Celebrating 'Alan Kitching: A Life in Letterpress'
Début Art is proud to support Alan Kitching and Laurence King Publishing in a series of upcoming events celebrating the launch of ‘Alan Kitching: A Life in Letterpress’ the bookshop edition, published by Laurence King March 2017.
The first of these will be ‘Alan Kitching: Letterpress Prints’, an exhibition of both acclaimed and new works from Alan Kitching presented by Advanced Graphics London and showing at the Coningsby Gallery from 11th – 15th April 2017. We are thrilled to welcome Alan back to the Coningsby Gallery for what promises to be an exciting show, marking the status he has earned as a world renowned typographer, designer and letterpress practitioner. Alan will also be present for an exclusive book-signing event at the exhibition on the 15th April 2017 from 12 noon until 3pm.
Succeeding this, ‘Alan Kitching and John L. Walters in Conversation’ will be a one-off event hosted by Laurence King and citizenM Tower of London Hotel, with support from Début Art, on Thursday 27th April 2017. Celebrated design journalist John L. Walters will join Alan on stage to discuss his illustrious career, as well as his experience and insight into the working lives of artists and designers including Anthony Froshaug, Hansjörg Mayer, Diter Rot, the Boyle Family, Derek Birdsall, Alan Fletcher, Colin Forbes and Celia Stothard, Kitching’s late partner in life and work for sixteen years.
We are pleased to be collaborating so closely with Alan and Laurence King Publishing on these wonderful occasions that acknowledge his mark on, and overwhelming contribution to, the fields of print, letterpress and design.
All arwork shown © Alan Kitching
Photograph of Alan Kitching © Helen Cathcart
Recent articles
Début Welcomes Marcial Rodrigo
Début Art is very excited to announce that we are now representing Marcial Rodrigo! Marcial is an illustrator and infographic designer from Seville, in the sunny south of Spain, who explores ways to fuse information with illustration. Detail-oriented and versatile, he combines simplicity and symbolism to communicate complex ideas clearly and effectively. With a style defined by precise, dynamic lines, his compositions balance visual and conceptual harmony, prioritizing both aesthetics and clarity—creating pieces that connect and invite visual reflection. His professional background, which spans from architecture to design, brings a unique perspective to his work. Now based in Málaga, he works with national and international clients, developing projects that deliver narrative depth and visual coherence. Clients include: El País-Retina, Santilla Editorial, Arup, Oliver Cabell, Fast Company, Modus Magazine, Golf Magazine, Drapers, Which? Magazine, Wunderman Thompson, Garaje de Ideas,...
A Rich Rice Brand Re-design
We are pleased to share packaging illustrations by artist Webb Creative for Oriente, a premium rice brand out of Portugal. Webb Creative was brought on by Firecactus Creative Director John-Paul Hunter who led the brand’s redesign. Inside the V-shaped illustration, which is actually two grains of rice coming together, are Webb’s illustrations. Each rice variant has a different scene, depicting the fifth-generation owners and moments from the business’s history. As Hunter shared with Design Week: “That illustration needed to work hard, we wanted people to see something different every time.” A further dive into the meaning of each illustration can be found on the back of the pack. You can check out details of the redesign and more of Webb Creative’s work here.
Introducing Andreea Dumuta
Debut Art is pleased to announce that we are now representing artist Andreea Dumuta! Andreea Dumuta is a Romanian illustrator known for her bold and eclectic visual language that blends dark, moody motifs with playful, vibrant colors. Her work often draws inspiration from nature and the animal world, resulting in a diverse body of illustrations that are both whimsical and striking. With a growing presence in the publishing industry, Andreea has illustrated numerous book covers for international publishers including Macmillan, Hachette, Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster . Her commercial portfolio also includes personal and collaborative projects. Beyond her commissioned work, she continues to explore self-initiated projects that push creative boundaries and reflect her interest in the surreal, the satirical, and the symbolic. When she's not illustrating, Andreea enjoys watching films, exploring the outdoors on long walks, and discovering new music. See Andreea’s full portfoli...
Steven Heller on Peter Grundy (AKA Grundini)
Steven Heller, a member of the Art Director Hall of Fame since 1996 and author, co-author and editor of over 200 books on design covered Grundini in his latest article for the Daily Heller. Describing Peter, Steven wrote: " [he is] an exemplar of the commedia dell’arte style of data visualization, a maestro of transforming statistics into pictorial passion plays. Icons are his meat, and they are seasoned with wit and humor, color and conviviality. They brighten up the stage, the page and the screen. They scroll with a certain rock and roll." You can explore the article in full here You can find more brilliant work from Grundini here