Behance

I set up a page on the Behance network last night, check it out.

Em cartoons

I love Em cartoons, probably the only thing worth reading in the London Paper. They're so funny, sweet and - rarely for a cartoon - relatable and true (almost scarily so sometimes). I'm pretty happy that I found the website so I can read the cartoons without getting icky newsprint all over my hands and having to endure seeing what Peaches Geldof got up to last night.

Target = blank?

Smashing Magazine published this article stating that it's more user-friendly to set your links to open in the same window, not a new one. I found that really surprising as I have always assumed it's good practice to open external links in a new window. They argue that users become annoyed with many tabs being open and the lack of back-button functionality, but to me it's easier to close a window than press back (especially if you've entered data, like in a search box, which then gets erased). I'm constantly right-clicking links to open them in a new window rather than overwrite my current page.

I set all the links off my blog to open in new windows because I think a user might want to check out what I've linked then carrying on reading my blog. It's not, as the article suggests, a sneaky way to keep people on your site. To me it's logical that any internal page of a site should open same window, and external links should open new windows.

How do non-designers feel about this?

Audrey Kawasaki print

This new print by Audrey Kawasaki is amazingly beautiful. Read about the production process here.

Design by Humans

Just for fun, I submitted some mash-ups of my new playing card drawings to Design By Humans. Have a look and vote if you like them!



Love vs Money
Hip Hop vs Rock

Thumbtack press

I found out about Thumbtack Press on the Esty forums. You send in your artwork and if it's approved, they will make prints to sell. They keep 50% and you get the rest, which seems like a sweet deal to me! There's some brilliant pieces up there already, too.

I've been ffffound!

I was wondering this morning how my new cameras drawing managed to get so many hits and favourites added on Flickr overnight, until I realised it made the front page of FFFFOUND today!



There's a little ambition ticked off the list :) Just ordered the prints for this and my other new drawings, so they will be for sale on etsy soon! There are a couple of brand new treats coming too..

p.s. don't suppose anyone has a ffffound invite they want to send me..?

Faub - cool portfolio

I found faub.org via ffffound - I have no idea who they are or what they do, but I love the site. Great posters in the shop, too!

Threadless goodness

Threadless has a sale on at the moment, and some great new prints. I just bought these:



Captured Nostalgia - R.I.P Polaroid



Our Secret Tuesdays by Linotte, my current favourite artist. I just got a print of hers from her etsy store too and I love it!

Honda live ad.. part 2

Yay, the ad was a success! Watch the brilliant video at honda.co.uk/accord.

Dancing Brains

Much has been blogged about the new ad for Drench water featuring Brains from Thunderbirds. Disturbing crotch-grabbing moves aside, it's fantastic, and I particularly love the website, where you can control Brains' dance moves with your webcam. Awesome!

Ceiling cat is watching you...

I love lolcats - my life has been made infinitely better since adding the feed to my blog reader. Now you can download and fold your very own Ceiling Cat from right here. Super cute!

Beholder art

I've just discovered Beholder, a site where you can buy affordable original art from up-and-coming artists. I particularly like this piece by Ian Dingman, not least because I'm working on some camera drawings of my own at the moment.



Post-script to my last post: I received an email from KJ at Not Bad For A Girl, explaining her rationale behind the logo's design. I now understand it's a homage to Lubalin, but still feel that a company dedicated to encouraging and inspiring young female designers should be a little more original (or at least pastiche a fantastic female typographist, like my hero Marian Bantjes!).

Pretty portfolios

Two delightful portfolios I came across today:



Raquel Aparicio
María Luisa Isaza

Thank you to everyone who's bought a print from me! I've had an amazingly successful first few days - more so than I was expecting - there will be new items added very soon.

Also, I'm showing my prints at a little exhibition at the weekend, if you're in North/East London then come along. Info here and here.

Pikaland

I just discovered the delightful illustration blog Pikaland. Amy chooses some gorgeous work to blog about, everything's right up my alley and i'm really keen to get involved in the PikaPackage project. Check it out!

Recent del.icio.us

While I'm saving two very exciting posts for later this week (exciting to me, anyway), here's some recent lovely finds I've del.icio.us.ed (can we use that as a verb yet?)


Peele Lemos - a delightful portfolio of work


Suzanna Treister Alchemy series - goodness, I just adore these; a wonderful concept beautifully executed


Mira Ruido - a nice folio of Photoshop work. I'm working on a similar piece at the moment just as an experiment, will post results when I'm done.


Design & Typo - fantastic resource of scanned typography and design books, great for an inspiring browse.

Favourite online shops

As I gear up to launching my first few prints on my own etsy shop, I thought I'd share some of my recent favourite online shop finds, and some of my favourite etsy sellers.



1. Poketo
Poketo is a little boutique with a cute selection of prints, homewares, and t-shirts.

2. Pintuck
A newly-opened shop of adorable tea towels and other textile items.

3. Nineteenseventythree
Wrapping paper that's far too nice to give away - I'd use the designs by artists such as Catalina Estrada and The Good Life as wallpaper or a poster.

4. Design by Humans
Super-stylish user-designed t-shirts, like Threadless's cooler older brother.

5. Harmonie Interieure
Delightful interior decor bits and pieces from the man behind Graphic Exchange - I must order some wall stickers.



1. Timberps @ Etsy
Wonderful old-timey illustrations on American Apparel tees. I love their colour palettes, and am about to make my first purchase.

2. Linotte @ Etsy
One of my favourite illustrators, Anke, sells her prints, original paintings, and badges.

3. Sumomosuki @ Etsy
Lovely handmade and reconstructed vintage clothing

4. Claire Mojher @ Etsy
Another great illustrator who sells darling little original drawings

5. Pretty Raccoon @ Etsy
I've been following Andrea's lovely silkscreened tops for ages and finally bought my first -- and I love it!