Fab Creative Solutions

A1 Print Master ISCD Industry Award Winners

2012-01-12T17:02:00.001+10:30

2011 was an exciting year for my ISCD Graphic Design Students. So many interesting projects, so many industry awards! Congratulations on your graduation! I am so proud of you.

Here the 3 finalist of the Wrapping Paper competition sponsored by A1 Print Master:

Award Winners Gallery

Excellence Award: Lynette Rieper

Highly Commended: 2nd Maria Casano

Highly Commended: 3rd Lisa Firth

Congratulations Girls! Can't wait to see what you will create next!

Winning Students, ISCD Teacher and A1 Printmaster Directors - Graduation Night at ISCD.

DASHING PRINT STUDENT SWATCH BOOK COMPETITION 2011/12

2011-10-17T14:16:00.000+10:30

Great opportunity for my graphic design students @ ISCD!

Dashing Print is producing a limited edition paper stock swatch book and need your help filling in the blanks. And are requesting students to show them what inspires their design process.

If their design is chosen as the overall winning piece, not only they will be honored to help print your final portfolio free of charge and their work will be across the front & back ...of their swatch book and will be on the desks of the most influential design studio’s and advertising agencies in Sydney.

In addition runner-up entries will help fill the swatch book showcasing a full spectrum of up and coming talented designers.

If you guys are interested - Enter below to download your Design Brief.
Entries close Friday 4 November 2011.

http://helpdesk.dashingprint.com.au/student-competition-form/

They have also put together a great help desk resource on their website that will make printing less complicated.

check it out: http://helpdesk.dashingprint.com.au/i-have-a-question/

10 Stationery Design Suppliers | UPDATED

2011-08-12T12:30:00.001+09:30

Hey guys you have been asking some tips to have your products printed professionally.
I have put this together with collaboration with some ISCD students.
Thanks for sharing your research guys.
Here you go enjoy, let's print!

http://www.plywerk.com/photo-mounting/prodeal

http://uk.moo.com

http://www.snapfish.com.au/

http://au.blurb.com/

http://papermagnolia.com

http://www.kodanoz.com.au/home

www.saltprint.com.au

http://www.artscow.com/

http://www.cafepress.com.au/

http://www.zazzle.com.au/

10 Tips on Stationery Design

2011-07-29T12:33:00.000+09:30

This is a stationery design brief I have created for my ISCD students on the Graphic Design Diploma in Sydney. It is really exciting design brief because they can either design a range for Kikki K or create their own stationery label.

10 Tips on Getting Started:

Visit some shops for inspiration
Make a list of most popular products
Visit some online stores such as:

www.pulpcreativepaper.com.au

www.typoshop.com.au
www.kikki-k.com
www.ordning-reda.com
www.papershop.fi
www.mysweetprints.com.au
www.whereagirlgoes.com

www.etsy.com

4. Make up your mind | Would you prefer to design for an existing brand or create your own range? If you decide to create your own range ask yourself what would make your stationery brand unique? Are there any untouched opportunities in the stationery market in Australia?

5. Create a mood board | A great online resource on mood boards is: http://pinterest.com/

6. Hands on design! | Start creating your motiffs on your visual diary.

7. Select your favourite Motiffs | Choose a theme and create a library (selection) of related motiffs

8. Research Trends | Start thinking which will be the next colour trends for SS12.


Have a look at fashion and interior design trends

9. Time Management | remeber time goes quickly when you are having fun so set goals for each week. and make sure your bring your work in progress to class every week. Allow yourself enough time to prepare your mock-ups.

10. Style your photos | have a look at interior design magazines for inspiration. Have Fun!!

Moving Notice Interactive Design

2010-12-02T18:01:00.000+10:30

I just came across this cute little template online while doing a research for a project.
It is an interactive moving notice for an engineering firm in Canada, by Toronto based designer Brian kroeker. The idea can be applied to other situations you just have to design another template. Love the recycled paper used as well. Clever, fun and sustainable. Well done Brian!

Pulp Paper lovers Boutique

2010-11-26T14:02:00.001+10:30

Today I paid a visit to a magical little paper boutique called Pulp. The kind of place, designers and paper lovers could spend hours in, like a candy shop really. For me was like visiting a mini art gallery for printed paper. Great work from illustrators and surface designers from around the world.

"There is something quite magical about Pulp. Your senses are treated to a dazzling display of paper accoutrements and a beautiful assortment of gifts. The space has been created to encourage creativity no matter how little of it you think you posses. There is a selection of over 300 papers from around the world, more than 200 couture-quality style ribbons and a unique range of gift cards."

