In last week's roundup of workspace accessories, it was tempting to include a few great prints. I quickly realized there were so many good ones, they deserved an article all their own.
If you've been wanting to add a touch of inspiration or artistic flair to the places where you live and work, this is the roundup for you.
Influence the World print by Sean McCabe. ($32)
Influence the World by Sean "seanwes" McCabe »
Sean McCabe is a very talented hand-lettering artist and designer, and sells a number of awesome prints and other goodies. Our favorite of the bunch is his Influence the World poster — not just because it's beautiful, but because it's a much-needed reminder that we should strive to find our own voices rather than follow the crowd. Hang it above your workspace so it's always within view.
The Alphabet of Typography poster from Pop Chart Lab. (from $29)
The Alphabet of Typography »
Pop Chart Lab’s Alphabet of Typography is an 18″ x 24″ poster printed on an offset lithographic press, using vegetable-based inks, that literally shows you the ABC’s of typesetting elements. If there were such a thing as an elementary school class on typography, this would be the poster hanging behind the teacher’s desk.
I liked the way Fast Co. Design described this poster, so I’ll quote them here:
In the Alphabet of Typography, A isn’t for Apple; it’s for Axis, Apex, Aperture, and Ascender. C, M, Y, and K, meanwhile, are set apart in their own colors (cyan, magenta, yellow, and key or black), to represent the four-color printing process. Although the design seems simple at first glance, there’s actually a lot to discover here. Kerning, glyphs, line spacing, leading, diacritics, swashes, and more are all covered.
Honorable mention: If this print is up your alley, you'll probably also dig the How to Choose a Typeface poster from Forrest Goods.
Endure print by Greg Baldwin of CreatureBox. ($85 for canvas print, or $20 for photo print)
Endure Print by Greg Baldwin of CreatureBox »
As part of Autodesk's "Art for Hope" charity — the proceeds of which go to support people displaced by the Nepal earthquake — Greg Baldwin of art studio CreatureBox created this awesome 12" x 12" x 1.5" canvas print depicting a giant robot-shaped monastery. It sounds weird but we dig it — plus, we always enjoy supporting great causes.
The canvas print is $85, or you can get the much thinner photo print for just $20. Either way, you get to help out earthquake victims out while getting some great artwork in the process.
Cameron Moll's Structures in Type letterpress posters. ($100–$135)
Cameron Moll's Structures in Type Letterpress Posters »
You may or may not already be familiar with Cameron Moll's work over at Authentic Jobs (and more recently at Spoken), but did you know he also painstakingly recreates pieces of architecture in letterpress form and sells prints of them?
Our favorite of these prints is the Brooklyn Bridge poster (pictured above, $120) but you can also get posters of the Coliseum ($100) or Salt Lake Temple ($100).
They're not cheap posters, but they weren't easy to design either. Cameron also uses high-quality materials, such as Crane's Lettra Pearl 100%-cotton paper.
The Spaceflight Maps print series by City Prints. ($49–$199)
City Prints' Spaceflight Maps Series »
These Spaceflight maps are perfect for anyone who's ever dreamed of going to space.
From Apollo 11 and Apollo 13 mission routes to lunar landings and even to a Kennedy Space Center launchpad, these prints are sure to make your inner astronaut happy. They're printed on heavy pearlescent paper stock, giving them a beautiful and subtle metallic shimmer.
City Prints carries these Spaceflight Maps in a few standard sizes — which range from $49 to $199 depending on the package you choose — but they've told us they can also print to any size onto virtually any material (wood, metal, etc) on a custom basis.
Camera Patent posters by PatentPrints. ($7–$35, depending on size)
Photo: Jorge Quinteros
Camera Patent Posters by PatentPrints »
Photographers, filmmakers, and history geeks will particularly appreciate these camera patent posters on Etsy.
Our favorite is the 1962 E. Sauer camera patent, which also happens to look great as a t-shirt. Each print can be purchased in a variety of sizes and colors, and printed on your choice of card stock, copy paper, parchment, or parchtone.
If you want something beyond photography, check out PatentPrints' full Etsy shop, because they sell these same kinds of posters for all sorts of awesome toys and gadgets and more.
Lineposters city transit prints. (Prices vary)
Pictured: Tokyo (black)
Lineposters City Transit Prints »
You don't have to be a graphic designer to appreciate beautiful signage and cartography. These hand-illustrated, stylized transit posters are a great mix of both worlds and will fit in with just about any decor. As of this writing there are 28 cities available, each with a variety of interesting color palettes to choose from.
Some are low-key like the one pictured above, but you can always go bright and bold if you want...
Berlin (coral & navy) print from the Lineposters project.
Singin' in the Rain print by Niege Borges. ($17–$50 unframed, $34–$123 framed)
Singin' in the Rain Print by Neige Borges »
Those of you unafraid to show off your love of musicals will appreciate this Singin’ in the Rain print by Brazilian illustrator Niege Borges. And even if you’re not a fan of such things, you gotta admit she really nailed the water effects.
The print is unframed by default, with prices ranging from $17 (8″ x 10″) to $50 (28″ x 38″). They do offer a framed version though, if you don't mind paying more for it.
Exceptionally Great Espresso — Art & Science print by Stellavie Design Studio (~$77 USD + shipping)
Exceptionally Great Espresso — Art & Science Print by Stellavie Design Studio »
As this print's store page says, “Great espresso is both an art form and a science” Crafted with custom inks on beautiful Italian paper, this 20" x 27.5" print celebrates espresso by describing its theory and preparation in great detail, accompanied by lovely illustrations.
It comes in three variations: black/creme-white (pictured above), gold/black, and silver/black. Prices are listed in euro, so be sure to check the conversion rate before ordering.
Honorable mention: Coffee fans will also appreciate Pop Chart Lab's similarly-named Exceptional Expressions of Espresso chart.