Categories / Art and Photography, Books, Design and Interiors

V&A Pattern books

V&A pattern row

The V&A Museum are launching the V&A Pattern books, a chance to look a bit closer at aspects of the museum's fantastic collection. There are four books in this initial release and each book features 65 patterns that have been found across a range of materials in the museum – such as wallpapers, designs and textiles  grouped around a different theme. The themes are quite diverse. The first two books tackle William Morris and Indian Florals (both quite self explanatory), the third looks at fifties designs (lots of Lucienne Day, Marion Mahler and Sylvia Chalmers) and finally Digital Pioneers features interesting examples of early explorations into creating computer generated patterns. Each book features a curator penned introduction to the topic. 

At £7.99, they are a great small gift but, as each book also contains a CD of the images, they could also be used for design inspiration. There is also a limited edition box set available featuring all four titles for £30. 

See them online
Categories / Art and Photography, Gadgets and Tech

Meet David Bailey at the Olympus EP-1 camera launch in London

Ep1_1

To say we were blown away by the Olympus EP-1 Micro Four Thirds camera is an understatement, a mix of high-end technology and old school looks, it's the camera we really want to own this summer. If you want to get up close and personal with one, you can do so at Jessops in central London – and meet David Bailey as an added incentive.

Some versions of the retro-styled camera will be on sale on the night, while others can be pre-ordered so you get one as soon as they land. If you do pre-order, Jessops is apparently giving away a free 'Cross' pen to the first 50. we've no idea what that is but it's apparently worth £300. And of course, you can get tips off the coolest photographer in the history of the world too.

If you can't get to the Jessops New Oxford Street branch on 25th June at 6pm, the full range of EP-1 cameras has just gone online, you can check them out (and prices) via the link below. Alternatively, see over the page for the classic David Bailey Olympus ad from the 1970s – we just couldn't resist putting it up.

Find out more at the Jessops website

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Categories / Art and Photography, Gadgets and Tech

Lomo LC-A camera is 25 years old – and gets discounted for a day

Lomo_lca

The first-ever Lomo camera is 25 years old and to celebrate, you can pick up the Lomo LC-A on the cheap for one day only.

First produced in the (then) Soviet Union in 1984, it was designed as a workhouse' camera for everyday photography, complete with the iconic Minitar 1 lens for vivid, wide angle images and auto exposure for great snaps in all light. it was the camera that led to the Lomographic Society and the rest, as they say, is history.

The camera is still being made as an almost perfect replica (in China) and you can buy one on Friday 19th June with a 25 per cent discount. That means the £234 asking price for the basic model should drop to something like £175 tomorrow. Also that day, there's 10 per cent off everything in the Lomo online shop – but only for the day.

Lomography website

Categories / Art and Photography

1930s Notices from New York

30snotices

Retro-style signs are easy to find, but Pedlars has just acquired a stock of the real thing – 1930s Notices from New York.

Like their modern imitators, their appeal is part nostalgia and partly the fun of using them out of context.  Hang the "Please Don't Write on our Tables" or "All Bills Paid Weekly" signs above your desk.  The "Hair and Beaty Treatments" sign could be hung in the bathroom or above a dressing table. 

They are vintage so some are unique, whereas others they have in a small quantities.  As you would expect from something around 70 years old, they are showing some signs of wear, but that only adds to their character.  The notices are sold framed, priced £125.  Visit the Pedlars website to view the whole stock.

Categories / Art and Photography

Swifty at the Art Car Boot Fair

Swifty_viva

If you're a regular reader of our Switched On Art site, you'll know this weekend sees the annual Art Car Boot Fair in East London, where some of the great and the good of the art world sell their work from car boots alongside new and exciting artists. If you're in the area, it's pretty much an essential day out. See here for more details.

If the queue to pick up work from Sir Peter Blake is a bit much, you might want to check out one of our favourite artists, Swifty. He's selling his latest range of giclee prints at the fair, three images based around his childhood memories of his old family car, the Vauxhall Viva.

You can pick up the one above for just £20 or buy all three in the series for just £50 – and all will be sold out of the back of an authentic 1970s Vauxhall Viva, just to make it easy to find him.

Find out more at the Swifty website

Categories / Art and Photography, Gadgets and Tech

Lomo introduces the Diana Multi-Pinhole Operator camera

Diana_multi

We've featured pinhole cameras in the past, but nothing quite like the Lomo Diana Multi-Pinhole Operator camera.

This new Diana variation allows you to expose 1, 2 or 3 pinholes on one frame. Throw in some (included) colour gels and you can snap your mates with weird psychedelic effects. You can also select from three photo formats using the frame masks included in the pack and you can use it with the standard Diana accessories, including the recent Diana Instant Back+ for instant photos wherever you are.

Complete with those 60s-style looks, it's priced from just £46.90.

Find out more at the Lomography website