KRISTA!

HOLIDAYTIME!!

2011-10-21T19:45:00.000+02:00

i have decided to finally have a holiday - or calling it vacation might be more suitable. Five weeks is what i reckon i have earned over the year, so in march and april, there will be five weeks of roadtripping, visiting friends and going to musicfestivals. This is one of the places i want to see - it has fascinated me for years.

(images from steve bingham and a following sea, watch the documentary)

Reflections on anything and everything

2011-10-19T11:26:00.001+02:00

This summer the Observer ran an interesting article featuring some of their old covers. There is a certain quality (or non-quality?) to old print that is often lost today. When I design, I like trying to recreate the feeling of something that a person has made. Not necessarily handmade, but ...with personality, an item that looks like it is made by humans and not a computer.
Since moving to Sweden I have realised that although Sweden has a very strong design culture, with a lot of truly amazing and inspirational ideas, people generally refrain from being bold and, lets say, strongly forward in their branding / advertising / printed material - pick one or a combination. (I'm trying to get close to the Swedish expression "ta för sig", which is applied to taking and/or making the most you can out of a situation without apologies or excuses.)
It's not that the capacity isn't there, because it certainly is. It is more of a cultural approach and my guess also something to do with competition. In places like London and New York, you have to be confident, bold and basically scream you message or it will pass people and their wallets by.
But in comparison Stockholm, with less than a million inhabitants, doesn't require that sort of muscle. Unless you are a new business, people are quite aware what's out there and people are loyal. The thing that captures your eye is not what shouts the loudest, it's what you know and thus recognise as a certain quality, you want know what to expect.
So in the end, a lot of advertising here looks pretty much the same. Autumn high street fashion advertising for example - we have different girls dressed in knits and scarves, one company shoots on a red background, one on a pink, one on an off white, one on a grey... all complimented with red or white company logos and an italicised serif font for the message or price.
I am finding these things highly interesting and draw similar conclusions to the Swedish approach to design as the Guardian did to our politicians in the most rencent election. We are highly trend sensitive - and like a shoal of fish that although it turns and moves quickly, all follow eachother. I'd say its probably applicable to more things within the Swedish society.

Albeit bit bluntly, the mention of the Guardian brings us back to the Observer covers - here they are:

what?

2011-10-05T23:18:00.002+02:00

a poster
an advert
a logo
a magazine
an illustration
a leaflet
a flyer
eight layout sketches
a bunch of research
a pressphoto
a cv
five bags
four banners
five meetings
three briefings
a handblown glass jug
..and a patterned floorpouf

that's what i've made in a month. what i can remember doing. well, the pouf in under construction and it is looking very unlikely the end result will pass as anything usable. i have joined a sewing class and so far my "skills" are proving practice is the way forward. but look at the little jug i made: glassblowing - very exciting!

Men, man.

2011-09-02T13:46:00.000+02:00

There are these two men I want in my life. Tim Walker and Yotam Ottolenghi. How joyous life would be! Surely I'd be surrounded by spaces nothing short of amazing, with beauty and surprises around every corner. And the food.... oh, the food.

Perhaps it is time to turn gay. And male. A gay male.

Tim Walker:

Ottolenghi:

Front and centre: woo me with the tarts with maringue spikes, lemon custard and passionfruit.

SvD 17 July 2011 - today's newspaper

2011-07-17T12:11:00.003+02:00

Both content and design receive praise in today's newspaper's recommended readings!
whoop :)

Lake Tahoe in May

2011-07-16T14:49:00.001+02:00

more travels

2011-07-16T13:50:00.002+02:00

In may I went back to the States and spent some time both on the east and west coasts.

This is why i haven't been posting

2011-07-16T12:48:00.005+02:00

- amongst other reasons ;)

A few months ago i took over as the Art Director on a part-time basis for the swedish magazine Neo following a redesign i had been commissioned to do. It's been super and the new style has been launched with great response.

Illustration by Sam Green

...and i went to NYC!

