Blog: Illustration

Amelia's Compendium of Fashion Illustration


Last night we had the pleasure of meeting the lovely Amelia Gregory at the Brighton launch of her new book, Amelia's Compendium of Fashion Illustration at Castor + Pollux. Unfortunately I couldn't make it until late and missed the actual talk (which by all accounts was very inspiring and informative) but I did have chance to chat with Amelia and enjoy the complimentary mini-cupcakes and Juiceology drinks.

Amelia is big on the values of social media and it's importance to the fashion industry - I agree and think the same goes for any designers and illustrators. I was amused to realise that I actually knew more about social media than the young, newly graduated fashion students also present, who didn't really know what Twitter was nevermind be on it!

Amelia's Magazine
was first published in May 2004 and over the following 4 years Amelia produced 10 successful issues all championing the work of up and coming fashion illustrators, ethical fashion designers and ways to create a more sustainable future for our planet. In 2008, Amelia decided to cease publishing the magazine and concentrate all her efforts on it's fast-growing website, where Amelia's Magazine still lives on.

Amelia's compendium of Fashion follows the success of her first book, Amelia's Anthology of Illustration and "brings together the best illustration from Amelia’s Magazine alongside the best new ethical fashion designers". It showcases the work of 30 illustrators, features interviews about their design practice and profiles almost 50 of the very best ethical fashion designers working today including Fifi Bijoux, Minna, Partimi Prophetik and Ute Decker.

It's a really gorgeous book, packed full of inspiration and ideas - definitely one for the coffee table!


Keep up with Amelia's comings and goings by following Amelia Gregory and Amelia's Magazine on Twitter.

From the reference box # 107


#107 - 29 Embroidery Stitches, a vintage booklet issued by Clark & Co. of Paisley, Scotland.

In the early 1800's Patrick Clark invented a way of twisting cotton threads together to produce an alternative to silk thread which was unattainable due to the French blockade. Clark & Co. opened their first cotton thread plant in 1812 and went on to offer a range of embroidery threads called 'Anchor Embroidery Threads'.

Clark & Co. merged with J & P Coats in 1952, dating this charming little booklet in the late 40's or very early 50's (I've also read that they merged in 1896, but there is no way this booklet is that old!).

The introduction encourages, "Try out some of the less well-known stitches and you will find a fresh absorbing interest in embroidery". There's a comprehensive guide to the correct threads, fabrics and needle sizes (see below) as well as a lovely illustration demonstrating the correct technique for each of the 29 stitches.









For more fabulous ephemera, have a rummage through out Reference box!

Mon 23 May 2011

Posted under: Design , Reference box , Illustration

1 Comment

Pics from the AT Openhouse


So Saturday afternoon I worked the vintage tearoom at AT Openhouse (complete with vintage pinny) I sliced cake, poured tea and chatted to visitors about the artists/work on show. It's the first Openhouse I've been involved with and although it was only day one, I really enjoyed it.

The house looks incredible, April and Tim have completely given their lovely home over to the show - every room, corner and shelf is full to bursting with prints, paintings, vintage clothes, jewellery, soft furnishings and cake from 17 different artists, designers, crafters and print makers.









AT Openhouse is at 42 Hendon Street, Brighton BN2
O
pen throughout May 12-6pm, Saturdays & Sundays.

Keep up to date with AT goings on here.

AT Openhouse kicks off tomorrow!


AT Openhouse finally throws open it's doors tomorrow for a month of fabulousness!

It really is going to be the best Openhouse, with a terrific mix of artists and designers; a vintage Boudoir, vintage tea room, a knitting room, prints/paper ephemera room and live performances in the garden.

We're selling our Howdoo business cards...


Our Don't Worry letter-pressed prints...


And some vintage circus posters we've been hoarding for years...


You'll also find button jewellery by Lorna Davies and fabulous knitted creations from Winsome & Saucy...


Some quirky Jonny Hannah illustrations...

Recent work from illustrator Alice Pattullo...


Mr Wingate's printed textiles and home accessories...


Fun prints and vintage fabric cats & owls from Snorkus...


Pinky's psychedelic paintings and paper cuts...


A selection of elephants and badges from Beatty Hallas...


The wonderful Odds and Bobs vintage boudoir...


Stunning paintings from Natalie Martin...


Badges, books and prints from local illustrator, Carlos Garde-Martin...


Amanda Fatherazi's glamorous brooches and dolls...


Screenprints, books and letter-pressed prints from Mark Pavey...


And last, but definitely not least paintings by Rhys Trussler...


So if you find yourself at a loose end over the weekend (or any weekend in May) pop over to 42 Hendon Street and say "hello".

