Bless Design

© Bless Design

Bless is a design studio based in London, specializing in brand identity, print, art direction and illustration. Their work is both witty and refreshing; and very much worth checking if you are interested to see the variety of good work that can be done by a fairly small graphic design team. Truly inspiring.

http://www.blessdesign.com

Caroll Bertin

© Caroll Bertin

Caroll Bertin is a self-taught upcycling fabric sculptor from France. Her work is poetic, charming and full of humor. She has a truly wonderful way of combining colors while using bits and pieces of old fabrics and sorts, which she assembles in a whimsical way. Simply wonderful!

http://www.carollbertin.net

Etienne Gros

© Etienne Gros

Etienne Gros is a fine artist from Clamart, France, very much envolved with life drawing. These sculptures simply made with foam rubber are almost abstract and very unique. It all goes to prove that when it comes to being creative, any material, any technique is possible, if it works!!!

http://www.etiennegros.com

DESIGNerd

© DESIGNerd

Oh wow! Kevin Finn, of Finn Creative in Australia devised a series of design trivia games called DESIGNerd 100+ for design enthousiasts. Each box is filled with questions concerning some of the most outstanding designers in the world. What a wonderful way to learn or check your knowledge about the field!

http://designerd.info

Strohl Thoughtful Craft

© Strohl Thoughtful Craft

"Thoughtful Craft: Charisma, charm, character - the traits that make someone, or something, unforgettable. We specialize in turning an intangible essence into a visible form."

This is how in just a few words, the Strohl design company based in San Francisco, introduces itself. If you go to the "offering" menu, you will find a little extra information concerning their clients' needs, their process and how they work differently. It's very concise and well worth reading as it explains so precisely the firm's design process and philosophy which pretty much boils down to "simplicity".

I also love the way they conclude by writing: "Loosen up! Sometimes the only way to break out of the expected rut is to venture into uncharted waters." Good and sound advice! Specialized in Corporate Identity and Packaging among other things, their work is truly remarkable.

http://strohlsf.com

Kate Bauman

© Kate Bauman

This is not the type of object that I normally care for; yet Kate Bauman who is an enamalist, jeweler and designer manages to repeat the motif in the most wonderful patterns. Get a close-up view and you will see what it is that she manages to repeat so beautifully! It all goes to prove that you can do great design with objects you don't really like. It's not the subject that matters but what you do with it!

http://www.kate-bauman.com/work/design/patterns/

Gee and Chung Design

© Gee and Chung Design

"Taking risks is the safest bet" for the award-winning, multi-disciplinary design firm Gee and Chung. "It's far riskier to look dull and boring... " once said co-founder Earl Gee. Also: "Design is the entirety of a company, not just its packaging or logo." This, I feel, pretty much sums up the philosophy of this very creative and innovative team.

http://www.geechungdesign.com

Marina Sharapova and Igor Kozlovsky

© Marina Sharapova and Igor Kozlovsky

The work of this russian born husband and wife team is absolutely fabulous. "Fusion" is the word that best summarizes their work; a mixture of discordant elements such as past and present, figurative and abstract... I'm totally ecstatic!

http://www.igor-marina.com

Nick Sigler

© Nick Sigler

Nick Sigler is a native from Nashville, Tennessee, with a love for simple, structures design.I accidentally bumped into this project done for Mashable, illustrating a timeline of significant typographic events. Not only is it nicely designed but also very instructive. If this appears too small on your screen click on the second link below.

http://nicksigler.com/

http://mashable.com/2011/12/08/typeface-font-history-infographic/

Printing mistakes

Here is an interesting link to what I would say are 15 (basic) printing mistakes you need to avoid!

http://www.andrewkelsall.com/printing-mistakes-errors-need-avoid/

Cathy Cullis

© Cathy Cullis

Cathy Cullis is a mixed media poet from London. She paints and stiches all sorts of wonderful little characters such as these which represent only one facet of her work. Check it out and see how she mixes words and images. She uses her sewing machine as a drawing tool and you can tell she has a particular love for nostalgia and folk art. You might want to just google her name and admire the wide yet consistent variety of her work by clicking the google image button. "Wow" is right!

http://cathycullis.blogspot.com

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cathy-Cullis-mixed-media-art-poetry/103569695771?sk=wall&filter=12

http://cathycullis.carbonmade.com

http://folkreveries.blogspot.com/2011/07/ive-long-been-follower-of-artist-and.html

http://www.etsy.com/shop/cathycullis

Yael Miller

© Yael Miller

Yael Miller is editor-at-large of The Dieline and is principal of Miller Creative, a branding and packaging design firm. She is also co-founder of Vanity Barcodes and Share Some Candy. I don't know what my dog thinks, but I personally think that this dog food packaging really stands out compared to the usual brands.

www.yaelmiller.com

http://www.sharesomecandy.com

www.vanitybarcodes.com

http://www.thedieline.com

http://www.designsponge.com/2010/04/biz-ladies-how-to-design-the-perfect-packaging.html

Graphic Design Blender

Check out Graphic Design Blender, full of business tips for designers.

If you sign up for its' email newsletter, you will receive a wonderful free ebook entitled: "10 Mistakes Designers Make with Clients"... but hurry, the offer is valid only for a limited time.

http://www.graphicdesignblender.com