Interview: Zara Picken.

Bristol based Zara Picken's illustrations have a strong retro feel to them. Her combination of subject matter and colour pallet result in designs that are fun, whimsical yet very contemporary. She answers our quick 10. 

What is your greatest achievement? 

Surviving and enjoying life.

How would you describe your work/style to someone who hadn't seen it? 

Graphic, thoughtful, optimistic and tinged with the qualities of an era that only exists in may head.

What piece of advice would you give your 15 year old self? 

Flared jeans aren't cool but neither are you so you may as well keep wearing them.

Who would you most like to collaborate with? 

I'm hoping to write a children's book with my husband soon. We have some silly ideas that we'd like to see immortalised in published form. 

What is the worst job you have ever had? 

Hawking the greasy wares of a well-known pastymongers. 

Who would play you in the movie of your life? 

Christopher Walken. He's great in everything. 

What is the greatest song of all time? 

"Nobody But Me" by The Human Beinz.

What do you dislike most about popular culture? 

There appears to be a growing culture of extroversion which is somewhat wearing.

What is the greatest invention of all time? 

The internet is pretty damn sweet. It's a close call between that and or pencils.

If you didn't do what you do. What would you do? 

Cry. Then maybe I'd pull myself together for long enough to land a job as a radio DJ. I would then proceed to be the world's worst radio DJ, playing just my favourite records and crying. 

all images courtesy of Zaraillustrates.com

Seen it: Hark.

Hark is the collaboration of London artists Andy Macgregor and Audrey Roger. It stems from their 'mutual appreciation for colour, pattern and paper'. Their new installations for Jaguar Shoes Collective at The Old Shoreditch Station create a 'landscape of totem poles and shamanic stalactites'. The exhibit finishes on the 26th March so make sure you take a look.       

They are also selling four limited edition prints that you can frame or cut out to make your own totem pole. They are a complete bargain at £10.00 get yours HERE

All images courtesy of:
www.jaguarshoes.com
ww.harklondon.wordpress.com
www.andymacgregor.com

Featured: Lucky Mag.

We were chuffed to be featured in the luckymag.com 'Best Stationery Stores in America' post. Featured is one of our new Andy Smith cards. See the full post HERE

Because it's Friday.... ESG

Have a nice weekend. 

Grafika Collaboration. Part 2.

This week we bring you three more pieces by some of the talented artists who participated in our Grafika Collaboration. 


Hannah Ashwell - www.bymi.co.uk
The neon pinks and oranges inspired me to head back to my childhood in the eighties and I experimented with various foldings to create abstract shapes using differently folded and textured squares. In the end, a miss spent youth also provided the genesis for the basic unit: the fortune teller that predicted your future husband or career depending on the number of times it was opened and closed. Immediately this 4 pointed spike with a square silhouette suggested pixels and from there I arranged the squares to create those icons from the past Space Invaders.

Lucy Driscoll - www.lucydriscoll.com
I love the bold shapes & colours of the Grafika paper, & have turned them into abstract landscapes with the help of an 80s Blue Peter Annual!  I had great fun making them!

Ben Everett -  www.beneverett.wordpress.com
Since college I have been fascinated by the way animals live and the insides of their secret homes and multiple maze tunnels. I wanted to create a retro home for the unpleased looking rabbit, I love the expression on his face and thought he looked rather miffed off about something. He is a character that somes up people of today (he has a whole pile of carrots infront of him, yet is still unsatified and wants more from life)

Interview: Matthew Dent.

Matthew Dent's work is fun, bright and bold. His characters are some of nicest we have seen of late. He answers our quick 10.

What is your greatest achievement? 

(so far) exhibiting at the Kemistry Gallery.

How would you describe your work/style to someone who hadn't seen it? 

Coulourful, simple all hand drawn.

What piece of advice would you give your 15 year old self? 

Dive to your right (not left) in the county cup final.

Who would you most like to collaborate with? 

I would love to work with Yo Gabba Gabba.

What is the worst job you have ever had? 

I am known in my family for never having a 'real' job. I was a paper boy for a while so that's probably the best and worst.

Who would play you in the movie of your life? 

Jeff Bridges.

What is the greatest song of all time? 

Glory Glory Man Utd

What do you dislike most about popular culture? 

Throw away things, throw away people.

What is the greatest invention of all time? 

Big T.V fan. 

If you didn't do what you do. What would you do? 

Struggling writer. 

images courtesy of http://www.matthewdent.co.uk/

Craft: PomPom Gift Decoration.

Cute little Pom Pom gift decorations. 

You will need: Wool, scissors, scalpel, glue, cardboard and the template.

1. Glue the template circles onto the cardboard. 

2. Cut around the circles with the scalpel and cut out the middle.

3. Place the circles together and loop the wool through both loops.

4. Start to bind the wool around the two circles. 

5. Keep doing this until your circles look like this. 

6. Using the scalpel cut through the wool to cardboard circles.

7. Once complete it should look like this. 

8. Tie a piece of wool through the two card circles. 

9. Remove the card circles and trim the Pom Pom so its even.