House Industry Posters

Our good friends over at House Industries just released 27 lovely hand-pulled serigraphs of yummy type and illustrations. With prices at or under $35, they won't make your wallet or budget cry.

Eye Candy: More poster inspiration

[Fabulous Feist poster by Vahalla Studios, currently hung in my living room. Get your own at Poster Cabaret.]

Find this poster from Vahalla Studios and many other by Aesthetic Apparatus, Blanca Gomez, Eleanor Grosch, Invisible Creature, Little Friends of Printmaking, Matte Stephens, Methane Studios and dozens more at Poster Cabaret. One-stop shop and drool.

Eye Candy: Small Stakes

The Small Stakes poster shop is full of simple, graphic visuals that speak volumes. Sadly, most of the poster are sold out but I still enjoy looking at the thoughtful economy of line and color that absorbs my eye. Mmmmm!

Gocco replacement?

Ana and I were saddened over a year ago when it was announced that Gocco silkscreen devices wouldn't be made any more. Both of us own and love Goccos so we were devastated when we heard the news. I didn't think anything could fill the Gocco void until I saw the Yudu. The Yudu looks pretty amazing and seems to improve upon the Gocco. I like that the Yudu process mirrors the real process of silkscreen printing. I'd love to get my hands on one and try it out, but I'll have to wait since it's $300 price tag will keep it out of my reach.

Illustrator: David Weidman

I love discovering new illustrators. This past week I stumbled upon the work of David Weidman and wondered why it took me so long to discover his work. Weidman created many of the backgrounds for Hanna Barbara cartoons in the 50s and branched out in 60s by going solo and his own iconic and whimsical artwork. You can check out and buy most of his illustrations, prints and posters can be seen his website or pick up a copy of his career retrospective book, The Whimsical Work of David Weidman.

Hello Show Opening Night

The Hello Show opening was a huge success! Dan Padavic and Tad Carpenter (and all their loyal helpers) put on a great show. The space looked great, the art was awesome, local DJs Nomathmatics played some great sounds and a good time was had by all.

If you missed the show, the space will be open through December 28. The hours are Mon-Thu noon-6pm and Fri and Sat noon-8pm. The Hello Show is located at 1800 Baltimore in the former Habitat Shoe Store space in the Crossroads area in Kansas City. Prices are low low low – posters start at $25, smaller prints were $12 and cards and buttons for just a couple bucks.

If you're outside the KC area and would like to get your hands on some of this fine merch, check out Tad's web site or visit Vahalla Studios site.

[Full rez photos of the opening are on Flickr]

Because we can't get enough of Tad Carpenter!

Tad Carpenter just released a new website to coincide with the big Hello Show which opens this Friday, Dec. 5 at 1800 Baltimore in Kansas City (the former Habitat Shoes location). Tad's site features a blog and options to purchase prints and artwork directly from the site. So, if you can't wait until Friday or you don't live in Kansas City and you want to get a piece of his art, buy online. Otherwise, I hope to see you Friday at the Hello Show!

COMING SOON: Hello Show (Dec. 5)

Dan Padavic of Vahalla Studios and illustrator/designer extraordinaire Tad Carpenter have teamed up once again to turn a vacant store front in Kansas City into a fabulous gallery and shop. The opening reception is Friday, December 5th in the Crossroads area of downtown Kansas City and it is an even that should not be missed. We'll pass on more details as we get them.

Silkscreen poster documentary

The trailer for Died Young, Stayed Pretty, a documentary about silkscreen posters artist and the community around them. I saw part of the film on Friday night and it was a bit disjointed, but if you are a poster fan like I am, you'll be excited to see and hear from Art Chantry, Jay Ryan, Brian Chippendale and a bunch more.

Calendar time!

As the end of the year draws near, I begin looking around to find the perfect calendar to grace my wall for the upcoming year. For the past 4-5 years, I have bought the wonderful calendars by Washington artist, Nikki McClure. The calendar images are all based off of her papercut images and I just feel inspired everyday looking at them.



This year I have found another contender. The Dolphin Studio run by the ffrench family has been making a limited-edition handmade calendars for the past 30 years. All three generations (from the grandparents down to the grandchildren) draw, design and print the calendars to create a beautiful and varied piece of work.



Both the calendars look great so it is so hard to choose. Maybe I'll get one for the office and the other for home.