Image copyrights with the individual artsists.

Lasse Skarbovik at Castor + Pollux


Hope you all had a lovely Easter Bank Holiday weekend. We kicked ours off in fine style Good Friday evening at the Castor + Pollux preview (pics below) of Norwegian graphic artist and muralist, Lasse Skarbovik's paintings and prints.

Lasse Skarbovik currently works and lives in Stockholm where he's part of the Stockholm Illustration Collective. His fun, graphic illustrations that have graced the pages of the New Yorker, TIme Magazine and The Economist will be exhibited throughout the Brighton Festival (until 30 May). But don't worry if you can't make it down to Brighton - many of the prints are available to buy in their online store.


Image copyright Lasse Skarbovik.
Gallery images copyright Castor + Pollux.

P&O Menus & Entertainment Programmes


P&O Entertainment Programme, Dorrit Dekk.


P&O Entertainment Programme, Dorrit Dekk. 1962.


P&O Entertainment Programme, Dorrit Dekk. 1962.


P&O Gala Menu, Daphne Padden. 1962.


P&O Entertainment Programme, Daphne Padden. Circa 1950's.


P&O Gala Menu, Daphne Padden. 1958.


P&O Entertainment Programme, Daphne Padden. 1959.


P&O Menu/Entertainment Programme cover, Daphne Padden.


P&O Gala Menu, Daphne Padden. 1956.

Here's a bit of inspiration for a dreary, wet Wednesday morning.

I first saw a P&O Entertainment Programme designed by Dorrit Dekk over on Quad Royal and was instantly drawn to the bright, graphic illustrations/collages.

On further investigation I found Bonito Club's Flickr and yet more fabulous P&O covers (Menus and Entertainment Programmes) from the late 50's and early 60's. All the ones I've seen were designed by either Daphne Padden or Dorrit Dekk, but I'm not sure if they created all the covers during this period.

There must be hundreds more in existence, as it seems the designs changed every year and each P&O liner had different designs. I'll have to keep my eye out for some of these on Ebay!

If you like this post, chances are you'll also like these:
Gebrauchsgraphik Magazine
Modern Packaging
Holiday Magazine
Country Fair Magazine
Which? Magazine
Mac Fisheries

Images copyright Quad Royal and Bonito Club.

Wed 23 Feb 2011

Posted under: Design , Ephemera , Illustration

6 Comments

Burning Love - Jonny Hannah at Castor + Pollux


Burning Love is illustrator, Jonny Hannah's Valentine's exhibition currently showing at the fabulous Castor + Pollux until the 13 March.

Mr Hannah himself curated the exhibition and hung the work which includes lots of lovely screen prints, lino prints, hand drawn type and cut out letters (see pics below). I couldn't make it to the private view, but I'm really looking forward to seeing it this weekend.



I love Jonny Hannah's prints and already have a few myself. They always make me smile with their quirky typography and funny illustrations.




Don't worry if you can't make it down to sunny Brighton to see the show - all the prints above and many more are now available in the Castor + Pollux online shop.

Images copyright Jonny Hannah, taken from Castor + Pollux.

Gebrauchsgraphik Magazine













Some lovely Tuesday inspiration in the form of Gebrauchsgraphik: International Advertising Art covers. Gebrauchsgraphik or 'Commercial Arts' magazine was a German design and graphics publication founded in 1923 by Professor H. K. Frensel.

There are lots of examples of Gebrauchsgraphik covers on line, the ones above are from; A Journey Around My Skull, Webdesigner Depot, Bust Bright's Flickr, Aqua Velvet and Designers Books.

If Vintage magazine covers are your thing, you light like the following posts:
Which?
Modern Packaging
Country Fair and more Country Fair
Holiday
Opus International
Fortune
Juana Gaita
Gentry
Scienza e Vita

Tue 01 Feb 2011

Posted under: Design , Illustration , Magazine

0 Comments

From the reference box #98






#98 - Hurtigruten Coastal Express leaflet. I think this lovely leaflet is from the late 60's or early 70's. It's dual language (Norwegian?/ English) and gives all the on-board information passengers require for the trip.

The Hutigruten Coastal Express Service is a breathtaking 12 day voyage up the coast of Norway. It starts at Bergen, works it's way up to Kirkenes and then returns to Bergen taking in the gorgeous landscapes, ports and nature along the way.

The leaflet itself isn't that exciting, but the graphics are fantastic. They look like tissue paper collages, but whether they actually are I'll never know. The lobster is definitely my favourite by far.

There's lots more fabulous ephemera in the reference box, make a cup of tea and have a dig around here.

