Whose fonts are these?

I’ve often been told in many different and imaginative ways that my hand-writing is, to put it mildly, shite. From being described as looking like a squashed dead spider to a seven year-old’s writing, to my shame I have sometimes even blamed it on being left-handed (apologies to all you lefties out there..) while clutching at excuses.

The truth is, my lack of talent in this area has left me somewhat envious of those who can master not only the perfect artistic stroke of line but who can use it consistently.

What I’m talking about is typography as art, and the smudged chalk line that (barely) separates them. Fonts that not just spell the word, but convey the meaning of the word. Where meaning and visual form become so successful intertwined, you cannot see them as individual ideas.

Of course fonts and typography is a whole deep bottomless well of discovery. So I wanted to keep it simple and share just a couple of designers’ work that I admire.

Gemma O’Brien is someone who I discovered after watching a talk she gave at an adobe conference. Watch the talk here (make sure you watch until the sick bag part!).

She has written a blog for years under the psuedonym ‘Mrs Eaves’ (named after a font, of course) which unfortunately is not longer in existence.

Her work is always a great balance between playful and sincere. Here’s a few examples:

The last image is her in action doing a project which involved hand-painting thirty-something billboards. She is willing to take on huge spaces which must be intimidating.

There’s a lot of things I admire about Gemma’s approach to her work, but the two that stick out to me are:

1. She is not afraid to destroy her work as soon as it’s finished (which is very brave, in my opinion)
2. She always adds humour and personality

Here’s to hoping she starts writing a blog again soon!

Simon Silaidis, on the other hand, is rather more serious. But none the less talented or impactful for it. He creates huge murals/artworks/graffiti/typography/calligraphy pieces, usually on crumbling walls in semi-ruined abandoned buildings. He is now part of a movement creating a new approach to calligraphy, more concisely named ‘The Urban Calligraphy Movement’. (Now selling it’s own endorsed brushes).

This a more open and free approach to calligraphy, a move away from traditional techniques.

He got started after going to a graffiti festival in Athens, and now has years as an experienced graphic designer behind him. You can see it in his movements – how he condenses all of his knowledge, experience and vision into the stroke of his brush. Powerful stuff.

Ok, so if you google him you might discover he’s created some slightly cringing videos that could have been a lot better from just a few improvements (including a car advert). But there is just something so unarguably beautiful and aesthetically pleasing about his work.

Have a look at more of his work here.

 

A few little triangles

So….it’s been a while since I posted any work, or even work in progress. So I thought it might be time to change that.

I’ve recently been inspired to create that most archaic of artistic techniques…collage. Yes. Well…kind of. I wanted to make a series of drawings that would lay the basic structures out for some collages I plan to do.

So I took out the option of any colour (eek!) and started playing around with composition, trying to ignore everything else. I wanted to use basic shapes and keep it very simple to decided to use this idea of the square and the circle.

The aim was to create a relationship between the square and the circle using a few little triangles. As if the square and the circle were magnets, and the little triangles iron fillings, being pulled one way then another between them.

I got a bit carried away with a graphite pencil, but I’m quite pleased with the results. (Although just between you and me I think they need a little colour…)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Colour in 2015

Happy New Year!

Welcome to 2015. I want to start the year by celebrating colour. And not just any colour; but the best, the most interesting colours to surround yourself with in the new year.

This time of year I always get the urge to start things anew, to take a fresh look at my surroundings and question how I could improve them.

So I thought I’d share with you the colours of 2015. Of course interior trends aren’t something that have to followed religiously. The best way is to have a look at the new ideas for the season, and pick out your favourite and also most practical ideas. Use it as a base for inspiration, in other words.

According to the great colourists in the sky, Pantone, the colour of 2015 is Marsala. Which may not mean that much to people when they first hear it. Marsala is a type of wine, a town in Sicily, a type of spice. So of course the colour itself is a deep, flat reddy/brown/orange/pink.

