Theo Ford

It is always interesting going to exhibitions with someone new, as they will see and open your eyes to things you wouldn't normally notice. Theo Ford's works are so crisply graphic and sterile on first sighting, that they didn't appeal to me. However on closer inspection, this young communication design graduate has a warmth and humor in his work that made it and him completely compelling, though I wonder if a future career in comedy is more suitable.
This is his project 'The Yoga Enthusiasts Guide to Procrastination'.

"The YEGP is a series of exercises designed in order to achieve yogic procrastination, loosen the creative muscles and improve ones cosmic awareness. It includes four separate exercises, loosening up a floor exercise, a chair exercise and a desk exercise." Theo Ford

Below is his wonderful IKEA office idea.

Mary Kate McDevitt

A selection of works for a 100 day challenge that Mary Kate McDevitt has been working on '100 days of people and pets'. Mary is a Graphic designer, typographer and incredibly successful teacher on skillshare.
This is of course a very appealing project for me as it is a theme I have touched on many times and I greatly admire Mary's retro style, limited palette and humor.

Roger Chouinard

It seems to be all about mouths so far this week and so I would like to introduce the work of graphic designer and artist Roger Chouinard who likes to create incidental illustrations using found objects. Roger's work reminds me of the creativity of Serg Bloch and Saul Steinberg.

Marian Stachurski

Marian Stachurski (1931-2014) a Polish graphic designer who created illustrated film posters in the 1950's through to the late 1970's. Unfortunately there is very little about his life published on the internet.

Neil Fujita

Neil Fujita (1921-2010) was considered to be the godfather of Graphic Design famous for his book and album covers his innovative style and techniques revolutionising the album cover particularly for Columbia records.

"When I got to Columbia, there was the beginning of some idea of album cover art but it was still just type and maybe a photo of the artist and some shapes arranged in an interesting way. That was the first concept of album cover art. Actually the first examples of album art that I can remember were on children's records, because they might have included a painting or something else to illustrate the idea. But I think that I was the first to use painters, photographers and illustrators to do artwork on album covers." Neil Fuita

David Stone Martin

Something happened last week my neurons pinged in a strange way and a new project was started. So as of today I am hoping with my students to create fake bands, fake album covers and posters and then use these to raise money for charity by having a competition with them. Whatever happens it will be fun, as even just starting it the photographs were fun bu the editing and choosing names and titles adds to the smiles. So tomorrow I am going to work armed with wigs, instruments and hats.

Because of this I am going to celebrate some graphic designers who worked on album covers.
David Stone Martin (1913-1992) is best known for his album covers of which he produced over 400 many of them for Jazz artists. Here are some examples of his bold use of colour and expressive line work.

Janusz Stanny III

Wonderful graphic design by Janusz Stanny (1932-2014) these lovely compositions are perfect for poetry, as they are poetry to the eye.

Ina Hattenheur II

Ina Hattenheur's lovely holiday Hedgehog. Ina is doing an advent calender and also has a Christmas themed book Das kleine Weihnachtstier by Rudolf Herfurtner published in German. 

Ina Hattenheur I

Oh! I have been waiting so long to share this joyous illustration by Ina Hattenheur with you. I cannot look at Ina's work without smiling from ear to ear and so she must be a very happy woman to create such fantastically fun works.

Guido Scarabottolo I

Guido Scarabottolo originally trained in architecture but his career changed dramatically when he became involved with Studio Arcoquattro a group of architects who's work included graphic and exhibition design. Guido Scarabottolo is now one of Italy's most renowned graphic designers, illustrators and art directors, he has a unique eye and humor. (thank you)

Frédérique Bertrand II

Love this path drawn by Frédérique Bertrand. What paths will the week ahead, lead us to follow?

Frédérique Bertrand I

Today I am really enjoying looking through the back catalog of Fotokino, really love these works on old paper bags and scraps of paper by illustrator and graphic artist Frédérique Bertrand. 
Frédérique Bertrand lives and works in Nancy, she uses a beautiful palette of colours and has uses a wonderful variety of marks, whilst retaining a unique and recognisable style.

Catarina Sobral

Illustrations today from Portuguese illustrator Catarina Sobral. The particular illustrations are from a children's magazine called 'Up Kids'. This year Catarina Sobral won the Bologna Children's Book Festival International Award for illustration for her book 'My Grandfather'.

Francesco Chiacchio II

Francesco Chiacchio is not very nice to his characters sometimes.

Francesco Chiacchio I

Time for some fun, here are some of Francesco Chiacchio's sketches involving food, I love his moments of humour captured with a simple pen line and day to day objects. Francesco is an Italian illustrator, cartoonist and graphic designer from Florence.

Janusz Stanny II

 Janusz Stanny's visual technique of containing elements of the image's content.

Janusz Stanny I

Today I am featuring the work of Polish illustrator, graphic designer Janusz Stanny. 
Janusz Stanny's work is often like an embrace, as the action/ content of his images  is contained and held within other objects and again they have that wonderful economy of line and content.

Alios Mikuika I

Alios Mikuika is a Czechoslovakian painter illustrator, graphic artist, set designer, playwright and writer of stories poems and fairy tales for adults and children. Born in 1933 he has a vast catalogue of achievement with many books published and lots of wonderful illustrations stage sets and graphic designs for you to explore.

Lotta Olsson

These wonderful delicate posters are created by Lotta Olsson using collected leaves,twigs, flowers and roots scanned and arranged in these tree like forms that are strangely scientific in their clean beautiful design, order and classification. 

Tupera Tupera I

I am going to celebrate Christmas Eve with  Tupera Tupera's Christmas poster for Tokyu Department store. Have a wonderful Christmas Eve.