Thu 27 Jan 2011

Posted under: Design , Reference box , Illustration

2 Comments

Harper, Harper, Harper!


How lucky am I? Look at the fabulous birthday gift I received at the weekend.

It's an original Harper, Harper, Harper poster created in 1977 to promote an exhibition of paintings and drawings by Edie, Brett and Charles Harper at the Frame House Gallery, Louisville, Kentucky.

The ladybird is a classic Charley Harper illustration and one he used regularly, so it's great to have a piece that incorporates it.

This poster and many other great Harper prints/posters are now available from Castor + Pollux, Brighton who are now an official Charley Harper retailer!

Wed 19 Jan 2011

Posted under: Design , Things to buy , Illustration

0 Comments

From the reference box #96


#96 - Vintage Wall's Carry Home Bag. I've always liked the Wall's logo, but coupled with these little butterflies it looks even better.

It's a very thick paper bag designed to carry home your ice-cream. I have no idea what year it's from, but I would guess at mid 60's or even early 70's judging by the design and print quality.

Have a good old rummage around the rest of our reference box here.

Walter Allner: Modern Packaging









I thought these covers for Modern Packaging seemed familiar and then I discovered they were designed by Walter Allner, the art director of Fortune magazine 1962 - 1974.

I love the Fortune covers, and these are equally as fabulous with their big blocks of colour, strong use of black and the simplified graphic illustrations.

The Modern Packaging covers above range from 1955 - 1963 so there must have been some overlap when Allner was working at Fortune magazine and still creating the Modern Packaging covers. His motto was, "Raise the aesthetic standard - the public is more perceptive than you think".

These covers are part of the Rochester Institute of Technology's (RIT) Walter Allner collection donated by the man himself. The RIT have a great online Graphic Design Archive (GDA) showcasing and preserving "the work of significant American graphic designers active from the 1920s to the 1950s", including Saul Bass, Alvin Lustig and Paul Rand.

Via Aqua Velvet.

Mon 10 Jan 2011

Posted under: Design , Illustration , Magazine

0 Comments

Retro Lolly Prints by Emily Turner


When I first saw Emily Turner's retro lolly prints I was immediately struck by childhood memories of running down the street to the ice cream van!

The simplicity of the illustrations with the red and blue print gives them a wonderful nostalgic feel, I'm sure having one on the studio wall would make it feel like Summer every day.



All above prints are available for £20 from FRANK and The Print Block (who are having a Christmas sale on December 4 if you're in the area).

Sat 20 Nov 2010

Posted under: Design , Prints , Illustration

1 Comment

Drawing Fashion


Antonio, Joanne Landis Carnegie Hall Studio, New York Times Magazine, 1967

Aurore de la Morinerie, Couture I, 2010

Antonio, Karl Largerfeld, Vogue France, 1972

François Berthoud, Loves me Loves me Not, Myla UK, 2001

Mats Gustafson, Red Dress, Yohji Yamamoto,1999

Drawing Fashion - wonderful fashion illustrations collected over 30 years by Joelle Chariau, owner of Galerie Bartsch & Chariau (Munich), is currently showing for the first time at London's Design Museum.

"Drawing Fashion celebrates a unique collection of some of the most remarkable fashion illustrations from the twentieth and twenty first centuries. These original works define the fine art of illustrating fashion, from the collections of Chanel, Dior, Comme des Garçons and Poiret as well as Viktor & Rolf, Lacroix and McQueen."

The exhibition has been curated by fashion historian Colin McDowell. The showcased illustrations span 100 years and are displayed alongside period photography, music and news to show the social, cultural and style changes throughout the decades.

This is definitely on my December gallery list, but there's no rush it's running until 6 March 2011 and for those who want a little more information - tickets are now available for Stephen Jones in conversation with Colin McDowell, Wednesday 26 January 2011 at 7.30pm. Get your tickets here.

Images copyright of the artists and/or
Joelle Chariau.

Wed 10 Nov 2010

Posted under: Illustration , Exhibition

4 Comments

Patrick Hruby




I've just come across the work of Californian illustrator Patrick Hruby for the first time, and I love it - the colours, the geometric shapes and the big type definitely do it for me. They also have a lovely nostalgic feel which adds to their charm.

He's just completed this great ABC book for Ammo too...




To see more of Patrick's wonderful work check out his website and blog.
Via Ffffound.

Sun 03 Oct 2010

Posted under: Typography , Illustration , Books

0 Comments

Welcome

Welcome to the Delicious Industries blog. We're an independent design studio based in Brighton, UK and this is our scrapbook packed full of design, illustration, photography & typography inspiration. Check out our work here.

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