Sing Statistics. See all the books after the jump.
04.15.14 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 1 comment
Over the last couple of years we’ve seen an increased interest in cartography. More and more books are being produced on the subject and there has been a rise in the amount of designers and illustrators choosing to focus in this area of work. London-based Wallpapered.com has captured some of this excitement around map related imagery in their latest round of product offerings. Recognizing that large scale map graphics lend itself well to the modern home/office aesthetic they have created a series of wallpapers that can be easily applied to any room. There is a diverse collection to choose from, but of special iinterest is the black and white relief map and the full color world map. See the complete collection here.
04.14.14 | Dave | sponsors | Comments closed
Born and bred in the Lone-Star state, Brent Couchman is a designer and illustrator that now calls San Francisco his home. Noted for his generous use of color, he employs vibrant yet sophisticated palettes that elevate and accentuate the playfulness and meticulous nature of his work. He has received awards and accolades from distinguished publications including Graphis and Print and has established himself as an accomplished designer with a distinct visual voice. After stints at Fossil and Hatch Design he recently decided to venture out on his own with the launching of Moniker – a design and branding studio focused on timeless work and strong client relationships. In our latest addition to the Design in Process series we chat with Brent on his creative process and the challenges of managing a studio.
04.09.14 | Dave | Features | 3 comments
Established in 2001, Kokoro & Moi is a multidisciplinary design studio with a focus on brand identity and interactive work. With a penchant for the curious and the extraordinary; they love asking questions, challenging accepted explanations and inferring possible new worlds.
04.07.14 | Dave | Found design | 2 comments
Inca Pan is a Taiwanese illustrator with a knack for creating powerful imagery. Working with gouache and ink he conjures fantastical landscapes filled with bold colors and lush vegetation.
03.27.14 | Dave | Found design | Comments closed
UI/UX Designer – PennyPop (SF,CA)
You can subscribe to our job listings via RSS, Email or follow at Twitter and Facebook.
03.26.14 | Dave | Jobs | Comments closed
This week we’re excited to feature titles from Laurence King, Chronicle Books and Baron Fig. See all the books after the jump.
03.19.14 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 1 comment
Edgar Bak is a talented designer based out of Poland. A graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, he can now be found art directing for various magazines and teaching typography and information architecture classes at the School of Form in Poznan. He was also a driving force behind Projekt: The Polish journal of visual art and design published by United Editions. Read the rest of this entry »
03.03.14 | Dave | Found design | 1 comment
It’s hard not to smile when viewing Danielle Kroll’s latest project. Inspired by vintage flash cards and picture books, the Brooklyn-based designer has created a series of “word recipes” as a way to add some art and whimsy into children’s education. Each recipe features images on the left that illustrate the syllables of the word on the right. The illustrations are silly and fun and always feature Danielle’s signature whimsical style.
02.25.14 | Dave | Found design | 1 comment
Enter the world of Hugo Barros, an artist from Lisbon, Portugal working with collage. Manipulating elements by hand, he creates dense compositions without the use of post processing tools like Photoshop. Although the subject matter varies from piece to piece, there are reoccurring themes in his work. Serene landscapes are often juxtaposed against cosmic imagery in a surreal explosion of color that feels apocalyptic in nature. The end result is mesmerizing and always worth a second look.
Hugo’s creations are available at Saatchi and similar work can be found in their collage section.
02.19.14 | Dave | Found design | Comments closed
Secretly Label Group is seeking a full-time designer. The position will be serving the labels Dead Oceans, Jagjaguwar, and Secretly Canadian. This is an amazing opportunity considering the depth of talent found on these labels. Damien Jurado, Bon Iver, Jens Lekman and Antony and the Johnsons are just a few of the artists you could be potentially designing for. To learn more about the position, please visit the grain edit job board.
You can subscribe to our job listings via RSS, Email or follow at Twitter and Facebook.
02.19.14 | Dave | Jobs | Comments closed
I’m very excited to hear of Unit Editions latest release – Manuals 1: Design & Identity Guidelines. The book is the first comprehensive study of corporate identity design manuals, and features 21 examples from the 1960s to early 1980s. Included are manuals created for NASA, Lufthansa, British Steel and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
Pre-order a copy at Unit Editions.
02.18.14 | Dave | Found design | Comments closed
Japanese graphic design is characterized by a unique aesthetic, oscillating between its own pictorial tradition and Western visual culture. In Lars Muller’s lastest release, Japan-Nippon they explore the Japanese poster and how it functions most notably as a highly aesthetic image advertisement, presupposing the designer as an artist.
02.13.14 | Dave | Found design | Comments closed
Tim Easley is a designer and illustrator from London. A self-professed fan of daydreaming and doodling, he creates bold works brimming with rich textures and vibrant illustrations.
02.10.14 | Dave | Found design | 1 comment
Italian designer and illustrator Jonathan Calugi recently updated his portfolio with a series of new projects. It’s well worth a visit if you’re a fan of his signature black and white line work.
02.07.14 | Dave | Found design | Comments closed
House Industries Love Heart Blocks
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, we’ve compiled a small list of gift ideas for the design-inclined. Included are items from House Industries, Wieden + Kennedy, Braun and more. In addition, you will find some fun items that fit within the sprit of the holiday. See the full list here.
02.03.14 | Dave | Found design | Comments closed
Our friend Nate Burgos has teamed up with Stephanie Di Biase for an exciting new book aimed at working creatives. Featuring illustrations by Lucy Engelman, Broken: Navigating the Ups and Downs of the Circus Called Work, addresses the challenges of toxic work environments and other barriers to getting things done.
01.31.14 | Dave | Found design | Comments closed
Browsing through the portfolio of Mattson Creative, an award-winning design studio based in Southern California, can prove to be a daunting task. It’s easy to be overwhelmed by the quantity and consistent quality of work. I’ve long admired their expressive illustrative style and am especially smitten with their self-initiated projects for popular TV shows including Dexter, Lost and more recently Breaking Bad. We’ve profiled the studio in the past, but in today’s interview we talk with Ty Mattson, the studio’s founder and creative director.
01.29.14 | Dave | Features | 2 comments
Here’s our latest round of Pinterest picks. Follow us on Pinterest to see more of our favorite posters, logos and prints.
01.28.14 | Dave | Found design | 1 comment
Merijn Hos is an Illustrator and Visual Artist based in Utrecht, the Netherlands. Splitting his time between personal and commercial projects he creates rich illustrations where mischievous characters and fantastical machines dot whimsical yet slightly eerie worlds.
01.27.14 | Dave | Found design | Comments closed
Made up of 10 unique styles, Respublika FY, from FontYou, is a gorgeously balanced humanistic sans serif font. Complete with 10 different styles ranging from light to extra black italic, there’s pretty much nothing this titanic typeface can’t do! And for a limited time only, you can get the entire family for 88% off thanks to this Mighty Deal!
01.27.14 | Dave | sponsors | 1 comment
UI/UX Designer – PennyPop (SF,CA)
You can subscribe to our job listings via RSS, Email or follow at Twitter and Facebook.
01.23.14 | Dave | Jobs | Comments closed
This week we’re excited to feature titles from Corraini Edizioni, Nobrow, Laurence King and Princeton Architectural Press. See all the books after the jump.
01.21.14 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 1 comment
01.08.14 | Dave | Found design | Comments closed
And we’re back from a much needed Holiday Vacation!
In Lars Muller’s latest release they explore the work of the highly influential HfG ULm School once located in Ulm Germany. Founded in 1953 by Max Bill, Otl Aicher and Inge Aicher-Scholl the school enjoyed a brief existence, but it’s radical approach to design had a lasting impact.
From the Publisher:
“The Ulm School of Design (HfG Ulm) ranks among the world’s most important institutions of the 20th century in modernist design. Its founders Inge Aicher-Scholl, Otl Aicher and Max Bill wanted to contribute to the shaping of a new and better world after the terrible experiences of the Nazi regime and the Second World War. The meaning of design today cannot be understood without considering the developments at HfG. That applies not only to the design of appliances and communications, but also to the profession of designer, design education, methodology and design theory—ranging from the relationship between design and science up to the question of what relationship design should adopt with art and crafts, or business and society. This massive impact of the HfG is all the more astounding, considering that it existed for only 15 years, from 1953 to 1968. This book provides a contextual and broadly illustrated history of the HfG Ulm.”
01.06.14 | Dave | Found design | Comments closed
Denmark-based Miss Lotion creates character driven work where whimsical universes are inhabited by weird and curious beings.
12.18.13 | Dave | Found design | 2 comments
If you’re looking to spread some Christmas cheer around, either through holiday cards, flyers, T-shirts, ads or various websites, then you’ll want to jingle all the way with this offer. This Mighty Deal is a collection of 7 deals in one! In fact, you’re not just getting a ton of Christmas-themed resources at once, you’re also getting $880-worth of awesomeness for a mere $19! Included are Christmas related icons, illustrations and typographic designs.
12.18.13 | Dave | sponsors | Comments closed
New items in the shop including these vintage educational posters from Argentina.
12.17.13 | Dave | Grain Edit News | Comments closed
Stack and Scare! by Invisible Creature
If you’re looking for last minute gift ideas, check out our Gift Guide on Luvocracy. Here’s a few items from the guide.
12.16.13 | Dave | Found design | 1 comment
This post is brought to you by Design Faves. The image above is by Tycho AKA ISO50
As designers, we are constantly seeking new sources of inspiration and often that means looking beyond our discipline. For some of us, this might mean a glance at the latest items in our Pinterest feed, while others will find inspiration in travels or an enlightening book. To add to that list, our friends recently launched Design Faves – a curated collection of art and design work. With frequent updates, the site features posts on architecture, photography, fashion, furniture as well as illustration and graphic design. Included below is a small sampling of what the site has to offer.
12.13.13 | Dave | sponsors | 2 comments
This week we’re excited to feature titles from Flying Eye Books, Laurence King, Peach Pit Press, PA Press, Kat Ran Press and more. See all the books after the jump.
12.12.13 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 1 comment
Eight Hour day is the online home and moniker of Katie Kirk and Nathan Strandberg, a husband and wife design duo based out of Minneapolis. Their client list includes The New York Times, Chronicle Books, Williams Sonoma, Random House, among others. Driven by their belief that process and collaboration should be as exciting and fun as the end result, they create work that is honest, smart and succinct. In today’s interview, the 2nd part of our ongoing design in process series, Katie shares some of the challenges of working with a significant other, her workflow for a recent project and much more.
12.10.13 | Dave | Features | 4 comments
I’m looking forward to the upcoming US release of Willem Sandberg: portrait of An Artist – a new new book from the Dutch publisher Valiz.
From the Publisher:
“After the Second World War, Willem Sandberg (NL, 1897–1984) transformed the Amsterdam Stedelijk museum into a dynamic centre for modern and innovative art and culture. He did this with exceptional creativity and in close collaboration with artists and architects. Sandberg had distinct ideas about heading up a museum for modern and contemporary art, about the importance of art, about dealing with artists and about his work as typographic designer, but also about social responsibility and community.
This book is based on interviews with Sandberg (from 1971 and 1981) and offers first-hand insight into questions such as: what does the task of museum director entail; how does art criticism work; what is the essence of being an artist; what does the ideal museum architecture look like; and what is the role of art and the museum in society?”
Pre-order a copy at Amazon.
12.09.13 | Dave | Found design | Comments closed
Moderne Werbe und Gebrauchs Grafik by Hans Neuburg
For those of you that missed the preview, the shop is now live and open to the public. Here’s a few of the items you’ll find inside.
12.05.13 | Dave | Grain Edit News | 1 comment
Set during the political uprising in Cairo, Egypt, during 2011, It’s Time to Move marries Peter Wieben’s text and pencil and gouache illustrations with documentary photography by Dominic Nahr. Part fiction and part truth, the resulting work explores the fears, hopes and unique observations of a small pocket of witnesses living through these extraordinary times.
12.04.13 | Dave | Found design | 1 comment
The preview sale will launch tomorrow, Tuesday Dec. 3rd at noon PST. Included in the sale will be vintage kids books and design books from our vaults. New items will be added throughout the week. To access the preview sale you will need a code which will be sent via email prior to the event. If you would like to receive an invite code, email us with your details. Please include “grain edit store” in the subject line of the message and your email address in the body.
12.02.13 | Dave | Events | Comments closed
Whether working for a corporate client or creating his own art, illustrator Lee Crutchley faced that blank page more times than he can count—and through trial and error and sheer force of will he made it through. His new book The Art of Getting Started is a hands-on guide that offers engaging and empowering challenges and activities to get over those artistic blocks and jumpstart your creativity. Whether it’s perfectionism, procrastination, or plain old fear that’s holding you back, get ready to get inspired.
Click here to learn more about The Art of Getting Started.
12.02.13 | Dave | sponsors | Comments closed
The folks at Help Ink have launched a campaign to support relief efforts in the Philippines after the recent devastation from Typhoon Haiyan. Four posters are currently available and 100% of the proceeds will be donated to All Hands Volunteers‘ ground team.
11.25.13 | Dave | Found design | Comments closed
Today we’re excited to announce a new series of process related interviews with our favorite artists and designers. In the first installment we head to to Minneapolis, MN, the home of Michael Cina who is an award-winning creative director and skilled artist. Bridging the gap between music, photography, art and design, he creates work that is innovative and often unconventional in its approach. Here Mike discusses the role of intuition in design, his workflow for a recent Ghostly International project, his passions outside of the studio and much more. Enjoy!
11.21.13 | Dave | Features | 3 comments
Now in it’s third issue, Mood is a quarterly magazine that looks at music and food in a cohesive and unique way, with a keen eye to design and high quality writing.
11.20.13 | Dave | Found design | Comments closed
I just got word of an exciting announcement from Lars Muller. The complete series of the highly influential Swiss Journal, Neue Grafik, will soon be available as a facsimile reprint!
From the publisher:
“Neue Grafik, the “International Review of graphic design and related subjects,” was initiated by designer Josef Müller-Brockmann and published in eighteen issues between 1958 and 1965 by an editorial collective consisting of him, Richard Paul Lohse, Hans Neuburg und Carlo Vivarelli ( LMNV ). The complete volumes are now available in an excellent facsimile reprint from Lars Müller Publishers.
11.13.13 | Dave | Found design | 1 comment
Charming work from Noemie Cedille, a designer and illustrator based in Paris.
11.04.13 | Dave | Found design | Comments closed
Our friends over at the recently launched Weekend Press have teamed up with some amazing designers to create a letterpress print set that pays tribute to Oakland. Featuring work from Brent Couchman, Anna Hurley, Carl Bender, Erik Marinovich, Eszter Clark, Javier Garcia, Jeffrey Bucholtz, Nate Leutkehans, Richard Perez and Albert + Marie, the limited edition set, aptly titled Oakland Illustrated, is currently available through their Kickstarter page.
In addition to the print set, special pledge packages have been set up for those willing to invest a little more. Perks include a private letterpress workshop and a chance to meet with one of the artists involved.
10.29.13 | Dave | Found design | 3 comments
São Paulo-based Francisco Martins is a versatile illustrator and designer with a portfolio that showcases his ability to work in a broad range of mediums and styles.
10.24.13 | Dave | Found design | Comments closed
In this week’s round of books we feature new items from Princeton Architectural Press, Chronicle Books, Lark Crafts, Abrams, Pavilion Books, Universe and Laurence King.
10.23.13 | Dave | Uncategorized | Comments closed
Hailing from a small town in Oklahoma, Taylor Goad is a talented illustrator and designer currently based in Philadelphia. Recently Taylor updated his portfolio with some amazing new work including projects for Northcoast Brewery, Good Magazine and 160over90. Check it out here.
10.21.13 | Dave | Found design | Comments closed
Design is One is a documentary by Kathy Brew and Roberto Guerra that highlights the work of two of the world’s most influential designers, Lella and Massimo Vignelli. Featuring interviews with Milton Glaser, Michael Bierut, and Jessica Helfand the film attempts to capture the Vignelli’s creativity as well as their enduring humor and warmth. Design is One will make its NYC theatrical debut this week.
10.16.13 | Dave | Events | 2 comments
Josef Müller-Brockmann’s graphics left a lasting mark on Swiss visual communication from the 1950s onward. His posters demonstrate how a sober, formally reduced language works best for conveying a universal, timeless message. Poster campaigns for longtime clients such as the Tonhalle concert hall in Zürich or the Automobile Club of Switzerland follow strict functional criteria–and yet exhibit a variety of design solutions and exciting, dynamic compositions.
This book presents selected posters by Müller-Brockmann and places them in the context of their own time while also examining the validity of his solutions from today’s point of view.
Pre-order a copy via Lars Muller, Amazon or your local bookstore.
10.14.13 | Dave | Found design | 1 comment
UI/UX Designer + Illustration position – PennyPop (SF,CA)
Design Collaborator – The Center for Urban Pedagogy (CUP)
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10.10.13 | Dave | Jobs | Comments closed
In the first comprehensive monograph of FHK Henrion, Adrian Shaugnessy highlights the work of this highly underrated designer. Originally trained in textiles, Henrion would later go on to become a skilled poster artist, a noted design educator and quite possibly the father of modern corporate identity in Europe. FHK Henrion: The Complete Designer hits the shelves in November, but is now available for pre-order.
10.07.13 | Dave | Found design | 1 comment
Coast Modern is an independent documentary by Gavin Froome and Mike Bernard that traces the roots of West Coast Modern architecture. Featuring interviews with many of the pioneers of the scene including Ray Kappe and Henrik Bull, the film showcases the homes that have become their legacies.
Please join us on October 14th, 2013 for the Bay Area Premiere for the film. Author Dave Weinstein will provide a brief talk on Bay Area modern architecture before the film and a Q & A session with architect Henrik Bull, Jack Robbins and others will follow the screening.
The film is sponsored by The City of El Cerrito Arts and Culture Commission and El Cerrito Modern.
Advance tickets are available online for $5 at Eventbrite.
10.02.13 | Dave | Events | 1 comment
Beautiful illustration work from Aurelien Debat, a graduate of the School of Decorative Arts in Strasbourg.
09.09.13 | Dave | Found design | Comments closed
Unit Editions’ latest release, Type Only, explores a current trend in typography: type unsupported by illustration or photography. Featuring designers from around the world the book showcases the power of type when used in isolation.
Gerald Cinamon is an American designer who, at an early age, moved to the UK where he would eventually become the chief designer for all paperback typography at Penguin. Heavily influenced by Swiss design, he created book jackets and posters that were bold and iconic – something unique and forward-thinking for book publishing in the 1960s. To honor his contributions to British design, an exhibition has been organized at the Institute of Contemporary Art. In addition SEA design has produced a stunning book as well as several prints.
Creative member network YCN has launched a brand new Members’ Magazine. The inaugural issue of You Can Now Magazine is Designed & Art Directed by Matt Willey and Edited by YCN Founder Nick Defty. It fittingly takes the theme ‘Begin’ as its editorial starting point and follows on with a visually loaded series of ideas, essays and inspirations.
The publication’s opening section presents a ‘celebration of getting started’ and includes an extended feature on the business of launching a new magazine with input from a spread of magazine maestros including Jeremy Leslie (MagCulture), Dan Crowe (Port), Robert Bound (Monocle) and Charlotte Rey (ACNE Paper), among others. All are illustrated by rising French star Tiffany Beucher.
Tiny Pencil: Issue One – The Forest Issue
64 pages / 21cm x 27.5cm
Filled with lush, monochromatic landscapes, the Tiny Pencil is a new artzine that celebrates graphite-based illustration in all its glory. Founded by Amber Hsu and Katriona Chapman, the inaugural issue explores the theme of “Forests” and features sketches of fantastical funghi, wizards and eerie woodland creatures. Included are contributions by Raymond Lemstra, Kristyna Baczynski, Nick Sheehy, Luke Pearson, Lizzie Stewart. Ward Zwart, Liam Stevens and many others.
Pick up a copy here. Also Tiny Pencil issue 2 is now available for pre-order.
More book picks after the jump.
Portuguese advertising agency MSTF Partners firmly believes that there’s no better way to remember a journey than a book and that nothing makes one travel more than reading. With this in mind, they developed Tell a Story, a mobile book shop that sells translated Portuguese books, as a way to promote literature as “postcard” of their culture.
08.09.13 | Dave | Found design | Comments closed
We were first introduced to Mattson Creative through their brilliant series of tribute posters for Showtime’s Dexter and have become big fans ever since. In addition to the studio’s inspiring side projects, they’ve created award-winning work for an impressive client list including Apple, CBS, Cartoon Network, Hasbro, DreamWorks and Target. We just received word that they currently have a position open for a Senior Graphic Designer in their Southern California office. This could be an amazing opportunity for one lucky designer!
For more details and to apply for the position, please visit their website.
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Josef Albers’ Interaction of Color, Yale University Press has released an interactive iPad app for the now classic book on the subject. Beautifully designed by Potion, the app features the original set of over 140 color studies as well as the full text. In addition, a variety of experts and scholars provide commentary on Albers’ theories and work.
08.05.13 | Dave | Found design | Comments closed
The Great Outdoors by Warwick Kay
From Kenzo Tange Structures to Futura type speciens here’s our favorite Pinterest picks from the past month.
MADE Quarterly is a publication that documents the workings of the modern maker, including but not limited to industrial design, architecture, fashion, interior design, photography and the culinary world. MADE aims to get inside the heads of those individuals to find out how they do what they do, and what inspires them to create. Each issue will take a peek behind the scenes and offer the reader a rare opportunity to glimpse inside the minds of these inspiring individuals.
The second edition of MADE Quarterly features: Mast Brothers (USA), Best Made Co (USA), Huet Brothers (NLD), Stevie Gee (GBR), Earth Tu Face (USA), March Studio (AUS), Uniform Wares (GBR), Henry Wilson (AUS), Ben Huff (USA) and Minimalux (GBR). MADE Edition Two also features four individual covers, each displaying chosen works from our esteemed contributors. Please note covers are distributed randomly.
Pick up a copy here.
07.25.13 | Dave | Found design | 5 comments
Mark your calendars: a new exhibition entitled Image of the Studio will be on display at The Herb Lubalin Study Center of Design and Typography starting in October. Featuring over 75 design studios, the show will highlight original work as well as data visualizations and information graphics to draw connections between each studio and show how New York as a geography brings their diverse philosophies together.
Here’s the latest round of books and goods to hit our shelves. This week’s entries include items from MidCentury Magazine, Chronicle Books, Corraini Edizioni, Sappi, Milkfed Press and Princeton Architectural Press.
07.18.13 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | Comments closed
Continuing with Unit Editions thoughtfully curated collection of design related titles comes, Scratching the Surface, a selection of writings by Adrian Shaughnessy. Over the past 18 years, Adrian has contributed significantly to the ongoing discourse centered around graphic design. His highly successful How to be a Graphic Designer Without Losing your Soul has sold over 80,000 copies worldwide and has become a staple for young designers seeking practical advice. With this latest volume, we are presented with a sampling of essays and reviews that helped establish Adrian as an authoritative and critical voice within the design community.
Featured are musings and meditations on music and art with ample space dedicated to Adrian’s writings on graphic design. Designed by Spin, the layout is sparse, but complete with liberal amounts of pink adding a much-needed visual punch.
Pick up a copy here.
07.16.13 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 3 comments
ICE CREAM FOR FREE is a berlin-based design and illustration studio founded in 2005 by solo artist Oliver Wiegner. Often working with contrasting materials, Oliver creates dense, layered compositions brimming with marbled textures, geometric shapes and sharp typography.
07.12.13 | Dave | Found design | Comments closed
Mark Bloom aka Mash Creative recently contacted us in regards to his latest project 15/115. Featuring 115 projects spanning a 15 year career to date, the book highlights a well-curated selection of Posters, Logos and case studies from his personal portfolio. The book also features a foreword from renowned designer and author David Airey.
Pre-order a copy here.
Specializing in vector-based illustration, Longa025 has created a stunning portfolio of infographics, icons, and maps for well-known clients including Monocle, GQ and Rolling Stone Magazine.
06.11.13 | Dave | Found design | Comments closed
MUTI is a three-man studio out of Cape Town, South Africa with a rich and diverse portfolio. Working with muted tones and hand-drawn typography they create stunning work that evokes a sense of nostalgia.
06.06.13 | Dave | Found design | 2 comments
Meet Vicente Garcia Morillo, an established designer out of Madrid whose client list includes Adidas, Urban Outfitters and Wired Magazine. His uninhibited style is fresh and unexpected, integrating typography and illustration elements with ease. Keep an eye out for more work to come, as Morillo has recently founded his own studio.
05.31.13 | Dave | Found design | 1 comment
Graphic Designers, Animators, Interaction Designers – C.U.P (NY, NY)
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From the same team that brought you The People’s Pennant comes a thought provoking and informative book on design entrepreneurship. Kern and Burn: Conversations With Design Entrepreneurs features candid conversations with 30 leading designers who have founded startups, channeled personal passions into self-made careers and taken risks to do what they love. Through insightful stories, quotes and quips they share their failures, successes, and perspectives.
The distinguished group of guests include: Armin Vit, Keenan Cummings, Ben Pieratt, Riley Cran, Don Clark, Kate Bingaman-Burt, Jessica Hische, Kyle Sollenberger, Tad Carpenter, Duane King, Joe Gebbia, Aaron Draplin, Mikey Burton, Katie Kirk and many more. Pick up a copy here.
