Design Jones

Nice gallery of various inspiring festival posters at bluefaqs.com HERE.

(Via SmashingMag on Twitter)

Seriously loving the work of student, Matthew Lyons currently studying illustration and animation at Loughborough University. Amazing colour palettes, lighting and cinematic feel. You can check his website HERE.

(via Grain Edit)

I totally agree with Mike Kus over at Carsonified – I work so much better with a soundtrack and and always intrigued by the effect music can have. You can read his article HERE. Right now I’m listening to Imogen Heap’s latest album ‘Ellipse’ almost constantly, check it out HERE I also loved the video she made for canvas, the image below is taken from it.

I found John Mander’s blog via Drawn! “His blog is full of sketches, colour studies, and in-progress paintings for those that like to see the behind-the-scenes aspects of an illustrator’s workflow.” You can check it out HERE.

I found this really useful list of great design magazines via a tweet from SwissMiss this morning. There are a few here I’ve not heard of and a couple more that I can only find every so often as they are US imports but it’s a really good list and well worth checking out HERE. I’ve had to clear my shelves in the studio to make room for all the books and magazines I’ve recently added to the library so it looks like perfect timing!

After years of spending time searching for images online or atempting to capture a sudden inspiring scene, I decided it was high time I got myself a ‘proper’ camera! I’ve tried to take it everywhere with me as there have been so many times in the past I’ve seen something and thought ‘that would make a great shot’ that I don’t ever want to miss out again. So far I haven’t had time to really put it through it’s paces but I’ve managed to start building a library of textures and record some great family moments.

With so many ways to find inspiration online these days it’s rare for anyone to still keep an offline journal. A university lecturer once said to me that your journal is like your brain pickled on a shelf. A great place to store things you’ve found or been inspired by for a rainy day. Vandaley Design have a great article HERE on the benefits of looking for offline sources of inspiration and ideas. This is something I’ve done since I first started university although these days the scraps of paper, magazine covers, flyers etc live in a stack of drawers behind me waiting to be collated but they are so valuable to me in terms of feeding your creative brain a more varied diet.

I look forward to the ‘Art of…’ books from each new Pixar release almost as much and the film itself.  Former Pixar production designer Lou Romano has recently posted a huge selection of his work on Pixar’s newest film, “Up”. You can check it out HERE although be warned it may contain some spoilers.

(Via Drawn!)

Last week was my wife’s birthday and I’ve never been so spoilt for choice with her present.

“Etsy is an online marketplace for buying & selling all things handmade. Our mission is to enable people to make a living making things, and to reconnect makers with buyers. Our vision is to build a new economy and present a better choice: Buy, Sell and Live Handmade”

Since then I’m seriously addicted to this site and all the talented people that contribute to it. You can check it out HERE but be warned this site can seriously consume your day.

James Jean has recently published over 150 images from last year’s sketchbooks. I’m seriosly blown away by the qulaity, quantity and character of his drawings. It’s really clear that he has invested a lot of time and value in these books and I feel very much inspired to take my journal and pencil with me at all times – including airport waiting lounges by the looks of it!

(via Drawn!)