Art Deco and Nouveau Typestyles

Art Deco and Art Nouveau type styles have a glamorous sophistication that is unique to their  time periods.  The curves of the letters, strong angles, and a look of elegance help this style to be a great inspiration for display designs with that theme.

Art Deco

Art Deco is a design style that began in Paris.  It is a very eclectic style that still has a major influences in a lot of the graphic art that I do today.  The bold colors and use of geometric shapes and lines with Art Deco as a definite look to it, and leans toward the symmetrical.

Book Cover

Vintage Art Deco Poster 1930's

Pinterest

I find loads of inspiration through visual blogs and social media websites like Pinterest.  I did not think I would actually find Pinterest interesting, but once you are on it, you get lost on all the great ideas!
https://www.pinterest.com/

Found Objects

I try to be as environmentally kind as possible, so working with found objects helps eliminate some waste that would go into a dump.  It is easy to get inspired by nature, especially with the bright colors of spring.  I try to combine the use of found objects with mosaics to make bird baths or yard art. 

Old Satellite Dish

Bird Bath

Gazing Balls using old bowling balls

  

    

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Claude Monet

The use of reflection and the variations of color and light make these two paintings of Claude Monet a great inspiration.

Water Lilies

The Japanese Footbridge, 1899

Van Gogh

           

Van Gogh’s The Starry Night

This beautiful landscape scene from Van Gogh captures light and energy to appear as the picture has a sense of movement.

  Vincent van Gogh's The Olive Trees emphasizes linear rhythm and movement.  The colors of these paintings seem to match, one focusing on day and the other night, and really complement one another.

 

Figure/Ground

           

Figure ground is also a great inspiration for design to make its point in a minimalist way.  I especially like the black and white, making the images stand out even more.

Movie Posters

                                 

Movie Posters that use minimalist design to say a message or use a symbol to represent the film. I like when I look twice at a print and get the meaning.

M.C.Escher

   

 One of my first inspirations was work by M.C. Escher.  He used geometry and logic in his work to create surrealistic optical illusions.

Sky and Water (M.C. Escher)

Cycle (M.C. Escher)

Whitespace

 

I really like how WWF uses white space to increase the intensity of a message with a black and white contrast.

Album Covers

Albums were a huge influence in my life growing up, in both a musical way and artistic.  I would try to duplicate a lot of the covers, or make my own.  The colors, movement and creations of the album covers had me enthralled as a kid with the free for all designs and anything goes mind set.  From the simplistic to the outrages, they were all something to be inspire by.

Muscle ‘n Flo: Friend or Foe

Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon

Keane: Under the Iron Sea