05.16.13 | Dave | Found design, Uncategorized | 1 comment
Graphic Designer – Varsity Vintage/GBNYC (NY, NY)
Art Director – Code and Theory (NY, NY)
Visual Designer – Code and Theory (NY, NY)
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Eirian Chapman is a graphic artist and illustrator out of Australia, whose work has spanned editorial, branding, retail, and infographics. Her clean lines and bold color palettes create characters that are whimsical without losing their air of solemnity. Check out Chapman on her website and blog.
05.05.13 | Dave | Found design | 2 comments
Fresh picks from our favorite publishers! Here’s the latest books to hit our shelves.
04.29.13 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 7 comments
Thorbjørn Gudnason is an up-and-coming graphic designer, currently pursuing his BA from the School of Visual Communication in Denmark. Having completed an internship with Pentagram in the past few months, Gudnason is sure to blossom into an increasingly talented designer as he continues to develop his style.
04.12.13 | Dave | Found design | Comments closed
Steve Simpson is an English-born designer currently working out of Dublin. His portfolio is extensive, and takes you on an exciting journey that spans children’s books, murals, game design, packaging, and more.
04.11.13 | Dave | Found design | 2 comments
Gadite Warriors by Andrew Lyons
Old & New provides a platform for contemporary graphic artists to exhibit works themed on Biblical stories and passages. It also aims to introduce a new online audience to Biblical art, attempting to replace popular, yet sometimes low-quality, contemporary Biblical artwork with the kind of accessible and honorable work that has historically been associated with the Bible. The project involves artists from different faith backgrounds and sells prints of the designs with proceeds going to help fight the HIV/AIDS and water crises in Africa.
On Monday, April 22 the latest round of designs will be released with contributions by Mikey Burton, Chris Rushing, Shed Labs, Matt Stevens and others.
04.08.13 | Dave | Found design | 3 comments
Missy Austin is yet another rockstar designer currently working for Zeus Jones, a studio in Minneapolis that is always producing interesting work.
Austin’s projects focus around typography, and include editorial, infographic and various marketing collateral. Although her designs are well executed and clean, they remain playful.
04.05.13 | Dave | Found design | 2 comments
Nick Brue is a graphic designer out of Minneapolis. In addition to his impressive work for Cue, an established branding firm in Minnesota, he has produced several intriguing designs on his own time. This includes his own wedding save-the-dates and invitations, and multiple identity projects. Though his designs are to the point, he does a great job of utilizing interesting color and texture to keep it fresh.
04.02.13 | Dave | Found design | 3 comments
Fresh goods from the field! Here’s the latest batch of items to hit our shelves.
03.29.13 | Dave | recently received | 3 comments
Device Creative Collective is a branding studio out of North Carolina. Lately, they have produced several interesting projects that are both eye catching and cohesive. Their new studio stationary features letterpress printing of silver ink on red cardstock, creating a look that is vibrant without being affronting. Read the rest of this entry »
03.26.13 | Dave | Found design, Uncategorized | 1 comment
Tom Whalen is a designer out of Pennsylvania, who has entertained a lifelong fascination with comics and monsters. This has resulted in the manifestation of an illustrator who creates vectors that appear ready to jump off the screen.
03.21.13 | Dave | Found design | 1 comment
Irving Harper: Works In Paper is a recent monograph from Skira Rizzoli celebrating the multi-faceted designer, Irving Harper, with a focus on his incredible collection of paperboard sculptures.
As the director of design at George Nelson Associates in the 1960s, Harper contributed to numerous mid-century creations, namely the Marshmallow Sofa for Herman Miller furniture and the Ball and Sunburst clocks for Howard Miller, and also leading the design of the Chrysler pavilion for the 1964 New York World Fair. According to Julie Lasky who penned an essay for the book, the pressure of work ‘almost drove him to knit’, yet with his skills in building client presentation models in cardboard, he soon eased his way into sculpting with paper. Inspired by Picasso, African Art, Surrealism and de Stijl, Harper constructed whimsical characters and breathtaking abstracts mostly out of paper in addition to straws, wood, toothpicks, twigs, spare materials from his office and discarded doll parts from his daughter. His collection numbered close to 300 when he ran out of display space in 2000. He completed his stunning final piece which appropriately graced the book cover – an owl with glass eyeballs and draped in folded brown paper feathers.
03.18.13 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | Comments closed
Exhibit Graphic Designer – EMP Museum (Seattle, WA)
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Boxshot is a realistic 3d mockup software, allowing designers to provide 3d visualization of artwork for customers.
It features 50+ shapes like 3d ebook covers, 3d boxes, CD and DVD boxes, binders, stationery, bottles, cards and much more. It also has the ability to load various 3D formats in case the shape you need is missing. In addition, Boxshot automatically adjusts the shapes to your artwork.
State of the art user interface and support of both Windows and Mac platforms make Boxshot a killer solution for professional designers. Give it a try now, while the discount (no code needed) is still valid!
Interested in sponsoring the Grain Edit Feed? Visit our sponsorship page for more info.
What better way to start off the week than with some exciting new releases from our favorite publishers? Our latest installment includes whimsical architectural renderings by James Gulliver Hancock, reissues of obscure illustration classics by William Wondriska and Robinson and much more!
03.04.13 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | Comments closed
Inspired by vintage airline baggage tags, UK illustrator Neil Stevens (aka crayonefire) created these stunning posters. If they prove popular he will make them available in his online shop this Spring. Lets make that happen! Drop Neil a note here.
02.25.13 | Dave | Found design | 10 comments
Commoner, Inc. is a Boston based design studio consisting of Richie Stewart and Brook Towlson. They may be small, but their custom typography and branding have come together to produce multiple dynamic projects. Stewart’s ability to effectively mix vintage typography with modern design elements create works that are clean and memorable.
02.22.13 | Dave | Found design | 3 comments
Founded is a Newcastle-based studio specializing in branding, packaging and environmental projects among other things. To me, their strong suit are their branding and identity projects. They do a great job of making subtle references and effectively using restrained typography while still managing to be witty — all within a very clean, minimal style.
02.20.13 | Ethan | Found design | 1 comment
Greg Hubacek is a freelance designer and art director out of Los Angeles. His redesign of The Chronicle of Higher Education, a publication that delivers academic news in both physical and digital form, is straightforward and elegant while maintaining a sense of playfulness. By using grayscale images, Hubacek is able to use geometric shapes and bits of color for strategically placed emphasis.
02.19.13 | Dave | Uncategorized | 2 comments
From books on vintage record cover art to typographic notecards, here’s the latest batch of items to hit our shelves.
02.18.13 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 1 comment
The work of SF based Will Ecke and Liz Doering a.k.a Albert + Marie can be described in one word – charming. The talented husband and wife team have a knack for creating bold and playful work that brightens up your day. Check out their Etsy store and add some sunshine to your life.
02.11.13 | Dave | Found design | Comments closed
One of the newest and most interesting typographic duos that has emerged lately, Pagan and Sharp—run by Carlos Pagan and Lucas Sharp—has released a new typeface called Sharp Sans. Based on the wonderfully simple vision of geometric styling, and a touch of humanism type theory, Sharp Sans does well in so many modern treatment situations that call for a bit of fun.
Along with Sharp Sans, they have produced Malleable Grotesque and the beautiful serif face, Hera Big. Pagan & Sharp are the creatives behind such notable work as the the latest Print 20 under 30 branding, Pinterest Logo, and recent New York Lottery campaign (Carlos’ work at DDB). With such lovely projects, they are well on their way to making a big splash in the typeface design world. Keep up with their latest news by following their twitter and keep an eye out for hopefully many more typefaces to come!
02.08.13 | Liz Meyer | Found design, USA | 2 comments
Graphic Designer – Ceci New York (NY, NY)
You will be working with a small group of talented designers, coordinating with the Project Manager to ensure the project stays within its budget and timelines, and presenting solutions to clients in a beautiful, open, dynamic studio. This is a fast paced and highly creative environment. A deep passion for paper and design as well as a willingness to learn new trends and techniques is essential.
You can subscribe to our job listings via RSS, Email or follow at Twitterand Facebook.
01.30.13 | Dave | Uncategorized | Comments closed
I’m so impressed with the consistently impressive, type-driven book cover work of Jonathan Gray. Generally, his covers are predominantly typographic, but they don’t operate under a single, rehearsed style. There’s so much variety and life to his body of work; it’s amazing to see all of this coming from one person.
01.30.13 | Ethan | Uncategorized | 1 comment
Our good friend Matte Stephens recently completed a beautiful set of illustrations for a Tiffany & Co. iPad app. Through simple animations Matte’s artwork is brought to life in two games that children (and adults!) can play while in-store.
In the first game you decorate a gingerbread house with gems and a cast of Matte’s favorite characters. In addition, you can change the scene from day to night. The second game features Rupert the bear and a little red bandit squirrel catching falling gems. Both games look like a blast!
It’s here! Our annual giveaway bash is just one way for us to thank all of our awesome readers for another amazing year. For our 2012 Holiday Bash we’ve put together incredible lineup including items from Herbert Matter.net, House Industries, Chronicle Books, Gestalten, Princeton Architectural Press, Matte Stephens and many more.
12.12.12 | Dave | Contests and giveaways | 569 comments
Lead Designer – Tinybop (Brooklyn/DUMBO, NY)
Must have a love for toys, games, and picture books.
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To celebrate the Beatles’ 50th anniversary 50by70 has published the first ever set of fine art prints of the stunning artwork from the classic 1968 animated film Yellow Submarine.
Yellow Subversion — The Artwork of Yellow Submarine is a strictly limited edition boxed set of five full colour screen prints accompanied by a book featuring an essay by the legendary Simpsonswriter, showrunner and producer Josh Weinstein who describes how the film inspired his career in animation.
Available at 50by70
11.29.12 | Dave | Found design | 6 comments
With the holidays just around the corner we’ve been busy gathering the latest books from the designers and publishers we love. Here’s a few of our favorites with more too come soon!
11.12.12 | Dave | recently received | 10 comments
Through his whimsical gouche paintings, Matte Stephens has created a world filled with friendly characters and warm moments that are flavored with nostalgia. Dapper foxes, chirping birds, pipe smoking penguins, turn of the century explorers all inhabit a space on his canvas. Even Monsieur Hulot stops by for the fun. The entire cast make an appearance in Matte’s new book, Matte Stephens Selected Works (Oeuvres choisies). Published by Editions Alto in Quebec, the stunning cloth-bound book highlights many of his most cherished paintings as well as his lesser known works.
Copies of Matte Stephens Selected Works (Oeuvres choisies) are available at Matte’s Etsy shop and Editions Alto.
Details:
96 pages / 7.5″x10.5″
Text set in Farao with captions in French & English.
Textiles Designer – Urban Outfitters (London, Ontario)
Senior Designer – Hatch Design (San Francisco)
Designer/Illustrator– PennyPop (San Francisco)
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10.23.12 | Dave | Uncategorized | Comments closed
Vitsoe, a modern furniture company best known for it’s work with Dieter Rams and the production of the 606 Universal Shelving System, recently launched an online archive. With frequent updates, the tumblr site showcases candid photographs, catalogs, invitations and promotional items from its 53 year history.
10.22.12 | Dave | Found design | 1 comment
Nice post on Mubi talking about the Polish film-poster documentary, Freedom on the Fence, and also highlighting some of the work of Waldemar Swierzy.
10.17.12 | Ethan | Found design | 6 comments
Featured: Bicycle (Leporello) by Ugo Gattoni
Fresh goods from our favorite publishers. Included in this week’s picks are books from Princeton Architectural Press, Metropolis Books, Nobrow and Gestalten.
10.09.12 | Dave | recently received | 1 comment
Senior Designer – Hatch Design (San Francisco)
Designer/Illustrator– PennyPop (San Francisco)
2D Artist/Illustrator – Big Viking Games (London, Ontario)
3D Artist – Big Viking Games (London, Ontario)
You can subscribe to our job listings via RSS, Email or follow at Twitter and Facebook.
10.07.12 | Dave | Uncategorized | Comments closed
Raymond Biesinger, who was one of the first editorial illustrators that I learned about when I got out of college, has some lovely new work on his freshly updated website. One of my personal favorites, Raymond seems to take the most simple of concepts to an entirely new level by creating intricate, complex worlds by using minimal color palettes and impressive line work. You can see Raymond’s influence on many current editorial illustrators, which makes him an important part of the industry’s foundation. He also has several great side projects, including his band, The Famines, & a book which comes out in November called Black & White Illustrations.
10.05.12 | Liz Meyer | Designers, Found design, graphic-design, Illustration | 3 comments
Our good friends at the Poster Cabaret recently launched a new set of prints and to celebrate we’re having a giveaway.
The 20 piece collection includes work from Dirk Fowler, Sonnenzimmer, Diana Sudyka, Blanca Gomez, Jason Munn, Evan B Harris, Methane Studios, Matte Stephens, Amanda Blake, Andy Kehoe, Dan McCarthy, Jennifer Davis, Scott C, Camilla Engman, Hollie Chastain, Leah Giberson, Jess Seamans, Dan Black, Jeremy MIranda and Jay Ryan. Nine of the prints are up for grabs today.
09.24.12 | Dave | Contests and giveaways | 160 comments
Introducing Wee Society, a new kids brand created by the folks behind the design firm Office.
The first line of products introduces the Wee Alphas – a quirky crew of 26 illustrated animals with a letter of the alphabet hidden in each one. The Wee Alphas appear in a series of art prints – including a limited edition 13-color screen print and a personalized print that you can customize with your child’s name and a silly (or slightly more serious) statement. See them all here.
09.20.12 | Dave | Found design | 9 comments
Louise Paradis, along with the guidance and support from friends and staff at the ECAL/University of Art and Design Lausanne, has launched an amazing website dedicated to the Swiss magazine Typographische Monatsblätter. Focusing on the years 1960-1990, the online archive features covers, typeface identification as well as interviews with many of the magazine’s contributors. Enjoy!
09.17.12 | Dave | Found design, Uncategorized | 9 comments
The Typewriter: A Graphic History of the Beloved Machine is the latest project from UPPERCASE magazine founder and editor Janine Vangool. This richly illustrated book will feature never-before published typewriter memorabilia, intriguing historical documents and entertaining anecdotes. To help raise the $25,000 needed for printing costs, freight and transaction fees Janine is currently holding a kickstarter-style funding campaign. If you would like to contribute either monetarily or by donating ephemera to be used in the book, please check out the UPPERCASE website for more info.
09.07.12 | Dave | Found design | 2 comments
Here’s the latest batch of books to hit our shelves. This week includes picks from Princeton Architectural Press and Chronicle Books.
09.04.12 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 2 comments
Assistant Art Director – fred flare (Brooklyn, NY)
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08.29.12 | Dave | Jobs | Comments closed
We’ve seen some amazing talent emerging from Spain recently and Sergio Membrilas is no exception. Sergio is a freelance illustrator from Valencia that possesses a keen eye for color, a wonderful sense of composition and a large writing utensil (see his profile picture). His portfolio is filled with editorial and advertising pieces that showcase his incredible skills in hand-lettering and character illustration. To keep up with all of his latest, follow this link.
08.28.12 | Dave | Found design | 1 comment
RE:DESIGN/Inspire will take place at the Public Hotel in Chicago on Sept 23 + 24. For these talks, the attendees sit down with creatives that have accomplished the ultimate trifecta—they imagine, execute, and inspire others. These small-scale discussions will take on the ultimate goal of any creative type—to be consistently and innovatively inspired. For more info including a full list of speakers check out the event website.
08.13.12 | Dave | Uncategorized | Comments closed
Here’s the latest batch of goodies to hit our shelves! Fresh picks from Chronicle Books, Neighbourgoods and Lumadessa.
08.07.12 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 5 comments
Created by Marcos Saboya and Gualter Pupo, aMAZEme immerses the audience in a labyrinth of books.
By participating in the installation, the audience discovers new textures, images and emotions. They become surrounded- hypnotized – by words and thoughts, designs and patterns. There appear to be secrets hidden in the installation’s walls; walls of up to 2.5 metres high, built from thousands of books, forming a large Maze of more than 500 square metres
08.06.12 | Dave | Found design | 1 comment
A Huge thanks to the Penguin Group for sponsoring this week’s RSS Feed!
Tired of staring at a blank canvas? Need some inspiration? From acclaimed artist Keri Smith, Wreck This Journal encourages you to engage in “destructive” acts—poking holes in the page, making an ugly drawing, painting pages with coffee, and more—in order to engage more fully in the creative process. A new expanded edition of Wreck This Journal is available now, featuring 32 additional pages and four different covers to choose from. Check them out here! And from now through September 7, get a 15% discount on any and all of Keri Smith’s books by visiting us.penguingroup.com and entering the promo code GRAINEDIT at checkout.
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Talented designer and illustrator Elena Giavaldi really knows how to make judging a book by its cover easy. As a book cover designer, she creates very cool, contemporary compositions for some of the best publishing houses in the business. She also manages to put very personal touches on each project, and add a bit of extra interest with unique type choices and very modern, experimental lettering. Other than her expansive covers archive, her portfolio runs the gamut of graphic design, making her an incredibly versatile designer. To keep up with Elena, look for her work in a bookstore near you!
08.03.12 | Liz Meyer | Designers, Found design, graphic-design, Illustration, Typography, USA | 2 comments
I’m really looking forward to the upcoming release of Unit Editions’ Herb Lubalin monograph. This meticulously researched book offers a complete career overview of Herb Lubalin, beginning with his early days as one of the original Mad Men in the New York advertising world of the 50s and 60s, and continuing into the years of his greatest achievements as one of the world’s most influential typographers and graphic designers.
More details after the jump.
07.26.12 | Dave | Uncategorized | 2 comments
Photos by Nobrow
It’s no secret that French illustrator Blexbolex has an affinity for hard-boiled detectives and crime drama. His latest work, No Man’s Land, continues in the narrative style of his previous books Dog Crime and Abecederia, and takes us on a wild journey through one man’s psyche in a quest to retrace the steps he took in taking his own life. At 140 pages, No Man’s Land is an epic graphic novel, chock full of beautiful energetic images. His style is incredibly visually arresting with its limited color overlays and heavy attention to the tiniest of details.
This is definitely a must-have book for any Blexbolex fan or illustration enthusiast, and is available via Nobrow.
07.19.12 | Grace Danico | Product Reviews | 3 comments
Off Book is a web-original series from PBS Arts that explores cutting edge arts and the artists that make it. In the latest episode they explore the world of logos that surround us with design luminaries such as Stephen Heller, Kelli Anderson, Gerard Huerta and Sagi Haviv. See the full episode here.
07.17.12 | Dave | Found design | Comments closed
I’ve been a fan of I Am Always Hungry for quite a while so I’m happy to see they’ve recently updated. We haven’t seen any new work from IAAH in some years; as such they’re now releasing 40 projects in as many days. Out of this latest release I’m quite drawn to a number of their typographic studies, experiments and branding for a number of feature films. They’re dark and raw and very playful in their own eerie way.
07.12.12 | Ethan | Found design | 2 comments
We’ve posted a number of great Barcelona-based designers and illustrators in the past, and the work from Atipus is no exception. Atipus is a studio doing really sharp branding, art direction and general design for print and web. What really struck me was the distinctiveness and personality throughout their portfolio. The work is clean and accessible as well as smart and well thought out.
07.05.12 | Ethan | Found design | 5 comments
Today’s Grain Edit interview is brought to you by guest contributor Deva Mirel, and features the words and works of illustrator/fine artist Gary Taxali. We catch up with Gary after he returned in early May from his first solo show abroad at The Outsiders in London. Gary lives and works in Toronto but is originally from India. Here he discusses his most recent show, locating the desi in his work, why kids love him, and some straightforward tips on being in the business of making art.
06.20.12 | Dave | Features | 9 comments
Lots of cool, crisp typographic work from Denmark-based Mads Burcharth. I love his clean, minimal approach to lettering and type design and his ability to add flourishes and interesting details to his work. His style is strong and bold, and has a great flair to it as well.
06.13.12 | Ethan | Found design, Typography | 6 comments
I’m looking forward to seeing more from the talented Trui Chielens. Often working with a limited color palette the Belgian illustrator creates work that delights and charms the eye.
Read the rest of this entry »
06.11.12 | Dave | Found design | 1 comment
Greg and Patricia of Display have curated an amazing collection of design work that embodies the spirit and ideology of Modernism. The exhibition which features pieces from the U.S., Italy and Switzerland is on view from now through July 26, 2012 at Fordham University. If you’re in the NY area, I highly recommend checking this out.
More details after the jump.
06.07.12 | Dave | Events | 5 comments
If you’re a letterpress fan, be sure to check out the work of UK-based Ian Gabb. Ian is a designer, printer and letterpress technician at the esteemed Royal College of Art. He has a fantastic array of printed work on his table-top style website.
06.06.12 | Ethan | Found design | 1 comment
The sweet and quirky work of Mary Kate McDevitt never fails to delight. Her personality shows through in every brush stroke and chalk mark, and really accentuates her obviously love for her craft. With a quickly growing client list of industry big-timers like Chronicle Books, Lehigh University, Better Homes & Gardens and Rachael Ray Magazine, Mary Kate seems to be on a path to lettering success.
06.01.12 | Liz Meyer | Designers, Found design, Illustration, Typography, USA | 8 comments
Grain edit fave John Solimine recently teamed up with Andy Hullinger and NY-based app development team Small Planet to create a new interactive storybook called Dragon Brush.
Based on a traditional Chinese folktale, Dragon Brush is the story of Bing-Wen, a young boy who loves to paint. When given a magical brush that makes drawings come to life, Bing-Wen must use his art and his wits to outsmart the greedy Emperor.
Dragon Brush Features narration by Matt Berninger and music by Aaron Dessner and Bryce Dessner, from the acclaimed band, The National. Check out the site for more info.
05.29.12 | Dave | Found design, Uncategorized | Comments closed
Graphic Design: History in the Writing (1983–2011) comprises some of the most influential published texts about graphic design history. The book documents the development of the relatively young field of graphic design history from 1983 to today, underscoring the aesthetic, theoretical, political and social tensions that have underpinned it from the beginning. Included in the anthology are texts by Ellen Lupton, Robin Kinross, Massimo Vignelli, Steven Heller, Victor Margolin and many others.
Visit occasionalpapers.org for more info and to pick up a copy.
05.25.12 | Dave | Found design | 2 comments
Julianna Brion is a Baltimore, MD based illustrator with a wonderful eye for details and beauty. She creates memorable images, such as this book cover illustration for Roald Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach. I love the way she uses pencil in all of her work, which has a nice textural quality that I can’t get enough of.
05.17.12 | Grace Danico | Found design, Illustration | 8 comments
Page 1: Great Expectations is a typographic experiment designed to explore the relationship between graphic design, typography and the reading of a page. The book features contributions from 70 leading designers and typographers, all of whom have reinterpreted the first page of Charles Dickens’ novel. The text was chosen in part because it directly references lettering as Pip searches for clues about his family from the letterforms inscribed on their tombstone. The brief encouraged the contributors to explore, challenge or celebrate the conventions of book typography. Each layout is accompanied by a short rationale explaining the designer’s decision-making process.
Contributors include: William Drenttel and Jessica Helfand, Robin Kinross, Experimental Jetset, Erik Spiekermann, Sam Winston, Phil Baines, A Practice for Everyday life, Tony Chambers, Morag Myerscough and more.
Read the rest of this entry »
05.14.12 | Dave | Found design | 6 comments
I’ve been a fan of Washington D.C.’s Matt Chase for quite a while now. Matt has a lot of versatility as a designer/illustrator and I’m always impressed with his ability to work with a gamut of styles. He transitions so well between smart identity work, engaging, colorful illustration and on-point lettering.
05.09.12 | Ethan | Found design | 4 comments
I was sent this really cool book—or “pamphlet”, as they call it—called Gratuitous Type / No. 2. A self proclaimed “pamphlet of typographic smut”, this small anthology of current interesting typography, lettering and fonts really runs the gamut of interesting new styles. With an advanced design and extremely impressive printing, the publisher/designer and editor (Elana Schlenker) has done a wonderful job putting everything together.
05.04.12 | Liz Meyer | Designers, Found design, Off Our Bookshelves | 2 comments
One of my favorite book cover designers, John Gall, has a new site up and running. John is a designer with an incredible stylistic range — I love how he is so able to design for such a variety of titles and narratives.
05.02.12 | Ethan | Found design | 5 comments
Week-long exclusive sponsorships of the Grain Edit RSS feed are now available.
The sponsorship price is $350 and includes the following:
Grain Edit has received press mentions in the Guardian UK, Apartment Therapy, Design Sponge, Dwell online, Flavorpill, Josh Spear and was named #16 in the London Times top 50 of the world’s best design blogs.
To schedule an exclusive sponsorship/see available dates, please visit our sponsors page.
To our readers:
We know some of you will be unhappy with this decision, but in order to keep up with site costs and fund future projects we hope you understand. We’ll try to keep the posts as unobtrusive as possible and limit them to once a week. It won’t be all bad, some exciting things will transpire out of this including contests and ticket giveaways to really great design conferences.
Designer– PennyPop (San Francisco)
Freelance Print Finisher – The Ant Farm ( Los Angeles)
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04.24.12 | Dave | Uncategorized | 1 comment
Here’s the latest round of books/guides to hit our mail box.
