We’ve all gone graffiti-happy at least once in our lives. Jeans from high school, casts from unexpected falls, even the intentional chalkboard wall you painted to jazz up your kitchen. Personal customization holds a lot of weight in consumer culture and one by one, brands are continuing to get this. One of the coolest collaborations this season comes from Converse and Utrecht Art Supplies. All-white converse high-tops are being sold alongside markers, paints and colorful laces. When you’re doing your back to school shopping, what could be better than a personalized pair of kicks? Show off your illustrative prowess and get a pair today.

Just as blueprints serve as the foundation for building projects, so do crisp and certain black and white drawings. Add in patchwork patterns and the composition can literally vibrate. This is the case with two very different styles of art. Olga Nenahzivina’s latest work from her show, From the Edge of Vladivostok, at the Mimi Ferzt Gallery, merges Russian and Japanese narratives for beautifully etched compositions. Exploring busy and intricate from a cartoon perspective, this space monster from the editorial pages of TimeOut NY by Michael Townsend gives the viewer a playful illustrative approach.

Tribal narratives, wood cutouts and sumi-ink drawings have been around since the beginning of time. While geometric interpretations have been surfacing in art and fashion for over a year now, it’s refreshing to see a more fluid technique taking hold across several mediums.  A major influencer in this space is the Sumi Ink Club. Based in Los Angeles, this creative community is producing work at a rapid pace. From this Keith Haring-like blazer to this Lucky Dragon’s Open Power Record, it’s pretty clear that this topsy turvy style is gaining traction in several branding markets. Contrasting the soft shapes of the sumi brush, Dennis McNett reminds us that black and white texture can be sharp, surly and folk-like. Barneys Department store recently commissioned him to design their summer windows, bringing this underground skater-style art [...]

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when viewing the latest rare prints collection from Ray Ban? My gut response channels a modern day Garbage Pail Kid set, only PG and without the creative titling. That being said, Ray Ban’s Never Hide campaign is an amazing example of how patterns can be incorporated into a high visibility ad campaign. Matt W. Moore, a Pattern Pulp favorite was tapped to design the limited edition shades and joins a talented roster of artists for the bold and colorful round up.

When’s the last time you sat down and wrote a letter that wasn’t a to-do list on a post-it note? These days it seems like the credit card signature is the only handwritten word that gets any attention. Interestingly, designers have been toying with handwritten treatments and scanned-in type for a while now, trying to contrast minimalist trends and appear more approachable for the recession-minded masses. The above notebook from The Home Port Collection is an interesting product example that carries the nostalgia of yesteryear, reminding us of simpler times when learning to read and write was the toughest part of the day. Paralleling this mix-media approach, this Parisian painting from the home magazine, Cote Maison reflects a similar objective, proving cursive is beautiful, adaptable and a playful solution to any adult room.

Back in September we interviewed Juanita Cardenas on her Polychromatico! line of clothing. This time around, we’re taking note of her chameleon-like sketchbook. Brought to our attention by Lauren Epstein, a good friend and avid PP supporter, it’s hard not to be glued to every page once you start scrolling through. The vibrant textures and raw experiments are evidence of a creative deep dive and prove our point that mood boards are the way to go when you’re in the concept-phase of a project. Take a look and tell us how you concept. What’s your favorite way to tackle a brief?

A few months ago, Amsterdam-based artist, Louis Reith spun a web of admirers with his typographically inspired works on paper. His masterful merging of geometric shapes, abstract typography, vintage maps and old book pages is a reminder to all designers to take a step back from the computer every once in a while. In today’s world where so much art is digitally composed and intricately dense, the hand-rendered simplicity and obvious restraint makes Reith’s work immensely beautiful and refreshing. Little Paper Planes is presently offering four exclusive limited edition prints from the artist at a delightfully affordable price of $35 per print, with the whole set offered at $120. A lovely opportunity to get your hands on the work of a talented up and comer- take advantage!

Our society is collectively obsessed with augmentation- from tattoos to plastic surgery to just about anything that individualizes us or makes us a “better version” of the status quo. It’s only natural that creative types would react to this phenomena, and today we present two paralleling projects that provide social commentary on the trend. Lucy McRae and Bart Hess of LucyandBart have been taking ordinary objects and manipulating their bodies for years now. The photographs are stunning and a reminder that the human body’s been a canvas for the human mind since the beginning of time. Translating this concept into wearable fashion, Sandra Backlund, of Sweden also uses the body as a starting point. Her knitwear is surreal, polished and a realistic interpretation of this fascination.

Black and white is as timeless as it gets. Regardless of the medium, message or style, it’s hard not to be attracted to this colorless pairing. It appears as though designers of every variety are letting loose and using expressionistic strokes to achieve textured results. Be it accidental or on purpose, the patterns are both stark and stunning. This water induced photograph by Luke Gilford was recently featured in Another Magazine and reveals the beauty that can come from unexpected chemical reactions. These splattered shorts styled for Marie Claire prove this trend is tapping the 80′s in addition to modern times, as these polished plates from Dinosaur Designs, are as modern as they are green.

There’s a freshness to gouache that Adobe Illustrator just can’t compete with. Whether it’s the unique spontaneity in the color transitions or the subtleties in each expressive stroke, watercolor designs are unmatched – and quite popular these days. Be it Hugo Guinness, Robin Cameron or The Selby, each of these New York artists continue to interpret the medium in fun, playful, inspiring ways. Guinness recently released a new series of works that are currently selling at the John Derian store, expanding his collection beyond black and white prints. Cameron’s mixed media explores materials, color and layout with an energy that compliments her other drawings. The Selby’s recent update to his banner image provides a creative and commercial solution for self branding, proving that watercolor can be chaotic, corporate or custom, so long [...]

I had the pleasure of tuning into Stylesight‘s Fall/Winter 2010 trend webinar earlier this week, presented by industry insiders, Sharon Graubard and Nina Stotler. Unsurprisingly, Graubard and Stotler labeled Marni’s overlapping color fields a print to watch for Fall. Some other mid century style setters to note are Felipe Oliveira Baptista, Erotokristos and Balenciaga.

Tapping other creative print and pattern worlds, Anna Bondoc‘s recent paper cut masterpieces are a reminder that paper continues to be a material of choice for designers and artists alike. Using just a knife and steady handwork, Bondoc combines color, shape and asymmetry to execute her wall friendly pieces. Her inspiration ranges from coffee beans to Scandinavian pitchers and the results are both organized and abstract.