2011-04-23T22:23:00.002+02:00


honey, can you feel it? everything is changing.

spring is coming and the nordic countries like their baked goods

2011-04-23T20:01:00.001+02:00

La Soiree

2011-03-12T18:32:00.000+01:00

La Soiree is playing in Stockholm 16 march - 17 april! We worked with La Clique at aka in London and I did the logo for La Soiree - featuring stars from La Clique.
It's an amazing show, go see!

memories

2011-01-31T03:35:00.001+01:00

i was looking through some pictures from this autumn and end of summer today:

the day i took this photo, the leaves of the chestnut tree were falling to the ground like giant snowflakes. it was the last day of autumn and the next day the city was covered in white.

a worthwhile read:

2011-01-21T11:02:00.001+01:00

the recent IPA report on diversity in UK advertising agencies.

MediaGuardian
moreaboutadvertising.com
the report itself

winterpicturebombing!

2011-01-13T00:12:00.000+01:00

well yes.. in Sweden they have a Christmas tradition where they show the same Disney cartoon compilation every year at 3pm.

So, aside from work, this is pretty much what I've been up to :)

?

2010-11-15T19:29:00.003+01:00

my camera had a bit of a moment this week and did something odd (and kind of cool).

it's back to normal now, i wonder how long it will last.

tippex

2010-11-15T18:54:00.001+01:00

clever :) watch it here

patternity

2010-11-05T11:47:00.002+01:00

ok, i feel compelled to share some of the images on patternity since i mentioned them in yesterdays post. mmm... patterns...

houses

2010-11-04T14:39:00.004+01:00

there's been a lot of moving houses for me the last 1,5 years, and aside from the labour of it, there is always the opportunity to make a space your own. i can't wait for the day I actually own somewhere, though i have a feeling - and a vision - it might turn into some kind of neverending project of joy..

(i apologise for not having sources for these images, they are just part of my personal visual-house-inspiration-bank.. though pic 7 is from patternity. ah, i'll just throw in a few links where i may have gotten the images from and hope that makes up for it: designsponge, livingetc, ehomee, bolig - there!)

ctrl + z

2010-10-13T13:22:00.000+02:00

I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next (if anything)!

did you see this?

2010-10-10T10:05:00.000+02:00

Gap say that "[The new logo] is more contemporary and current and honors the heritage of the Gap brand with the blue box but takes it forward."
Hmm... I wonder if there is something about this project they are not telling us.

night lights

2010-09-27T20:36:00.003+02:00

2010-09-15T23:49:00.000+02:00

whilst waiting for my new site, i thought i'd share some of the posters i've made working with AKA.

2010-09-15T22:42:00.005+02:00

a rummage through my inspiration files brings up some nicelooking things!

today i caught a rainbow

2010-09-07T18:40:00.004+02:00

my dad

2010-09-06T01:26:00.002+02:00

This summer my dad finished writing his memoirs for my sister and me, and we designed the cover for him (I'll show more pictures on my new website once it's finished and up). It's a pretty substantial book and one of the most beautiful things someone's ever done for me. Thanks dad.

2010-09-05T01:48:00.004+02:00

Check out these images from NY based photographer Yulia Gorbachenko. Absolutely awesome use of light and colour..

2010-09-03T02:30:00.006+02:00

you might have noticed the new look on the blog! yay! almost there, just a few tweaks left. it's involved a fair amount of mucking about with code though and that makes my brain fry. click the cat and look him in the eyes for a while and you'll get where i'm at.

only one day left!

2010-09-02T18:11:00.005+02:00

Start your weekend with a visit to Material in Kingly Court, Carnaby Street, before the exhibition ends:

reviews on:
i-d Online
55DSL

summer's over...

