Archive for category Designers We Love
Surface Graphics Design Partner Speaks with Sharpie®
Posted by Kaitlin in Art and Design, Designers We Love, Events, News, Wall Decals on March 30th, 2010
Matthew signing Swatch watches in NYC
Graphic design artist, Matthew Langille, recently designed three unique and trendy wall decal designs for Surface Graphics. The work that he created for us is just one of many projects that this New Jersey native has been involved with lately.
Matthew has done work for Marc by Marc Jacobs, Little Marc Jacobs, Swatch, Adidas, Havaianas, and SIGG; as well as a variety of fashion designers and magazines. And, is soon launching a women’s and men’s jean line that he has designed for Reco Jeans. You can scope out all of these designs on Matthew’s website.
In an interview with his favorite design tool company, Sharpie®, Langille speaks about his childhood, outbreak into the industry, and the varied projects he has pursued. Take a peak at the interview to discover more about the man behind the designs.
Spotlight on Philadelphia Artists
Posted by Kaitlin in Art and Design, Designers We Love, Events on March 16th, 2010
Being a Philadelphia based company and having an eye for unique design, we at Surface Graphics find art we love all over the city of brotherly love. Recently I stumbled upon an artist whose art I have become quite fond of and wanted to share with art guru’s alike.
The artist is Michelle Ciarlo-Hayes. She is a fine art photographer and writer who has traveled around the world and currently resides in the Philadelphia area. Her short stories have appeared in various literary anthologies; and her photographs have been exhibited in a variety of venues including Philadelphia City Hall and the Tiberino Memorial Museum. She is known for capturing everyday things in ordinary ways, which is what has turned me on most about her work.
Another great aspect of this artist is the stories that are told behind the pictures. The story not only brings life to the picture, but also gives a fresh perspective to how we view her pieces of work. My favorite is the photograph of the Philadelphia skyline from the location of boat house row. In this photograph she explains how this is where she first met her husband.
Visit Michelle’s website to view her gallery. If you are interested in viewing some of her work, she has many upcoming exhibits. Be sure to check them out!
Wall Decals Welcome an Industrial Edge
Posted by Kaitlin in Designers We Love, Wall Decals on February 17th, 2010
Ian Altares is a young energetic designer with a passion for making people smile through his designs. He studied industrial design at Philadelphia University and utilizes industrial products as an inspiration for his work.
Ian has created designs for us bringing a new vision and inventive outlook on interior design. He has designed the No Light wall decal, a sophisticated design that adds simplicity and timelessness to any space; and the Pulley System, representing Ian’s interest in how everyday objects work; which are part of our new line of decals, STUDIO.
Ian joined us at this years New York International Gift Fair on Sunday, January 31 for the launch of the new line of decals. We are pleased to have his retrospect for design as part of our mission to provide our customers with a unique way to give any surface a distinctive style.
To learn more about Ian and to see more of his work and designs, visit his website by clicking here!
Color Picker by Jinsu Park
Posted by Brian in Designers We Love, Objects on August 31st, 2009
Korean designer Jinsu Park brings the power of Photoshop to your finger tips! The Color Picker Pen acts as the eyedropper tool for real life by enabling colors in the environment to be scanned and instantly used for drawing.
The pen has a sensor that detects the color and matches it to the color display. Inside, the RGB cartridge mixes the inks together to create the color that has been scanned. Read the rest of this entry »
Sky Planter by Boskke
Posted by Brian in Designers We Love, Interior Design, Objects on August 19th, 2009
Pottery designer Patrick Morris transforms the way people enjoy their plants in their living environments with the upside-down Sky Planter. Morris isn’t satisfied with having plants relegated to the remote corners of a room so he’s elevated them into upside-down interior features.
Pantone Series by W2
Posted by Brian in Designers We Love, Interior Design, Objects on August 18th, 2009
The Pantone Series from London duo Whitbread Wilkinson is the first officially licensed collection under the Pantone brand. The giftware includes coffee mugs, tea mugs, espresso sets, messenger bags, key chains, coin purses, and passport holders. For over 45 years Pantone has been inspiring design professionals and they are the authority on color!
The Mug Collecton is inspired by the Pantone Color charts and are glazed with a pattern resembling the iconic Pantone Color Chip. The mugs are sold individually and in a set of 10 Pantone primary colors. Espresso mugs are available in warm and cool series and are sure to make any kitchen or office sparkle with color! Read the rest of this entry »
Ink Calendar by Oscar Diaz
Posted by Brian in Designers We Love, Objects on August 6th, 2009
For his latest installation Spanish designer Oscar Diaz designed the Ink Calendar that uses capillary action of spreading ink across paper to display the date. Each month uses a different vial of temperature controlled ink that travels across embossed paper and colors in the date.
The ink colors were designed to relate to our perception of the actual weather on that particular month. The colors range from dark blue in December to shades of green in the spring and oranges and reds in the summer months. The projects’ focus is to address our senses and our perception of time passing by.
Design Within A Kid’s Reach
Posted by Brian in Designers We Love, Interior Design, Objects on July 29th, 2009
The design world has not overlooked our favorite little ones! Now more than ever designers are offering licensed classics on a slightly smaller scale. Design savvy parents can now look to Eames, Saarinen, Van der Rohe, or others to transform children’s spaces. The Surface Blog has rounded up some favorites that will inspire even the smallest of minds.
Knoll Kids has a nine piece collection of spirited classics for a younger generation. Each piece reflects belief in the utility of modern design and commitment to quality. The collection creates a design friendly environment for kids and parents alike and is available at Design Within Reach.
In Design We Trust: Mike and Maaike
Posted by Brian in Designers We Love on June 18th, 2009
Recently our Surface Bloggers stumbled upon the industrial design studio of Mike and Maaike. Known for their experimental approach to design, they create ideas and unexpected solutions for products, furniture, wearables, environments and vehicles.
(From Left: Maaike Evers & Mike Simonian)
The San-Fransisco based design duo is made up of Maaike Evers, who is Dutch, and Mike Simonian, a native Californian. Their unique backgrounds yield unexpected and incredible results. This cutting edge design studio has been growing quickly, and Google chose Mike and Maaike to design the first mobile phone which will runs on the Google Android Operating System.
The Cardboard Craze: Being Green at Home is Easy!
Posted by Brian in Designers We Love, Objects on June 2nd, 2009
From lighting to furniture, sculptures, room dividers, children’s toys, and everywhere in-between – designers are turning to cardboard to create great green decor and sustainable design. Most are using recycled cardboard or repurposed cardboard boxes to create modern sustainable furniture and accessories. The Milan Furniture Fair and ICFF both featured many incredible cardboard designs.
There is nothing more that we love at The Surface Blog than great sustainable design! The cardboard craze started back when one of societies most relevant architects Frank Gehry designed a cardboard furniture collection in 1972 for Vitra. The cardboard Wiggle Chair and Wiggle Ottoman are made from 60 intricate layers of cardboard. He was way ahead of the trend of sustainable design with this collection. The Wiggle chair is surprisingly sturdy and hugely popular. It is now available in new colors with modern accented lacquered edges.
Cardboard design is so popular that retailer West Elm recently collaborated with top tier event designer David Stark to create cardboard designed furniture and accessories for their latest Manhattan store opening. The limited edition products were made from left over store catalogs and waste from packaging material.