At first I was not blown away by this colour, but the more I began to explore it the more I began to understand why it is the colour of 2015. According to the executive director of Pantone, it is a robust, nurturing, sophisticated colour that lends itself well to both fashion and interiors. I can certainly see that it is very versatile. Immedatiely I can imagine it in thick-piled velvets, matte wall colour, contemporary earthware to add colour to a monochrome kitchen.

Here’s a few ideas of how it might sit in a colour palette:

I particularly like number 7, the idea of pairing it with teals and turquoise. Also I think it would work really well with metallics – copper and brushed silver that you may have from the copper trend last year.

Here’s a few ideas of how to incorporate it into an interior:

The great thing about Marsala is that you can layer it up to create warmth and depth:

Its works well in both traditional and contemporary interiors:

Use bright artwork to create highlights against Marsala. Take at look at www.pollytaylor.squarespace.com for some ideas.

It’s a great colour to use in a bedroom, and it won’t date easily. Bare wooden floorboards look great with it.

I like the idea of using it in a downstairs loo. Perhaps a bit too intense for a whole bathroom though!

If you don’t feel brave enough to use it on your walls, invest in some luxurious textiles with a lot of varying textures such as throws or rugs, and paint the walls in soft greys to compliment.

It looks great with bright white, so an easy way to change a plain interior:

A slightly darker tone would be great for creating a sense of warm and cosiness, without being too claustrophobic.

As an appetite stimulant, it would be great in the dinning room. the name itself references both food and drink!

Have fun and play with it!

Painting water with water

So. I promised a few posts ago that I would attempt some cloud drawings of my own. My medium of choice…watercolour paints. I thought I’d share with you the results.

 

After struggling a bit at first with how much water the paper could cope being saturated with, I experimented with different techniques e.g. wet on wet, wet on dry, etc to work out technically how to produce cloud shapes with colour.

I think it helps that clouds forms are basically water…I was painting water with water! The watercolours seemed an appropriate choice. Using them in the past I had been unimpressed with the colour quality, but this time, perhaps because I used tubes of paint rather than blocks, I found the colours surprisingly strong and controllable.

I found the whole process of putting paint onto paper very satisfying, even if the results were slightly loose and abstract. It’s interesting to watch how the paint changes as it dries!

This project has spurred me on to other watercolour adventures!

Drawing Project – Doodling

So. I’ve been meaning to create some new designs for notebooks for a while now, but I wasn’t entirely sure how to go out about it. I had several things in my head I wanted to draw inspiration from.

So I decided so start a new sketchbook. But I didn’t want to put a lot of pressure on myself to create something perfect straight away, which I tend to do sometimes. So I decided to call it ‘doodling’ and not ‘drawing’, and instantly the feeling of pressure went. A doodle does not have to be perfect, fully formed, a doodle does not have to makes sense. It is an important form of drawing, but it is a form where you let your mind go and let your hand take over. The results can be very fun and interesting!

I soon found I was doing two or three similar drawings along a familiar vein. I had some ideas in my first ‘doodling’ sketchbook, but wanted to push each idea further, separately. So I decided to set my set another drawing task! This time to dedicate a whole sketchbook to one doodling idea, and to push it and develop it as far as I could in that separate sketchbook. So I decided on five different ideas and began!

So far I have completed the first one. Here’s a few of the results:

 

So as you can see the rules for this one were quite simple. I limited myself to squares and triangles, and maximum of two tangent lines. The idea is based on a map of an exhibit I went to see recently, so I’ve taken the visual components of the map and turned them into something a bit different.

Of course to continue they’re journey into a notebook design I will be adding colour!

Look out for the results of my other doodle sketchbooks….coming soon!!

Tate Britain

So. One bright and breezy Tuesday I decided to go and visit the newly refurbished Tate Britain, to check out the changes. Perhaps I had been influenced by the persistent advert campaign on the tube declaring ‘you must come see’, or maybe I was just looking to be inspired. A bit of both most likely.