2010-08-24T21:01:00.012+02:00

...well, not quite - the weather is still nice. holidays however reached an abrupt end this week it's been back to work with a vengeance. i've been super excited to work on a project for aka's NYC office!
here is some of the research i accumulated:

Geigy

and then i found this image by Robert Hunt. It wasn't so relevant to what i was doing, but i liked it. i can't really see what it is, though, is it a dude with a mohawk, a bird or maybe a superhero? i can't really make it out, but whatever it is is like the colours and the energy.

it's how we roll

2010-07-15T01:28:00.007+02:00

summer's here!

something different

2010-07-07T21:31:00.009+02:00

when i want to do other things than computerbased stuff, i quite often like to play around with clothes. i can't sew to save my life, but i experiment with customising things or make accessories. right now i'm working on a cardigan and i thought i'd give you a little preview of my handiwork in progress ;)

and seeing i'm on the topic of clothes, these are on currently on my wishlist:

a/w 09 carin wester boots - they're furry inside.

these pied a terre boots (old as well)

a hinged ring

and this is an awesome jacket i bought in the reiss sale a couple of weeks ago. it has crystals (the things that look like studs) on the shoulders and i can't wait to wear it. right now its too hot outside - not that i'm complaining about that!

london times

2010-06-24T12:35:00.004+02:00

i have spent the last two weeks doing weddingy things in london and hanging out with friends. being in london kind of feels like meeting up with an ex a bit too soon after the breakup.
but it's been good.

serious awesomeness

2010-06-05T21:26:00.004+02:00

not if you're a woman apparently, then you can be an assistant. oh good! :)

a few super-pages:

and some bonuses:

This is a seriously awesome site.

Summer

2010-05-23T13:26:00.004+02:00

inspiration

2010-05-18T22:45:00.003+02:00

top two by multistorey

mind design

i'm bad, i can't remember where i got this from..

more photos

2010-05-18T22:39:00.003+02:00

the town of sigtuna, outside stockholm

some cherry blossoms in stockholm

photospamming! i'm enjoying the return of summer, and it's great to be spending it in sweden. it smells so good here, the grass, the flowers... i live right by a large nature reserve. when i'm not enjoying that, i plan. workstuff. i'm excited :)

tourguide

2010-05-08T23:29:00.007+02:00

a friend from London came to visit last week. i took her around stockholm and out to Fjäderholmarna, some islands just outside. i'd like to say i was an alright guide, but i think i've still got a bit to learn about my hometown..

the forest cemetery

2010-04-26T14:21:00.004+02:00

i got my bike ready and pimped for the premiere bike ride since my move. i went to the forest cemetery (or woodland cemetery), a unesco world heritage site just a few minutes from where i'm staying.

around and about

2010-04-20T20:36:00.008+02:00

recent project research

2010-04-19T20:38:00.011+02:00

phew, it's very busy here this week! here are some of the things i've been looking at for the last few weeks (for a bunch of different projects)

i can't get enough of polish posters

andrei robu

art and crafts movement

william morris wallpapers

wanted

2010-04-09T16:32:00.004+02:00

Pictures from my leaving party... I got this from a friend (it's not me), I love it. We decked the whole place in colours and people came dressed in black and white. the contrast looked awesome. but... i was so preoccupied with planning, decorating and enjoying, that i forgot my camera. boo.

Supermarket Sarah

2010-04-09T15:46:00.003+02:00

This girl has to be some kind of genious. Look at her site and you'll see why!

square-eyed

2010-04-07T03:07:00.008+02:00

I've been preparing images for my new site all day and am utterly square eyed now. Here's a taster from the illustrations section:

This illustration was for 6 Characters In Search Of An Author and is built with letters. A closeup:

Post carden

2010-04-06T13:50:00.006+02:00

A little earlier this year, I designed the botanical motif for Post Carden's lovely cards. They've really taken off and I am so excited, most of all for Aimee and the lovely people at Post Carden / A Studio for Design.

Here's some of the press:
The Independent (UK)
Cool Hunting
Dezeen
Oh So Beautiful Paper
and more - Google it and you'll see :)

My 70's dinner

2010-04-05T22:13:00.009+02:00

I've decided to do a 70's dinner party sometime soon and for the occasion I got hold of the old recipecards my mum used to collect. They're beautiful! Perhaps I should start with desserts?