04.23.12 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves, Uncategorized | 3 comments
Of the twenty-six letters in the English alphabet, the letter “Q” seems to be to be the quirkiest as it masquerades as a “K” sound, squiggly tail and all. To gain a better understanding and appreciation of all things “Q” related, Berlin based illustrator Katja Spitzer and writer Sebastian Gievert have teamed up to create Quodlibet – a carefully curated illustrated encyclopedia of Q-words inspired by French novelist Georges Perec, who made a book centered around letter “E”.
04.19.12 | Grace Danico | Off Our Bookshelves | 3 comments
I’m a big fan of Danish furniture, so I was excited to hear about House Industries latest project. Originally designed by Borge Mogensen, House and Stellar Works have teamed up to put a fresh spin on a modern classic. Made of oak and sapelli, these cabinets have been inlaid with a Neutraface Slab slashed-o pattern. The cabinets are available in two sizes and will debut this week at the International Furniture Fair in Milan.
04.17.12 | Dave | Found design, Uncategorized | Comments closed
Product Designer – Jonathan Adler Design Studio (New York)
Jonathan Adler is looking for a versatile designer with strong graphic capabilities to work with the Head Design Manager and himself on full extensions of the Jonathan Adler hard good product line. This position will offer the opportunity to design and develop a wide range of product from decorative accessories, hard tabletop, gift and games to lighting and decorative objects.
You can subscribe to our job listings via RSS, Email or follow at Twitter and Facebook.
The portfolio of Oscar Bolton Green is sort of a wonderland of strange and dreamy imagery. I love the simple forms that he works with, but how he manages to create complex scenes and stories out of beautiful bright shapes. He also experiments with lettering, that fits his style of illustration perfectly—slightly amorphous and experimental. If you find yourself loving Oscar’s work as much as I do, he has a book that has just come out, Bird Beak Book, as well as a shop so that you can buy some of his lovely goods.
04.06.12 | Liz Meyer | Found design, Illustration | 4 comments
Diana Sudyka is a talented illustrator and printmaker from the Chicago area. She’s illustrated several books including The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilious Journey, and The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner’s Dilemma as well as created silkscreen posters for well-known bands such as Pearl Jam and the Decemberists. Her gig poster designs often employ her beautiful hand-drawn lettering skills. This is evident in the the Andrew Bird poster seen above, which also happens to is be this week’s poster pick.
03.29.12 | Dave | Poster Picks | 1 comment
Here’s the latest crop of books to hit our shelves. This week’s entry includes titles from Rizzoli, Chronicle Books, Laurence King and Hyphen Press.
03.28.12 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 2 comments
Thanks to Johan Anderson for notifying me of the brand new Olle Eksell tribute site! Included on the website are videos, suggested links, a timeline, as well as rare photos of Olle with his wife and peers. In addition, Johan worked with the Eksell family to release a small collection of products which feature Olle’s stunning illustration work.
03.19.12 | Dave | Seen Elsewhere | 7 comments
The San Francisco-based Inkling makes smartbooks — interactive textbooks for the iPad. Inkling has recently undergone the incredible task of designing and (re)creating a digital, interactive version of the timeless Meggs’ classic, History of Graphic Design.
03.14.12 | Ethan | Books, Found design | 8 comments
Good things are happening over at Rigamaru, the online shop of Pixar artist Chris Sasaki and visual artist Meghan Jean. The creative duo whose name is derived from the childish, nonsensical word “rigamarole” are currently developing a fun new line of shirts, prints and knicks knacks.
Also, If you find yourself in the LA area over the weekend, I recommend checking out the opening of the Darwin show at the Q Pop Shop. Chris is teaming up with Disney artist Joey Chou for a series of pieces that explore the themes of British naturalist Charles Darwin.
03.09.12 | Dave | Events | Comments closed
Graphic Designer – fred flare (Brooklyn, NY)
Senior Web Designer – Fossil (Dallas/Richardson, TX)
Senior Graphic Designer – Rackspace (San Antonio, TX)
Senior Design Leader – Amazon (Seattle, WA)
You can subscribe to our job listings via RSS, Email or follow at Twitter and Facebook.
03.06.12 | Dave | Jobs | Comments closed
To coincide with the launch of their new online shop, Lab Partners have released a sweet set of prints entitled California Gold. The poster series highlights some of the natural wonders found in the “golden state” including mountain lions and bighorn sheep. Part of the proceeds will go towards preserving these natural wonders as 5% of all sales will be donated to the California Nature Conservancy.
03.05.12 | Dave | Found design | 1 comment
Sam Vanallemeersch is an Antwerp based illustrator with an impressive collection of graphic work featuring a puzzling amount of sharp and fluid shapes. This illustration, created for Pazuzu Illustration Agency, is done entirely with gouache. The colorful arrangement of the flat abstracted shapes creates subtle nuances that are pleasing to the eye.
03.01.12 | Grace Danico | Found design | 3 comments
American Sampler – The Art of Corita Kent is a beautifully presented limited edition boxed set of six high quality prints and a fully illustrated 40-page booklet about the artist.
Working closely with the Corita Art Center in LA, 50by70 has succeeded in accurately reproducing six of the artist’s most vivid works. The prints and book come in a stunning cloth covered box featuring a four colour screen print of open wide, a seminal print by Corita from 1964.
02.28.12 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 3 comments
Fresh treats from the mail bag. This week’s entry includes pieces from Nobrow, PA Press, Relay Room and Wiley.
02.27.12 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 8 comments
I recently received a wonderful set of books from Pixar artists Jennifer C. Chang, Daniela Stijleva and CinderBiter art director Katy Wu. The collaborative illustration project entitled Round Robin consists of three books, each centered on a series of fifteen illustrations that are connected through an “add-on” word game. Each artist took a turn in providing a word inspired by the one previously supplied, until 15 two-word combinations were completed.
For the next two weeks the artists involved will take turns revealing the process within each illustration. The first post in this ongoing series is now online.
Read the rest of this entry »
02.21.12 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves, Uncategorized | 2 comments
Exhibit Graphic Designer – EMP Museum (Seattle, WA)
Freelance Illustrator – Greeting card company (USA)
You can subscribe to our job listings via RSS, Email or follow at Twitter and Facebook.
Happy Valentine’s day, and what better way to celebrate than with surprising your loved one with a copy of Henri’s walk to Paris? The highly anticipated reissue of the classic kid’s book by Saul Bass was released today!
Pick up a copy at Amazon, Rizzoli/Universe (the publisher’s website) or your favorite local book store.
02.14.12 | Dave | Found design | 14 comments
Senior Designer – MTV Networks (New York, NY)
Web Designer– North Street (New York, NY)
Flash Designer – ATTIK (San Francisco, CA)
Art Director – Column Five (Newport Beach, CA)
Graphic Designer – Column Five (Newport Beach, CA)
You can subscribe to our job listings via RSS, Email or follow at Twitter and Facebook.
01.31.12 | Dave | Uncategorized | 1 comment
I recently stumbled upon the charming work of Danielle Davis. Her lettering work pulls from both traditional typography and entirely modern calligraphic styles and she always puts a unique spin on each project. I especially love the small personal illustration touches on each of her projects. Keep up to date with Danielle’s work on her blog and be on the look out for her note card line, Local No. 633, hopefully coming out soon!
01.30.12 | Liz Meyer | Found design | 7 comments
Here’s the latest titles to hit our shelves. This week’s entry includes pieces from Nieves, Pie Books, Nobrow, Chronicle Books, and Lars Muller.
01.23.12 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 7 comments
Last year we featured a book about the Canadian, designer, painter and educator Burton Kramer on grain edit. I’m excited to announce that the book’s editor, Greg Durrell, is set to release a full length film on Kramer’s work this spring.
01.16.12 | Dave | Found design | 3 comments
San Francisco based illustrator Hannah K. Lee offers some sage advice through beautiful hand-drawn type, taken from her zine Issues #1: Lessons of Adulthood. Not only does her portfolio boast wonderful lettering, but it also features an impressive collection of portraits done in a loose gestural style with bold line work and intricate mark making that’s hard to ignore.
Read the rest of this entry »
01.13.12 | Grace Danico | Found design | Comments closed
Column Five is a SoCal-based design studio with a knack for creating eye-catching and persuasive infographics. Their client list boasts well-established magazines and firms that respect and appreciate good design. If you’re fans of their work, you will be excited to know that they’re currently hiring for the following positions:
Graphic Designer – Must be proficient in Adobe Illustrator, InDesign and Photoshop. Must have strong typographic skills and use of space.
Art Director – See job post for full details.
You can subscribe to our job listings via RSS, Email or follow at Twitter and Facebook.
01.10.12 | Dave | Jobs | 3 comments
The work of McBess has been a source of illustrated inspiration for many new artists over the course of his half-decade-long career. A signature part of style that sets him apart with his natural ability to bring out shadows and highlights predominantly using thin tipped felt pens, a very big feat when working monochromatically. I love the use of lettering to give his illustrations more context, and the flowing, style gives another layer to already unique and intricate pieces.
01.09.12 | Liz Meyer | Found design | 7 comments
I hope everyone had a safe and joyous New Years. We’re taking a short vacation and will return next week.
Thanks to everyone who took part in our annual Holiday Giveaway Bash! The winners were announced via our twitter stream and facebook page last week.
01.02.12 | Dave | Grain Edit News | Comments closed
Alexander Girard Color Board
6 x 6 inches | 56 pages
New prizes added to the giveaway!
We’d like to thank Ammo books for donating 3 copies of the Alexander Girard Color Book to our Holiday Giveaway Bash. If you haven’t signed up for the giveaway, it’s not too late. Its quick, easy and free to enter.
Recently Added to the Grain Edit Job Board:
Visual Designer – R/GA (New York, NY)
Senior Interaction Designer – R/GA (New York, NY)
Associate Creative Director– R/GA (New York, NY)
You can subscribe to our job listings via RSS, Email or follow at Twitter and Facebook.
–The Giveaway is Now Closed —
The holidays are here so, it’s time to celebrate! Our annual giveaway bash is just one way for us to thank all of our awesome readers for another amazing year. For our 2011 Holiday Bash we’ve put together incredible lineup including gifts from Chronicle Books, Laurence King Publishing, Lars Muller Publishers, Katie Kirk, Alberto Cerriteno, Tad Carpenter, Christoper Simmons/Mine, Albert + Marie, Liam Devowski / Teenagers in Love, Owen Gatley, Jesse Lefkowitz, and Paper Punk.
A special thank you goes out to HP. In addition to donating a HP ENVY 14 to the giveaway they supplied us with laptops to use with our blogging and manage the shipping of items from our store.
Now on to the giveaway!
12.19.11 | Dave | Contests and giveaways | 257 comments
Jacqueline Casey – Thirty Years of Design at MIT
If you’re looking for some last minute gifts we still have a few items left in the grain edit shop.
*All U.S. based orders received before 11 am on Tuesday Dec. 21, 2011 will ship priority mail.
12.16.11 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 1 comment
Communal Table is a publication of recipes, illustrations and photographs curated and illustrated by the talented Caroline Hwang and designed by friend of Grain Edit, Joel Speasmaker of Forest. I love the lovely quality of her work, which integrates so well with the casual flowing feeling of this cookbook. I’ve tried out a couple of recipes and they are all quite tasty (the ‘arugula salad’ is awesome). To pick up a copy, you can find it here, & bonus points go to the fact that proceeds go to the Farm to School charity!
12.16.11 | Liz Meyer | Found design | 3 comments
Todd Oldham who put together an excellent monograph on Charles Harper and Kiera Coffee recently released an exciting new book chronicling the work of the late Alexander Girard. This 672-page beast published by Ammo covers virtually every aspect of Girard’s distinctive career. As one of the most prolific and versatile mid-20th century designers, Girard’s work spanned many disciplines, including textile design, graphic design, typography, illustration, furniture design, interior design, product design, exhibit design, and architecture. Exhaustively researched and lovingly assembled by Oldham, this tome is a must-have book on Girard’s oeuvre.
12.12.11 | Dave | Found design, Uncategorized | 5 comments
The portfolio of Jen Mussari is an refreshing mix of quirky handrawn lettering and illustration. What I really enjoy about her style is that it seems very personal and focuses on art-making rather than the production of a commercial product. Jen, with some of her friends, recently launched a really cool project, S Magazine, featuring a lovely cover illustration. Read the rest of this entry »
12.02.11 | Liz Meyer | Designers, Found design, Illustration, Typography, USA | 3 comments
Recently Added to the Grain Edit Job Board:
Designer – GOOD (Los Angeles, CA)
Senior Brand Writer – Fossil (Dallas/Richardson, TX)
Senior Designer / Art Director – Fossil (Dallas/Richardson, TX)
You can subscribe to our job listings via RSS, Email or follow at Twitter and Facebook.
Here’s the latest round of books/guides to hit our shelves. This batch includes exciting new reads and beautiful work from B.u.l.b Comix, Chronicle Books, Plazm Magazine, Princeton Architectural Press, Laurence King Publishing, Herb Lester, Nobrow and AVA Academia.
11.28.11 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 8 comments
Saul Bass: A Life in Film & Design is the first book to be published on one of the greatest American designers of the 20th century, who was as famous for his work in film as for his corporate identity and graphic work. Saul created some of the most compelling images of American postwar visual culture. Having extended the remit of graphic design to include film titles, he went on to transform the genre. His best-known works include a series of unforgettable posters and title sequences for films such as Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo and Otto Preminger’s The Man with the Golden Arm and Anatomy of a Murder. He also created some of the most famous logos and corporate identity campaigns of the century, including those for major companies such as AT&T, Quaker Oats, United Airlines and Minolta.
11.21.11 | Dave | Uncategorized | 10 comments
Our good friend Sanjay Patel has been a busy man lately. He recently completed an amazing series of murals and posters for the Maharaja exhibition at San Francisco’s Asian Art Museum. In addition, he was asked by the museum to display his personal work in a separate but somewhat related show entitled Deities, Demons and Dudes with ‘Staches. The exhibit features art and sketches from Sanjay’s ghee happy projects, including his recently released Big Poster Book of Hindu Deities.
Deities, Demons and Dudes with ‘Staches will be on view at San Francisco’s Asian Art Museum from November 11, 2011 through April 22, 2012. For more information, visit www.asianart.org.
11.14.11 | Dave | Design Events | 13 comments
The establishment of the pharmaceutical industry, especially in the mid-20th century, played a significant role in the evolution of graphic design and advertising. Herb Lubalin created some of his most influential work while working for Sudler & Hennessey, an advertising agency which specialized in pharmaceutical marketing. PHARMA features a diverse array of original ephemera, rarely seen publicly, by many pioneering graphic designers including Lester Beall, Will Burtin, Paul Rand, Franco Grignani, staff of Geigy and Herb Lubalin, as well as contributions by Carl Fischer and Andy Warhol.
11.07.11 | Dave | Events | 5 comments
Thanks to everyone who took part in the Eli No! Book Giveaway! We randomly selected our winners this weekend. Their names will be listed at the bottom of the Grain Edit Email Update and Grain Edit RSS Feed. For those of you who subscribe to the email updates, the email should arrive tomorrow morning. In addition, the winners were announced via our twitter stream and facebook page earlier today.
You can pick up a copy of Eli No! at Amazon.
Special thanks to Katie Kirk & Abrams for sponsoring the giveaway.
The Eli No! book giveaway ends at 5pm (PST) today. It’s not too late to enter.
Eye Sea Posters sources original vintage film posters from around the world and makes them available at reasonable prices. Their collection is handpicked with an emphasis on design. Specializing in Polish film posters from the 60’s and 70’s they feature artists like Jerzy Flisak, Maciej Zbikowski and Maciej Hibner. If you live in the London keep your eyes open for their forthcoming exhibitions.
Read the rest of this entry »
10.17.11 | Dave | Found design | 8 comments
Chris DeLorenzo is a graphic designer based out of Andover, Massachusetts, whose modern design style demonstrates what I think of as extremely current and fresh. His work has a sort of comic book inspired feel, while bringing a perfect-fitting hand lettering style to the table. In his own words, Chris notes his influences range from, “pop art, to 1940’s cinema, to graffiti and folk art” which really makes his work unique.
10.14.11 | Liz Meyer | Designers, Found design, Illustration, Typography, USA | 6 comments
— The Giveaway is now closed. The winners will be announced this coming Monday —
Eli No! is a fun tale about a loveable dog with a knack for getting into trouble. The story was inspired by the author’s (Katie Kirk of Eight Hour Day) dog, Eli, as well as a phrase often said by her nephew. Whenever Katie would say “Eli no!” her nephew, Parker, would say it too. Between Parker’s joyous exclamations and Katie’s desire to write and illustrate a children’s book a new project was born.
Two years ago Katie gave us an exclusive sneak peak at the original mockups for the book. Soon after that, the title was picked up by a major publisher and has been in development ever since. We’re excited to announce that the book is now available. To celebrate, we’ve teamed up with Katie to give away three signed copies!
10.06.11 | Dave | Contests and giveaways | 106 comments
Vintage-inspired fashion house Fossil is looking to hire a Graphic Designer. Responsibilities will include collaborating with and supporting the Art Director in the design and development of the Fossil brand image. Potential candidates must be aware of vintage looks and contemporary design and fashion trends. For more info on this job listing see the grain edit job board.
You can subscribe to our job listings via RSS, Email or follow at Twitter and Facebook.
Burton Kramer Identities is an important and comprehensive book on the work of a leading Canadian designer, educator and painter, who practiced for over 50 years.
Kramer began his design career in the New York office of Will Burtin and went on to work at Geigy under Gottfried Honegger. In 1961, he moved to Zurich, Switzerland, as Chief Designer at the E. Halpern Agency, where he created award-winning work. In 1965, Kramer moved to Toronto to work on graphics and signage for Expo 67. In 1967, he founded Kramer Design Associates, creating identity programs for the Royal Ontario Museum, Ontario Educational Television and in 1974, his well-known logo and identity program for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
Read the rest of this entry »
09.26.11 | Dave | Found design | 1 comment
You’ve probably seen the work of Carson Ellis on street posts and at record stores everywhere, as she has been the artist representing The Decemberists for the past several years. Her illustration has that magical quality of making you want to pick up a pencil and draw something beautiful, even if you have no drawing ability whatsoever. Her charming work interestingly seems to capture the greys and faded quality of her surroundings in Portland, giving everything a calm and quiet tone. Carson has just recently released a book called “Wildwood Chronicles” with Colin Meloy (of the Decemberists), so be sure to pick that up!
09.23.11 | Liz Meyer | Found design | 7 comments
Fans of Alain Gree rejoice! Our friends from Anorak have teamed up with Mr. Gree for a new magazine entitled PLOC. The inaugural issue features stories, games, coloring pages and activities all illustrated in Alain’s unique style. Pick up a copy here.
09.20.11 | Dave | Found design | 1 comment
Forming Vol.1 featuring the illustration work of Jesse Moynihan
Fresh from the mailman, here’s the latest titles to hit our shelves.
09.19.11 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 2 comments
I was excited to receive a package from Hans Harthman’s daughter, Fanny Hartmann last week. Contained within was a copy of Hans Hartmann: Ein Lebenfur die Grafik, a 1991 monograph compiled by Fanny with contributions from Joseph Marti and Fred Zaugg. The book is filled with full-color illustrations and photos from Hans’s prolific career as a designer and artist that spanned over 5 decades. Hans Hartmann’s name is often absent from design history books, so most of the pieces are new to me. I’m surprised by the breadth and depth of is work. I’ve seen examples of his posters and logos in the past, but I was unaware that he had ventured into sculpture, stained glass windows and exhibition design.
09.12.11 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 13 comments
If you’re someone who is excited about type, the name Alex Trochut should be a name often on the tip of your tongue. But if you haven’t seen that name before today: Alex is an amazing young letterer out of Barcelona. With an extensive heritage in the type world (his grandfather was a printmaker and typographic designer), Alex shows his talent through endless experimentations that push the limits of type to the extreme. A couple of months ago Alex published his first book, More is More, which looks to be a great compilation of his work, so be sure to check that out if you what to experience more of this lettering master.
09.02.11 | Liz Meyer | Found design | 7 comments
Numbers sure are powerful, and it’s evident in this print by Seattle based illustrator Matthew Hollister. This print, created for the Chicago Art Department’s Power in Numbers show, stacks magic, bad luck, and high times in a fresh and direct style. Matthew’s portfolio is chock full of editorial illustrations employing an array of grainy textures and straightforward imagery, reminiscent of vintage Czech matchbook labels and folk art. Read the rest of this entry »
08.25.11 | Grace Danico | Found design, Illustration | 9 comments
As a young design student at California College of the Arts I had the wonderful opportunity of interning for ReadyMade magazine — way back in its hip Berkeley headquarters heyday.
It was a fantastically unique experience and my first in a bustling design office. Under the guidance of art director George McCalman, the office’s art department was a lively, collaborative, ambitious and (extremely) entertaining place to work — and home to the best design office music jams I have had the pleasure to groove to (courtesy of Mr. McCalman himself).
George is a magazine veteran, having art-directed Mother Jones, ReadyMade and Afar to name a few. He is responsible for relevant, thoughtful editorial design as well as some very compelling branding, packaging and identity work. Recently, I was able to catch up with George and find out about his past, present and future. And of course, his opinions regarding his favorite magazines.
George, take it away:
08.24.11 | Ethan | Features, Interviews | 11 comments
We recently received this title on contemporary typography from the friendly folks at Princeton Architectural Press. The book takes a look at the minimalistic typographic work of a variety of well-known and not-so-well-known designers.
08.17.11 | Ethan | Off Our Bookshelves, Uncategorized | 9 comments
Gwenola Carrere is an illustrator from Brussels, Belgium. She creates intricate and playfully crafted images. Some of my favorite works of hers are from a series of illustrations for Revue Dada titled “Made in Russia”. Influenced from 1920s & 30s Soviet illustration, she borrows attributes from this period while adding a bit of her own contemporary European twist.
08.16.11 | Dave | Found design, Illustration | 6 comments
Vintage-inspired fashion house Fossil is looking to hire a Senior Designer. Responsibilities will include collaborating with and supporting the Art Director in the design and development of the Fossil brand image. Potential candidates must be aware of vintage looks and contemporary design and fashion trends. For more info on this job listing see the grain edit job board.
Also from the job board:
Art Director – Swink (Madison, WI)
Web Developer – fred flare (Brooklyn, NY)
You can subscribe to our job listings via RSS, Email or follow at Twitter and Facebook.
The work of Benjamin Critton seems to capture the essence of typography of “now”. While it may seem entirely modern, his work takes inspiration from the days of the Bauhaus and post-modern stylings of early geometric typography. He brings his simple forms and sans-serif tendencies to life in experimental ways, using books, clothing and posters. Be sure to check out his many other sites along with his portfolio, including an interesting maze of images and his shop.
08.12.11 | Liz Meyer | Found design | 1 comment
Huge thanks to John O’Reilly and the rest of the crew at Varoom! magazine for featuring us in their latest issue. The 14-page article titled “The Outsiders” profiles Grain Edit, Unit Editions, John Ptak and showcases our fascination with analyzing, preserving and distributing archival imagery. In addition, each of us shared works that have shaped our curatorial views on design. Varoom! #15 is available in select shops in Europe as well as the U.S. Copies can be purchased online here.
08.08.11 | Dave | Grain Edit News | 1 comment
We’ve featured the Madison, WI based design studio Swink on Grain Edit in the past. Their self-promo desktop campfire set was a huge hit with our readers as well as the rest of the design blog scene. Currently Swink is looking to hire an art director with experience in print as well as web work. As they say, “if you’ve got the whomp” send them an email with samples of your work and a blurb about what makes you tick.
For more info on this job listing see the grain edit job board.
You can subscribe to our job listings via RSS, Email or follow at Twitter and Facebook. Read the rest of this entry »
The Modernist / Published by Gestalten
Looking for some new inspiration or something to add to your summer reading list? Here’s a few of the titles that we’ve received within the last month or so.
07.28.11 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 20 comments
Ana Albero has an incredible illustration style that I can’t get enough of. Working primarily in graphite and colored pencil, Ana creates vibrant textured images of fine ladies and gents from a distantly familiar era often intermingling in an unknown time setting. This particular illustration for the German publication LE MONDE Diplomatique perfectly displays this style, with a dapper man stepping into an eerie office setting where women are steadfastly working with strange stamps. Ana carefully weaves many details in this piece, and successfully does so throughout her portfolio of work, creating memorable and often times humorous images.
07.25.11 | Grace Danico | Found design, Illustration | 2 comments
Interactive Designer – ATTIK (San Francisco, CA)
Lead Web Designer – Everlane (San Francisco, CA)
Graphic Designer – fred flare (Brooklyn, NY)
Photo Internship – fred flare (Brooklyn, NY)
You can subscribe to our job listings via RSS, Email or follow at Twitter and Facebook.
Looks that Kill is the latest installment in the Yuki 7 book series created by one of our contemporary illustration favorites, Kevin Dart. In this new adventure book written by story artist Elizabeth Ito, we get the opportunity to tag along with Yuki 7 and the Gadget Girls, her special task force of ladies, on one of their missions, immersing us in their thrilling world of seduction, espionage, and glamour. Accompanying the fantastic story are new and energetic illustrations by Kevin and 14 other talented artists, such as Meg Hunt and Matthew Lyons. This book is definitely one worth adding to your collection!
07.15.11 | Grace Danico | Product Reviews | 4 comments
In our current day and age we have a plethora of opportunities to view designers’ sparkling clean, polished work. It’s not as often that we get to view the process or beginnings of this work. Julia Rothman‘s new book, Drawn In takes us into the pages of sketchbooks from 44 artists, designers and cartoonists.
