type tuesday: Bright
March 6, 2012 at 6:00 AM 
bright! Typography between Illustration and Art
There's a call for entries for a new book from Slanted:
Typography for many artists is loaded with creative potential. How much power of expression is contained in a letter, a word, or a sentence, when these entities, which are very communicative in character to begin with, are put on stage as images and objects? How does typographical information respond to its environment, to graphic complements, deconstruction or visual reversal?
Under the curatorship of Slanted, „bright!“ presents a collection of pictorial typo-art, focusing on moving ahead. The differentiated spectrum, ranging from culturally rooted to revolutionary and innovative positions, does not leave out any sphere of interest: handpainted signs, light installations, woodtype, letter objects, typographic sculptures, street art, tattoo art, generative performances, experimental type, and much more.
On my desk (and desktop)
March 2, 2012 at 2:21 PM 
The cover of issue #13 is already in prepress though the interior of the magazine is still in design (less than ten pages to go!) I sent the cover out early since it will have a silver foil and will require a bit more time to complete.
I can't believe I've done this over a dozen times now! That's nearly 1500 pages of content {lovingly} curated, compiled, edited, designed, proofed and printed.
If you haven't subscribed or renewed yet, it would be most appreciated!
Issue 13 Peep Peep Leap Leap
February 29, 2012 at 9:38 PM I've extended the deadline for Peep submissions for issue #13: get them in by Friday to be published in lucky issue #13 (released in April). Thanks for the Peeps so far!
Happy Leap day!
Little Studio Nordic Happy Design
February 29, 2012 at 6:00 AM 
I received a very nice introductory email letter from Little Studio (Sweden) with these lovely pictures of their wares attached.
Marit Lissdaniels and Angelica Utterberg are the names behind Little Studio. We offer playful and cheerful design, which is supposed to fit equally well to adults as to children. We opened up our shop in 2010, and we got a really good response. At first we only offered graphic prints, now we have expanded our collection with pillowcases, trays and cutting boards. Children's ability to see things for more than what they really are, is a great inspiration to us. For example, a triangle could just be a triangle—but it can also be a mountain. Or a circle, a circular symbol, can with other circles turn into soap bubbles.
We try to avoid the traditional gender roles, we want everything to fit all. It's so much more fun we think, when you erase these boundaries and get to choose freely. Instead, we try to create designs that with the aid of imagination, color and shape conveys a special feeling.
I quite like these bubbles!
Covet type tuesday: Metal type (madness!)
February 28, 2012 at 10:00 AM Another successful project funded with many days left!
Typography type tuesday: Vernacular Typography
February 28, 2012 at 8:00 AM Molly Woodward wrote in to share her Kickstarter project (happily funded, but a couple days to go!)
"I started Vernacular Typography as a community-based initiative and digital archive to encourage the documentation, preservation, and promotion of local visual communication. The goal of the project is to document, map, and archive as many examples of vernacular typography before it disappears altogether. Right now, the project exists as a website and has over 5,000 images of found lettering from all over the world."
Typography Girl Crush tea party with Tif Fussell (dottie angel)
February 24, 2012 at 9:50 PM 
The Jealous Curator has a great series of Girl Crush tea parties planned. We have crushes on the same amazing ladies such as Tif Fussell and Lisa Congdon and Shauna Alterio. (The Jealous Curator has even more crushes than me!) Tif's tea party will be held at Seattle's Assemble Gallery & Studio—the same lovely gallery where Tif and I had the book launch for The Suitcase Series: Dottie Angel.
Crush, Dottie Angel A trip down memory lane...
February 23, 2012 at 10:00 AM Three springs and a lifetime ago, Glen and I went to Scandinavia to meet Camilla and exlore Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland. Posts from that trip are here. We'll return someday...
Creative Adventure with Camilla Engman
February 23, 2012 at 8:19 AM 
illustration by Camilla EngmanAngela Ritchie's Ace Camp is heading back to visit Camilla Engman (Gothenburg, Sweden) for the third time!
"The group will be staying at Hotel Flora and will have time to explore Gothenburg together and on their own. Camilla will lead a 4 day workshop and take us to her inspirational places in Gothenburg. This Ace Camp will include an excursion to the west coast archipelago and the town of Marstand where you will collect your imagery in sketchbooks and transform them into a painting in the studio. Artists of all levels, from beginner to experienced are encouraged to participate. May 13-20, 2012" For full details and registration, click here.
(Please note that the 2-colour art print is sold out.)
If you can't make the trip, the The Suitcase Series: Camilla Engman that Camilla and I made a few years ago will immerse you in her art, craft and culture. The book is available for purchase here.
The Aesthetic of Funk
February 22, 2012 at 6:23 PM Handmade Portraits: Xenobia Bailey from Etsy on Vimeo.
Thank you to Jeremiah Glazer at Etsy for sending me a link to their latest Handmade Portraits video feature about Xenobia Bailey. Jeremiah writes:
"Her work, which has been featured in museums, television (The Cosby Show), and film (Do The Right Thing), is extraordinarily imaginative and diverse — crowns, mandalas, dresses, sculptures, even teas — but they’re all an articulation of what she calls the “aesthetic of funk.” Xenobia says that she learned to “funk it together” by watching the women in her community beautify their environments with limited resources. She has continued to preserve and extend that tradition in her extraordinarily diverse art pieces and clothing."
Crafty, Creativity w.i.p.s wednesday: Andrea D'Aquino
February 22, 2012 at 12:00 PM 
final illustration by Andrea D'Aquino
When you work with illustrator Andrea D'Aquino, be prepared for her enthusiasm, generosity and amazing talent! Andrea illustrated the cover of issue #9 (which is one of my favourite covers) and so I asked her to illustrate an article in the current issue about quilting and community. She outdid herself with so many great images to choose from. She called these "roughs" but they're all publishable quality, that's for sure! Look at this abundance of riches:
Thank you, Andrea. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing.
You can read more about Andrea in Work/Life 2: the UPPERCASE directory of illustration, international edition.
Creativity, Crush, Illustration, Issue 12 Blog Beautiful
February 22, 2012 at 10:00 AM 
photo by Elisabeth DunkerThe Blog Beautiful column in the magazine is one that is somewhat out of my control when it comes to editorial content. You see, it is the currently profiled Blog Beautiful blogger who picks their favourite blog and writes about it in the next issue. Much like clicking on one link and then another and another, each is somehow related but also offers interesting surprises and new content. The pairing depicted above is about Lena Sjöberg profiled by Elisabeth Dunker of Fine Little Day, two very talented Swedes!
illustration by Lena Sjöberg
Lena is a successful illustrator and popular in Sweden. Her recent self-published book has been selected by the Swedish National Library as one of 25 notable publications.
Illustration, Issue 12 type tuesday: 3dG
February 21, 2012 at 2:00 PM 
Source: farm3.static.flickr.com via liberal sprinkles on Pinterest
Typography 
type tuesday: playdough
February 21, 2012 at 9:00 AM 
Source: plentyofcolour.com via liberal sprinkles on Pinterest
Source: behance.net via liberal sprinkles on Pinterest
Typography