Thanks Linnea for the inspiration!

before

2010-03-28T21:34:00.010+02:00

I am currently working on the interiors at Teater Replica, the new home for Bouffonteatern in Stockholm. I did their logo earlier this year and they liked it so much they got me in to style and manage their refurb as well! Here are some 'before' snapshots from my walk around the place. It should all be finished in June..

Bear Country, Sweden

2010-03-22T18:01:00.005+01:00

ouch! but boy was it pretty there.

Generations

2010-03-10T13:27:00.006+01:00

The Pet Cemetary - Finland

2010-03-10T13:09:00.003+01:00

The Burbs.

2010-03-10T11:46:00.001+01:00

Sweden greeted me with snow. And there was still more to come.

The Beauty

2010-01-27T19:19:00.003+01:00

Look - just look at this beautiful thing here! :)

When I left aka, they gave me some beautiful silver chains as a leaving gift. The story is, i always wear a longish necklace, and so far they have always been silverplated copper or some other cheap stuff. So, i had made a promise to myself to change this and get some more quality jewellery, something they had taken note of (cheers Steph!).
Incidentally, they bought these chains from Thomas Sabo whose gothic collection i fell in love with a few years ago and I've been drooling and dreaming over since. To make a long story short, i couldn't resist complementing one of the chains with this lovely sword - one of the few remainders of that collection - something i would never have been able to do back then. It's beautiful and i love it!

What i got in the post today

2010-01-18T14:50:00.008+01:00

Last autumn, my sister-the-illustrator designed these awesome promotional stickers for a conference in Stockholm on women in technology, communication and media. People were apparently wearing the stickers everywhere: on their computers, on their books, on their clothes... Hearing this, I felt totally left out, but this morning a bunch of them landed through the letterbox and now i can join in the fun and stick these little beauties everywhere too!!! YAY! thanks sis xxxxx

Happy Times and New Beginnings!

2010-01-10T14:00:00.006+01:00

It's the beginning of a new year and a new decade and I am on the path of making big changes to my life! I have decided to pursue a design career independently and relocate to sunny Stockholm, Sweden! Thus I will not only work in the UK from now on, but also Sweden - why only have it one way when you can have both :)

It's going to be fantastic and i am very much looking forward to it. My last day working with AKA was on Wednesday and they sent me off proper with a night of bowling and champagne. I handled losing well.

So, upwards and onwards - happy times!

images courtesy of getty

Happy Morning

2009-11-22T17:57:00.002+01:00

This week I have found out that not one but TWO of my lovely friends back home are having babies. Good news for a warm heart. I decorated one of the roseshaped fairycakes my lovely 'landlords' made yesterday (after they baked bread).

thom kerr

2009-11-02T17:30:00.004+01:00

thom kerr is offically my new hero.

Joey + Krista = True

2009-10-16T15:53:00.004+02:00

you can see more of the images on the blog here

My Oh MY..

2009-10-02T17:58:00.003+02:00

Yesterday i was shot by duo Emilie Fjola Sandy and Kamilla Weinhardt for their blog When I Am Big. I believe i will lose any credibility with anyone who sees the images...! I'll still share them, I don't mind, they're amazing. It was fantastic - my childhood dream finally came true. stay posted.

No Days Off

2009-10-02T17:48:00.004+02:00

so i randomly came across the image I posted on June 24! On a trip around the world of design blogs via ffffound, it's nice that, netdiver and finally landing on the website of a design agency in east london called No Days Off, i saw it on a set of CD's they made for Sonny J.

Haunted?

2009-10-01T12:13:00.003+02:00

A selection of results from yesterdays imagesearch on getty:

Annie Get Your Gun

2009-09-19T13:40:00.005+02:00

The design for Annie Get Your Gun is being rolled out now! Its been really nice to work with the Young Vic on this project and I'm really excited about going to see the show.

skandi-land

2009-08-30T23:05:00.003+02:00

I spent a week on the northern coast of Denmark and hanging out in the countryside in Sweden. Denmark was very windy.

The site of Mårup church (someone elses pics). With 2m of the coast dissappearing into the sea each year, the church is slowly being deconstructed to prepare for its descent. In the background is Denmarks highest sanddune, with lighthouse.

