I’m a big fan of Darren Aronofsky and can hardly wait to see his latest film, Black Swan. Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis star in the thriller that zeros in on a relationship between a veteran ballet dancer and her rival. (You can check out the creeptastic trailer here.) Until then I’m content to ogle these gorgeous limited edition prints. I love how the same design style is used throughout, but the font use successfully varies with each print. Lovely, brave work.
A little something stylish for the boys, check out the Dress the Part. A series of ten posters inspired by men’s style and illustrated by James Alexander Mathers and Andrew Lau. Each poster highlights a classic menswear piece from the movies American Psycho, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Dumb and Dumber, Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas, Shaun of the Dead, Superman, The Shining, The Usual Suspects, Top Gun, and Wall Street.
This rad kitchen conversion print, from none other than Jenna of Whimsy & Spice, just jumped onto my Christmas list. I love the little silhouetted shapes and the color palette she used works perfectly with my soon to be gray kitchen.
I have a cozy corner in my living room. In it sits my favorite chair, a tea tray table and two walls of revolving artwork. Some of it is mine, but the majority are prints I’ve picked up over the past few years. Each one is special to me and I’m always looking for the next piece to add to my collection. Right now these are all riding mighty high on the list.
I’m such a geography jerk, I love maps. In fact, one of the things I always have my eyes open for is a set of classroom maps. You know, the kind that get pulled down by a string? I’d love to hang them in my non-existent dining room. I love these prints by Yanko Tsvetkov that map stereotypes of Europe through other demographics’ eyes are fantastic.
I’ve tried to resist the majesty of this Big Orange Scissors silk screened print by Alanna Cavanaugh for the past twenty-nine days. And I’m happy to report that I’m failing miserably.
This week’s giveaway is from my neighbors in Arkansas, Roll&Tumble Press. They’re also a huge design crush of mine. Roll&TumblePress is Christie and Caleb, partners in art and life who were born creative. They primarily print art and gig posters with the occasional holiday card thrown in for good measure around the holidays. Inspiration comes from quirky southern things, phrases from their grandparents, musical phases, artists of the past, old architecture and signs, typography, and eavesdropping among numerous other things.
The Process. Each poster begins with something as simple as an image or phrase. Color palette, layout, size and typography are discussed. Caleb begins to illustrate, the line drawing then is transferred to linoleum or wood blocks. These are then hand carved, sometimes by Caleb sometimes by Christie depending on the “style”. Caleb prefers clean and precise, while Christie is more folksy. Once all blocks are carved the type is chosen from the cases, using almost all antique wood type and some vintage lead type. The inks are then hand mixed. Once it’s time to hit the press, they hand crank their vintage Vandercook letterpress once for each color on each poster, talk about labor intensive! The things we do for love.
Roll&TumblePress are giving away a set of their Eat & Drink letterpress posters. I’ve had them bookmarked for weeks! They’re available in three colors for you to choose from. The Drink poster is perfectly Halloween-y to me and would also be great over your bar area. And Eat is obviously kitchen material for sure.
To Enter, Comment and Tell Me: 1. About the first poster you remember adorning your bedroom walls with as a youngster. 2. Leave your email address. 3. Do it all before Monday, August 30th at 9am CST.
The Fine Print: Please leave only one comment. Those who do not leave a valid email address will be disqualified. Winners will be selected randomly using random.org and contacted Monday, August 30th.
This elephantine “3” will afford its owner endless conversational fodder as you weave your dutifully nodding dinner party guests through the story of Charles and Ray Eames’ obsession with circus imagery and how the three on which this digit is based hung in the graphics room at the Eames Office and became the impetus for a set of numeral fonts offered by House Industries and that David Dodde lovingly hand pulled this poster and patiently let it air dry to achieve the unique flatness characteristic of air dried screen printing inks can I make you an espresso you look a little drowsy. Then enjoy the poignant silence as your guests consider the cultural breadth of your knowledge or decide if they should feign an urgent call from the babysitter so they can leave before dessert.
