Hasta La Ideas

Amsterdam studio BCXSY has launched a crowdfunding campaign to produce its plush toys with body parts that can be interchanged using magnets (+ slideshow).

BCXSY has partnered with Hong Kong-based Huzi Design to produce Mixed Animals, the plush toys with magnetic body parts that were first presented during Milan design week in 2007.

“More than seven years have passed since we have introduced the Mixed Animals as a part of Play! our debut presentation during the Salone del Mobile,” said designers Boaz Cohen and Sayaka Yamamoto of BCXSY.

“We are now happy to announce the revival of the Mixed Animals through the collection of Hong Kong based brand, Huzi. These beautifully crafted plush animals feature magnetic interchangeable accessories and invite people of all ages to challenge their imagination.”

Referencing the nostalgia of childhood toys, two basic animal bodies in off-white and black can be turned into creatures both real and imagined using sets of accessories from noses, paws and tails to shells, horns and wings.

“Why does an elephant have such a long nose? We naturally associate specific proportions and parts to certain animals,” said the designers. “The Mixed Animals feature a system of magnets and separate body and accessories pieces allowing one to challenge these associations.”

Each element is handmade from filled plush with carefully placed magnets hidden inside to connect them together.

“From design sketches, foam models, pattern cutting to prototyping, we were developing different shapes, sizes and thicknesses, experimenting with material and colour, as well as magnet positions and magnet strengths, to see what would look and match best,” said the designers. “So now we are the proud creator of many original patterns that become unique, charming, three dimensional forms.”

The designers envision the objects being used as toys for adults or children, but also as interior accessories and conversation starters.

“The Mixed Animals were envisioned out of a desire to bring a sense of nostalgia and playfulness into the grown-up environment,” said the designers. “What better way to do this than by re-designing everyone’s favourite childhood toy, and to include endless possibilities of creative play into a beautifully crafted plush.”

The Mixed Animals Kickstarter campaign runs until 1 June.

The post BCXSY’s Mixed Animals magnetic
soft toys launch on Kickstarter appeared first on Dezeen.

La directrice artistique anglaise Gem Fletcher a réalisé la série « Floral Patterns » dans laquelle elle explore les plantes et leur ADN en mélangeant des motifs sur les feuilles et dans le fond. Un set design de Sarah Parker et des photos signées Victoria Ling, à découvrir.

Barcelona studio TwoPoints has designed a flexible identity system for music playlist site Tonangeber using a custom built graphics generator.

Tonangeber was founded by DJs Ani Antunovic and Beda San, who compile playlists and share them on the site for free. TwoPoints was asked to redesign the website and created a custom processing tool that can be used to generate covers for each playlist as well as imagery for packaging, posters and stationery.

The tool allows users to create designs using a range of shapes, colours and textures. Five forms are arranged around an invisible circle and can be rotated, stretched or distorted to make endless variations based on the same grid.

At present, there are twelve background colours and four textures including marble and stone to choose from, but TwoPoints says this could be extended.

“We can import as many textures as we like, [and] there is a huge number of possible shapes,” explains co-founder Martin Lorenz.

The studio says the identity is inspired by precious or rare gems and shapes are designed to look like “minerals in a petri dish.”

“Compiling playlists is like going on an expedition for Ani and Beda. They are searching for rare musical treasures. The graphics for the playlists are like small collections of rare, but beautiful treasures.”

Textures are based on photographs of stones and papers, explains Lorenz – including pictures taken in a graveyard near the studio’s Berlin office. Initial colour choices were based solely on personal taste, but Lorenz says the studio then had to devise a palette that would work with any possible combination.

The processor took around two months to build, in between other projects, but Lorenz says it was more complicated than expected.

“The visual system had to be flexible enough to express the mood of each playlist, but…coherent enough to create a recognisable brand. The diversity of colors in elements and backgrounds had to be planned very carefully, so every combination would work,” he adds.

It’s a simple visual system but the ‘supertool’ is a clever solution, allowing Antunovic and San to create an endless array of graphics for their site and design their own communications.

You don’t have to be lost in the Everglades of South Florida to find value within “Forager: A Subjective Guide to Miami’s Edible Plants.” A well-researched, beautifully presented documentation of 39 delectable plants found within the…

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Lotta Kühlhorn is a Swedish illustrator who, at the age of ten, already knew that she wanted to be an illustrator when she grew up.

Lotta’s illustrations and patterns can be found on cookware, books, fabrics, textiles–even wall tiles!

In January, Lotta released her book called Designing Patterns for Decoration, Fashion and Graphics.