2009-08-30T22:23:00.006+02:00

i made a friend on the ferry and fed him some grape

loving a good lake

for me! ?

2009-07-24T18:58:00.002+02:00

I fffffound this and decided someone made it for me :)

The Mysteries

2009-07-08T13:52:00.006+02:00

I made this illustration for The Mysteries

this time: just things

2009-06-27T13:15:00.008+02:00

in my bag:
sketch/notebook, glasses, umbrella (london... you never know), bicycle light, (my bag), sunglasses, keys, oyster card, gum, pen, wallet, purse: hairpins, payslip (yay!), hairshine, ipod, sugarfree polos, heart shaped mirror, ibuprofen, makeup, shea butter, 8 hour cream and a map of san francisco.

Oh you beautiful things

2009-06-24T19:53:00.007+02:00

Vogue has so many beautiful covers. When i was working with them they let me into the archives, it was absolutely amazing. Can you imagine every single issue of Vogue - from number 1 to the very last one! To see how it's changed over the years, during the war years, the retouching (wouldn't get a female bathingsuit model with a wee moustache today, would you?).. i feel privileged.

i ffffound these images. i love ffffound. ffffound makes my workday.

i can't remember where i got this from. i try to file everything accordingly so that i can refer back to it at a later stage. but i love it. i want to make a poster like this one day. I make great attempts to bring back poster art into the theatre and musical industry, but a lot of posters seem to be used as a vehicle to hold quotes. i'll keep trying.

I came across this image whilst looking up bands from an album i recently purchased: Perfect As Cats: A Tribute To The Cure. I love it. I also love this image and i feel California hippiefied me somewhat. But i love that too.

Peace man.

An alpaca

2009-06-24T19:50:00.003+02:00

MEAT

2009-06-17T17:41:00.006+02:00

2009-05-28T19:01:00.011+02:00

So, I figured as I've just been posting images lately - am nothing wrong with that, mind - i figured it about time i update a little!
Last month I was in LA and San Francisco, I had an amazing time and came back all inspired and a little tanned. I have about 650 photos, which were cruelly restrained to 120 for my slideshow/dinner/cocktail event last weekend. Possibly not so much an event as a get-together of 5 people, but i like the sound of event. My plan is to fiddle about with some of the photos and post them here. This may take a little while as...

...on the work front i am keeping very busy! There are a few productions coming up and I am currently working on a project for the Young Vic. I am very excited about this. Along with that I have been working up a brochure for the NT, a project which should come to fruition this summer. It is nice to be back on layout and that kind of project development - makes a nice change from the illustrative and general visual concept stuff i seem to be occupied with at the moment!

A project I am really looking forward to is a short film by Sarah Lloyd that will be filmed this autumn. More info to follow...

And lastly - I am currently working on a new logo for the amazing Stockholm based theatre Bouffonteatern. Anyone in Stockholm should definitely check them out - it's a totally different theatre experience!

Summer is finally on its way in London. As far as i hear it's actually meant to be a good one this year.
I fffffound this, and i really like it (who'd want to know the whole plot from the outset anyway?? i'd rather remain intrigued for the whole show) - so, this is for my lovely friends:

2009-05-22T14:41:00.006+02:00

I'm loving the introcacy of rikke jorgensens illustrations where she uses dots to build up texture:

2009-05-19T16:35:00.001+02:00

don't they look like they're having fun? :)

2009-05-14T16:35:00.003+02:00

duct tape prom!

2009-05-14T16:28:00.010+02:00

amazing!!
(from awkwardfamilyphotos.com)

silhouettemasterpiecetheatre.com

2009-05-14T14:39:00.004+02:00

It was meant to be mine...

2009-05-06T01:00:00.005+02:00

...but someone had already bought it.

Sorting out your priorities in SF

2009-05-06T00:54:00.004+02:00

Hollywood: from a different angle

2009-04-20T19:49:00.004+02:00

ooh angelique

2009-03-30T23:03:00.008+02:00

i can't believe i hadn't heard of her before. I saw her art (and some of her tattoos) and i'm sold. totally. angelique houtkamp

a woman teapot!

