AGIDEAS Design Trends

THE ART OF THE CRAFT

A great deal of the designers that spoke at agIdeas focused on refining your craft. One speaker in particular, Bruce Bigelow, talked about the difference between work that is crafted and work that isn't and how it makes the work stand out at a high professional level. Another trend that I feel falls into this category is the art of handmade work, whether it is traditional printing methods or handmade book binding. Stephen Dupont took each of his photographic journeys and hand bound them into collective pieces of work, all of which are unique and one offs.

Stephen Dupont - Raskols
http://www.stephendupont.com/

Stephen Dupont - Hand crafted and hand made books. Sixty gelatin silver prints of photographs and hand etched text on pages assembled in accordion fold binding with stainless steel front and back covers. Book is housed inside rubber sealed inner lining, screw and bolted stainless steel case. Each book is unique with a different chemical etched photo on the case cover. Each page is hand printed in the dark room by the artist's printer Chris Reid and all etching and design is by the artist.

Bruce Bigelow - Electric Art
http://www.electricart.com.au/index.php?album=retouching%2Fjohn-west&image=Bear-and-Diving-Man-RGB-Final_WEB_ZP.jpg&w=1476&h=880

Paying attention to the details and doing the work justice, crafting your work to make it look exceptional.

ALL THE COLOURS

Fanette Mellier - Circus
http://www.fanettemellier.com/

Another design trend or theme was the use of vivid colour in design. As the digital world descends quickly upon us more design is web based, or screen based. As a result design is created more and more in RGB format which allows for brighter colours. This is not to say that print design is dead, but designers are looking for more ways to stay on trend and up to date in a digital world.

Fanette Mellier - Fontenew
http://www.fanettemellier.com/

Fanette Mellier - An artist/designer who really expressed her love for colour and shape was Fanette Mellier, a French graphic artist and typographer. Although she doesn't really like being referred to as this. Her work is extremely playful and colourful.

Another designer who was a fave among the crowd at agIdeas was Claudio Kirac, an Australian gent who has worked in the industry for over 15 years.
His use of colour creates and emotional response as he explores the cross over between art and popular culture.

Claudio Kirac
http://www.claudiokirac.com/

Claudio Kirac
http://www.claudiokirac.com/

Claudio Kirac
http://www.claudiokirac.com/