October 2016

Estudio Pum proudly states, “In order to find new solutions, we must leave our comfort zone.” This passion for exploration and innovation is evident through the variety of illustrative and typographic styles utilized within their body of work. From playful paper cutouts to refined type-driven websites, Pum proves that they aren’t afraid to tackle a diverse range of projects and visual aesthetics. To expand their creativity and learn how to work with different tools, the studio takes on a number of passion projects including a Risograph printed zine and a line of wooden toys and rattles.

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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.

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Franklyn in a Brooklyn-based creative studio founded by Michael Freimuth and Patrick Richardson. While designing for a wide range of clients, they strive to “stay trill” and create eye-catching designs that genuinely represent the companies they work with.

Their talent for creating alluring and authentic brands can be seen within their work for Marz Brewing, a collective of brewers and artists. The studio created a flexible branding system in order to easily collaborate with the artists to craft distinctly different labels for each flavor of beer. This innovative approach to branding has led to an alluring packaging system that beautifully symbolizes the diverse personalities of each brewer.

Having a passion for expanding their imaginations and showcasing the creativity of others has led to charming self-initiated projects. They create official Franklyn swag, like toothbrushes and skateboards, and collaborate with designer Kyle Poff to create Matérial Magazine.

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In this edition of Finds from the Field, we feature our trip to Sea Ranch – a modern housing community established in the mid-sixties along the Northern California coastline. Featured on and within several of these structures are supergraphics and icons by Bay Area designer Barbara Stauffacher-Solomon. In addition, she designed the logo which can be easily seen on the signage at the Sea Ranch Lodge and welcome center.

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Rune Fisker’s illustrations are vignettes of a curious and surreal land. The blank and emotionless faces of his characters add a dose of mystery to his dreamlike landscapes full of leafy vegetation, flying household items, and geometric accents. By depicting just glimpses of each narrative, he creates scenes that are enticingly ambiguous and bound to spark the viewer’s imagination.

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A world traveler who has lived in numerous countries, Magoz, is a self-described “nomadic illustrator” currently based in Madrid. His portfolio is a colorful collection of highly conceptual and minimal pieces made up of simple shapes and eccentric characters. He often posts his work on his blog where he also shares artistic advice and the knowledge he’s gained during his travels. He is currently in the process of creating Illustrator’s Essentials, an online workshop inspired by questions readers have left on his blog. His course will give helpful insights how to be an efficient professional illustrator.

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By mixing bristled textures with vibrant neon colors, concept artist, Juliette Oberndorfer, creates woodland landscapes that glow with mysticism. The enchanting, yet mysterious air of her work stems from her stark contrasting of darks and lights as well as the distance she places between her characters and her audience. To take a look at her storyboards and animated work, check out her Vimeo and Tumblr.

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By racking up a list of impressive clients like MTV and Wired, Swedish illustrator, Sara Andreasson, is bringing female empowerment to major audiences. Utilizing traditionally feminine color pallets, she depicts strong characters that don’t conform to traditional ideas of dainty femininity. Her figures ooze confidence as their unconventional clothing and proudly worn body hair stand out in front of minimal backdrops. She portrays women of all backgrounds and body shapes by using irregular skin colors, like blues and reds, and accentuating their curves with thick bright highlights. In addition to her illustrations, she promotes her message of feminism and individualism by editing BBY Magazine, a publication she co-founded to create a community for female and queer artists and writers.

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Thomas Danthony is a French illustrator and designer based in London. His cunning use of light and shadow, combined with his characters’ concealed faces give his compositions a mysterious and sometimes eerie aura. This mystifying mood also lingers into his personal work which often centers around the theme of travel, the romance of going on a journey, and how time can affect our memories of the places we’ve visited.

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From typography to architecture, here are a few of our finds from our Instagram feed.

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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.

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Sam Chivers describes his art as veering “towards that blurry border point between science and nature”. Brimming with fluid topographic lines and colored pencil-like strokes and textures, he creates landscapes filled with blooming foliage and glowing floating interfaces. His desire to constantly fuse nature with technology has built a portfolio that has attracted clients like Adobe and New Scientist. To keep up with his work, make sure to follow him on Twitter.

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