Bright Young Things 2011: Illustration and Print

Crikey, what happened to January?! Well for me at least I’ve been finishing off a rather time-consuming extra curricular project which is now finally over, so hopefully normal blogging can resume! So without further delay, I give to you my final picks for general excellence in 2011, today in the form of illustration and print:

Curiosa and Curiosa – striking range of fabrics and wallpapers with an edgy touch of whimsy

Design Bark – with a nod to the Victorian craft of marquetry, designer Sarah Newman screenprints abstract illustrations in neon brights onto wood veneer, creating a very 21^st-century Hoxton type affair, then forms the resulting designs into drum lampshades

Lizzie Mary Cullen – award-winning young illustrator whose distinctive line drawings have adorned the walls of numerous exhibition spaces, buildings and installations (seen here up top as snapped by my own fair hand, creating a live mural as part of Tent London 2010). For those looking to get the look at home, she is available for commissions and also stocks a range of limited edition prints

Westergaard Designs – along with cute animal designs is the Rejse side table, providing a modern take on the notion of placing a doily or tablecloth onto a side table through its laser etched design

Scandinavian Surface – by photographing and studying nature, this design outfit have created a range of panel designs – arrange like for like together or mix it up a bit for a more personal, bespoke look

Hive Space – this fresh London collaborative produce an array of intelligent design pieces, such as their Elle Deco approved Cityscape rug, depicting New York City at a scale of 1:25 000

Grimm Designers – producing a small yet punch range of homewares including an Evil Bunny eggcup, Grimm have also subverted the traditional art of marquetry to produce this ‘Grandmother’ artwork as part of their Little Red Cap series

Kate Usher – more whimsical wallpaper designs from illustrator Kate in her modern-vintage style, including this charmingly retro meerkat print, rather on-trend right now thanks to a *certain* TV ad…

Grace and Webb – run by former textile designer Natasha Webb, the company apply their patterns to an array of ‘hard’ surfaces, from smaller items such as this chair to large-scale fretwork panels for retail spaces

Spineless Classics – a truly unique idea, entire volumes of classic novels are reproduced in tiny font onto a single print, with negative spaces cunningly designed to hint at the story surrounding them. With something for everyone on offer, from Alice in Wonderland to Wuthering Heights, in a world where e-books are threatening to take over it’s great to see the printed word fighting back

Creative Trust – one of the knockout stands at London Design Festival, this multi-disciplinary practice not only creates designwork for the likes of Nokia and Coca Cola, they also apply their delightfully quirky touch to a small range of illustrated items, including their cardboard range (as shot on my iPhone hence the dodgy pics) as well as etched acrylic pieces and encapsulated vintage doilies (yes, these aren’t illustration or print, but as they are doilies they bypass all rules by virtue of their sheer excellence).

Final chapter to follow shortly!