(yep, it's on my wishlist)

the new blog!

2009-03-29T01:22:00.005+01:00

I decided to create this blog as a replacement for the "about" section on my website - I wasn't updating it often enough and I wanted to make it a bit broader than it was as well.

I have updated it with all the old posts from my website, they show some of the work I have been doing over the last year or so.

So - here it is - my new blog! (and a picture of the Moomins)

11/03/09 musik non-stop

2009-03-29T00:49:00.008+01:00

I made an e-flyer for an awesome studio in Peckham called 15hz. I've also offered to do vocals for any little project they may have, but they haven't taken me up on it yet....? i used to sing in a band you know. quite unsuccessfully so. anyway, moving on - here's the flyer!

25/12/08 happy kristamas!

2009-03-29T00:39:00.006+01:00

This year's card is a tribute to one of my favourite illustrators, Kay Nielsen. Hope you have had a lovely holiday and wishing you all the best for the new year!

19/12/08 updates!!

2009-03-29T00:34:00.001+01:00

I have put some new stuff on my site and there is more to come. At the moment I am working on a very chirpy, sunny, happy-go-lucky Disney project, the perfect escape from a dreary grey winter. Maybe there is a possibility I have time to make a brand new Kristamascard, too?

19/10/08 things and stuff

2009-03-29T00:31:00.014+01:00

I'm thinking about putting another category on my website - or possibly fitting the new stuff I have made since being with AKA under the current categories... I can't make my mind up. But meanwhile I'll show you some examples of what i have been doing!

The poster for Gigi, which was on at Regents Park Open Air Theatre this summer (illustration by Kathy Wyatt who does some really good stuff):

A concept for Mother Goose which will show at Hackney Empire this Christmas (with a different poster though). It IS London's favourite pantomime, you know! ;)

I will upload some more posters and concepts i've been working on to my site, along with a logo for a company all new parents with babies in buggies have been waiting for - launching from New York this autumn. I sure have kept myself busy!

25/09/08 look!

2009-03-29T00:30:00.008+01:00

Thanks Graham Saville for the lovely photo!

I've been struck down with the evil autumn flu, but it's nothing a studio ghibli film and a tub of special edition häagen dasz raspberry and maringue icecream can't fix... yum.

17/08/08 winds of change

2009-03-29T00:27:00.002+01:00

It's been a tremendously long time since i updated this site... which wasn't my intention! But there have been lots of changes, moves of house and little access to the internet for a good few months. In March I was offered a position as Concept Designer with AKA Ltd and that's where I'm working now - making posters and branding for West End muscials and theatres. It's fun!!

I am preparing some photos and worksamples to show on my site as well. For anyone in London - keep an eye on Gielgud Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue - shortly it will be covered in my designs for "6 Characters in search of an Author", directed by Rupert Goold and with Ian McDiarmid who also played the Emperor/Chancellor/Supreme Chancellor Palpatine in Star Wars - cooool :) . The play is brilliant and well worth seeing!

Right, it's a "beautiful" kind-of-cloudy-a-la-London-day today, so I'm going to go out and enjoy it!

31/01/08 - new site

2009-03-29T00:07:00.007+01:00

I've just finished a small site for Whiteflag check it out!

Also, you can see Whiteflag at CPH Vision / The Fashion Fair in Copenhagen 7-10 Feb 2008.

04/01/08 - something good

2009-03-29T00:03:00.005+01:00

My friend introduced me to Stumbleupon the other day. Genious!!
I would also like to introduce you to MadeInEarnest who are just great. I've been working with them on lots of different projects since 2006. You can see some of the projects on my site.
I'm currently working on the Black Book for DJmag, busy busy!

02/01/08 - a new year

2009-03-29T00:01:00.002+01:00

This year I gave myself a website for Christmas.Have a look around - any feedback is welcome.
Happy New Year everyone!

23/12/07 - the card

2009-03-28T23:39:00.010+01:00

Happy Kristamas. Here is this years card with a small font exploration.
Have a nice holiday!