07.13.11 | Ethan | Books, Off Our Bookshelves | 5 comments
Louis Swart was a packaging Designer in the Netherlands in the 1960s and 70s. Working in the design industry between the young ages of 13 and 40, Swart greatly paved the way for the future of Dutch package design. You can read more about the life and work of Louis Swart as well as view more of his great work at the Graphic Design Museum Blog.
07.12.11 | Dave | Seen Elsewhere | 14 comments
Let’s face it. Some of us are image hoarders. With the wealth of images that can be found online and in print, it’s no wonder that collage is medium that many artists like to work in. The process of collecting images and carefully organizing them in a way to create and communicate fresh ideas is nothing new, yet there are many artists working in this medium today.
Cutting Edges, a hearty book published by Gestalten, successfully curates contemporary artists cutting and pasting their way out of vintage found imagery in order to produce innovative work. Featuring work by the likes of Jelle Martens, Anthony Zinonos, Eduardo Recife and more, the book is pure eye candy and totally worth adding to your own library.
06.29.11 | Grace Danico | Product Reviews | 3 comments
Joel Speasmaker, also known by his studio moniker Forest, just updated his website with a big pile of great design. You may know of Joel’s pursuits through the early 00s magazine The Drama, or through more recent work as Editor of Swindle, Art-Director of Anthem, or on a more personal level through his series of zine editions: Forest Small Books. Joel continues to work hard and is always keeping it moving, so pay his new site a visit! Read the rest of this entry »
06.28.11 | Dave | Seen Elsewhere | 5 comments
Handshakes & shout-outs to everyone who took part in the House Industries Photo-Lettering Giveaway! The winners were announced via our twitter stream and facebook page earlier today.
Special thanks goes out to House Industries for sponsoring the giveaway.
About Photo-Lettering
The Giveaway is now closed. We’ll be announcing our winners via the Grain Edit Facebook page and Twitter stream on Monday.
The work of Will Staehle is inventive with an incredible range of style and content. You might know of him because of his artwork aptly named the Silhouette Masterpiece Theatre, using silhouettes and some delightfully snarky text. Most of his design and type work is with his studio, Lone Wolf Black Sheep—producing iconic book covers, recognizable as some of the best selling books in recent years. He also has a really interesting blog of sorts, called the Dollar Dreadful Family Library, featuring amazing Victorian display type.
06.06.11 | Liz Meyer | Found design, Typography, USA | 2 comments
Our latest addition to the Grain Edit interview series takes us to London, home to the Mum and Dad of Anorak Magazine – Cathy Olmedillas and Rob Lowe (aka Supermundane). Anorak Magazine is “The Happy Mag for Kids” that features imaginative stories, engaging games, and activities illustrated by talented illustrators such as Adrian Johnson, Marcus Walters, Sasha Barr, Clayton Junior, even Grain Edit’s own Liam Devowski. In this interview, Cathy and Rob discuss the origins of Anorak magazine and take us behind the scenes of making the publication. They also drop some BIG news that you don’t want to miss!
06.02.11 | Grace Danico | Features | 8 comments
The Giveaway is now closed. We’ll be announcing our winners via the Grain Edit Facebook page and Twitter stream on Monday.
This week we’ve teamed up with House Industries for a special giveaway. To celebrate the recent launch of the Photo-Lettering website, House has cooked up some sweet prints for our readers. Four lucky winners will receive a silk-screened PLINC Caslon G hand-pulled by David Dodde!
05.31.11 | Dave | Contests and giveaways | 189 comments
Very excited to see the latest from Mike Perry. Continuing in a similar vein as his other books, Mike does a great job of delving into a specific theme and highlighting important work and people.
Pulled takes a look at design through the medium of screen printing, and shows a wide variety of examples. There’s some really lovely work in here — I also find it helpful to see the results from different designers, and to see what’s achievable with screen printing.
05.25.11 | Ethan | Product Reviews | 7 comments
Recently Added to the Grain Edit Job Board:
Art Director for Packaging– Fossil (Dallas, TX)
Junior Product Designer – Jonathan Adler (New York, NY)
Senior Visual Designer – Causes (San Francisco, CA)
Web Designer – Lush (Vancouver, BC, Canada)
You can subscribe to our job listings via RSS, Email or follow at Twitter and Facebook.
Thanks to everyone who took part in the 2011 Poster Cabaret Bike Print Set Giveaway! We randomly selected our winners this weekend. The winners will be listed at the bottom of the Grain Edit Email Update and Grain Edit RSS Feed. For those of you who subscribe to the email updates, the email should arrive tomorrow morning.
The winners were also announced via our twitter stream and facebook page earlier today.
Individual posters from the 2011 Bike Print set are now available for purchase at the Poster Cabaret. Photos from the gallery show have been uploaded to the site as well.
——————————————————
Special thanks goes out to:
Leandro Castelao | Brent Couchman | Dirk Fowler | Invisible Creature | Tad Carpenter | Mark McDevitt/Methane Studios | Sonnenzimmer | Diana Sudyka | Blanca Gomez | Jay Ryan | Mara Piccione | Delicious Design League | Jason Munn | DKNG Studios | Will Bryant | Evan B Harris | Ty Wilkins | Alberto Cerriteño | Doublenaut
Please take time to visit their sites.
——————————————————
The 2011 Poster Cabaret Bike Print Set Giveaway is now closed. We’ll be announcing our winners via the Grain Edit Facebook page and Twitter stream on Monday.
05.06.11 | Dave | Uncategorized | 1 comment
The Giveaway is now closed. We’ll be announcing our winners via the Grain Edit Facebook page and Twitter stream on Monday.
04.25.11 | Dave | Contests and giveaways | 471 comments
New giveaway this coming Monday! Up for grabs are goodies from Blanca Gomez, Jason Munn/The Small Stakes, Tad Carpenter, Invisible Creature, Brent Couchman, Will Bryant, Jay Ryan and many more! Be sure to join the Grain Edit Facebook Fan Page or follow us on Twitter so you can be involved in this giveaway.
Have a great weekend!
04.22.11 | Dave | Uncategorized | 5 comments
Timbuktu is the first iPad based magazine specifically designed for children. The magazine combines imagination and technology to engage youngsters in news and stories centered around interesting topics. With a bold and brave graphic style and clear and focused interaction design, Timbuktu is on the cutting edge of educating kids in a fun and informative way.
Art Director Olimpia Zagnoli, whose work we’ve featured previously on the site, chats with us today about her latest project, giving us insight to her new role as well as some juicy tidbits about the magazine.
04.07.11 | Grace Danico | Found design | 10 comments
Jordan Gray is a designer and illustrator living in Missouri. Currently he’s an art director at Berstein-Rein, and on the side creates some real gems, like the album packaging shown above and below. As a designer, Jordan posseses the illustration skills for the a project like this to succeed – the composition, illustration style, palettes and concept all fit together so nicely.
04.05.11 | Ethan | Found design | 15 comments
If you’re unable to visit the Wim Crouwel retrospective at London’s Design Museum, you can still pick up the exhibition catalog. Designed and published by Unit Editions the catalog contains Crouwel’s posters, documents, manuals – even his stamps and personal photographs – presented in the raw, bare-concrete setting of the Crouwel archive. Also included is an interview with Wim conducted by Tony Brook, the exhibition’s curator and the book’s co-editor.
Available now at Unit Editions.
04.04.11 | Dave | Found design | 6 comments
2011: Living in the Future was originally published in 1972, but has now been brought back to print upon realization of the book’s accuracy, inaccuracy, and irony. Geoffrey Hoyle, a science fiction author, future visionary, and product of his astronomer father, wrote the original text, predicting such glorious technologies as “vision desks,” “vision phones,” and personal automated breakfast factories. There is also talk of people only working 3 days a week, with a traffic-free commute. Playfully illustrated with wonderful projections of our modern-day utopia by Alasdair Anderson, this quick read would be great for both the coffee table and story time with the kids, so they can think about what those crazy people in the 70s were like.
03.29.11 | Dave | Product Reviews | 9 comments
As you may have noticed, a new name has been covering all things typography related on Grain Edit. The name’s Liz Meyer, and it should ring a bell. Liz is a talented designer and illustrator based in Brooklyn, one half of Script & Seal, and the newest addition to our Grain Edit crew.
There’s more to Liz than just her love for Thanksgiving, as evidenced by the photo above. To give you a better feel for our East Coast correspondent, we’ve conducted a little interview with her that you’re sure to enjoy! Without further a do, please welcome Liz…
03.25.11 | Grace Danico | Grain Edit News | 10 comments
Recently Added to the Grain Edit Job Board:
Graphic Designer/Illustrator – fredflare.com (Brooklyn, NY)
Data Editor – GOOD (Los Angeles, CA)
UI Designer – GOOD (Los Angeles, CA)
Senior UI Designer – GOOD (Los Angeles, CA)
You can subscribe to our job listings via RSS, Email or follow at Twitter and Facebook.
OMFGCO (The Official Manufacturing Company) is a Portland, Oregon-based thing making machine. Comprised of three gentlemen whose experience includes Wieden + Kennedy, Ace Hotel and probably a million sketchbooks — the crew handles a wide variety of graphic and visual projects with supreme dexterity.
03.16.11 | Ethan | Found design | 3 comments
The Noun Project is a bold idea with a simple mission statement: “Sharing, celebrating and enhancing the world’s visual language”. Essentially, the Project aims to collect, organize and add to the universal library of symbols and images that make up our visual language.
03.09.11 | Ethan | Found design | 1 comment
Our latest Grain Edit interview takes us to Kansas City, Missouri–the City of Fountains, headquarters to Hallmark Cards, and home to illustrator and designer Tad Carpenter. Tad’s has the clarity of a designer with the artfulness of an illustrator. His work is whimsical, fun, and smart as he uses a colorful lovable style to create a myriad of characters and illustrations. In this interview, Tad discusses some of his favorite aspects of his hometown, his influences and creative process, and provides a glimpse into his studio as well as something not many folks know about him.
03.07.11 | Grace Danico | Features | 88 comments
I just downloaded the Gerd Arntz memory app and I’m giving it a test spin. The game contains 250 from the more than 4,000 pictograms Gerd Arntz drew between 1928 and 1965, and were scanned from the original prints in the Arntz archive of the Municipal Museum The Hague.
02.28.11 | Dave | Found design | 4 comments
Portland based design and illustration duo Josh Kenyon and Colby Nichols, better known as Jolby, have published a new children’s book titled The King’s 6th Finger. A collaborative effort between Jolby and Rachel Roellke, the book revolves around King Mortimer and his obsessive compulsion around the number five. Everything in his kingdom revolves around this cardinal number, until the day he grows a 6th finger. His world is then turned upside down, and he is left decide the fate of not only his finger, but his kingdom.
02.25.11 | Grace Danico | Product Reviews | 7 comments
Another exciting release from the fine folks over at Unit Editions.
TD 63-73: Total Design and its pioneering role in graphic design is a unique insider’s account of the evolution of Total Design, one of the most important and influential design groups in the history of visual design.
Written by Ben Bos, a key member of the studio, the book describes how a group of idealistic Dutch designers came together to form a multidisciplinary design studio that helped shape the future of graphic design.
02.21.11 | Dave | Contests and giveaways, Found design | 3 comments
Here’s a special treat for Valentine’s Day. The BBC has just released a 30-minute radio documentary entitled I Heart Milton Glaser. The program includes audio snippets of Glaser as well as his contemporaries as they discuss the history and impact of the now iconic I ♥ NY design.
02.14.11 | Dave | Found design | 5 comments
I was recently introduced to the work of Darren Booth. His artful mix of painting and typographic forms is different and in a lot of ways exciting to see. Darren has worked with an incredible list of clients, including Penguin Books, Target, AOL, The New York Times among many others, and has managed to keep a clear, consistent style throughout each project in his portfolio.
02.11.11 | Liz Meyer | Found design | 8 comments
Korero books recently collaborated with Derek Yaniger again and the result is a new Serigraph entitled “Rhodesia was Super“. This four color silk-screened print is based off a travel slogan from the 1970s and is limited to an edition of 100. All profits will be donated to the Zimbabwe Agricultural Welfare Trust, a charity which seeks to provide support for the beleaguered agricultural community in Zimbabwe.
02.07.11 | Dave | Found design | 23 comments
Graphic Design/Blog Intern – Clementine Paper/Greenroom (Santa Monica)
Graphic/Product Design Intern – Jonathan Adler Design Studio (New York)
You can subscribe to our job listings via RSS, Email or follow at Twitter and Facebook.
It’s here! The third edition of Karel Martens: Printed Matter is now available in the U.S.
Upon publication in 1996, printed matter was labeled an instant classic in the world of design publishing. This beautifully designed visual survey of the career of Dutch graphic designer Karel Martens is a tactile distillation of Martens’s unique and personal approach to design. Projects—ranging from postage stamps to books to signs on buildings—are arranged in layouts that fully explore the print process. The first edition of printed matter rapidly sold out along with a second edition published in 2001. This third and final edition includes a new interview with Martens and brings the survey of his work to 2010, marking fifty years of practice.
01.24.11 | Dave | Found design | 7 comments
Wucius Wong’s 1976 release, Principles of Three-Dimensional Design, is an educational book aimed at helping designers and artists wrap their heads around the physical space of objects. Concentrating on the use of simple planes and lines in geometric constructions combined with a thorough breakdown of our understanding of three-dimensional objects, Wong demonstrates how seemingly complex configurations can be easy to plan and construct. What I really want to share with you, however, are the tremendous images of models and diagrams created for the pages of this publication. Read the rest of this entry »
01.18.11 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 5 comments
I’m a big fan of Rilla Alexander’s work, so I was super excited to hear about her new book, Her Idea. Through beautiful illustrations and fun rhymes Rilla chronicles the journey of a little girl named Sozi who struggles to put her concepts into reality. Although the story is presented in a picture book format, I’m hesitant to call this a “children’s book” as I believe the message resonates with all of us. This tale is especially timely as many of us are seeking to change our procrastinating ways as part of our new year’s resolutions.
In this interview, Rilla shares the inspiration for the book and some of the challenges she faced along the way. Here we go!
01.17.11 | Dave | Interviews | 3 comments
Witty and clever are two words that describe one of my favorite artists/typographic people, Ray Fenwick. A native of Winnipeg, Canada, Ray is far from the main hubs of the creative population, which in a strange way makes his extreme creativity even more interesting. His inventive style of hand-drawn and often calligraphic style is paired with subtle hilarity, and his work is always sure to make you smile.
Read the rest of this entry »
01.14.11 | Liz Meyer | Found design | 4 comments
Milan based illustrator Olimpia Zagnoli has a zest for creating fun and colorful illustrations that are thoughtful in their approach and execution. Inspired by illustrators from Spain and France, as well as Italian illustrator Bruno Munari, Olimpia creates a style all her own, melding modern simplicity with bursts of color and fanciful shapes and lines.
01.13.11 | Grace Danico | Found design | 23 comments
Taking another look back into San Francisco design studios as they stood in the late ’70s, I bring you the second in a series of posts from the book Graphic Design San Francisco. Today, we’ll take a look at Keating & Keating, who in present day is known as Kate Keating Associates, Inc., a heavy hitting SF corporate design firm.
“Keating & Keating have an attitude toward their work that can be stated in a definition of graphic design as ‘the architecture of visual communication.’ They believe that a project should entail not just applied cosmetics, but rather must be approached from a thorough problem-solving process in order to be successful.” Read the rest of this entry »
01.12.11 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 1 comment
I love the portfolio from Austin-based designer Ryan Rhodes (aka Bigger than Giants). His work represents an interesting range of styles and ideas, and he also possesses some superbly handy typographic skills. (See the inked type work for JBG Farms above and below.)
01.05.11 | Ethan | Found design | 12 comments
Bossa Nova music arrived in Brazil at the end of the 1950s with an optimism and modernism that paralleled the arrival of the new Brazilian president, Juscelino Kubitschek, who promised ‘fifty years of progress in five’ in his election campaign and announced the building of a new capital city, Brasilia, deep in the heartland of Brazil. The city was designed by Oscar Niemeyer, a man who had just designed a new musical theatre production in Rio of a play written by Vinicius de Moraes and with music written by Antonio Carlos Jobim. These two, along with the singer João Gilberto were about to make Bossa Nova, the first modernist Brazilian art form, the most succesful Brazilian export since coffee.
Bossa Nova And The Rise Of Brazilian Music In The 1960s is a unique collection of the cover art of Brazilian Bossa Nova music, containing hundreds of record covers complete with a history of Bossa Nova, biographies and essays on many of the artists involved in the movement.
01.03.11 | Dave | Found design | 4 comments
You need to take a gander at Erik Marinovich‘s work. It mirrors our current holiday climate quite well — bold and bright with a lot of busy hustle and bustle. Erik’s work defies any sort of specific style or set of rules (aside from the majority of it being typographic). The variety and amount of work contained within this portfolio is wonderful and exciting and void of plainness.
12.22.10 | Ethan | Found design, Typography | 17 comments
Mimmo Castellano is an award-winning graphic designer and photographer who got his start in the port city of Bari located in the South-East corner of Italy. It was here that he landed a position with Laterza, a prominent publishing house, where he designed many of the book covers. This collaboration would last for over twenty years. In the late 60s he moved to Milan to further his career as a designer and taught at the European Institute of Design. In more recent years he has been researching digital imaging connected with photography and photomechanics.
12.20.10 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves, Uncategorized | 5 comments
Thanks to everyone who took part in the Grain Edit Holiday Giveaway Bash! It was great to see all your comments. We randomly selected our winners this weekend.
Our winners will be listed at the bottom of the Grain Edit Email Update and Grain Edit RSS Feed. For those of you who subscribe to the email updates, the email should arrive tomorrow morning.
The winners were also announced via our twitter stream and facebook page earlier today.
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Special thanks goes out to:
Poster Cabaret, YouWorkForThem, Chronicle Books, Soundscreen Design, Script & Seal, Rilla Alexander, Josh Brill/ Lumadessa, No Brow Magazine, Blanca Gomez, Friends of Type, Ty Wilkins, Ingela P Arrhenius, Silnt, Dan Stiles, Jessica Hische, Scotty Reifsynder, enormouschampion, Marcus Walters, Invisible Creature, The Tree House Press, Jolby, Greg Pizzoli, Jason Munn, Brent Couchman, Paul Tebbott, Luke Bott, Esther Arts, and Dan Matutina.
Please take time to visit their sites.
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Design Coordination and Corporate Image by FHK Henrion
New items have been added to the vintage kid’s books and graphic design sections of the grain edit shop.
“The Gap Records and Tapes, San Francisco.”
Graphic Design San Francisco is a book that was published in the late ’70s by the Institute for Graphic Design (which would later become AIGA SF) and Chronicle Books. For the first in a series of posts about the works of San Francisco Bay Area designers and firms, as their portfolios stood on the brink of the ’80s, I present to you Harry Murphy + Friends.
“The Philosophy of Harry Murphy + Friends is to maintain design work of consistently high quality, while producing a large volume of projects involving an exceptionally wide range of related disciplines, frequently with rigorous deadlines.
Since locating in the San Francisco area in 1966, Harry Murphy + Friends has won over 700 national and international design awards for architectural graphics, space design, environmental art, corporate identity, print graphics, and packaging.”
12.14.10 | Dave | 1970s, Off Our Bookshelves | 17 comments
Dear Holiday Spirit(s):
We’re approaching the end of 2010, a year filled with work, work…and did we mention, more work? Seeing as we’ve all been on our best behavior, please take a look at the wish list we’ve compiled with some of our favorite artists and friends. It’s much BIGGER than last year’s list and excited to share it with you. Please say you’ll bring some of these goodies our way!
Yours Truly,
Grain Edit + Friends
12.10.10 | Grace Danico | Guides | 4 comments
For my first post here at Grain Edit, I’m going to share one of my favorite design books from my bookshelf: American Trademark Designs. Published in 1976 by Dover Books and written and compiled by Barbara Baer Capitman, this book is chock full of 732 delicious black, bold, and inky vintage logos. My favorite aspect of this book is that it showcases extremely recognizable logos that have been stamped into the back of our eyelids (IBM, Mr. Peanut, Pepsi-Cola, Playboy) right alongside rarely seen identities created by tiny firms for tiny companies. Some marks are also showcased next to their former, replaced versions, displaying the brand’s evolution.
I’ve scanned some of my favorite graphics to share with you. A portion of this book is also available for view in Google Books, but it’s much more interesting on paper.
12.09.10 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 10 comments
Only one day left to apply for the 2010 Design Sponge Scholarship. This year they’re awarding $10,000 to both undergrad & grad students. Apply here.
12.07.10 | Dave | Found design | Comments closed
Voidwreck is the collaborative studio of Amsterdam residents Karl Nawrot & Walter Warton. Karl is a graduate of the Werkplaats Typografie, which is considered by some to be the holy grail of typography programs in the world.
As an experimental studio, Voidwreck constantly explore different mediums to develop shape and pattern. The same can be said of their typography, which I think embodies the word ‘modernism’—embracing the new while drawing on geometrical sans serifs as inspiration.
12.03.10 | Liz Meyer | Found design, modern, Typography | 6 comments
Roger Excoffon and the Olive foundry by Sandra Chamaret, Julien Gineste and Sébastien Morlighem
Roger Excoffon (1910-1983) was a significant figure in French typography, the graphic arts and visual communication. To mark the centenary of his birth, Paris based Ypsilon Editeur has just released the first book dedicated to his work. Included are little-known or previously unpublished photographs, drawings and type specimens. The book also presents the history of the Olive Foundry where Roger served as the design director for many years.
To get all the gritty details, visit Ypsilon Editeur.
11.30.10 | Dave | Found design | 3 comments
Prepare yourselves: Grain Edit pal Mike Perry is transforming his Brooklyn studio into a pop-up shop and open gallery from November 27 through December 1. This year’s sale will be overflowing with amazing prints, zines, books, tee shirts, original drawings, and so much more from good folks like Jim Datz, Josh Cochran, Jim Stoten, Hugo & Marie, and others.
If you happen to be in the New York area around this time, this is one event you cannot miss!
11.23.10 | Grace Danico | Events | Comments closed
Here’s another book to add to the holiday wish list. Lauwen Books recently released Wim Crouwel ‘in his own words’, a selection of lectures and articles delivered by Wim Crouwel between 1973 and 2006. Considering Wim’s long and established history with design, I’m sure it’s a fascinating read full of inspiring stories and valuable insights. The book is currently sold out at typotheque, but it appears copies are still available directly through the publisher as well as Nijhof & Lee.
11.22.10 | Dave | Found design | 5 comments
11.15.10 | Dave | Found design | 7 comments
Pink Tentacle digs up an impressive collection of posters by Japanese artist and designer Kazumasa Nagai. Enjoy!
Read the rest of this entry »
11.09.10 | Dave | Found design, Uncategorized | 7 comments
Today’s Grain Edit interview series takes us to Brooklyn, New York, home to illustrator Julia Rothman. I remember first being introduced to Julia’s work through her repeat pattern tutorial on Design*Sponge. The process blew me away, and caused me to fall in love with the multitudes of energetic inventive patterns and fresh illustrations she creates.
In this interview, Julia discusses being a native New Yorker, the influence of Sweet Pickles books (YES!), and the process behind the creation of her latest book, The Exquisite Book. She also reveals something that most people don’t know about her…find out more after the jump!
11.02.10 | Grace Danico | Features | 16 comments
Opening in Dublin this week:
The Vintage Irish Book Covers blog is presenting an exhibition of Cor Klaasen’s wonderful book and record cover designs.
Cor Klaasen: Jackets, Covers & Sleeves
Venue: Adifferentkettleoffishaltogether, 18 Ormond Quay Upper
Times: Daily 11 – 5pm. Thurs 4 – Wed 10 November inclusive
Opening: Wednesday 3 November, 2010, 6 – 8 pm. Guest Speaker: Brian Lalor
11.01.10 | Dave | Found design, Uncategorized | 3 comments
Take a look at that honkin’ apple! Philadelphia based illustrator Greg Pizzoli creates a fun whimsical environment in this illustration as he plays with the proportion of the massive textured fruit and the teeny tiny cars. There are so many neat colorful details to look at, such as the airplanes in the sky, buttons on the apple, and the varied shapes of buildings on the land.
10.28.10 | Grace Danico | Found design | 4 comments
I love these Citroen pamphlets that Francois-Charles of iconomaque discovered while sorting through his father’s studio. The material was produced by his father while he was working as a designer at the French creative agency, Delpire, during the 1960s. More images after the jump.
10.26.10 | Dave | Found design, Uncategorized | 15 comments
Project Manager – Hybrid Design (San Francisco)
Web Graphics Productions Designer – MTV Networks(New York)
Motion Designer – American Greetings (Cleveland)
Interactive Developer – TBWA (Toronto)
Graphic Design Internship – Opportunity Green (Los Angeles)
You can subscribe to our job listings via RSS, Email or follow at Twitter and Facebook.
10.25.10 | Dave | Jobs | Comments closed
Untitled painting casually referred to as White Block Quadrupeds
Jim Flora was a fine artist/illustrator best known for his album cover art for RCA Victor and Columbia Records, as well as his illustrations for children’s books. In this uncirculated and untitled early 1940s painting, he presents us with a (literally) twisted cast of characters. As mentioned on the Jim Flora website, the work “depicts an inscrutable panorama of disconnected facial features, headless quadrupeds, and someone’s nightmare of a fanged horse”. This piece along with select paintings from the Jim Flora collection are now available as limited edition prints for purchase over at the Poster Cabaret.