I got some FAB ex-libris (book plates) illustrated by Kate Sutton a very practical notepad.

The kind of shop I want to have when I win the lottery one day.

Pulp Creative Paper

294 Sydney Road, Balgowlah NSW 2093
Phone: 02 9948 1191

www.pulpcreativepaper.com.au

Digital Textile Design

2010-11-12T09:57:00.001+10:30

I keep recommending this book to people. So here you go. Digital Textile Design by Melanie Bowles. Melanie's work focuses on the creative interaction between traditional textile design new digital technology. Her passion and knowledge truly inspiring. Check her website.

The book provides expert knowledge and "know how" instructions for Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. As well as great illustrations showcasing students from Chelsea College of Art & Designs work, offering a perfect balance between the process and the practice, demonstrating how each technique can be applied. I think it is a great book for students, teachers and designers, very current in term of trends, very inspiring.

So far I had only had the chance to do one of the tutorials and the step-by-step instructions were fantastic. Can't wait to try some more. Just need to allocate some time and experiment. Time!!! Never enough :)

Floris Neusüss at the V&A

2010-11-04T10:40:00.000+10:30

The weather is terrible I was looking for some inspiration to get my day going.

I just came across today a new V&A exhibition (I miss London….). Floris Neususs makes pictures without a camera - a 'photogram'. Really interesting approach to photography. I Love the part of the video where he says that he takes the photograph out of the studio and takes it into the object. He uses this technique because he finds it to be a medium that is suitable for the purpose of his work.

“An important aspect of my work was more conditioned by the medium itself: I carried the photogram out of the laboratory, that is out of the studio, and took it to the objects. And the very first photo I made outside the studio, the first photogram, was of this window. A very important aspect of a photogram is this contact, how do I put it…a photogram is not a reproduced print, it is a contact picture. You sense that the object was originally in contact with the picture.”

This is one of the reasons I have been taking the printmaking classes this term. I want to explore new techniques to allow my work to blossom in new dimensions, exploring new directions.

I want try to see how this photogram technique could translate into surface design work. Anyways back to branding :) off I go.

Click here to see his interview.

Bikini Trends

2010-10-24T17:59:00.001+10:30

I am currently working on a bikini surface design project. Just would like to share this forecast on Mercedes Fashion Week Miami - Trends for 2010/2011. Some of the highlights for me were the draping and the love ethnic themes as well as sexy one piece swimsuits with strategically placed cut outs. Other featured trends were: Colour Riot - Bright Saturated Colours Vivid / Neon. Mix and Match - eclectic different colour and fabrics tops and bottoms. Asymmetric angles and graphic and geometric patterns picking up on fashion trends. Plunge - deep plunging necklines are also in.

Lua Morena, Brazilian Brand has not retouched its catalogue - fabulous :)

South Ameriacan designers were shining during Mercedes Benz Fashion Week. Some brands worth checking out: Caffe Swimwear by Colombia designer Paula Saavedra, Luli Fama, Vitamine A by Amahlia Stevens, Cia Maritima - Brazilian brand by designer Benny Rosetti and Poko Pano.

Australian Accent - The Designs of Ann Fabrics

2010-10-01T18:11:00.003+09:30


Nance Mackenzie & Anne Outlaw hanging fabric; photo by Pix Magazine, c1940s (Collection: Powerhouse Museum, Sydney)

Last Sunday I have visited an exciting textile design symposium at the Mosman Art Gallery. A range of issues were discussed including sustainable design practice, creation of original designs from client briefs and the issue of copyright, the relationship between small designers and the media and a fascinating comparative study of the work of designers Nance Mackenzie, Jenny Kee and Catherine Martin. Examples of the work of contemporary designers were also be on displayed.

Textile length, cotton, ‘Banana’ made by Annan Fabrics, c1945 (Gift of Mrs Alexandra Kirkwood, Collection: Powerhouse Museum)

A passionate and knowledgeable panel Speakers including: Lindie Ward, Curator, Powerhouse Museum; Cecilia Heffer, Senior Lecturer, School of Design, UTS; Penny McIntyre of Think Designer Prints; Martine Kilo, Production Manager of cloth Fabrics; and design journalist Andrea Jones. An absolute treat, thanks for Julie Petersen, the curator of Mosman Art Gallery for orchestrating such a great panel of speakers.

Personal notes > Names to remember and research: Ernabella 1937 amazing range of textiles, Utopia Batiks, Susan Tandler - Bauhaus influence and of course the amazing Catherine Martin. On a craft + technology list: Naomi Kobayashi and Reiko Sudo > Nuno Textiles.

Recommended book: Cecilia Heffer's Bedside table book: Extreme Textiles