Wheely nice coasters

I spotted these a while ago over at Ella Doran's website, there's a treasure trove of lovely stuff that countless designers have paid 'homage' to, such a nicer way of saying ripped off right? I particularly like the route-master button, alight here for cool coasters. Ding ding.

Eli, no!

My parents have a dog called Kip. Kip is very naughty and has picked up the pseudonym Kippy no no! Such is the regularity of his naughtiness, it turns out he is not alone, introducing Eli, better known as Eli, no!

Created by the very talented Eighthourday check out their other work too, I get the feeling Eli, no! is an imminent book success as the images have been removed from Flickr, and they are getting much coverage of late. Let's hope it sees the light of day.

Naughty but nice

A small but perfectly formed batch of 25 pop up books, Pop Up Porn, have been hand made by Michele Chun and Miya Saito, those little minxes. Available to buy from Sometimes Books for $50 or a card for $5. 

Sexy!

The subject matter may be a little risque but it's still a crafty and clever project. Documented on their Flickr stream.

Link via Book by it's cover

A Penguin Princess

Um, that title may need some work, but I went to a Penguin talk last night at The Design Museum and came away thinking that Coralie Bickford-Smith is a truly remarkable designer. There's a great interview with her here. Her Penguin Classics hardback designs are simply sublime, her designs hark back to other times and yet are so modern in their execution.

I would also like to heap praises on Jim Stoddart, the art director of Penguin Press for an impassioned yet calm, witty and truly knowledgeable talk that made me want to join the ranks of Penguin Towers even more. Okay, I'll stop gushing now.

Overview of the talk:
PENGUIN COVERS THEN AND NOW

Over the decades Penguin has sustained a reputation for generating innovative and influential cover designs as seen in the work of Alan Aldridge in the 1960s. In this cross generational discussion, celebrated Penguin designer David Pelham and former Penguin editor Judith Burnley will talk about the factors behind their particular Penguin heyday to be compared with recent achievements and future direction described by current Art Director Jim Stoddart.

Writers I admire

Client: Canadian Club, agency: Energy BBDO, copywriter: Derek Sherman. Online D&AD Annual page here.

Client: UHU, agency: V&R Singapore, copywriter: Ted Roger. Online D&AD Annual page here.


ZOOM IN TO READ
Client: Red Cross Mexico, agency: JWT Mexico, copywriter: Gabriel Bello, Enrique Codesido, Iguancio Zuccarino (yes three people for the word 'AFTER' you guys are my heroes). Online D&AD Annual page here.

Client: Luxor Highlighters, illustration: Kunal Mhabadi, agency: Leo Burnett India, copywriter: Russell Barratt. Online D&AD Annual page here.

I was flicking through the 2008 D&AD Annual and only got a few pages in before I realised there are many incredible writers out there, here's a handful of my favourites (from the first 50 pages of 600 page annual)

You can view the annual online for the first time ever here. The book's better though.

Chronotebook, now please, NOW.

This is old, (2002) but it's new to me, and as far as my scant search can reveal unavailable as yet. Come on Muji, sort it out. This beautiful, non-linear diary/notebook/organiser is split into AM and PM circles to organise your life around. Clever huh?
Stocking filler anyone?

Image Credit:
Muji Awards '02
Designer's Name : Wong Kok Keong [Orcadesign] (Singapore)
Category : Notebook

Make ideas happen.

I had a lovely present sitting on my desk when I returned to work this week, some fetching Behance stationary, an Action Book and an Action Runner no less! (Thank you Digit).

Behance is a free platform for the world's leading creative professionals; they also make stationary designed by and for creative professionals, which help you harness the many ideas that may otherwise disappear into the creative ether.

If you have a little time, read more about The Action Method it's simple, makes sense and they make beautifully designed gear to boot.

The image above shows the left hand side is for prep/focus and notations, the coloured checklist are your action steps, the lower right-hand corner is your backburner for all those great but totally irrelevant ideas that can otherwise clutter your mind and make you lose focus. There's also a lovely dotted grid overleaf that is great to doodle on.

www.behance.net

Play with words

Books are beautiful, and always make great birthday gifts (23rd March incidentally), but I also love to see what else clever creative types can do with them.

I once made a model of a dog's face out of a book, it was a dog-eared book, get it? I have a photograph knocking about somewhere, I should dig it out...

Image Credits:
Book computer seen on ffffound
Book stool by Laura Cahill, photograph by Bowerbird at New Designers

This is London

I've just had a delivery from Amazon, which always makes me smile, BOOKS! Among which I received This is London, illustrated and written by Miroslav Sasek, he was inspired to create this series (18 different countries in all) after a visit to Paris.

What is beautiful, aside from the gorgeous illustrations is the snapshot of 1960's life they capture, from attitudes, dress sense and even colour.

My version is a reprint but has footnotes about modern day London. The tone of voice is just wonderful, I imagine it could enthrall adult and child alike.

"Queuing is for a Londoner a kind of sport" and "This is a street-cleaner. At the end of all things comes the broom".

Just wonderful, I want to go off exploring London town.

Home Tweet Home

Being back at home is a great chance to recharge your batteries, eat good food, and catch up on your old belongings. I love rediscovering old books and especially old illustrations. I'm a huge fan of the lost art of writing letters and Nick Bantock's intricately illustrated books are a marvel of detail and yarn spinning but at its core it's love story through time, space, flourishy handwriting and stamps.

If you're able to, read these books. You have to remove the letters from their envelopes to read their correspondance, it's a voyeur's delight and Bantock's love of detail makes sure you spot something new at every read.

Illustration detail from an envelope in the trilogy.

Photo credit: Fu Man Jew

Rob Ryan: THIS IS FOR YOU

I am currently coveting this Rob Ryan print available from If You Could, but it's only available for the next 12 days, I'm hoping I can wait until payday.  His papercut images are highly distinctive and intricate and I can't say enough good things about him.

My inner fangirl came out when I met the wonderful Mr Ryan at the V&A Village Fete, where we both had stalls. I was there reppin' Digit (my day job) along with the Hammertime crew.

I'd spotted Rob on the friday night and on saturday promptly presented him with my copy of This Is For You, a most divine book, a birthday gift from my lovely friend Sophie.

Incidentally another Sophie (Dahl) writes a review of the book, 

"An enchanting rare book, that is a pure delight from beginning to end".

Beard - new and improved

Lauren Beard is a button-loving Bolton-based illustrator and she has new website, so take a peek...

Her characters and story lines are quirky and endearing and just a tad on the dark side, perfect for children! I especially love The Useless Adventures of Squirrel Girl, although maybe that is aimed at a slightly older demographic. Lauren has worked with Orchard Toys and their publishing house Tiberius Publishing and has some beautiful books that you can buy right now, Say Please Louise and No Bath Bob.

www.laurenbeard.co.uk