10.19.10 | Dave | Poster Picks | 7 comments
Check out the gams on that couch! Phillip Fivel Nessen, also known as Sparrow v. Swallow, is a Brooklyn based illustrator with a flair for abstracted forms and thoughtful color palettes. Reminiscent of early work by Push Pin Studios and Milton Glaser, Phillip’s illustrations are conceptually thought provoking, smart, and often humorous.
10.14.10 | Grace Danico | Found design | 1 comment
Patrick Eberhard has amassed an amazing collection of Swissair-related material. His website, Sr692 which is named after the flight number from Zürich to Lisbon, is filled with vintage posters, flyers, logos, stamps, route maps, tickets and books, as well as a detailed history of the airline. This is an absolute goldmine for those interested in Swiss design.
A hat tip to Shelby at Wanken for discovering this amazing resource.
10.12.10 | Dave | Found design | 6 comments
Poster for the Theatre Company at the St. Lawrence Centre
Gottschalk + Ash was founded in Montreal in 1966 by Swiss-born Fritz Gottschalk and Canadian native Stuart Ash. Independently and collaboratively, the two have racked up numerous design awards and honors over the last 40 years, with highlights that include identity work for Ciba and a re-design of the Swiss passport. Their work shown above is a great example of Swiss precision and a playful, more humanized take on design.
10.06.10 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 16 comments
I’m so excited, I just got my hands on a copy of Born Modern: The Life and Design of Alvin Lustig. After several years in the making, the highly anticipated book by Steven Heller & Elaine Lustig Cohen (Alvin’s wife) was finally released by Chronicle books last week. This is the first monograph devoted to this master of modern design, whose brief but prolific career had a profound and lasting influence on a generation of designers to come.
09.28.10 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 14 comments
Kemistry Gallery is celebrating the work of legendary designer Lou Dorfsman, art director for the CBS network.
The exhibition centres on his most notable creation, the 11-metre wide handmade wooden typographic wall that he named Gastrotypographicalassemblage. Created during an era when designers were both artisans and well-trained communicators, the wall is the largest modern typographic artefact in existence, described by Michael Bierut as ‘an irreplaceable piece of design history.’ With custom type created by Herb Lubalin and Tom Carnase, the wall contains almost 1500 individual characters.
09.20.10 | Dave | Events | 1 comment
Almost exactly 8 years ago the first Flatstock poster show was held in San Francisco. I remember anxiously awaiting my entrance into the show, and subsequently being in awe over the work displayed. I admired all of the work shown, and eventually bought a print from Seripop.
All of the posters exhibited promoted rock shows happening in venues throughout the country and the world. Many exciting books have followed that first Flatstock, covering the exploding rock poster scene. Rock Paper Show is quite a different take on the gig-poster, however — highlighting the posters that were designed to promote the Flatstock event itself. The book contains great work from some of the top-notch poster designers around, including Jeff Kleinsmith, The Bird Machine, Aesthetic Apparatus, The Heads of State, The Small Stakes, f2 Design, and so many more.
09.10.10 | Ethan | Off Our Bookshelves | 1 comment
Tomingekijo Music Circle concert pamphlets from 1963
In a prolific career that spanned over 5 decades, Japanese designer Ayao Yamana left behind a rich body of work that few could duplicate. He is mainly known for his elegant and delicate illustrations of women which graced the packaging and printed advertisements for Shiseido cosmetics. These concert pamphlet covers for the Tomingekijo Music Circle represent a side of Yamana that is less familiar, but equally as impressive.
09.08.10 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 4 comments
Fantastic new work in the form of Ferocious Quarterly, a curated publication featuring art, illustration, design, short fiction and writing. In the words of publisher Nate Utesch, FQ is “somewhere between an art and culture magazine, a coffee table art book, and an art journal.”
09.03.10 | Ethan | Books | 6 comments
Recently Added to the Grain Edit Job Board:
Print/Retail Designer Intern – TOMS Shoes (Santa Monica/LA)
Web Developer Intern – TOMS Shoes (Santa Monica/LA)
Graphic Design Intern – Jonathan Adler (New York)
Senior Art Director – Target (Minneapolis)
You can subscribe to our job listings via RSS, Email or follow at Twitter and Facebook.
Crafty 2010 will explore the artistry and process behind disciplines from design to art, fashion to film and advertising to specialized print techniques. Held at the Lasalle College of the Arts in Singapore, the project is produced by design think tank Anonymous and curated by art director Felix Ng.
08.30.10 | Dave | Events | 3 comments
Job Wouters is a designer, illustrator, typographer and massive doodler based in Amsterdam. The sheer range of his work is astounding; it’s been a long time since I’ve seen this kind of variety put out by a designer.
08.27.10 | Ethan | Found design | 2 comments
Octoberama by Charley Harper / 30 inches x 30 inches
The Poster Cabaret is now carrying select pieces by the late Charley Harper, including this print entitled Octoberama: a fitting title for the approaching Fall season. Harper was a master in his use of color and ability to reduce elements to their simplest form. These are reflected in the warm, subdued shades of orange, yellow and red seen in the leaves above.
08.26.10 | Dave | Poster Picks | 3 comments
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.
08.24.10 | Grace Danico | Features | 22 comments
Booklet cover for Librax Roche Recipe
Jacques Charette attended schools in Ottawa and Brussels (Belgium) as well as the Ecole des Beaux-Arts de Montreal. Before establishing his own firm in 1970, he worked on various materials for Expo 67. He is also responsible for designing the logo for the Society of Graphic Designers of Canada (GDC).
08.23.10 | Dave | Found design | 4 comments
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.
08.17.10 | Grace Danico | Found design | 4 comments
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.
08.11.10 | Grace Danico | Found design | 8 comments
Impressive / 240 Pages / Published by Gestalten
Finally got my hands on a copy of Impressive. The book explores the interplay between current trends in graphic design and traditional handiwork such as letterpress printing, hand-cut linotype, chiselled woodblocks, and embossing. In addition to a rich selection of invitations, business cards, stationery, posters, and other material printed by hand, it offers personal insights from designers who are using old-fashioned techniques to create cutting-edge work.
07.28.10 | Dave | Found design, Uncategorized | 9 comments
The Small Stakes Music Posters by Jason Munn ©2010
Not too long ago we asked you, the readers, for questions to pass along to Jason Munn regarding his recent book published by Chronicle. In today’s Q + A session he shares his answers to some of the questions we received.
07.14.10 | Dave | Found design | 23 comments
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.
07.06.10 | Grace Danico | Found design | 28 comments
I received an email earlier this week from the nice folks at Jonathan Adler. They are currently looking for a product designer to help design soft and hard goods for new business partnerships. Other recent additions to the grain edit job board include positions at Apple and MTV Networks.
You can subscribe to our job listings via RSS, Email or follow at Twitter and Facebook.
Obscure children’s game juego del buen comportamiento
New items such as vintage kid’s books & games from Spain and educational charts/prints from the U.S have been added to the shop.
06.29.10 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | Comments closed
Fantastic book covers from Isaac Tobin, a senior designer for Chicago Press. His work is striking and sophisticated, while maintaining a clean minimalism. The covers I think, are also successful in representing the message or idea of each piece.
06.25.10 | Ethan | Found design | 6 comments
Recent exhibition of Rogerio Duarte’s work at the Narrows Gallery.
Rogerio Duarte is a Brazilian graphic designer, musician, poet and philosopher. He is also considered to be one of the founding fathers and the main intellectual force behind the Tropicalia movement in the late 1960s. During this period he designed album covers for many of the great names of Brazilian popular music, such as Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Gal Costa, João Gilberto and Jorge Ben. If you have access to idea magazine, I recommend picking up the March issue (#339). It features a 24 page article on Duarte and includes a nice selection of his work.
06.23.10 | Dave | Found design | 7 comments
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!
06.22.10 | Grace Danico | Found design | 5 comments
Today Grain Edit is proud to present Blanca Gómez of Cosas Minimas. Blanca is a Graphic Designer and Illustrator based in Madrid, Spain. You may remember her work as featured on Grain Edit’s on-going poster pick series. We like her clean and simple style and took some time to talk to Blanca about her work and creative process. We hope you’ll enjoy it.
06.16.10 | Dave | Features | 55 comments
Takara Beautilion Pavilion designed by Kisho Kurokawa
40 years ago, Osaka hosted the first world exposition to be held in Asia. Representing 76 countries and an array of international and domestic organizations, Osaka Expo ’70 was an exemplary platform of engineering and architectural finesse through its vast showcase of pavilions.
Expo ’70 boasted numerous temporary complexes designed by notables such as Canada’s Arthur Erickson and Renzo Piano. The event was also a fitting platform for these Japanese Metabolist architects, Kenzo Tange, Kisho Kurokawa and Kiyonori Kikutake to pursue their concepts characterized by large scale, flexible, highly-engineered structures that evoke the processes of organic growth.
05.27.10 | Dave | Found design | 3 comments
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.
05.25.10 | Grace Danico | Product Reviews | 15 comments
For the latest Grain Edit interview, we head to the beautiful Pacific Northwest city of Portland, Oregon. While Portland is known for it’s drizzly rain, recent influx of people, and amazing food cart scene, it is also the home of many talented designers. We here at Grain Edit had the chance to visit PDX and catch up with one of it’s very accomplished residents, Dan Stiles.
Dan is a long time designer and contributor to the contemporary gig poster scene. His work is always very fresh, energetic, engaging and fun. Dan is very successful at creating dramatic work while using minimal colors and patterns. In this interview we chat with Dan about his history as a designer, his thoughts on running a solo studio, working in Portland, and much more.
Enjoy!
05.24.10 | Ethan | Features | 36 comments
Giveaway is now closed. We will be announcing the winner soon.
05.20.10 | Dave | Contests and giveaways | 347 comments
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.
05.18.10 | Grace Danico | Found design | 15 comments
I got a surprise package in the mail the other day from Nobrow. Included in the package was Micah Lidberg’s Rise & Fall: A Concertina of Life. This might be my favorite Nobrow release to date. It’s an accordian style book that folds out to a stunning 53 inch panorama. Each panel is filled with prehistoric creatures dodging fire, climbing trees or sipping on slimey goop. His illustration style and composition for the piece remind me of traditional Japanese woodblock prints. Lovely stuff.
You can pick up a copy at Amazon.
05.17.10 | Dave | Found design | 9 comments
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.
05.12.10 | Grace Danico | Product Reviews | 4 comments
Production recently started on The Sign Painter. The new documentary on sign painting will include interviews with several of the artists that still practice this age-old craft. The directors, Sam Macon & Faythe Levine, were recently in San Francisco to capture footage of Jeff Canham, Bob Dewherst, New Bohemia Signs, and Jimmie “the saint” Collier. You can find more info on the film at the website and official Facebook fan page.
05.10.10 | Dave | Found design | 15 comments
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!
05.04.10 | Grace Danico | Features | 26 comments
Chronicle books recently released a book on concert posters designed by Jason Munn of The Small Stakes. We’re working on an interview with Jason in regards to the book and we thought we would open up the questions to our readers.
Please send us any questions you might have about Jason’s work or his new book. Use the contact form on our site to email us your question by 2pm Friday, May 7th. After we receive all the questions, Jason will go through the emails and select a handful of questions to answer. We’ll post his answers the following week.
To Have & To Hold is a new documentary from Jony Lyle that celebrates and explores the phenomenon of collecting Vinyl. The documetary includes interviews with well known collectors like Bobbito Garcia, ?uestlove, Chuck D, Andre Torres (From Wax Poetics), Amir (of Kon & Amir) and Bruce Ludvall, the owner of Bluenote. Based on the trailer the film seems to be heavily focused on collectors in or around New York.
You can learn more about the film at the official Facebook page. Also there’s an interview with the director over at Mat Dolphin’s blog.
I’d love to hear from other record collectors out there. What are some of your favorite pieces of vinyl in your collection?
(via Dylan over at the excellent Hard Feelings blog.)
04.22.10 | Dave | Seen Elsewhere | 23 comments
This Grain Edit interview takes us to New York’s largest burough—Brooklyn—and to the office of Mike Perry! I’m sure most here are quite familiar with his work. The style is very specific; you definitely know it when you see it. With the help of the fancy-shmancy Internet, Mike’s work seems often imitated, but never duplicated. There is only one Mike Perry, folks.
I became most familiar with Mike’s work with the publication of his first book, Hand Job: A Catalog of Type. While still in school I preordered it, as did many of my classmates. But I had my first real hands-on looks at it over at the studio where I was interning — they had an advance copy. I remember the smell, especially, as well as the general office ogling.
One of the things that strikes me the most about Mike’s work is that he can be making a zine or an object, putting on a show, or designing a typeface, or just doodling—all of his work feels consistent. With whatever he’s doing, you’re always entering the world of Mike Perry.
After the jump, Mike talks about various aspects of his work, his work history, and his favorite Brooklyn restaurant. Let’s get into it!
04.13.10 | Ethan | Features | 17 comments
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.
03.30.10 | Grace Danico | Found design | 9 comments
While I was in Maine I discovered this book put together after the 1974 Biennale of Graphic Design in Brno, Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic and Slovakia). The book contains notes and essays from a symposium centered around corporate identity.
Wim Crouwel contributes an essay on the problems with house-style. In the essay he discusses the role of a designer in the creation of a corporate identity program and describes the difference between what he calls “information designers” and “advertising designers. He ends the essay off with a few thoughts on trademarks (abstract symbols vs type driven solutions).
03.29.10 | Dave | Events, Uncategorized | 6 comments
Danish Giftparcels | Denmark |
Some of you might remember when World of Logotypes made the rounds on the design blog circuit last year. If you missed out, Amy over at the excellent Aqua-Velvet blog has highlighted a few of her favorite logos from the book. View Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.
03.23.10 | Dave | Found design | 8 comments
Noma Bar is a man of few strokes. But don’t let the simplicity fool you. His talent lies in his efficiency in depicting characters and social issues. With bold colors, shapes and one or two icons he captures the spirit of a person. Other times he communicates a message on a social issue with amazing clarity while adding a bit of humor to everything. Whether the message is about violence or equality, his straight-forward visual approach is refreshing.
03.17.10 | Dave | Features | 39 comments
Mi Diccionario Ilustrado – Illustrations by Acosta Moro
Mi Diccionario Ilustrado is a fun little dictionary for kids. Each page is filled with colorful illustrations of animals, musical instruments and various modes of transportation. I was able to get my hands on a couple copies of this hard to find book from the 1970s. If your interested in purchasing a copy, stop by the grain edit shop.
03.10.10 | Dave | Found design, Off Our Bookshelves | 4 comments
This video provides a very interesting look at the design of racing cars in 70s. The graphics on these care are incredible — very minimal and nothing at all like the logo-plastered cars of NASCAR.
03.05.10 | Ethan | Found design | 4 comments
Chronicle Books has just released Ramayana: Divine Loophole the latest book from Pixar animator and illustrator Sanjay Patel. As one of the core legends of Hindu mythology, Ramayana recounts a tale of Rama, a god-turned-prince, and his quest to rescue his wife Sita after she was kidnapped by a demon king. Sanjay is able to breath new life into this 2500-year-old epic tale with over 150 pages of lush, detailed illustrations.
In this interview, he gives us a glimpse into the making of the book and some of the challenges he faced along the way.
02.26.10 | Dave | Features | 72 comments
East London design group, Studio EMMI, has a fantastic selection of work. The work shown above was designed for The Prince’s Foundation for Children & the Arts, and was also a recipient for Sappi’s 2009 Ideas That Matter award. The illustrations by Lucy Vigrass are wonderful — I want to jump in to any classroom scene with a typewriter!
02.25.10 | Ethan | Found design | 5 comments
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!
02.23.10 | Grace Danico | Found design | 8 comments
If you’re interested in the artists featured on grain edit, I think you will appreciate today’s book. Naive: Modernism and Folklore in Contemporary Graphic Design documents the recent wave of design work inspired by Classic Modernism. I received a copy in the mail not too long ago and was impressed by the roster of artists featured in the book. We’ve covered many of the artists including Matte Stephens, Helen Dardik, Scotty Reifsnyder, Spike Press, Tes One, Adrian Johnson, Doublenaut, Darling Clementine, Andrio Abero, Methane Studios and Tad Carpenter on grain edit over the last couple of years, but there were still many I was unfamiliar with. My only complaint is the lack of a proper introduction as it would be nice to know more about the selection process. There are several artists in the book that seem out of place. I had a hard time seeing a connection between their work and modern design from the 1940- 1960s. But overall it is a solid addition to any designer’s library. More info + pictures available at the publisher’s website.
02.22.10 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 12 comments
Barcelena design studio Hey has a swath of cool projects. One of their latest, Calendar, features stylized illustrations of some of our favorite cultural and historical icons. Mr. Miyagi, Hulk Hogan, Poseidon, and Inspector Gadget are just a few. Like a good icon, these illustrations are minimal — leaving only the bare essentials to reference their counterparts.
02.19.10 | Ethan | Uncategorized | 4 comments
In the fall, we featured Portland, Maine based artist and designer Josh Brill’s Flora Fauna series. The series included a colorful collection of bird illustrations, and was well received on grain edit as well other sites across the blogosphere. So, what’s Josh been up to lately? I traveled to Portland over the Christmas break and had the chance to catch up with Josh. We talked about living in Portland, his awesome collection of records from the Blue Note label as well as projects he’s currently working on.
02.17.10 | Dave | Features | 23 comments
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!
02.10.10 | Grace Danico | Features, Uncategorized | 46 comments
Friend of Grain Edit and all around good guy, Eric Smith, recently emailed to say that his Live Now project has been updated. Live Now is a collection of designers, illustrators and (most importantly) friends—collaboratively pursuing the idea of “living now.” Communicating through artwork, literature, relationships, exhibitions and more, the project attempts to engage participants to live conscious and happy lives.
02.05.10 | Ethan | Found design | 7 comments
This Week’s Poster Pick is The Books/ Boston, MA poster designed by Dirk Fowler.
You can pick up a print at the Poster Cabaret.
02.04.10 | Dave | Poster Picks | 8 comments
I just received some sad news. Edie Harper, the wife of the late Charles Harper passed away last week. Edie, a talented artist in her own right, was known for her beautiful illustrations of biblical stories.
The official announcement from the Harper Estate after the jump
02.01.10 | Dave | Found design | 9 comments
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…
01.27.10 | Grace Danico | Features | 11 comments
If your in the Bay Area, there’s a cool exihbition over at Gallery 16. The exhibition celebrates the 25th Anniversary of Emigre, and will present artwork from Emigre as well as the new Gingko Press publication Emigre No. 70: The Look Back Issue – 25 Years in Graphic Design. The 512 page book covers the best of a quarter century of Emigre magazine.
01.21.10 | Dave | Events | 4 comments
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!
01.13.10 | Grace Danico | Found design, Uncategorized | 26 comments
2009 International Year of Astronomy Poster designed by Simon C Page
Simon Page is a self-taught graphic design whiz with a mathematics background. He takes shapes and morphs them into cerebral abstractions. His style shifts around futuristic digital designs and 1960s minimalism, trotting the delicate line between simplicity and detail. His International Year of Astronomy 2009 poster designs caught the eyes of discerning design writers, including the New York Times and Creative Review. It may be the year for Astronomy but its equally a big year for Page, his posters got a boost in sales from all the acknowledgment he’s been getting in print and on the web.
01.03.10 | Dave | Features | 20 comments
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?
12.23.09 | Grace Danico | Off Our Bookshelves | 16 comments
Jez Burrows – Walden (Part of the Kitsune Noir Poster Club)
Over the next several months, several design blogs (including grain edit) will be collaborating with the stellar art & design social network Society 6. First up is the Kitsune Noir Poster Club. Bobby of the excellent Kitsune Noir asked five of his favorite artists to interpret books they really enjoy into a print that will be a lasting work of art.
The project includes:
Jez Burrows – Henry David Thoreau’s Walden
Mark Weaver – Herman Melville’s Moby Dick
Frank Chimero – Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughter House Five
Cody Hoyt – David Foster Wallace’s Infinite Jest
12.21.09 | Dave | Found design | 3 comments
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
12.16.09 | Grace Danico | Uncategorized | 8 comments
For this exciting addition to the Grain Edit interview series, we kept it local — seeking out one of San Francisco’s finest, Scott Hansen, aka ISO50. My first acquaintance with Scott came in the spring of 2005. The pre-Grain Edit crew had headed up to a lecture in Sacramento featuring Scott discussing his work and process.
I love the work of ISO50 just as much now as I did way back in ’05. It has a great historical reference, while still remaining contemporary. Scott does a nice job of combining clean, graphic forms alongside texture and pattern.
In this interview Scott talks about his entrance into graphic design, his creative process, his interest and involvement in music and photography, and, among many other things, his top 5 favorite albums.
So, pull up a chair in one of your favorite Dolores Park cafes (or imagine yourself there), and take look:
12.14.09 | Ethan | Features | 33 comments
Hybrid Design was formed by the husband and wife design team of Brian Flynn and Dora Drimalas. The San Francisco based firm has worked with a diverse body of clients including Nike, Upper Playground and Vans. The dynamic duo are also the brains behind Super 7 and Hybrid Home.
In today’s interview Brian reveals some of his influences, shares insights on managing a design firm, and even manages to squeeze in a somewhat obscure reference to Cameo.
12.10.09 | Dave | Features | 25 comments
Pen Pencil Stencil is the online home and physical workspace of Mark Giglio. Mark is an amazing illustrator/ designer who’s worked on projects with a diverse mix of companies including: 2k by Gingham, Apple, Dwell, GSP, Nike, Tolleson Design, and others. Recently I had the pleasure of hanging out with Mark at his Oakland based studio.
12.03.09 | Dave | Features | 37 comments
Beautiful tourist map from Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic) dating back 1966. I love the bold colors and simple line work. I’m guessing that the illustration inside the red square on the left side is a beer. Look at that foamy top! Sweet mother of beverages!
11.23.09 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 17 comments
lisez, jouez et decouvrez La Scandinavie avec Andersen -by Paul de Roujoux, Pamela Labonnelie and Mireille Ballero. Illustrations by Martine Bourre c1975 editions des deux coqs d’or
La Scandinavie avec Andersen is a beautiful children’s book about Scandinavian culture. The book is filled with stories, games and activities. Just think, your child could be making his/her very own Nils Holgersson costume right now! For the budding young history buff, there’s a section on the Drakkars and Vikings. If your child is too scared to look at tough guys with helmets, head straight to the fuzzy Nordic animals in chapter one. Have a four year old that’s into logging? No problem, this book has you covered. There’s a section on the Scandinavian timber industry in the middle of the book. Soon your young one will be able to turn raw material into fine Danish furniture!
More pictures after the jump.
11.16.09 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 7 comments
Brionvega rr126 Turntable/ radio brochure c1970
Beautiful brochure covers for the Milan based electronic company Brionvega. Design by Bob Noorda.
11.03.09 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 13 comments
Brooklyn-based Dan Cassaro is the front man, ring leader, and typographic skipper of Young Jerks — his no-nonsense moniker. Making your way throughout the aisles of Dan’s portfolio, you’ll notice typography gracing posters, logos, books, other printed materials, and a swath of motion graphics. Fancy typography, indeed. Mr. Cassaro has the knack for creating keen type that makes you smile. I urge you to head over and take a look.
10.30.09 | Ethan | Found design | 8 comments
Graphic Design Referenced by Bryony Gomez-Palacio and Armin Vit
I recently got my hands on a copy of Graphic Design Referenced. This is the latest project from the dynamic design duo of Bryony Gomez-Palacio and Armin Vit, who also happen to be the brilliant minds behind the UnderConsideration network of sites. As the official press release states, “Graphic Design, Referenced is a visual and informational guide to the most commonly referenced terms, historical moments, landmark projects, and influential practitioners in the field of graphic design. This is a very ambitious project to say the least, but I’m quite impressed with the final result. I’m amazed at the amount of information they were able to cram into this 400 page book.
10.29.09 | Dave | Uncategorized | 8 comments
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.
10.28.09 | Grace Danico | Found design | 10 comments
The girl on the end is seriously hating on the little dude. Ride on bro!
I came across this ad in an old Italian design magazine a few years back. I scanned in the image and quickly forgot about it. In my haste I forgot to write down any relevant information. Now I’m stuck without a clue as to who made this super cool kids toy.
10.26.09 | Dave | Found design | 6 comments
Most articles I see related to Russian poster design tend to focus on the film and propaganda posters of the 1920s and 30s. Works by Alexander Rodchenko and El Lissitzky as well the Stenberg brothers often come to mind. This post is dedicated to an era of Russian poster design that seems to get less coverage. The 1970s.
Don’t miss this one!
10.20.09 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 36 comments
“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.
10.14.09 | Grace Danico | Found design, Uncategorized | 12 comments
wedding invites designed by Katie Kirk
I love these wedding/reception invites designed by Katie Kirk of Eight Hour Day. The invites are for Katie’s sister who plans to get married in Mexico and then have a giant pig roast in Wisconsin. I hope the pig on the front of the invite enjoys his last days of freedom! He’s on his way to being ham nugglets.
Last time we checked in with Katie she was wrapping up work on her first children’s book. The book, which is titled Eli No!, tells the story of a mischievous dog and his journeys. At the time, the book was lacking a publisher. Since then, the book has secured a deal with Abrams. Looking forward to the release!