First impressions – it is light, bright, and lofty. Well, it would be if there hadn’t been a gaggle of school children clutching fresh sketchbooks.

 

I particularly loved the overlapping tile design on the floor:

 

 

And this beautifully simplistic map to help with orientation, that brought to mind images of a lift in 1920s New York.

 

 

This mural was here before the renovation I think but still adds a great and a little unexpected sense of humanism to the building:

 

 

Genius idea. And now, onto the art itself. Each time I visit something different usually catches my eye, but there are a handful of regulars that always make me stop and stare. The principle one being ‘A Bigger Splash’ by David Hockney. I love the way he’s captured a moment after it has just happened. There is a perpetual sense of a motion drawing to end, a gesture in its last drag that is both futile and alluring. The composition is bodily boring and daringly cold.

 

 

Howard hodgkin has again always been a favourite. That red just pops out with all the life that an inanimate object can ever project.

 

 

On to Bridget Riley, an Op-art legend. She sure knows how to manipulate the eye. I always feel like looking at one of her pieces is like having and eye-test. I love the way this piece, ‘Nataraja’, seems to come out towards the viewer.

 

 

 

This nude by Matthew Smith is precisely the kind of drawing my art teacher at school used to show us before life-drawing class. A perfect example of how colours can be manipulated to create something that is while not a true representation, is still a true likeness.

 

 

I’ve recently discovered this artist, David Bomberg. This work, ‘The Mud Bath’, reduces the human form to vague, geometric shapes that seem to be in constant movement.

 

 

This rather small painting by Edward Wadsworth is by far not his most famous, but I quite like the secret interplay between the two suspended amorphous shapes.

 

 

Peter Doig, ‘Ski Jacket’. Makes me of a friend who recently moved to Montreal, Canada.

 

 

I’ll be honest; I usually find sculpture very hard to understand, let alone like. Tony Cragg‘s sculpture here, ‘stack’, has appealed to me on this occasion I think because it fulfils some OCD thing inside me to have everything slotted in together in perfectly fitting, compact shapes. He must be very good at packing for holidays! His sketches are worth a goggle as well.

 

 

 

I found this composition by William Scott very calming.

 

 

One of the larger works that took up a whole room was this installation by the Chapman brothers, entitled ‘The Chapman Family Collection.’ I really liked this piece. As you walk into the room, the lights are dimmed, its cosy and at the same time a little sinister feeling. You see several what appear to be wooden carvings from what you assume are tribal communities around the world. On closer inspection, there’s signs all is not as it should be. Ronald McDonald peers out at you through the gloom. ‘McDonalds’ is lovingly inscribed into a wooden shield. These objects are highlighting the superficiality of not own our contemporary lifestyles, but our inability of perceive things as they really are. It a simplified version of a lot of wider issues, yet sometimes the most simplistic messages are the most powerful.

 

 

 

Lastly, a question to you:

do you read the description first or look at the painting/sculpture first?!

Top Drawer, Home and Craft 2014

So. Second post of the new year. And its a whopper, if I do say so myself!

I had the fortune the other day to go to 3 trade shows in one, in the form of Top Drawer, Home and Craft in the Earls Court Exhibition Centre. I went with my very talented friend Becky, check out her portfolio.

Unfortunately we didn’t have long to check out the talent so we had to whiz round. Although this did mean we didn’t dawdle!

Here are some of my highlights from the show:

Firstly, Kirath Ghundoo. I love this girl’s stuff. I’ve seen her before at a handful of other trade shows, and I am always blown away by her deceptively simple designs, but her newest collection, ‘Jewel, Ash, & Sombre’ is just beautiful. If (i mean when!) I have my own house, I’ve picked out this wallpaper for the feature wall of my office…. I love the fact that each of her sheets of wallpaper is different – she has completely subverted the idea that your wallpaper has to line up roll to roll.

