Trend: Dirty Etchings

As spring merchandise starts trickling in, it’s evident brands have been experimenting with etching styles and restricted palettes. Veering away from Ed Hardy’s infamous tattoo style, fashion labels with ranging customer bases are channeling new inspirations. From the mom-friendly label, Chicos to Louis Vuitton’s most recent collaboration with tattoo wunderkind Scott Campbell, blue, black and gray are reining strong.

Replicating a mood similar to “dirty finger nails,” these styles are raw, imperfect and full of texture. The bottom picture was taken at Spacecraft, an Australian homegoods store on my most recent scouting trip to Melbourne. The design’s been printed directly onto the cement floor, emulating the worn and tattered look of an old ethnic rug.

February 22, 2011 | By: Shayna Kulik

Friday Quick Links!

1. Intensely colorful furniture from Design By Leftovers via Design Milk
2. Amazing paintings on leaves via Best Bookmarks
3. Digging Anton Stankowski’s art from the 1960’s via Aqua Velvet
4. Loving this porcelain jewelry from Goldenink via Bloesem
5. Lush collaged paintings by Takahiro Kimuro via Inspire First
6. Jonathan Whitfull makes rad book sculptures via The Jealous Curator
7. Gorgeous use of color and texture in Becca Stadtlander’s illustrations via designworklife
8. Rita Botelho’s amazingly quirky figurine earrings via Dezeen
9. Paintings from Christian Wach via Happy Mundane
10. David M. Cooke’s colorful, linear-happy birds via My Love For You
11. A lampshade made out of vintage rulers from Roost Living via Poppytalk
12. Delicious shades of neon and the flowers on the runway via krisatomic

Compiled by Emily Gup

February 18, 2011 | By: Shayna Kulik

Twitter Influencer: Jared Chapman

Jared Chapman grew up wanting to go into animation. Upon heading to school at Savannah College of Art and Design, however, he became increasingly fascinated by drawing. This interest became an obsession, eventually leading to a career in illustration over animation.

Over the years, Chapman’s worked with everyone from Walt Disney and Nick Jr., to Hallmark, Jib Jab, Asthmatic Kitty Records, Thomas Nelson and Sterling Publishing.

Chapman’s life-long interest in animation has helped his illustration work stand alone, separating him from the masses. His twitter feed, accordingly, also shines. While he’s keen to share his work, it’s his sense of humor and quirky, off-beat quips on life, work, and family that’ll make you smile.

February 17, 2011 | By: Shayna Kulik

Digital: Patterns Overtake Times Square

A few years ago, while sitting in a creative meeting at Renegade, a digital marketing agency here in New York, a design colleague gave a presentation on Sao Paulo’s no advertising policy, blowing all of our minds. We all thought, “how could that be? No ads, not anywhere?! Amazing.”

Fast forward, as this idea recently seeded a digital collaboration between great minds here in NY. Morgan Spurlock, of Super Size Me, The Barbarian Group and the creative team at Aviary made it their mission to create a website with the intent purpose of removing all visual advertising from Times Square, entitled No Ad NY.

While the advertising is arguably the kitsch appeal of this commercial hub, the idea is fun and inviting- so much so, that I took a few of my own patterns and tossed them into the spread. Have a look, play around, and make some of your own designs- the final results will look like life-sized presents.

February 17, 2011 | By: Shayna Kulik

Book Review: Simply Pattern

A great pattern can convert any surface into something special, so it’s easy to see why designers swoon when they see unique textures. For centuries, designers used patterns to inject new energy into their work. Simply Pattern is a compilation of today’s best designers and displays outstanding work ranging from packaging, textiles, wallpaper, stationery, clothing, furniture, boutiques, and dining utensils. The wide variety of applications reveal how graphic elements can be arranged randomly or thoughtfully in order to bring a modern, classic or dynamic effect to any project. Great as eye candy or as a potent source of inspiration, we highly recommend adding this to your library.

February 16, 2011 | By: Shayna Kulik

New York: Michael Riedel's Text Displays

Michael Riedel is known for using text as his source material and utilizing a wide range of media to examine interesting effects. His latest exhibition features silk-screened “poster paintings,” which were created by accessing websites where his works were mentioned.

By first highlighting, then copy and pasting the text into InDesign, the words appear in a linear but nonsensical order. Included are algorithmic commands, search keywords, and links, intermixed with miscellaneous sentences on the artist, copyright phrases, and contact information. The portions are affixed with circular shapes that resemble the ever-dreaded spinning wheel computers display when processing too much information at once.

The posters are hung on wallpaper covered in text from the gallery’s website creating an interesting text-based art experience. The quirky and playful title, a pangram generally used display typefaces and to test typewriters and computer keyboards, is used here to underscore the staccato relationship between text, canvas, paper, and architecture. For more info, click here.

Opening: February 17th 6:00 PM – 8:00pm

David Zwirner
533 W. 19th Street
New York, NY 10011