10.13.09 | Dave | Found design | 8 comments
I’ve been a fan of Werner Design Werks for a few years now, so I was excited to hear about their recent release of alphabeasties: and other Amazing Types. This beautiful children’s book features animals crafted out of typefaces. How about an alligator set in Volta EF? You got it! There’s even a dachshund made out of “d”s set in Bauhaus. Gary fans rejoice!
In the same vein as Bruno Munari’s Alfabetiere, alphabeasties achieves a perfect balance of fun and well-executed design. Pick up a copy for your your kid, but don’t be suprised if you end it keeping all to yourself.
10.08.09 | Dave | Found design | 12 comments
Cutie Bear by Delicious Design League. 18″ x 24″
The best part about bringing you the poster pick series is reading your responses to our selections. This week can’t disappoint because it is virtually impossible to see the work of the designers at Delicious Design League and not be smitten.
Delicious Design League is based in Chicago and commandeered by Billy Baumann and Jason Teegarden-Downs. The firm focuses on designing for the music industry but leaves room for all things design. ‘Cutie Bear’ feels right at home here at Grain Edit. Clean lines and smart color combos never go out of style. The trick is to make it look effortless, but it’s obvious a great deal of thought goes into something so, well, cute.
Cutie Bear is available for purchase here.
10.08.09 | Dave | Poster Picks | 6 comments
(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?
10.06.09 | Grace Danico | Features, Interviews | 35 comments
A while back we posted the first issue of Nobrow’s fabulous illustration zine, Gods & Monsters. Said the Computer to the Specialist continues in the Nobrow screenprinted zine tradition, with this conceptually dark body of work from Tom Rowe.
10.02.09 | Ethan | Found design | 6 comments
This is the story of a brand new blog called Friends of Type. If you have friends and a healthy interest in type, this blog was made for you. A self described “sketchbook, archive and dialogue,” Friends of Type is the place to see typographic process, doodles, and finished work. I’m sure it will become a typographic who’s who in the near future.
09.25.09 | Ethan | Found design | 6 comments
Being a fan of Monocle magazine, I’m excited about our next guest. Ken Leung is a London based freelance designer who helped launch Monocle magazine and until recently served as it’s art director. In today’s interview, Ken shares his love for Textas (marker pens), some of his influences and a few of his favorite books.
Ok, here we go..
09.22.09 | Dave | Features | 24 comments
K.P. Jorgensen & Son Logo – Part of 1960s & 70s Scandinavian Logos Set
This made my day. Vancouver based designer Oliver Tomas uploaded an amazing collection of Scandinavian logos from the 1960s & 70s to his flickr account. Thanks Oliver!
09.21.09 | Dave | Found design | 9 comments
Western Tanager 5″x7″ – Designed by Josh Brill
Cool bird prints from Josh Brill. Josh is the man behind Lumadessa, a little art and design label out Portland, Maine. The prints are from his Flora Fauna collection which catalogs the design identities of plants and animals from around the world. The collection also examines the visual character differences and similarities of species. It’s a field guide of discovery, beginning with birds.
09.17.09 | Dave | Found design | 17 comments
Geoff Mcfetridge and some of the concepts for the final credits for the upcoming “Where the Wild Things Are” film.
I know i’m not the only one excited about the upcoming Where the Wild Things Are film directed by Spike Jonze. The film is based on a book of the same name published in 1963 by author/illustrator Maurice Sendak. I remember staring at the book for hours when I was a kid. It’s still one of my all time faves.
09.10.09 | Dave | Seen Elsewhere | 6 comments
(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!
09.03.09 | Grace Danico | Features | 46 comments
Television graphics
Absolutely stunning work from Stefan Kanchev (1915-2001) who was a Bulgarian graphic artist. During his prolific career he designed hundreds of logos, posters, stamps, book covers, labels as well as graphics for TV. Much of his work is inspired by Bulgarian folklore and traditions.
In 1994 Stefan Kanchev was recognized as one of the top ten designers of trade marks in the world along with Paul Rand, Saul Bass and etc. The title was awarded by the International trademark centre in Ostend, Belgium. His logo work will blow your wig back. I highly suggest you spend a few minutes browsing his archives.
08.24.09 | Dave | Found design | 33 comments
These book covers from Australian designer Jenny Grigg are absolutely superb. I love how she uses texture and composition to make such playful and compelling work. I want to touch and feel these books as much as I want to read them.
08.21.09 | Ethan | Found design | 8 comments
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)
08.19.09 | Grace Danico | Found design | 7 comments
Beautiful collage work from Lisbon based designer Cristiana Couceiro. As Steve Mehallo puts it, “When one thinks of collage, it’s usually something . . . scrapbooky. Not always the case.”
In a recent issue of Moloko, she talked about gathering source material. “On Saturdays I like to go through the flea market collecting memories. Feira da Ladra as we call it here in Lisbon. That means Thief Fair, which is funny collecting other people’s memory to build a new one”. Her source material comes from a variety of modern sources including: record covers, Canadian logos, 1960s paperback books, Latvian magazines, Swiss posters, as well as work from the Bauhaus.
08.17.09 | Dave | Found design | 31 comments
This second edition of Sing Statistics, “We Are the Friction” looks to be quite spectacular. I really, really can’t wait to get my hands on it.
08.14.09 | Ethan | Found design | 5 comments
15″ HunterGatherer Laptop Sleeve
For our latest giveaway we’ve teamed up with Incase. Incase recently released the HunterGatherer Laptop Sleeve and iphone slider case. This is a part of a series of projects curated by Arkitip. To celebrate we’re giving away a 15″ Hunter Gatherer laptop sleeve to one lucky winner.
08.13.09 | Dave | Contests and giveaways | 188 comments
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!
08.12.09 | Grace Danico | Found design | 6 comments
JAQK Cellars wine shippers designed by Hatch
This is part 2 of a 2 part interview. You can view part 1 at the excellent iso50.
Hatch is a San Francisco design firm founded by Joel Templin and Katie Jain. In part one of our interview, Alex spoke with Katie and Joel about the firm and their design process. In part two we take a look around the studio and talk with Katie about the packaging for JAQK cellars.
08.11.09 | Dave | Features | 22 comments
Olivetti Lettera 22 Manual
I’m blown away by this Olivetti Lettera Manual Ed Cornish posted over at the excellent we made this (blog). Absolutely stunning! You can see the full manual at Ed’s Flickr account.
08.04.09 | Dave | Found design | 13 comments
The Whimsical Works of David Weidman – Published by Gingko Press.
David Weidman’s name may not be familiar, but his work certainly is. Weidman began his career as an animator in 1950s Los Angeles, painting backgrounds for Hannah Barbara and setting the standard for the look of cartoons of that era. However, like a true entrepreneur he soon began to work for himself, and went on to establish a style that is today instantly recognizable and iconic. A printmaker, ceramicist, font designer, painter, cartoonist, and silk screener, Weidman never stopped experimenting as an artist. Today at age 87 Weidman’s staggering body of work is just as modern and visually stunning as it was forty years ago. His graphic sensibility and expert use of saturated color palettes evoke the vintage modern look while remaining completely relevant to contemporary designers.
If you don’t have a copy of this book yet, it’s seriously worth picking up. You can can pick up a copy here.
07.28.09 | Dave | Product Reviews | 18 comments
Upon viewing the work of Micah Smith, aka My Associate Cornelius, I 1) greatly enjoy the Bottle Rocket reference within the name, and 2) love the work.
One of the things i enjoy about Micah’s work is the range and personality found in it. There is a strong sense of playfulness throughout his portfolio; the work feels like it’s active and doing something.
07.24.09 | Ethan | Found design | 8 comments
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.
07.22.09 | Grace Danico | Found design | 15 comments
This weekend the grain edit crew headed over to the Renegade Craft Fair. The event was held at the giganticle Fort Mason Center Festival Pavilion. The place was packed with Men of the Yarn and friendly Thimble Queens all carefully curating their collections of handmade goodness. I’ve never seen so many t-shirts and pillows in my life! It was a palace of soft joy!
We had a blast meeting everyone. Handshakes & hugs to the following people: Frank Chimero, A. Micah Smith A.K.A My Associate Cornelius, Lorena Siminovich & the crew from Petit Collage, Sasha Barr and Meagan Claire Hall of Wonder Thunder and Klover Kim (Please don’t break my arm, if you don’t win the next giveaway!)
07.20.09 | Dave | Events | 23 comments
Examining some possible layouts.
We recently received news from long-time Grain Edit friends, MINE™, about their new book in the works, tentatively titled The Good Design Book. This book is aimed at those with a critical eye and an interest in how design can affect the greater good.
Combining essays from designers as well as showcasing approximately 70 projects, the book takes a current look this expanding movement, and offers resources for those looking to get involved.
07.15.09 | Ethan | Books | 3 comments
Jazzin the Black Forest – The Complete Guide to Saba/MPS Jazz Records -Published by Crippled Library c1999
Jazzin´the Black Forest is the story of the SABA/MPS jazz label. It was established during the early 1960s and is considered to be Germany´s first independent label. From the label’s beginnings up to its sale to Polygram in 1983, SABA/MPS released over 700 LPs. This book features full color images of all the LPs, a complete index as well as poster reproductions.
07.14.09 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 5 comments
Like many, gig-posters provided my first introduction to graphic design. The images seemed to perfectly articulate the ideas and spirit of the bands I was so obsessed with. During a recent “Best of the Best of Poster Designers” conversation, I was reminded of Dirk Fowler‘s work and it’s solid place in design history.
With the speed and ease of the Internet it’s easy to see design trendiness proliferate and to focus on the latest and greatest. In a time of gig-poster saturation, it can be nice to take a step back and see where a lot of current work gets it’s roots and inspirations.
07.03.09 | Ethan | Found design | 26 comments
Mr. Angelo by Marjory Schwalje – Illustrations by Abner Graboff c1960
Ward Jenkins has an excellent interview with Jon Graboff over at the Ward-O-Matic. Jon is the son of the uber talented Abner Graboff, an American artist who illustrated a slew of amazing children’s books during the 1950s and 60s. In one part of the interview Jon mentions that his brother informed him that their dad had designed the CBS “eye” logo but didn’t receive credit for it. The credit went instead to the chief art director at the network. That art director would be William Golden. Is it possible that Abner Graboff designed the CBS eye logo?
07.02.09 | Dave | Found design | 10 comments
Mike Cina – Spirit Edit Jazz Mix
In this 4th installment of grain edit mixtapes, we caught up with design nut and all-around awesome guy Mike Cina. When Mike isn’t manning the helm at YouWorkForThem he’s digging through your grand pa’s record collection. Today we’re excited to present an exclusive jazz mix he created for grain edit readers.
Before we get to the mix, I had a chance to pick Mike’s brain on record collecting, typography and album cover art.
06.29.09 | Dave | Features | 26 comments
Incase and Arkitip have launched the latest installment of the Curated by Arkitip project with New York-based HunterGatherer. The HunterGatherer 15” Sleeve for MacBook Pro and HunterGatherer Slider Case for iPhone 3G S and iPhone 3G are available today at goincase.com and arkitip.com with availability following shortly in select Apple retail stores and better boutiques.
06.23.09 | Dave | Found design | 19 comments
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…
06.03.09 | Grace Danico | Features | 30 comments
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!
06.02.09 | Grace Danico | Contests and giveaways | 318 comments
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.
05.27.09 | Grace Danico | studio visits | 7 comments
Vacation home designed by Bay Area architect Henrik Bull – illustration by Bob Wandesforde
The image above is from a promotional booklet entitled Second homes for leisure living. The booklet was produced by the Douglas Fir Plywood Association and features floor plans and dimensions for 18 vacation homes built with fir plywood. Included are plans for homes designed by modern architects such as George Matsumoto, Frederick Liebhardt, David George and Henrik Bull.
05.25.09 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 42 comments
If your in the L.A area, Gallery Nucleus is throwing a party for the release of the second installment of the Ancient Book Series “THE ANCIENT BOOK OF SEX AND SCIENCE”. The show will run from 7pm to 11pm with all artwork for sale, and all the artists (Nate Wragg, Lou Romano, Don Shank and Scott Morse) will be on hand at the gallery the whole night. The book will be available for $20 dollars, and there will also be some new prints for sale as well. I have the first book in the series and it’s really good.
05.15.09 | Dave | Events | Comments closed
We tallied the votes in our Loto de Socorrismo caption writing contest and #5 is the winner! Congratulations to Emily D ! She will be receiving a hard to find kid’s book that we will soon be featuring on grain edit.
You can catch Emily at her blog and twitter. She has an Etsy store as well.
Thanks to everyone that contributed captions! New giveaway coming very soon.
#1 Loto de Socorrismo produced by didacia – Made in Spain
Umm not sure what to think of this one. This has to be the craziest kid’s board game I’ve ever seen. Someone has to translate the text.
WE NEED YOU. HELP US WRITE CAPTIONS FOR EACH IMAGE
In the comments – write a caption for one or more of the images. Include the picture # with your caption. We’ll pick our favorites and one lucky person will WIN A PRIZE.
05.05.09 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 51 comments
Catalog Design Progress: Advancing Standards in Visual Communication by K. Lonberg-Holm and Ladislav Sutnar – published by Sweet’s Catalog Service ©1950
Really excited to present today’s book. It’s a classic by the highly underrated designer Ladislav Sutnar.
Ladislav Sutnar was born in Pilsen, Czechoslovakia on november 9, 1897. He was educated in Prague. In 1939 he traveled to New York as an exhibition designer for the Czech Pavilion at the World’s Fair. Due to the war he ended up staying in New York and was later hired by Sweet’s Catalog Service. It was here along with Sweet’s research director K Lonberg Holm that Sutnar would produce a body of work that would help to lay the foundation of information design as we know it today. One of the books to spawn from that partnership was Catalog Design Progress. The book chronicles the pair’s thoughts and experimentations with the layout and organization of information.
04.28.09 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 14 comments
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.
04.26.09 | Grace Danico | studio visits | 9 comments
Rilla Alexander is a member of the well known and respected art and design collective, Rinzen. The group’s posters and album covers have been exhibited at the Louvre and their large scale artwork installed in Tokyo’s Zero Gate and Copenhagen’s Hotel Fox. Today she gives Grain Edit readers a sneak peek into her studio and shares some of her favorite objects.
04.22.09 | Dave | studio visits | 15 comments
Welcome to the latest addition to the Grain Edit interview series. But wait, there’s a twist! We sneaked a book review into the mix as well. I know, very tricky.
Our latest interviewees are Andre Andreev and Dan Covert. They’re from New York City, and they’re known as Dress Code. They recently published a book entitled Never Sleep, which details their experience and transition from design students to design professionals. Never Sleep is a practical and vital guide for design graduates wondering what to do after school.
At the combined age of (roughly) 50 Andre and Dan’s work has been recognized by I.D., CommArts, Print, Graphis, Metropolis, The Type Directors Club, The Art Directors Club, CMYK, HOW, Adobe, Steps Field Guide to Emerging Talent and Young Guns. They met while studying graphic design at California College of the Arts and worked at MTV before starting Dress Code.
OK, so get your game on already:
04.20.09 | Ethan | Designers, Features | 15 comments
Europa-Bergmeister 1966 designed by Volz
Typography at 200mph. Amazing Porsche posters designed by Erich Strenger and Volz.
04.09.09 | Dave | Found design | 48 comments
(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…
04.08.09 | Grace Danico | Features | 33 comments
If you haven’t signed up for our House Industries/ Alexander Girard Giveaway it’s not too late. Its quick, easy and free to enter. Giveaway ends soon though, so sign up before we cut off the entries.
04.07.09 | Dave | Contests and giveaways | 12 comments
Corporate Diversity- Swiss Graphic Design and Advertising by Geigy 1940-1970. Published by Lars Muller +Museum fur Gestaltung Zurich – Back cover image of Acaralate canister designed by Markus Low in 1967
The fine folks at Lars Muller have just published an excellent book titled Corporate Diversity: Swiss Graphic Design and Advertising by Geigy. I know alot of designers (myself included) that are extremely excited over the release of this book. It chronicles the work of the design studio J.R Geigy AG which was a launching pad for one of the great periods of Swiss graphic design, in the 1950s and 1960s. It’s amazing to see the quantity and quality of the designers associated with Geigy. Under the leadership of Max Schmid for many years, the studio employed Roland Aeschlimann, Karl Gerstner, Jörg Hamburger, Steff Geissbuhler, Andreas His, Toshihiro Katayama, and Nelly Rudin, among others. Freelance designers such as Michael Engelmann, Gottfried Honegger, Armin Hofmann, Herbert Leupin, Warja Lavater, Numa Rick, and Niklaus Stoecklin were also used. In the 1960s, the Basel office, most especially George Giusti and Fred Troller, was involved in developing the studios of the subsidiaries in the United States and the United Kingdom, placing more emphasis on advertising. This is the first comprehensive presentation of Geigy design, an important Swiss contribution to the international history of design.
04.06.09 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 31 comments
ANDREW HOLDER AT SUBTEXT GALLERY
More Andrew Holder! Here at Grain Edit we love Andrew’s work, and it’s awesome to see him popping up in more shows and galleries. We just want to see his work up here in the Bay Area! I guess we’ll have to wait. But if you are down south, be sure to check out Andrew’s show in San Diego at Subtext Gallery & Design Bookstore. It’s going on until April 26th.
Press release from Subtext Gallery: Andrew Holder is a recent graduate of Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California, and his talent has earned him shows in Australia, San Francisco, and now in his home away from home, San Diego. Andrew has already built up a steady flow of clientele, including Roxy, Poketo, National Geographic, The Toronto Times, and Arkitip Magazine. He was born in St. Augustine, Florida, but spent most of his youth growing up in San Diego. His work has a hint of Scandinavian folk-art with a modern-day twist. Sleepy seaside towns and country landscapes are prominent in his pieces, made up of simple geometric shapes and organic line work. Andrew’s pieces are memorable, distinct, and beautifully engaging.
04.03.09 | Ethan | Events | 5 comments
Four bold types to build dense word images c. early 60s?
Beautiful type specimen booklet produced by Typefoundry Amsterdam and imported by Amsterdam Continental. Includes samples of Egyptian Bold Extended, Annonce Grotesque, Egyptian Bold Condensed and Old Gothic Bold Italic.
From the intro of the Booklet:
04.02.09 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 10 comments
Flyer design: Mike Schofield Resource Room Productions
Deejay OM is a long time friend of mine. We used to roll around Northern California hitting busted record shacks and dirt malls while bragging about our latest private press lp scores. The man has an insane record collection. He’s the guy with the Og PI-R Square 45 you wish you had. Make that 10 copies you wish you had. Every first Wednesday of the month at the Attic in the Mission district of San Francisco OM along with DJ MAKossa lay down some seriously rare grooves. For tonight’s show (April 1st 2009) they will be showing the 1978 Brazilian Psychedelic horror flick Hallucinations of a deranged mind to accompany the music.
Today for grain edit readers OM and MAKossa have prepared 2 special live sets. They drop everything from raw American psych to spaced out funky electronics ala Pierre Henry. OM starts off his set with a classic psych cut by Animated Egg and eventually works into a track off his Reheated Naan and Curry lp that is so hard that it will break your face. MAKossa serves up a killer Turkish track, Jamaican chatter and drums thicker then a hippopotamus covered in maple syrup.
04.01.09 | Dave | mixes | 7 comments
One of our favorite illustrators from the Pacific Northwest is Ward Jenkins. He has to be one of the busiest guys in the biz. He creates amazing illustrations, chats it up on twitter, contributes to Drawn!, maintains several flickr groups (here and here), runs a fantastic blog (his blog is one of the first blogs I started reading) and on top of all this he just completed his first children’s book, which will be published by Simon & Schuster in June 2009. I’m starting to think that Ward is not one person, but rather a small organization with one heck of a cool name.
Ward just released 7 new prints in his Ward-O -Matic Etsy Shop (I know, he has a shop too, where does get the time?) To celebrate he’s holding a giveaway. To enter you have to leave a comment on this post by 11:59 midnight PST on Wednesday, April 1st, 2009. The winners will be announced on Friday, April 3rd.
Visit Ward’s blog to enter the giveaway.
04.01.09 | Dave | Found design | 8 comments
House Industries is not your typical type foundry. Unlike most foundries that strictly focus on type design, House take things one step further. Their fonts become springboards to new ideas and products that are often integrated into themed experiences complete with lush packaging and slick catalogs. A great example of this is their work on the 2004 release of Neutraface. They created a reproduction of Richard Neutra’s Boomerang chair and pillows to coincide with the release of the font collection. In addition, they created limited edition packaging (with die cuts and metallic inks) to accompany the hard copy of the fonts. In an age when people more and more seek cheap and immediate goods, I cherish these premium experiences.
House Industries most recent project pays tribute to the modernist designer Alexander Girard. In my opinion it is their most impressive collection to date. It includes a Type Family, a Nativity Set, t shirts, alphabet blocks, lettering, Marilyn Neuhart designed Casa dolls and more. We spoke with Andy Cruz (Co-owner and art director) about the research and development of the products.
03.31.09 | Dave | Features | 33 comments
To celebrate the new Alexander Girard line of products we’ve teamed up with House Industries for a special giveaway.
Sounds great, but how do I enter?
03.30.09 | Dave | Contests and giveaways | 675 comments
CHARLES HARPER EXHIBITION
Charley Harper fans rejoice! The Public Trust is currently running an exhibition of Mr. Harper’s works throughout April. That massive Charley Harper book is amazing, but man, wouldn’t it be great to see the actual paintings in person? If you’re in the Dallas, TX area and happen to go, let us know how it is!
Thanks to James for passing this along!
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THE PRACTICE SESSIONS APRIL 2 – 4 2009
The Practice Sessions is a workshop and panel discussion by Antonio Carusone, Frank Chimero, Duane King and Matt Owens taking place at the National Student Show & Conference in Dallas, Texas. The Practice Sessions was created by Thinking for a Living, an ever-growing platform dedicated to the concept of open source design education. Through a network of topic specific design sites with a focus on education and resources, we share our thoughts, inspirations, critical analysis, design histories and individual experiences relating to a career in design.
03.27.09 | Ethan | Events | 10 comments
For those of you who want to bookmark grainedit on your iphone, we now have an icon thingy. Note to self, I need to update my apps.
03.25.09 | Dave | Grain Edit News | 3 comments
So, I’m hanging out my with friend and fellow book nerd Sean Flores a while ago and he’s breaks out these incredible posters designed for Bally in the 1980s. My jaw drops! He tells me they were created by French designer Jacques Auriac. Who the heck is Jacques Auriac? I’m thinking. Then Sean mentions that a Paris based publisher produced a catalog of his work. Ahh crap!! just what I need, another expensive import book to track down. A year later and a trip to Tokyo I finally got my hands on this thing.
03.23.09 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 19 comments
Thanks everyone for taking part in our giveaway! We had over 1,400 people enter. It was great to see all your comments and look forward to another giveaway.
We randomly selected our 4 winners in the Grain Edit Design Stimulus Giveaway earlier this evening. 1st person we randomly picked will receive 1st choice of the 4 prize options. 2nd person picked will receive 2nd choice and so on. From those four winners we then randomly selected a winner for the grand prize.
Our winners will be listed at the bottom of the Grain Edit Email Update and Grain Edit RSS Feed. For those of you who subscribe to the email updates, the email should arrive soon.
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Many Thanks to all the wonderful designers and stores that sponsored today’s giveaway. Without them this wouldn’t of been possible. Please visit their websites and support their work.
2K Gingham, Aesthetic Apparatus, Arkitip, Tad Carpenter, CD Ryan (CD Ryan is currently having a sale so visit his shop), Frank Chimero, Chronicle Books, Damien Correll, Doane Paper, Enormous Champion, Brian Gossett/ Quality Goods Inc, Steven Harrington, Hybrid Design/ Hybrid Home, Morten Iveland, Steve Mehallo, Pardon My Hindi, Studio on Fire, Tes One, Thinking for a Living, Tim Gough, You Work for Them,
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Stay tuned for our next giveaway, coming soon!
Alright, so Twitter is the hot thing right now. Somewhere in-between blogging and instant messaging, it’s a super addicting way to see what the design community is up to. Frank Chimero just ate a muffin? It’s crepe day at Chronicle Books? @gogograce just blipped The Style Council? I’m in!
03.19.09 | Ethan | Found design | 94 comments
Love, love love! this work from Spain-based Borja Bonaque. I’m a huge fan of city-scape illustration (à la Evan Hecox and Andrew Holder) — so I was pretty enamored with Borja’s work to say the least. The texture, composition, and (superb!) color choice all work together to give these illustrations that heavy punch. That city above reminds me a little of Sin City, and those other comic book-to film adaptations.
Read the rest of this entry »
03.13.09 | Ethan | Found design | 10 comments
I’m very excited about our next addition to the Grain Edit interview series. When the gigantic Grain Edit interview arrow landed on Springfield, MO we knew just who to call: Frank Chimero.
You’ve likely seen Frank’s designs and illustrations making the rounds on the design blog circuit lately. And with good reason; Frank’s work effortlessly combines humor, wit, and style with a fresh and honest point of view.
Frank opens up and shares some of his thoughts and insights regarding his design background, his influences and teaching experiences, and of course his famed process. If you’re a fan of the States’ series, then there’s also a super surprise waiting for you further down in the interview.