Tad Carpenter is making Mayhem, Mischief and Monsters in Seattle

One of Pica + Pixel's favorite artists, Tad Carpenter has some big news. He is currently the subject of a one-man show called Mayhem, Mischief And Monsters at the Blue Bottle Gallery in Seattle. The show includes 20 limited edition silkscreen posters Monster MixUp prints, sets of two prints can be selected to mix up a different monster top and bottom. Robot head with octopus bottoms for me, please!



Other work in the show include small prints on wood, small paintings and limited edition plates. I got a sneak peek at the works on wood and they are super cool! Congrats, Tad!

[For more information about purchasing pieces, visit Blue Bottle Gallery. For more information about Tad and his work, check out his web site.]

Inside Vahalla Studios

[Vahalla poster collage gathered by Urban Art Warfare]


["Vahalla Dan" Padavic in his printmaking gear and a stash of inks in the shop.]

This weekend I had the chance to go inside Vahalla Studios, Kansas City's hottest screenprint shop. Vahalla has made its name printing some of the most beautiful concert posters especially the series for MySpace Secret Shows. Look for Tad and Micah at Bumbershoot for Flatstock 18 this weekend to score some posters.

Dan Padavic, known to me as Vahalla Dan, promises that a new site for Vahalla will be launching soon with more content and more fun in the next week or so. From the samples and conversation this weekend I gather more posters will be available and some sweet tees too. I can't wait!





[A sneak peek at some of the prints in the shop including the two pieces in the center printed on wood veneer for Tad Carpenter's upcoming show at the Blue Bottle Gallery.]

Small Studio's Poster Process

Grain Edit recently featured some images of the poster work of Small Studio, a design group in Lyon, France. The article shows sketchbook images of the concept for the posters and the final pieces.

Working through concepts on paper before going to the computer is still the best way to work. That should be my Note to Self.




For more of Small Studio's posters, check out their blog.

Delicious Design League

Chicago-based Delicious Design League make some pretty tasty screenprinted posters. Each of the limited run posters are available on their site for about $20 a piece. Inspiration and joy garnered from looking at or owning one of these beauties: Free.

Lab Partners: Gocco Demo

Lab Partners has provided a little step-by-step demonstration on how they use the Gocco to create some of their limited edition prints, often seen on Etsy.

The finished product, on sale on Etsy:

Printmaking for the Masses

There are two new books that bring printmaking to the masses using simple designs and techniques that can be duplicated without large presses or expensive materials. First is the eminently marketable Lotta Jansdotter with her book Lotta Prints which uses her simple botanical and geometric designs with techniques like rubber stamping, stencil and screen printing. Printing by Hand by Lena Corwin uses similar techniques or stencil, screen printing and rubber stamp in her book which will be released on July 16.

NYC Stationery Show: Part 2

Now to continue with more goodies from the Stationery Show.

I was delighted to see that Charley Harper Studios put out a bunch of cards of his posters. It is a nice way to get your hands on some of his work with out having to drop a bundle of cash on a print.




L|2 Design Collective had an impressive array of beautiful and varied silkscreened cards produced by a collective of designers and artist out of Florida. They had a nice mix of graffiti, vintage, arty and other visual flavors.




Rosebud had love vintage inspired cards, postcards, gift tags and even mini fortune packs. Everything had a the flare and texture of something from decades ago. Nice to see.




A couple vendors also were showing off wares that weren't your typical greeting cards. Stencil 1 makes stencils that you can use to create murals, t-shirts and even greeting cards.




And Publique Living out of San Francisco had these great place mats with a die-cut pop up that will amuse any guest and faux-wood covered laminated gift boxes.

Shameless Self-Promotion: The Kirsten Edition

Our very own Kirsten has finally made her limited edition silkscreen posters available for sale on Etsy. There is a set of four nature-inspired prints. Each print is about 9.5x12 inches and two- or three-color. Each print is available individually for $15 or a complete set for $45.

Nice People print

Will Bryant created this lovely sentiment (previously seen on By So and So) and has now made it available on Etsy for $15.

Sweet, sweet posters

I heart silk-screen posters. So am excited that right now, the University of Maryland has a great exhibit called, Sweet: The Graphic Beauty of the Contemporary Rock Poster. The exhibit shows work from 28 amazing artists of silk-screened rock posters including our favorites Aesthetic Apparatus, Jay Ryan, Patent Pending and El Jefe Design. The show runs through March 29th and there will be a lecture on March 5.