 

 

Secondly, it was lovely to meet, albeit briefly, the wonderful Cara Holland, of Pattern Booth. So recently launched her web shop hasn’t gone live yet, it was a delicious sneaky peak into her world of perfect geometry. Here’s a wee taster:

 

 

Next the enchanting, magical work of Rob Ryan, what patience that man must have, to hand cut each of his designs, often on a huge scale! And yes, I will be filling my imaginary kitchen with his wonderfully delicate tableware. I love that each piece tells a story.

 

 

And a very friendly welcome to newcomer Nikky d’Aguilar, with her digitally printed cushions and lampshades. All her designs started off as fine art paintings, exhibited in her home town in Scotland.

 

 

And of course no trade show would be complete without the Finnish brand Marimekko, a staple in any colourful home. Their big, bold flowers, never fail to put me in a good mood.

 

 

I loved these playful paper straws by Kikkerland, a innovative company guaranteed to be popular in 2014.

 

 

Becky and I agreed that these lil’ creatures by Mibo are just too adorable:

 

 

And finally, some beautiful bell jars we came across:

 

 

I thoroughly enjoyed all three trades shows; it was great to see Craft properly represented this year. All three sections are very well curated and put together. I look forward to the Autumn shows!

Have good January!

No Secrets…

So. I am a strong believer in sharing with other people how I create my work. Artists and designers have a tendency to be a little secretive about their methods. By all means, if you’ve just invented something or patented a technique, then you are bound to want to keep it a secret. But if you’e using already established methods (albeit in your own unique and innovative style) I see no problem with sharing.

In fact, I think it can be a good thing, and even a way to advertise your work. For example, I create a lot of my designs via screen printing. This is a technique that has been around since roughly 960 AD, emerging first in China during the Song Dynasty. So I can hardly claim it as my own doing. Where my part fits in is the choices I make while using this process – what materials to use, what inks to use, what colours to use, what design to use. I love screen printing because it is a technique that at first seems very limiting, but when you gain a better understanding of it you realise that you can really do anything you want with it – the possibilities are endless.

I won’t bore you with the details but the basic principle is that you use a screen made of mesh and apply the ink to a surface through this screen. You can control where the ink goes by using a stencil or exposing an image onto the screen itself. You can then go crazy with flocking, foiling, etc.

 

Here’s my cotton tote bags ready to be printed:

 

 

You can see the screen with my design on next to the bags. Screen printing is a technique which forces you to be very neat, something that I struggled with at first! Here’s some freshly printed designs, and a cheeky peak at my newest collection as well:

 

 

All the equipment I need:

 

 

And the boring bit…waiting for it to dry!

 

 

I would highly recommend screen printing to anyone wanting to learn a new way of making things. There are several great places to do this in London, Print Club London is an excellent one.

Look out for finished pictures of my new collection soon!

Related articles

• Screen printing workshop – 22/11/2013 (gracewooler.wordpress.com)
• Screen printing (lizziegoldenblog.wordpress.com)

Drawings project – Buildings (part 4)

So, finally here it is, the fourth and final part of my drawing project. As I mentioned in my last post, I did struggle to complete the task I set myself. It seems life is determind to get in the way. Anyhow, it feels good to have finally finished! thought I’d share the last few drawings with you:

Starting at Victoria, I walked down Vauxhall Bridge Road to see what I could find. This drawing is Apartments off Charlwood Street, drawn while sitting on a bench with a statue of a rollerskating woman…

 

 

I then continued my journey to Bessborough Gardens, a little private park surrounded by grand Georgian terraces. I spotted a rather unusual building across the road from where I sat.

 

 

I then decided to draw the whole view, including the above building. An attempt at capturing the great mish-mash of styles, materials, and sizes that these buildings offer.

 

 

Further down the road I took in the view across Vauxhall Bridge from the Pimlico side. Vauxhall Bridge has to be one of the most boring bridges in London, yet the buildings that surround it supply a wide variety of aesthetic nourishment. This is a quick sketch of St George’s Wharf, a fairly recent development that I remember noticing on a visit to London a few years back.