OK, enough. Here we go:
03.12.09 | Ethan | Designers, Features | 74 comments
The US Economy is falling apart and people are down. We came up with the “Grain Edit Design Stimulus Package Giveaway” as a way to cheer people up during these rough times and to thank our amazing readers for their continued support. For the giveaway, we contacted some of our favorite illustrators and designers that we’re featured on Grain Edit within the last 6 months and asked if they would be willing to participate. Thanks to all our sponsors for helping to make this happen!
Sounds Great, but how do I enter?
03.09.09 | Dave | Contests and giveaways | 1,330 comments
We’re big fans of the art and design blog Booooooom,so we’re super excited to see that they’ve included us in their list of 17 creative websites to bookmark (unless you are dumb)! Make it 18! add Booooooom to your boomarks! It’s a great site.
03.06.09 | Dave | Grain Edit News | 2 comments
Really fun illustrations found in this brochure for the USSR pavilion at the 1958 World Fair.
02.23.09 | Dave | Found design | 7 comments
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.
Read the rest of this entry »
02.18.09 | Grace Danico | studio visits | 4 comments
Bruce Jamieson of the top notch design firm I Love Dust emailed me about this diamond mine of vintage cassette tape inserts he just uploaded to Flickr. The collection includes covers from Happy Sound, Bonsonic, Philips, BASF, WHSmith, Emitape, AGFA, TDK and a grip of others. Lots of great material from the 1970s and 80s.
02.09.09 | Dave | Found design | 19 comments
Duane King is the creator of Thinking for a Living. A well curated collection of recommended readings and online resources. The site is filled with links to top notch design blogs and firms. Many of the resources are available in a special zine that they put together. In addition to Thinking for a Living, Duane is the creative director of Santa Fe based studio BBDK. They recently completed a project for Italian glassware company Luigi Bormioli. We don’t usually cover web design on grain edit, but I think this site is worth checking out. Clean, minimal and elegant. Very nice.
02.06.09 | Dave | Found design | 3 comments
Spacesick absolutely nailed it with his I Can Read Movies Series. The series features cult movies redone as vintage paperback covers similiar to the Penguin book cover art of the 1950s + 60s. Spacesick was partly inspired by Moss’s Movie Poster Remakes series, and all the musty old textbooks and digests that he used to love flipping through as a kid. I think my favorite is Highlander. Not only is the design great, but its absolutely hilarious.
(via neatorama)
Also worth checking:
02.04.09 | Dave | Found design | 11 comments
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.
02.04.09 | Grace Danico | Off Our Bookshelves | 22 comments
Wildsville : The art of Derek Yaniger – Published by Korero Books
I first found out about Derek Yaniger through Otto von Stroheim’s Tiki newsletter. His art harks back to the sketchy, loose line illustrations often found in cookbooks, maps, pamphlets and packages of the 1950s and 60s. It’s filled with references to hot rods, beatniks and tiki culture. It’s colorful, fun and always full of suprises.
02.03.09 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 11 comments
+++Recommended viewing +++
“New won’t stay still. It finds us, ready or not.” These words lead us into this beautiful video by Berkeley based Tomorrow Partners. Really nice short celebrating the power of “new”. Illustrations by Sarah Labieniec, who also creates really nice things over at Lab Partners. Take a second out of your day, to watch this. Enjoy!
01.28.09 | Dave | Found design | 2 comments
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.
12.17.08 | Grace Danico | Found design | 6 comments
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:
12.10.08 | Grace Danico | Features | 61 comments
Sweet Mother! Six columns of grid goodness! Antonio from Aisle One just emailed me with his latest project The Grid System. The site features links to articles, tools, books as well as templates and other goodies. It’s basically an ever-growing resource site on the topic of grid systems and anything associated to it. Tap it and pass it!
(image via the grid loving Swiss Legacy)
12.03.08 | Dave | Found design | 5 comments
Back in Febuary we featured John Foster’s work for the So-Cal Fire Poster Project . Recently John contacted us regarding his latest project, a book on packaging design entitled FOR SALE: Over 200 Innovative Solutions in Packaging Design. The book features many of the designers we’ve featured on Grain Edit including: Invisible Creature, Wink, Jason Munn of The Small Stakes and Burlesque of North America. In the exchange below John shares some of his thoughts on the book for Grain Edit Readers.
12.01.08 | Dave | Product Reviews | 1 comment
Really love this pattern-filled type by Andrew Townsend, done for Nottingham Trent University’s Art and Design book. Andrew is the art director over at Un.titled, and the purveyor of many fine typographic and design projects on his own site.
His Sports Brand type experiments are well worth checking out, as is Previous/Next.
11.17.08 | Ethan | Found design | 2 comments
Miroslav Sasek: This is the United Nations c1968
Its about time that we have a little Miroslav Sasek love up in here.The Czechoslovakian born illustrator is well known for his This Is Series of children’s books. Most of the books in the This is series are centered around a certain city, for example This is San Franscisco or This is Paris, but in this case it’s an international organization. Through Sasek’s playful ink and gouache illustrations, he guides us through the building. I wish I had books like these when I was a kid. I could stare at this for hours.
11.11.08 | Dave | Uncategorized | 26 comments
We have a winner in the Grain Edit Insound 20 Thermals Poster Giveaway we announced last tuesday. Congrats to Owen Evans. He will be receiving 1 limited edition Thermals poster designed by Jason Munn of The Small Stakes.
10.28.08 | Dave | Uncategorized | 1 comment
I absolutely love this book cover by Erwin Bauer. Great mix of type and architectural elements. The inside design has some really yummy type details. I love finding work like this, it feels so effortless.
Erwin Bauer is a man, and a design studio based in Vienna, Austria. They work on a wide range of projects, from architecture, traditional graphic design, and type design.
I like their “Rejected” section, which I assume compiles their unused designs. It would be fun to see this from more firms.
10.24.08 | Ethan | Found design | 5 comments
Nate Burgos is the man behind Design Feast. An excellent resource and growing index of design related sites. Nate recently invited me to take part in the Designer’s Questionnaire section of the site. For my Questionnaire, Nate asked me 7 questions related to blogging. You can see all my answers here.
While your there, checkout Nate’s book entitled Thought Leadership by Design. A timeless volume of contemporary quotes on the powerful, evolving nature of Design and its influence on society, business, technology, education, and most importantly: Everyday life. The book includes quotes from Ladislav Sutnar, Paul Rand, Milton Glaser and many more.
10.13.08 | Dave | Grain Edit News | 1 comment
Thomas and the Twig giving me the stare down.
Sorry everyone, I’m running a little late today on my posts. If you missed this, I posted this gem of a kids book by Mary Harris ( illustrations by Cliff Roberts) over at Design Sponge.
10.09.08 | Dave | Uncategorized | 13 comments
YouWorkForThem just launched a brand new site this week. If you are unfamiliar with YWFT, it’s an online store that carries books, t-shirts, posters, stock images and more.
We love books at Grain Edit so, we took some time to browse through the book section and select some of our top picks.
We’ve included links below each description, so you can get more info/purchase the book if you want to.
Dave’s picks
Charley Harper – An Illustrated Life
This mammoth 420 page book put together by Top Designer Todd Oldham is a wonderful tribute to Charley Harper. The book is filled with full color examples of Charley’s stunning work.
Click here for more for more info/ purchase a copy.
Steven Harrington: Our Mountain
I love Steven Harrington’s illustration style and this book serves as a wonderful overview of his work. This copy is signed and drawn on by Steven Harrington himself!
Click here for more for more info/ purchase a copy.
Pino Tovaglia: The Rule That Corrects Emotion
We received a copy of this book from the publisher a few months back and loved it. You can see our review of the book here. YWFT got in some copies and now you can own a copy of this hard to find Italian import too.
Click here for more for more info/ purchase a copy.
Grid Systems in Graphic Design
Josef Muller Brockmann’s magnum dopest. The definitive book on grid systems. Every designer should be required to own this.
Click here for more for more info/ purchase a copy.
Wim Crouwel Alphabets
I really want a copy of the Wim Crouwel monograph: Mode En Module, but this book will have to due for now. Mode en Module has been out of print for a while and now goes for crazy cash. Wim Crouwel Alphabets (as seen above) is now of out of print as well and I’m sure it won’t be long before it increases in value. YWFT them still has a few copies, get your hands on one while you still can.
Click here for more for more info/ purchase a copy.
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Ethan’s Picks
How To Be a Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul
As a design student, I am constantly looking for that juicy “tell-all” graphic design book. The one where you learn everything about being a real designer before actually getting a job. I love hearing different tips and tricks from seasoned designers. But my quest is over, because that book is here.
Adrian Shaughnessy breaks the process down into the necessary steps: how to find a job, being freelance, setting up a studio, running a studio, the creative process, etc. All of my burning questions answered in one book! Adrian also includes interviews with Neville Brody, Rudy VanderLans, Andy Cruz, and Natalie Hunter, among others, plus a forward by Stefan Sagmeister.
Click here for more for more info/ purchase a copy.
Beautiful Losers
One summer I spent a month attempting to learn how to skateboard. In the three years since then I’ve probably only landed two tricks successfully. I either got hurt or was too intimidated. Beautiful Losers is a way for me to vicariously live out my 1990s street and skate culture fascinations, without having to get on a skateboard.
Beautiful Losers tells the story of how artists and designers like Shepard Fairey, Spike Jonze, Mike Mills, Barry McGee, and others built their own art community independent of the mainstream art institution.
10.08.08 | Dave | Found design | 6 comments
In the midst of Grain Edit’s one year anniversary, we’re super excited to bring you this interview with Adrian Johnson. Mr. Johnson is a UK-based designer/illustrator whose work spans editorial, print, motion, and his own self-initiated projects. He has designed for Mastercard, Giant Robot, Vodafone, and Stussy, to name a few. In the interview, Adrian talks about his background, inspirations, creative process, and of course, zeitgeist.
A lot of work nowadays is stylish, and fun, and cool, but can ultimately become irrelevant due to poorly executed ideas, or lack of decent concepts. I see Adrian’s work as a nice balance between kick-butt graphics and style, and smart ideas that get through to people.
10.02.08 | Ethan | Features | 67 comments
We’re proud to announce the Grain Edit 1 year Anniversary Giveaway Shindig Thing!
We’ve had a great year and we want to thank everyone for making the site what it is today. To celebrate, we’re offering up a bunch of goodies from our favorite designers and illustrators.
Sounds great, but how do I enter to win?
09.30.08 | Dave | Contests and giveaways | 1,443 comments
Tomorrow we will be celebrating the 1 year anniversary of Grain Edit and we’ve got a big giveaway planned, so be sure to stop by! We’ve had a great year and want to thank all our awesome readers for their wonderful comments and for making Grain Edit a frequent destination.
I’d especially like to thank all of the designers and illustrators that took time out of their busy schedules to share with us.
Some of the highlights of the past year include:
Matte Stephens showed us his awesome home. Don Clark of Invisible Creature schooled us on his “family portrait”. Scott Thares of Wink broke out the KISS drawings. Bo Lundberg took us behind the scenes of Barefoot in the Park and Jason Munn of the Small Stakes showed us his Horse Chest.
Ben Butcher of Pixar gave us a sneak a peek into the making of the Wall-E picture book Lots of Bots. Sean and Nicole Flores shared their insane book collection. Ian Follett showed us some amazing stamps. Small studio, Odopod and Chronicle Books all graciously opened up their spaces for us and Mike Davis of Burlesque served us up a tight mix.
We created some new groups:
Modern Sticker, Stamp and label club
Some of the most popular posts (besides the interviews and studio visits) of the past year include:
Publicity and graphic design in the chemical industry – Hans Neuburg 1967
Giant Golden Book of Biology – An Introduction to the Science of Life c1961
Henri’s Walk to Paris- c1962- illustrations and design Saul Bass
Alain Gree – l’electricitie c1969
Israeli Environment stamps designed by Eliezer Weishoff in 1975
53 Years of Jauna Gaita Magazine
Issues of Icographic magazine 1971-1978 produced by ICOGRADA
Concepts – Promotional book for US Steel c1961
Giovanni Pintori exhibition catalog c2003
Vette Annonce type specimen sheet late – Netherlands 1950s/ early 60s
Lastly we’d like send thank you’s to: Coudal, Design Related and Julia Rothman for allowing us to contribute to each of their sites. How magazine for naming us one of the top 10 Sites for Designers for the month of December. David Airey for including us in the Top 50 Graphic Design Blogs and for all the great sites that featured us in their posts.
We have some exciting things planned for the next few weeks and months, so stay tuned. Thanks again everyone!
If you haven’t already, consider subscribing to the Grain Edit RSS. and join us tomorrow for our 1 year anniversary giveaway!
09.29.08 | Dave | Grain Edit News | 19 comments
Grady McFerrin moving announcement circa 2001
This one goes out to all the Grady Mcferrin fans up in this piece!
With the recent release of Grady’s line of products on Chronicle books, I dug up this golden corn from my nugget bank. This moving announcement dates back to 2001 and marks his transition to San Francisco (I think he lives in Brooklyn now). It’s hard to believe, but I found this at a yard sale a few years ago. I have no idea how many he printed, but my guess is that it’s pretty limited.
The announcement looks like it was silkscreened. The dimensions are 7.25″ x 5″. To the Gocco experts out there: are those dimensions achievable with the large Gocco model?
Holla if you love Grady, Holla if you love Gocco, Holla if just love hollaring!
**Note – I erased the address and phone number, so all you McFerrin stalkers couldn’t go to the SF address looking for his old clothes and used pencil shavings.
09.23.08 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 19 comments
Fosforos Del Pirineo – Abcdario Animal (Animal Alphabet) Spain 1970s?
I found these recently. Super cool matchbox covers designed by Cruz Novillo + Olmos. The matchboxes feature an illustration of an animal for each letter of the alphabet. Hard to pick a favorite, but I think I have to go with the yellow oso (bear) loco. I think he cloned himself, because I notice I have two of the letter “O”.
Animal roll call. What’s your favorite matchbook cover from the set?
09.16.08 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 28 comments
While sifting through Geoff’s site today, it was very hard to find that one thing to show, because it’s all so good. Lots of fun stuff, with lots of personality. I totally love that medicine cabinet print. By day Geoff works for Chronicle Books; by night I don’t know what he does. Sleep, maybe? Anyhow, he is a master at taking various ideas and making them look terrific.
09.12.08 | Ethan | Found design | 1 comment
Thanks to Tim Barber and the rest of the gang at Odopod for inviting me to their studio last Friday. They regularly meet to discuss design and Tim asked if I would like to join them and bring in some of the things that inspire me.
While I was there I was able to take a few photos of the studio. It’s a beautiful space filled with exposed brick, concrete floors and Eames Chairs. When I walked in the main entrance on the first floor, the first thing I noticed was an Odopod sign that looked like it was ripped straight off a Motel 6. It was hot in San Francisco on Friday so, I was lucky that Odopod came with AC, Free WIFI and HBO (I gotta get one of these signs). The rest of the first floor includes meeting rooms and the company parking lot (What is a design studio without atleast one vintage fixie?). The second floor houses the designers, the book collection and a big letter “O”.
09.10.08 | Dave | studio visits | 5 comments
This book cover has all I need, big letters and dagger shaped fishies.
Also worth checking:
09.09.08 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 3 comments
British Railways Services and Fares booklets for the Riviera (L) Sept 1962 (R) May 1959
Tony Hillman has put together an amazing collection of British Railways publicity material. His site features posters, menus, booklets, brochures, tickets, timetables and commercials. Put some time aside because there is plenty of good stuff too look at here.
(Huge round of thanks goes to Tika Viker-Bloss for sending this my way)
09.08.08 | Dave | Found design | 2 comments
Design Coordination and corporate image – FHK Henrion + Alan Parkin c1967
This is an excellent book on the subject of corporate identity. All the big design guns are in here. The best part, for each case study the designer explains the problems he encountered and his thoughts behind the design etc.
09.01.08 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 7 comments
The Natalie and James Thompson Art Gallery located within San Jose State University is hosting an amazing exhibition of graphic design by the office of Otl Aicher for the 1972 Munich Olympics. The exhibition features, posters, books, brochures and signage conceived for the 1972 Olympic identity program. Now you can get a close look at all those pretty isotypes, icons, pictograms, symbols and whatever else you might want to call them.
08.27.08 | Dave | Events | 15 comments
Beautiful work by Portuguese designer Sebastio Rodrigues (1929- 1997)
You can see a video of Sebastiao in action here.
08.26.08 | Dave | Found design | 12 comments
Leah Hennen of the excellent More Ways to Waste Time blog just posted a tour of my house/ studio. You can get a glimpse of the goodies here sans my dirty laundry and unwashed dishes. As you can see, books dominate the house. Any other book nerds out there?
See the full tour here. Stop by and say hello.
08.25.08 | Dave | studio visits | 26 comments
Brasil Mapa Geral – from 1969
I picked this up a couple of years ago and I flipped when I saw this cover. This puts to shame my US Texaco maps. Unfortunately, the map part is missing. All I have is the cover and a few bits of text that were inside. What secrets did that map hold? I bet it was a treasure map that led to a top secret cave filled with barrels of almond milk. Dang, I love that stuff.
Can anyone translate the text on the cover?
Also worth checking:
08.25.08 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 10 comments
Seen above: Caesar the Friendly Lion, Dimensions 12.5 x 9
Able a design and branding firm outside of Philadelphia just put together a great animal poster series. The lion poster has a retro feel to it and reminds me of some the children’s book illustrations seen in the late 1970s to early 1980s.
You can see/ purchase the entire series at Able’s Etsy shop.
Also worth checking:
08.21.08 | Dave | Found design, Uncategorized | 4 comments
Lettered: Clotilde Olyff by Jan Middendorp – published by Druk Editions 2000
Clotilde Olyff is a Belgian designer and typographer who teaches at the National Visual Art School of La Cambre and Art School’75’ in Brussels. In this book by Jan Middendorp, Clotilde shares her investigations into the essence of the letter. The book is filled with typographical games and experiments.
The Pebble Alphabets: I’m amazed by her collection of letter shaped pebbles. Next time your at the beach look under your feet, you might be standing on the letter “M”.
08.18.08 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 10 comments
Theatre arts at Western Illinois University Summer 1968
Yep, thats right I’m breaking out the vintage drama club dorkery.
08.12.08 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 3 comments
I’m really excited to present today’s interview. Matte is one of my favorite artists and an all around rad guy. Matte makes amazing art and lives in a house with lots of cool modern furniture. In Matte’s conversation with us he shares some of the people/things that inspire his work, the characters that frequent his paintings as well as a glimpse into his studio and home.
08.05.08 | Dave | Features | 45 comments
How to show telephone numbers on letterheads – c early 1960s
The idea of a set of parenthesis surrounding the area code in a phone number dates back to the booklet above and Ladislav Sutnar’s design work for AT&T. Aflier has posted scans of this booklet which includes 15 letterheads selected by Sutnar with various options of laying out a 10 digit phone number.
(via the always excellent iso50 blog)
Also worth checking:
Sweets Catalog promo designed by Ladislav Sutnar
07.31.08 | Dave | Found design | 4 comments
In 1940 Albe Steiner founded the Milan based studio Graphica Foto where he and his wife Lica experimented with Photography and design. Over the course of his career, Steiner designed for Domus, Agfa, Pirelli among others.
07.28.08 | Dave | Found design | 3 comments
All around design champ Jez Burrows of It’s Nice That, Evening Tweed, and that cool Destroyer poster you’ve been seeing around is at it again. He and Lizzy Stewart are Sing Statistics, and have just put out a wonderful new book called “I Am The Friction.” The book is a combination of short fiction by Jez, and illustration by Lizzy. It reads front to back, and back to front. So the end is in the middle!
See, buy, or read an excerpt of the book at Sing Statistics.
07.18.08 | Ethan | Found design | 3 comments
Online indie music store Insound announced the release of the Insound 20 project today. The project features limited edition t-shirts, Sweatshirts and posters designed by Jason Munn of The Small Stakes for 20 of Insound’s favorite bands. Only 1000 t-shirts / sweatshirts and 200 posters of each design will be printed.
The band’s featured in the Insound 20 are: Beirut, Black Heart Procession, Built to Spill, Calexico, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Death Cab for Cutie, Department of Eagles, Grizzly Bear, Jose Gonzalez, Magnolia Electric Co., New Pornographers, Okkervil River, Peter Bjorn & John, She & Him, Spoon, The Constantines, The Decemberists, The Hold Steady, The National, and The Thermals.
There is an additonal design being sold that includes the names of all the bands in the Insound 20 program. 100% of the profits from the sale of this shirt and poster will go to benefit nonprofit literacy organization 826 NYC.
You can purchase the goods here.
Behind the Insound 20 Designs with Jason Munn
07.16.08 | Dave | Found design | 6 comments
From the same East coast that you brought you such cult classics as the Constitutional Convention of 1787 and the Thanksgiving holiday comes these bad boys. These cast iron ampersands produced by House Industries are perfect for bookends, door stops, paperweights and rolling shotgun to the next Judas Priest concert.
Plus check out the ampersand t-shirts! I need to get one of these.
also from House:
07.14.08 | Dave | Found design | 2 comments
Giovanni Pintori exhibition catalog c2003
Giovanni Pintori won a scholarship in 1930 (at the age of 18) to study at the ISIA in Monza under design heavyweights like Marcello Nizzoli and Edoardo Persico. After graduation he was invited to work for Olivetti in the Development & Advertising Office located in Milan. Three years later he would become the head of the department. Over the next 27 years he created an impressive body of work for Olivetti that would earn him a lasting international reputation.
This book was made in conjunction with a 2003 exhibition that highlighted many of Pintori’s designs for Olivetti.
07.09.08 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 33 comments
1950s Japan: The blossoming of the graphic designer exhibition book
Packaging – Honen salad oil – design by Kenji Ito 1959, Snow ice cream -design by Tadashi Masuda 1959, KAO soap – design by Hideo Amano 1958
07.02.08 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 8 comments
Eric Tan nailed it with his recent line of limited edition prints for Wall-E. The illustrations were inspired by vintage Disneyland attraction posters.
I saw Wall-E on friday. The theater was packed, as you might expect for the premier in Oakland. Pixar is only a few miles away from my house, so I’m sure there were illustrators who worked on the film in the audience. It was unlike any other Pixar film I’ve seen. Amazing in so many ways.
(image via Slash Film)
Also worth checking:
Exclusive look at the making of the Wall-E picture book.
07.01.08 | Dave | Found design | 3 comments
German Shepherds and Ham Radio! My two favorite things together at last! Matthew Bowers, purveyor of such fine imagery and juicy type, is a Portland, OR based designer. In addition to his regular work, he also publishes the art book series, Downy Bird Art Kingdom.
06.27.08 | Ethan | Found design | 7 comments
Process colors! Animal illustrations! The fantastic pop stylings of Black Kids! Michael Fusco and Co. did a great job of mixing the band’s outgoing, addictive hooks with their literate lyrical side.
In addition to the posters, MFD can also handle your book cover, identity, CD packaging, and wedding invite needs.
06.13.08 | Ethan | Found design | 1 comment
Karl Gerstner and Markus Kutter – the new graphic art – c1959 published by Arthur Niggli Ltd.
Classic book that surveys modern graphic design from its origins up till the late 1950s. Filled with advertisements, posters, packages, lettering, logos and displays. Lots of Swiss design to drool over. I just wish there were more color images.
I love the clean type and the 3 column grid on the cover. The modern day remake of the cover would be exactly the same except someone would replace the header “die neue graphik” with “this is a design book”. Ha
Includes work from: Hans Neuburg, Joseph Muller Brockmann, Richard Paul Lohse, Ladislav Sutnar and many others.
06.11.08 | Dave | Uncategorized | 6 comments
Invisible creature is the three-time Grammy-nominated Seattle based design duo of Don and Ryan Clark. Including their work while part of Asterik Studio and current work for Tooth & Nail Records, the two have created hundreds of CD packages and limited edition silk-screened posters. A small sample of their Client list includes: Foo Fighters, Chris Cornell, and Billboard magazine.
Their work is inspiring and fun to look at and they have no problem with experimentation. I’m amazed by their ability to consistently create quality work in a broad range of media.
In this interview, Don Clark shares with us some of the history of Invisible Creature and an exclusive look at the process behind “family portrait”, a piece in their recent gallery exhibition titled Haven.
06.05.08 | Dave | Features | 43 comments
For those of you in Europe Steven Harrington has an artshow touring through Paris, Milan, Berlin and Barcelona. In conjuction with the tour Steven is releasing his first solo book.
In addition to the book, He is also releasing some custom shaped and designed limited edition element series decks, a paper toy and 10 new prints. You can check the tour dates, SH book info, day by day photo blog of the tour and in progress shots here at the Our Mountain website.
Tour kicks off June 5th in Paris.
05.28.08 | Dave | Uncategorized | 2 comments
I wonder who this guy is waiting for? Maybe he’s into Planespotting? Whatever the case, the guy in the back with the brown jacket looks pissed.
Great Airport scene from Japanese illustrator Atsushi Hara. His work is reminiscent of Miroslav Sasek and Richard Erdoes. Check out Atsushi’s portfolio for a selection of hand picked gems.
(via stickers and stuff)
05.20.08 | Dave | Uncategorized | 4 comments
After discovering Iain Follett’s stamp collection was featured in Creative Review’s January 2008 issue of Monograph, I decided to contact him and see if he would be interested in sharing some of his favorite stamps on grain edit. He agreed and has graciously provided us with some choice stamps and his comments.
