All posts tagged: featured

MAKI:minimag_summer reading list_Im Garten von Alain Gree

MAKI:minimag summer reading list – #2

Published by patricia

We have compiled a little summer reading list with five of our favourite children´s books. Number 1 has been “Backe backe Kuchen”, about playing with sand. Number 2 on the MAKI:minimag summer reading list is “Heidi, Peter und der Garten” (Heidi, Peter and the garden) by French illustration hero Alain Grée. It is about Heidi and Peter visiting their uncle Bertram and his garden. In beautiful colours Grée shows  sorts of flowers in the garden, the different trees, tells about the vegetable garden and how you care for it. It shows the animals that live in a garden and features a little picture story about how an apple becomes a tree becomes an apple again. We love these vintage illustrations in bold 60/70ies  colours and their naivety of form. There are other books of Alain Grée (which are available in English) which are great for a summer reading list. There is “Nature”,  a compilation of books, including, amongst others, ‘On the farm’ and ‘In the forest’. In simple words it tells children about the different flora and fauna they …

MAKI:wishlist*tate_british_art_activity_book

Tate Kids British Art activity book for kids

Published by patricia

The new book on our MAKI:wishlist – Tate Kids British Art activity book for kids While writing about books and working on our first printed issue of children´s magazine MAKI:minimag we come across so many great books we would like to have. So why not put them on a MAKI:minimag wishlist and share them all with you? Our first one is the Tate Kids British Art activity book for kids, illustrated by great James Lambert. Here is what this charming activity book for kids is all about: “This book includes art activities based on 10 historical, modern and contemporary British artworks. Devised by Tate Kids online editor with designer/illustrator James Lambert, it is a fun and insightful introduction to art. Throw yourself into British art with this zany book of activities based on artworks by some of Britain’s most exciting artists. Play a game of ‘Formaldehyde and Seek’ inspired by Damien Hirst; take cues from Barbara Hepworth and carve a sculpture out of soap; and find out how to capture the spectacular glow of J.M.W. …

MAKI:minimag_Libuse Niklova_gonfle_3

Splash!!! Cool Summer with Libuše Niklová

Published by patricia

It is finally summer! That is why I wanna show you this great bath toy – a seahorse –  by my toy designer hero Libuše Niklová. Fatra, the company she worked for, is still in business today, and they re-edited some of Niklová´s toys. Unfortunately not the sea horse… but other ones!!  And they approached contemporary Czech designers amongst which graphic designer Zuzana Lednická from Studio Najbrt, who re-interpreted the toys from the ’70s and created contemporary versions of them. Zuzana Lednická did some great beach balls.  Summer in Style! Have fun:)   Not for swimming but still very beautiful ad designed by Libuše Niklová: these baby toys! Like this:Like Loading…

MAKI:minimag_DOT. The happy mag for creative kids

DOT. kids magazine #2

Published by patricia

Here is the second of our series on creative kids magazines. The first one was the french magazine Georges. Today we travel to England, where DOT comes from. DOT is the new, quite lovely magazine by the publishers of the famous kids magazine Anorak (we will feature that one soon too – promised!:) It is designed for toddlers. DOT is not just the name of the magazine but also the name of its main character who carries in his head all that is needed to solve any problem. The magazine’s first issue, focusses on the theme of shapes and includes stories, games and activities, all written and edited by Cathy Olmedillas and beautifully illustrated by Anorak’s chief designer Anna Dunn. Guest illustrators include Jon Boam, Lauren Humphrey and Andres Lozano. You can buy a copy of the first issue of DOT magazine here. Like this:Like Loading…

MAKI:minimag_Têtes, Bêtes, Lettres_Pepillo

“Têtes, Bêtes, Lettres” . game by Pepillo

Published by patricia

A happy girl, a mister wearing a moustache, a sun, a walking R…these and lots of more figures never looked more charming and fun than when assembled with the lovely iPad-app “Têtes, Bêtes, Lettres” by Pepillo. Illustrator Celine Vernier designed it as a follow-up to the book/game” Têtes, Bêtes, Lettres”, a sticker booklet edited by Helium. Simple graphic elements that can be combined to build little universes, plays of words, letter characters. Super original, super beautiful, super simple!        Like this:Like Loading…