 

 

And finally, a temporary building that drew from one of my favourite places to sit in Grosvenor Gardens. Thought I should pay homage to the building sites and construction part of London’s architectural skyline.

 

 

 

So. What have I learnt from this project?!

1. Although it’s good to set yourself deadlines, restrictions can crush creativity.

2. London has lots and lots of beautiful buildings and even a lifetime of drawing and photographing them would hardly begin to do them justice.

3. Drawing buildings means dealing with angles, spaces, corners, and lots of repetition. Not easy for the impatient!

4. I can remember how to draw if I try. I am also bad at really looking.

5. the material you draw with will change everything completely.

6. Its always good to draw for drawing’s sake, even if the outcome is rubbish.

7. It’s better to try and draw something how you see it, rather than how it actually is.

 

And lastly, thought I’d share my favourite 5 drawings from the whole project. This was surprisingly hard to decide!

 

 

 

What’s your favourite?

 

 

 

Related articles

• Upside down drawing (drawingtransformation.wordpress.com)
• 3 drawings in 3 minutes! (pixiedustbeth.wordpress.com)

Tent!

So London Design Festival is in full swing. Or rather was, as we are reaching the tail-end of it now. And as much as I would have loved to have gone to all the trade shows, I managed a slightly merge one. It has been hard to fit then in round two jobs!

I did however, manage to see Tent, which, if I’m honest, is my favourite by far. I like the relaxed atmosphere, the fact that it encompasses huge companies and students fresh out of university, just starting up and making a go of it in the design world. In fact, if I let you in on a little secret, I hope to be here exhibiting myself next year….fingers crossed!

I’ve visited several time sin the past, and this year it was no exception as  a place to find the best and most unusual and innovative design. Thought I’d share with you a few of the highlights….

Firstly, I walked into the show and this giant piece was one of the first things I came across. Spectacular, more art piece that light installation! I love how the tendrils of light at the end seem almost to move of their own accord.

 

On to Sara Phillips of Seascape Curiosities. I loved her wallpapers which caught my eye because of the amazingly intricate penmanship that flows across the surface. I like the idea of having 3D pieces that stand out, but in practical terms I’m not sure how this would work. Maybe over a space that doesn’t get much contact, like down a stairwell.

 

 

Barnes and Noble, a print company. I singled them out mainly because of how impressed I was by their creative approach towards screen printing. I’ve seen there products before, and predict theses guys are going to be huge!

 

 

Next, this company actually stopped me in my tracks and do a double take, as I realised I’ve already got one of there mugs! I love love love the other ones though, the drips and the cracks are my favourites. (Possibly because they are very similar to my own work….!) Reiko Kaneko.

 

 

I was struck by the lovely graphic quality of Joanna Corney‘s work. Those building cushions are beautiful! I wonder what it would look like if you inserted some bright colours in there….

 

 

Parris Wakefield Additions have been a favourite for a long time, and each year that I’ve been to Tent they have been a constant presence of quality. I love their strong colours. Not so keen on the wallpaper, but the cushions and lampshades are gorgeous.

 

 

Sian Elin‘s cushions caught my eye next, expertly presented, I love the way they all work together. You could decorate your house instantly in her designs and they would work together perfectly.

 

 

And of course I couldn’t leave out Petra Green of Room 39. I was excited to see her new products since I’d seen her last and wasn’t disappointed. My favourites are the new ‘Knot’ cushions. I love that zingy pink peaking out!

 

 

Also, last but not least, I really want one of these blankets by Roros Tweed! They just look so cosy and I love the pattern.

 

 

So in summary a very interesting and varied show. Can’t wait until next year!

 

 

 

Related articles

• out and about :: tent london (confessionsofadesigngeek.com)
• Experimental and international furniture on view at Tent London (treehugger.com)
• The London Design Festival 2013: in pictures (wallpaper.com)
• London Design Festival: the next big five (theguardian.com)
• Tent London: Art, Design, Craft (laurahornethomas.wordpress.com)