Continuing with our designer’s bookshelf series, grain edit is proud to present Iain Follett.
05.20.08 | Dave | Designers Bookshelf | 14 comments
After discovering Iain Follett’s stamp collection was featured in Creative Review’s January 2008 issue of Monograph, I decided to contact him and see if he would be interested in sharing some of his favorite stamps on grain edit. He agreed and has graciously provided us with some choice stamps and his comments.
Continuing with our designer’s bookshelf series, grain edit is proud to present Iain Follett.
05.20.08 | Dave | Uncategorized | 3 comments
Annette Simon sent over two lovely books that I’ve been meaning to post. The first is Mocking Birdies which is the story of two fun loving birds that love to copy each other’s words and whistles. The birds are having a real hoot till a couple of “copycats” come along. Its’ a really funny ending so, you have to read the book to find out what happens. I love how she chose to illustrate the book. The bright colors and simple shapes really catch your eye.
Annette also sent a very touching book titled This Book is for all kids, but especially my sister Libby, which her 5 year old son Jack wrote. The book contains Jack’s thoughts and questions as he struggles to understand the death of his real life sister Libby. Libby died when she was three and half years old due to a rare disorder. Jack’s questions are honest, frank and often humorous. For parents and young ones that are dealing with a similar situation, I’m sure this book leads to some thoughtful discussions.
You can purchase either book at Amazon by clicking on the links above.
05.15.08 | Dave | Product Reviews | 2 comments
Label from Bardola Hoyfjellshotel in Geilo, Norway – c1960s?
I think I’m obsessed with modern Scandinavian design from the 1950s- 1960s. First it was furniture and kids books, then Ceramics and now luggage labels! Where does it end? What’s in that Nordic water?
also worth checking:
Swiss Modern luggage label
Modern luggage label from Portugal
05.14.08 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 5 comments
Julius Shulman, photograph of Case Study House #21 (Pierre Koenig, architect)
Birth of the Cool: California Art, Design, and Culture at Midcentury—opening May 17 at the Oakland Museum of California—looks at the painting, architecture, furniture design, decorative and graphic arts, film, and music that launched mid-century modernism in the United States, and established Los Angeles as a major American cultural center. The exhibition continues through August 17, 2008.
Birth of the Cool is accompanied by a 300-page illustrated book (published with Prestel Publishers, 2007), which provides a thorough reassessment of the era.
05.07.08 | Dave | Design Events | 8 comments
Marcus Walters, a designer and illustrator from the UK, loves washing machines. A lot of his work is similar to the above image — which reminds me of putting felt onto a feltboard as a kid. They have that very flat, semi-dimensional quality to them which I love.
Marcus is also a part of New Future Graphic, which is more graphic design-oriented (posters, ad’s, books, etc).
04.25.08 | Ethan | Found design | Comments closed
Matchbooks for Hunt-Wesson by Graphic designer Saul Bass
Jon (Insect54) posted this amazing set of matchbooks on flickr last night. I’ve never seen these before. I’m digging the pixelated flower in the lower left corner and the orange and yellow pattern on the 3rd down, 3rd to right is really nice. Saul designed the logo for Hunt-Wesson in 1964 so I’m guessing this work was produced right around the same time.
Can’t get enough of Saul?
check these out:
Henri’s Walk to Paris – children’s book illustrated by Saul Bass
San Francisco International Film Festival poster
Saul Bass’s Case study house
04.24.08 | Dave | Found design | 2 comments
I’m just in awe of Canadian comic book creator and illustrator Pascal Blanchet’s work. It was tough to decide what image to post, everything is so good.
(Many thanks to Julia at Book by its cover for passing this along)
04.17.08 | Dave | Found design | 12 comments
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Concepts – Promotional book for US Steel c1961
Industrial designer / illustrator Syd Mead is well known for his vehicle designs and backgrounds for classic science fiction films like Blade Runner and Aliens during the 1980s. Long before these projects, he produced a series of conceptual illustrations and paintings for US Steel. The futuristic automobiles, diagrams and environments were published in several promotional books during the early 1960s.
These books are intense to look at. The full page spreads are over 2 feet wide and heavily detailed. Keep in mind when viewing the images above, that this work is very early on in his career, as he had recently finished his studies at Art Center in Pasadena.
04.16.08 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 13 comments
Zurcher Kunstler in der Kunsthalle Basel, Switzerland- c1966
Beautiful poster by Swiss graphic designer and author Hans Neuburg.
If you like this, check Publicity and graphic design in the chemical industry a book by Hans Neuburg.
04.14.08 | Dave | Found design | 10 comments
1871-1971 census stamp
Pretty bugged stamp from the Canadian Post.
Designed by Hans Kleefeld.
(via the great Canadian design resource)
04.02.08 | Dave | Found design | 1 comment
The Futile Vignette is a design studio run by Mick Marston, out of Sheffield, UK. Mick’s work is a fun combo of contemporary and vintage illustration styles. Lots of rabbits, cats, girls with pig noses, hands holding things, and 2 George Saunders book covers! (Anyone know if those are in print?)
Bonus points for an interesting website, too!
03.31.08 | Ethan | Found design | 2 comments
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From the book – Jacqueline S Casey Thirty years of design at MIT
Beautiful work from graphic designer Jacqueline Casey. It mentions in the book she was inspired by Karl Gerstner, Kurt Wirth and Anton Stankowski.
“In the early 1950s, John Matill, a writer and editor, founded the MIT office of publications. He was joined in 1952 by Muriel Cooper. Cooper was among the first designers ever hired by a university to represent it graphically. She and Matill hired Jacqueline Casey to design summer session materials in 1955.” Casey continued to work for MIT until her retirement in 1989. (Taken from the introduction of the book.)
03.25.08 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 10 comments
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The images above are from the introduction to The collected writings of graphic designer Alvin Lustig (c1958). When I first found out about this book, I was going nuts trying to find a copy. I wasn’t able to find one, so I had to settle for a photocopy of the one presently in the RISD library. A couple of years ago, I finally tracked one down. It was worth the wait. It’s a short book (only 95 pages), but it has some real nuggets. It contains interviews and articles on Alvin from Interiors magazine, AIGA Journal, Design Quarterly, Type Talks and a few other sources. Wonderful insight into his design thinking and process.
03.19.08 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 6 comments
Mike Davis aka Mike the 2600 King is part of a design collaborative known as Burlesque of North Of America. In addition to their design work they are a full service screenprinting studio.
I first ran into Mike while on a cross country record digging trip in 2003. My friends and I were crashing with some of the cool cats at galapagos 4. They heard that Mike was spinning at one of the local clubs, so we decided to check it out. Mike was laying down some serious funk/ soul heat that night and the club was packed. Later I found out that in addition to be a great dj, he was an excellent designer creating posters for my friends at anticon.
03.18.08 | Dave | Features | 16 comments
In the first part of our new Record Gallery Series Mike Davis (aka MIKE THE 2600 KING) – uber cool designer for Burlesque of North America has put together a gallery of some of his favorite record covers. This well rounded collection includes covers by design heavyweights like Milton Glaser to design unknowns, as in the case of the local/ private press lps.
In addition, he has created an exclusive dj mix for grain edit with songs taken from the records featured in the gallery. We hope you enjoy it.
03.18.08 | Dave | Found design | 21 comments
Un Sedicesimo issue #2 – Italo Lupi
Last week we looked at the first part of a package I received from Italian publisher Edizioni Corraini, which included a copy of the Pino Tovaglia book. Today we’ll look at the second part of the package.
03.13.08 | Dave | Product Reviews | Comments closed
Cover illustration/typography for the Yale University Art Gallery spring catalog
Garrett Morin does great work. He draws lots of type and makes people happy. You may have seen his works in the likes of Mike Perry’s Hand Job book. If you click on over to his site, you’ll find lots of happy characters, t-shirt graphics, corn-cob pipes, animated GIFs, skateboard graphics, magazine covers, and a great animated spot for Death Cab for Cutie / MTV.
Garrett’s also a member of the Rad Mountain collective, which recently did some yummy illustrations for Good Magazine. Check it.
03.06.08 | Ethan | Found design | Comments closed
I wish I could tell you more about this one. I pulled this out of a book I have on 70s + 80s Japanese graphic design. All the text is in Japanese so, I have no clue on who designed this. Anyone recognize this work? I have no idea why theres a gaggle of balloon animals chillin in a tree. If someone could translate the text below the animals, that would be great.
03.03.08 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 7 comments
Luke Williams is a third year graphic design student at the Maryland Institute College of Art. While making sweet calendar-meets-packaging cubes, he is also working for Abbott Miller/Pentagram in Baltimore. From magazine and book layouts to posters and self-initiated work, Luke’s work is fresh. It’s nice to see a large body of work with this much variety, attention to detail, and experimentation with other mediums.
02.21.08 | Ethan | Found design | 3 comments
BarryBlog has posted a rare glimpse of some in-house publications for Herman Miller. They were produced in conjunction with the great design thinker Ralph Caplan, and designed by John Massey of Container Corporation of America fame. I’m drooling! I’d love to read these. Maybe we can get the good people at Barry Blog to make photo copies.
Enjoy!
02.19.08 | Dave | Found design | 1 comment
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Publicity and graphic design in the chemical industry – Hans Neuburg 1967
(Chemie Werbung und Grafik)
Contributions by Josef Muller Brockmann
Clap your hands if you love swiss design.
This has to be one of the best books on graphic design in the chemical industry. Ha! this is probably the only book on graphic design in the chemical industry. Most of the design work in the book is for pharmaceutical companies like J R Geigy and Ciba Aktiengesellschaft, both located in Basel, Switzerland.
The index in the back reads like the who’s who of Swiss design. Designers include: Karl Gerstner, Herbert Leupin, Siegfried Odermatt, Hans Erni, Max Schmid, Fred Troller and Kurt Wirth amongst others.
Just look at the pictures above, the work is incredible. Anyone have any nominations for pharmaceutical/ chemical companies that have great design? Maybe we should put together a top 5 list. For example, the always fun top 5 favorite poisonous gas logos.
Also of interest, this Hans Neuburg poster design.
02.11.08 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 27 comments
My first introduction to Wink was four or five years ago when their packaging for Sunmilk was making the rounds in the design magazines and annuals. Since then, I’ve tried to keep an eye on their work. What has impressed me the most about Wink has been their ability to consistently produce top notch work.
01.30.08 | Dave | Features | 25 comments
I love when people send me packages, especially when they contain cool design work. Comic artist and designer Jonathan Bennett recently sent me a fat package of goodies including not one, but TWO Gocco prints! In addition, he included several magazines that feature his cartoons. I enjoyed his work, I just wish he had a website so I could see more.
MOME Winter 2006 features one of Jon’s cartoons. You can pick up a copy at Fantagraphics Books.
01.18.08 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 12 comments
(L) designer: unknown ©1966 (R) designer: J. Venema ©1966
Published by Aula-Boeken in the Netherlands
The recent excitement over Penguin covers has resulted in a renewed interest in paperback book cover design. I’m starting to see discussion groups popping up as well as new books being published on the subject. Several titles come immediately to mind; Seven Hundred Penguins and World Paperback design. In future posts I’ll discuss both of these books as well the as the book covers of dutch designer Dick Bruna. For now enjoy the pieces above.
For further viewing on the subject I Highly recommend:
Ace Jet 170 : Loads of great material here and one of my favorite blogs
The Old timey paperback book covers group on Flickr
(pictures via) world paperback design
01.17.08 | Dave | Found design | 1 comment
Eames demetrios, grandson of Charles and Ray Eames presents a rare glimpse of the Solar Film produced by graphic designer Saul Bass. The film was commissioned in 1980 by Robert Redford. If you listen at the end of the film you can hear Saul Bass speak for a few seconds. He mentions something about pumping hot water to the house.
I’m not sure if the illustrations/ animations in the film were created by Saul Bass or Art Goodman. The film credits Goodman, but it is unclear if he was just involved in the animation process or if he created the illustrations as well.
Cool film and as one person mentions in the later half “If you stop and think about it, the Sun doesn’t send you a bill each month”. So true my friend.
Can’t get enough of Saul?
check these out:
Henri’s Walk to Paris – children’s book illustrated by Saul Bass
San Francisco International Film Festival poster
Saul Bass’s Case study house
01.11.08 | Dave | Seen Elsewhere | 4 comments
1972 Olympics rowing regulations booklet
Tons of great work in the Otl Aicher design group on Flickr. Includes posters, brochures, books, stamps, packaging, corporate reports, even a wooden version of Waldi the 1972 Munich Olympics mascot. Projects include the 1972 Olympics identity, Lufthansa and work from his days at HFG Ulm.
Clean, minimal, modern.. I love it. I could look at this stuff all day.
Many thanks to Adam for passing this link along.
Side note – got some cornbread today. Man I love this stuff. Is it even bread? Its like muffin cake.
01.09.08 | Dave | Seen Elsewhere | 5 comments
1961 Neste Oy Corporate annual report designed by Olli Stelander. Great use of limited color. This was when drilling for oil was hip, the indie rock (Get your shale on!) of the energy industries. This annual probably doubled as their tour poster.
For more design work from Finland check my post on Finnish book design.
01.08.08 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 5 comments
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Deberny & Peignot – Types from Paris c1960s?
Deberny and Peignot Type specimen booklet imported and distrubuted by Amsterdam Continental.
Includes:
Peignot – created by A.M. Cassandre and Charles Peignot, issued in 1937 for the Paris International Exhibition.
Meridien – Introduced in Europe in 1958-1959, created by Swiss type designer Adrian Frutiger.
Cristal – Designed by Remy Peignot, issued in Europe in 1957.
Jacno – Issued in Europe in 1952, designed by Marcel Jacno.
Ondine – By Adrian Frutiger, issued in 1957.
01.07.08 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 1 comment
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Deberny & Peignot – Types from Paris c1960s?
Deberny and Peignot Type specimen booklet imported and distrubuted by Amsterdam Continental.
Includes:
Peignot – created by A.M. Cassandre and Charles Peignot, issued in 1937 for the Paris International Exhibition.
Meridien – Introduced in Europe in 1958-1959, created by Swiss type designer Adrian Frutiger.
Cristal – Designed by Remy Peignot, issued in Europe in 1957.
Jacno – Issued in Europe in 1952, designed by Marcel Jacno.
Ondine – By Adrian Frutiger, issued in 1957.
01.07.08 | Dave | Grain Edit News | 1 comment
One of the notable things that has come out of producing this blog has been the opportunity to speak with designers I respect and admire. Bo Lundberg is one of those designers. Several months ago we posted some of his work. Since then Bo and I have been exchanging emails which eventually led to this interview. Here he shares a few thoughts on inspiration, as well as his creative process.
Bo’s work has been featured in Old Type/ New Type by Steven Heller, Illustration Now! published by Taschen, Illusive: Contemporary Illustration and its Context by Hellige & Klanten, as well as other publications. His clients include Wallpaper magazine, Elle, Vogue, Neiman Marcus and Scandinavian Airlines.
Without further ado, I’m proud to present Bo Lundberg.
12.21.07 | Dave | Features | 6 comments
Damien Correll is a Brooklyn, NY based “designer/maker/illustrator.” I first came across his work in the fabulous book Hand Job, by Mike Perry. I really love seeing the intersection of graphic design with his DIY hand-drawn aesthetic. This work is difficult to pin down, but it’s quirky and full of personality.
12.19.07 | Ethan | Found design | 5 comments
Fortuna or the typeface formerly known as Fortune also known as Volta first arrived on the scene in 1955. No wonder why the layout of the type specimen booklet seen above is yodeling with schizophrenia. This type face is having an identity crisis! Even if the name is confusing, the design is still beautiful.
12.12.07 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 4 comments
While I was researching information on the Hotel Infante Santo, I came across the mural seen above. It is entitled Paredao da Avenida Santo and was completed in 1958. It took artist Maria Keil two years to complete this piece and boy was it worth it. I’m not sure why, but the way she painted the main figure slightly reminds me of the work of Doze Green.
12.05.07 | Dave | Found design | 5 comments
Just found this mural. Sweet mother! This is good. I’m not sure if Maria Keil has grandchildren, but if not she can adopt me. She could teach me how to make murals and I could teach her how to throw sheep on Facebook.
(via amnesia)
12.05.07 | Dave | Found design | Comments closed
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* Update – The long-awaited reissue is now available. Pick up a copy at Amazon or your local book store.
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As far as I know this is the only kids picture book illustrated by designer Saul Bass. Saul provides a 60s pop color backdrop for the text written by Leonore Klein. The book was published by Young Scott books in 1962.
Henri’s walk to Paris is the story of young boy who lives in Reboul, France that dreams of going to Paris. One day, after reading a book about Paris he decides to pack up a lunch and head for the city. Along the way he gets tired and falls asleep under a tree. This is when the story really gets good. I’m not sure if I should spoil the end for you, but lets just say it involves a pencil stealing bird with a band aid on its face.
12.03.07 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 41 comments
Bruno Bozzetto : Viva Gli Abominevoli Sciatori
Cool cover for this obscure kids book by Mr. Bozzetto from the 1970s. Bruno is mostly know for his contributions to animated film. He has created hundreds of animated shorts and was nominated for an oscar in 1991 for a film entitled “grasshoppers”. You can read his complete biography at the official Bruno Bozzetto website.
11.30.07 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | Comments closed
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10 years of Vendre design magazine covers (Best of 1952-1962)
Vendre was a monthly trade magazine for graphic designers in France. It was founded by Etienne Damour in the 1920s. The magazine’s chief editor was Roger-Louis Dupuy, who in addition established one of the first advertising agencies in France. Paul Nicolas would later become chief editor and guide the magazine through the 1950s and 60s. During this time period the magazine was mostly text-based. The articles dealt with the creative and technical challenges its readers would of faced.
The issues above are some of my favorite cover designs for Vendre between the years 1952 and 1962. Illustrators and designers for these issues include Rene Chag, Ducordeau, M. Legand, Paul Funken, Roger Troubat, Francois Szalay and Henriette Mayo.
If you are interested in Vendre or the history of French graphic design, I highly recommend you pick up a copy of Michel Wlassikoff’s The Story of Graphic Design in France. It is an excellent overview of the design work this country has produced in the last 100 years.
11.26.07 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 4 comments
The Hats off to Hans Hartmann post has been updated.
Thanks to Felix and Thierry for the additional information.
11.22.07 | Dave | Found design | Comments closed
Found something that you feel our viewers might enjoy? Have a book collection that you would like us to feature in our Designers Bookshelf section? Please send us a note. We would love to hear from you.
If its something found on the web, please include a link. If its a story submission or suggestion for Designers Bookshelf, Please include a small description. If we use your submission, we’ll give you all the credit.
We look forward to hearing from you.
11.16.07 | Dave | | Comments closed
What did they feed these kids in the 60s? Their HUGE! They have no chance of riding the funliner considering their heads are bigger then the whole plane. I don’t think they want to ride in it though, I think they want to eat it.
Cool kids activity book from 1964 produced for United Airlines. Illustrations by Dick Flor. Includes a tragic tale of some campers getting their precious hamburger buns stolen by some juvenile chipmunks. Great stuff!
11.16.07 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 2 comments
What did they feed these kids in the 60s? Their HUGE! They have no chance of riding the funliner considering their heads are bigger then the whole plane. I don’t think they want to ride in it though, I think they want to eat it.
Cool kids activity book from 1964 produced for United Airlines. Illustrations by Dick Flor. Includes a tragic tale of some campers getting their precious hamburger buns stolen by some juvenile chipmunks. Great stuff!
11.16.07 | Dave | Grain Edit News | 1 comment
Update 11.21.07
I’d like to thank Felix of design book stories and Thierry Blancpain for tracking down some additional information on Hans Hartmann.
– He was born in 1913. Died in 1991.
– He originally came from the canton of Argovia, next to Zurich and studied at the Kunstgewerbeschule Zürich. He then went to Bern and among other things designed the (still in use) logo of the national train company SBB. In addition, he designed a fair amount of post stamps.
– The Hans Hartmann estate seems to be in the communal library in berne.
– Lastly, here is a short bio on Hans Hartmann (In german).
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Hans Hartmann is one of the lesser known designers that lived in Switzerland during the 1950s. A google search of his name brings up almost nothing. Outside of his native country his work seems to be lost in obscurity. The only information I have on him comes from a small monograph produced in 1958.
Most of his work centered around companies that were in or around Bern, Switzerland. This included designs for PTT, F. Gygi + Co. and Teppichhaus Bossart & Co. Most likely his contemporaries (Armin Hofmann, Emil Ruder in Basel , Josef Muller Brockann in Zurich) located to the North of Bern would of been aware of his work. However, I was unable to find any information that suggested any collaborations with these other designers.
If anyone has any information related to Hans or his design work, please contact me. It would be great if we could build a more complete resource on this talented designer. Thanks to the poster connection for the top 2 images.
11.15.07 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 13 comments
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The Little Polar Bear who didn’t want to learn to swim c1964. Text by George Theiner with illustrations by Rudolf Lukes. This is one of the tougher kids books to find with illustrations by Mr. lukes. The drawings of the Bears and seals are locked into the book by some sort of sliding paper system. As you you turn the pages the illustrations pop out of the page and bring the characters to life. This book was featured in The San Francisco Center For the Book’s exhibition entitled Show Me a Story: Children’s Books & the Technology of Enchantment.
11.12.07 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 3 comments
Great leaf pattern on this Stig Lindberg dish currently on Ebay. The dish is from 1950 and was created for Gustavsberg of Sweden. In addition to Stig’s ceramic work he was an accomplished childrens’ book illustrator. There is a great monograph on his work that came out in the 1960s. Sean flores was nice enough to include a photo of that book in our Designers Bookshelf series.
11.05.07 | Dave | Thrift Hawks | 1 comment
Congratulations to Anne from Oakland! She is the lucky winner of our Book Design of Graphic Designers in Japan book giveaway. Last night we randomly pulled her name from a bright orange trash can. Thanks to everyone for entering our drawing.
Be on the look out for our next giveaway.
11.02.07 | Dave | Grain Edit News | Comments closed
Congratulations to Anne from Oakland! She is the lucky winner of our Book Design of Graphic Designers in Japan book giveaway. Last night we randomly pulled her name from a bright orange trash can. Thanks to everyone for entering our drawing.
Be on the look out for our next giveaway.
11.02.07 | Dave | Found design, mid-century-modern, Typography | Comments closed
Our story with Jason Munn (The Small Stakes) begins in the summer of 2005. We had recently learned that his studio was located near our office so we decided for a little suprise visit. We arrived at his front door and rang his buzzer. When he opened the door we said something along the lines of..
Read the rest of this entry »
11.01.07 | Dave | Features | 34 comments
Non-Format are a twin-continent based award winning design firm. They also happen to be the kings of super thick and chunky left justified type. They posses the unique ability to seamlessly integrate their big type with organic illustrative elements, with very nice results. In addition to running their studio, they also design Varoom, a journal of illustration and made images, art directed by Adrian Shaughnessy. In addition, they just released a book.
10.24.07 | Ethan | Found design | Comments closed
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Charles Harper’s work looks just as fresh and exciting today as it must of looked 40 years ago. Its been great to see a renewed interest in his illustrations mostly due to the recent release of Todd Oldham’s book Charley Harper: An Illustrated Life. Heres a small sample of Charles’ work for Ford Times. The issues featured above are from the mid to late 60s. In addition be sure to check out the Charles Harper Flickr group. Enjoy!
10.22.07 | Dave | Off Our Bookshelves | 2 comments
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Update 11.02.07
Congratulations to Anne from Oakland!
Last night we randomly pulled her name from a bright orange trash can. Thanks to everyone who entered the drawing.
————————————————————————–
Update:
You have until 10pm PST on Nov 1st to enter
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Win this book!
On November 1st, 2007 we will be giving away 1 copy of Book Design of Graphic Designers in Japan. This is the second part of a series that compiles hundreds of examples of book design from the biggest designers of the 1950s, 60s and 70s. This is a japanese import book and has yet to be officially released in the United States. If you were able to find a copy of the 1st installation of this series ( they sold out very quickly), you know your in for a treat. These books are excellent resources. It is printed in a limited run, so once their gone.. their gone.
Designers featured:
Paul Rand, Saul Bass, Wim Crouwel, Push Pin Studios, Olle Eksell, Leo Lionni, Herb Lubalin, Alexey brodovitch, William Wondriska, Antonio Frasconi, Ivan Chermayeff, Herbert Bayer, Lou Dorfsman, Enzo Mari, Tomi Ungerer, Eugenio Carmi, Giovanni Pintori, Alan Fletcher, Stig Lindberg, Karl Gerstner and more.
Details:
213 pages – Full Color – Text is in Japanese ( but there is very little text) and descriptions ( titles, publishers, designers) are in English.
Sounds great, but how do I enter to win?
Fill in the Contact form below with your name, email address and the words “Let me win the book” in the subject line and we will add your name to the drawing. On Nov. 1st we will randomly select one name from a hat and the results will be posted on the site. This person could be then on his/her way to internet stardom with their brand new book!
Your email address and our 100% spam free Guarantee:
We promise we will not sell, share, trade or publicize your email address in any shape or form. In addition, we will not “spam” your inbox.
so go for it! enter now!
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Grain edit is focused on classic design work from the 1950s-1970s and contemporary designers that draw inspiration from that time period.
Site content includes interviews, articles, designers’ libraries as well as examples of rare design annuals, type specimens, Ephemera, posters and vintage kids books from our bookshelves.
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