Book By Its Cover » zzzGuest Bloggers

Como É Que Uma Galinha…

Leah — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 21:09:13 +0000

Como É Que Uma Galinha…, by Isabel Minhós Martins and Yara Kono was recently released by Portugese publisher Planeta Tangerina. The title translates to “How does a chicken…” and the book uncovers what makes the chicken truly special. “A chicken is known as being a silly and ugly bird,” Planeta Tangerina writes, “But the truth, the real truth is told in this book …”

Sketchbook Series: Danielle Kroll

Leah — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 20:14:07 +0000

Danielle Kroll is a designer and illustrator living in Philadelphia, PA. She attended Tyler School of Art and is currently an in-house designer for Anthropologie. Danielle’s design and typography work is highly illustrative, and her sketchbook is a beautiful indication of this. Her paintings are bright and whimsical; an alphabet wears hats and shoes, plates are adorned with intricate decorations, and even the pickle jar rests on a pretty pink backdrop. Danielle’s blog often features more of the dresses and shoes seen in her sketchbook. Illustrated “What I Wore” posts are a wonderful part of her blog, as are other bits of illustration and typography projects.

The First In Line: From the Sketchbooks of Mattias Adolfsson

Leah — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 20:46:40 +0000

We were excited back in May to share a peek into Mattias Adolfsson’s fantastically imaginary, obsessively detailed, sketchbooks. Now, his new book The First In Line, published by Sanatorium, compiles numerous drawings from his sketchbooks. There is even a gorgeous limited edition that includes an original drawing. The First In Line begins with a Q & A with Mattias, and includes prints of full sketchbooks spreads and well as close-ups on the insane detail.

Rue de L’Articho

Leah — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 20:42:46 +0000

For Editions Thierry Magnier’s latest book, they asked 16 illustrators to each create an shop for an imaginary street. Rue de L’Articho then came to life, packed with a flower shop, joke shop, fruit stand, and everything in between. It even comes with a shopping list on the front cover, inviting readers to search for items as they visit each shop, page by page. Rue de L’Articho is entirely in French, so I can’t read a word, but each bright illustration is as clear as if you’re walking down the street yourself.

Sketchbook Series: Ana Montiel

Leah — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 21:37:29 +0000

Pretty patterns and flowers are some of my favorite things in the world, and Ana Montiel paints some of the prettiest I’ve ever seen, in dreamy watercolor and beautiful color harmonies. I’m thrilled that Ana is sharing her sketchbooks with us now, filled with bits and pieces of her patterns, flowers, and decorative lettering.

Ana is a London-based Spanish illustrator and designer who has worked for brands including Nina Ricci, Jo Malone, and Carolina Herrera. Her watercolor florals adorn Nina Ricci’s new Cristal Collection, and the numerous drafts for the same project are equally breathtaking. Some of Ana’s other work, “Visual Mantras” explores repetitive, meditative geometric patterns that, in her words, are “based upon the cyclical and rhythmic flow of life”. You can see more of Ana’s work on her website and her blog, and purchase prints and wallpaper of her patterns in her online shop. She also has released a limited edition book, Visual Mantras, compiling the patterns in the series.

Sketchbook Series: Melissa Castrillon

Leah — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 18:57:56 +0000

Melissa Castrillon is an illustrator living in Cambridge, UK where she is working on an MA in children’s book illustration at the Cambridge School of Art. I first discovered her work in a feature on one of my favorite blogs, Where The Lovely Things Are. Melissa’s drawings have a beautiful attention to pattern and mark making. I love her characters, they always feel slightly melancholy and full of emotion, and seem to have strong bonds with each other. Melissa is currently illustrating a book for the Holland Times and is having a solo exhibition for the duration of January 2012 at the Arts Picture House in Cambridge, UK. She also received ‘Highly Commended’ in the 2011 Cheltenham Illustration Awards for her book Two Wolves. You can see more of Melissa’s work on her flickr, and follow her blog here. She’s currently working on a portfolio site that will be up soon!

People

Leah — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 20:45:50 +0000

People is the most recent book from Blexbolex, a French illustrator now working in Berlin. Blexbolex’s style references printmaking techniques, and is built from layering graphic shapes.

Everything about this book is so beautiful! The illustration is done in perfect color harmonies, and each person seems alive. The creamy, matte paper is bound with a mustard yellow cover, and wrapped in a two-sided printed jacket.

Like his last book, Seasons, Blexbolex uses each 2-page spread to express an idea, with one word illustrated on each page. “Homeless Person” on the left, shows a man sleeping in a cardboard box. “Camper” on the right, shows a girl lounging in a field. It’s a little puzzle, forcing you to think about similarities and differences between different human activities and professions.

Sketchbook Series: Lauren Tamaki

Leah — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 16:58:04 +0000

This week, Lauren Tamaki, an illustrator from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, shared her sketchbook. Lauren’s clients include Murale, Good Magazine, Swerve Magazine, Theatre Junction GRAND, and le PETIT BERET The Morning News, and her work is full lively lines and bright colors. She also does a lot of hand lettering, which shows up throughout her sketchbook. Lauren’s sketchbooks explore portraits, objects, lettering, and more abstract forms, all in the ease of her vibrant watercolors and line work. I love how varied each drawing is, particularly the portraits. Some are observational, some imaginative, and each person has its own mood and personality. You can see more of Lauren’s work on her website, and a lot more sketchbooks, inspiration, and final pieces on her blog.

O Arenque Fumado

Leah — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 19:35:21 +0000

I was thrilled today when this colorful book illustrated by André da Loba arrived! André da Loba is a maker of images, toys, animations, and is an amazing storyteller. He was one of the first, and also the best, teacher I had studying illustration at Parsons. André’s work shows so much illustration can be: in class he brought to life painted wooden blocks, built cardboard animals, and painted with brooms on huge paper. This book is no exception to André’s brilliance. O Arenque Fumado, or The Smoked Herring, is a poem by Charles Cros, originally published in 1872. Here, it is illustrated by André da Loba and published by Bruaá Editora. Inside the box, O Arenque Fumado begins with a colorful cover, scattered with bright little shapes. Every image is textured like a block print, and feels special. The book then opens out into a large yellow herring, filled with little shapes and images and text. You can purchase a copy of the book here — a delight even if you can’t read the Portugese text!

Sketchbook Series: John Garcia

Leah — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 17:00:57 +0000

John Garcia is a artist and illustrator, born in Los Angeles and currently living in New York City. John’s work is greatly influenced by his roots in Southern California, something we’ve bonded over for the past couple years. While I’ve been painting California wildflowers, he’s been drawing surfers, bikes, and composing crazy street art inspired pieces. He works in every scale and medium – from watercolor to woodcuts, scraps of paper to murals. His sketchbooks are layered explorations for finished pieces, and often become finished work themselves. In a sketchbook class we took at Parsons, John’s book was always the most interesting and unexpected. On one page there’s a loose marker drawing, and the next, a rendered painting and textural collage. John and I are currently working on a printed tote together that should be out soon — think, a jumbled pattern of puppies and kitties in Lisa Frank colors. You can see more of John’s work and sketchbooks on his website here.