MAKI:minimag_William Bee_Whatever

Whatever

Published by patricia

Whatever by William Bee is one of the funniest children books. Great illustrations, not a lot of words, And a great, hilarious ending… The original version had much more pages, if you want to see some pages that did not make it into the final version, check William Bee´s blog. “Whatever” says Billy. It doesn’t matter what Dad shows him – whether it’s the tallest giraffe or the smallest butterfly or the world’s curliest trumpet or the steamiest train. Even a trip to outer space yields the dismissive response, “Whatever”. Until, that is, Billy meets the world’s hungriest tiger and is promptly gobbled up. “I’m still in here Dad,” yells Billy. “Whatever,” says Dad! Like this:Like Loading…

The Play: Modernist toy exhibition in London

Published by patricia

London calling!!! The exhibition THE PLAY: Toys, Sets, Rules, organised by systems shows Modernist toys from the 1960ies with objects drawn from the personal archives of Roger Limbrick, Patrick Rylands, Fredun Shapur and Ken Garland. The four designers formed a loosely associated group that emerged in London in the 1960s. The doll house with open sides by Roger Limbrick won an Observer Design Award in 1969 and is part of the Victoria and Albert Museum collection.  Also on who’s is our beloved bath toy Duck by Patrick Rylands, produced in 1993 by AmbiToys, that works for any age – from 0 to 99. Furthermore there are toys by Fredun Shaper (like the Serpentino)  and Ken Garland (the Connect game and the Plytech Chair). Until July 4, 2015! Plytek Chair, Ken Garland + Associates c.1965, unrealised prototype Four-Way Blocks, Fredun Shapur 1972, Creative Playthings Connect, Ken Garland + Associates 1968, produced by James Galt Balancing Troupers, Fredun Shapur 1963, prototype (later realized by Kurt Naef) Serpentino, Fredun Shapur 1980, produced by Kurt Naef Joupii, Patrick Rylands 1970, produced by Il Leccio Open Side …

MAKI:minimag_ABC der Tiere_Piatti

ABC der Tiere – Animal ABC

Published by patricia

When I stood in the bookshop lately I saw a book. And I suddenly had this memory flashback: me, as a little kid, sitting on a small striped couch, book on the lap, watching these impressive drawings of animals… lots of black lines …strong colours… a kind of intensity and strangeness about them. I am talking about Celestino Piatti´s Animal ABC. What a picture book classic! I will try to find the original book at my parents house. But in the meantime I took some photographs of the new edition (Nord Süd, 2015) at the bookshop. Celestino Piatti (1922-1907) was a Swiss graphic designer, painter and book designer. He illustrated some very famous children’s book, as “The happy owls”. He achieved international success as a designer for the Deutsche Taschenbuch Verlag (DTV). The Animal’s ABC, with its colour intensive, black outline style dates from 1965. It was published just two years after Maurice Sendak´s children´s book classic “Where the wild things are”.         Like this:Like Loading…

MAKI:minimag_vintage toy

HELLO! vintage toy #1

Published by patricia

Hello! Hallo! Hej! Just some in-between inspirational  flash. Have a lovely Sunday! Einfach nur ein Inspirations-Blitz zwischendurch. Und noch einen feinen Sonntag! Gewoon een  inspiratie-flits tussendoor. En nog een fijne zondag! Like this:Like Loading…

MAKI:minimag_kids magazines_Georges_numero-pomme

Georges // kids magazine #1

Published by patricia

Since we discovered the French kids magazine Georges in 2011 we are huge fans. And in fact it was THE inspiration for our own kids magazine MAKI – which we are working on at the moment. To show you a little bit more about our research and inspiration we will present some of the most lovely children magazines from now on. And we start with Georges. Three times a year a new issue is published, about themes as Pop, dinosaurs, apples or elephants. The magazine aims at children from 7 to 12 years old and is for everyone interested in beautiful graphic design. It offers a mix of stories, games,  little interviews and experiments. http://www.magazinegeorges.com Seit wir 2011 das Französische Kindermagazine Georges entdeckt haben sind wir große Fans. Und ehrlicherweise war es auch DIE Inspirationsquelle für unser eigenes Kindermagazine MAKI – an dem wir momentan arbeiten. Um Mal einen Eindruck zu geben, was wir alles gefudnen haben und was uns inspiriert werden wir von jetzt ab verschiedene, großartige Kindermagazine präsentieren. Und wir fangen mit Georges an. Drei mal im …