Paris-based Xavier Encinas Studios is the art direction and graphic design studio of Xavier Encinas. The studio has worked with numerous high-profile clients, most notably Nike and the Contemporary Art Gallery of Vancouver. In addition to starting the studio in 2005, Mr Encinas is the design director for biannual art and fashion magazine Under The Influence.

The studio works primarily in print and packaging; their portfolio consists of magazine spreads, business cards, letterheads, promotional items.

Interaction and Collaboration

Inksie assembles creatives from different mediums in one place for interaction and collaboration. We aim to open minds and build on old and new ideas alike. It’s a reliable place for honest critique, opinions and discussion.

Growth by Inspiration

We foster an appreciation for design and its expressive qualities. To this end, we operate The Inksie Journal of Design & Culture, where we interview highly regarded professionals and feature exceptional artists. Through visual and conceptual content we aim to grow.

Print Production and Distribution

Inksie engages artists and the public alike in the medium of print. We believe that it is a powerful, communicative platform. We exercises the medium’s strengths through distributing original works of printed art and design to the public.

Conducive to Creativity

We’re fans of a good challenge and growth as a consequence of it. We’ve structured Inksie with that in mind, with a community that not only fosters creative culture, but drives for progress.

The Euro icon, released on December 12, 1996, is the most recently designed symbol for a currency. The Euro character was the final selection out of ten other symbols presented to the general public. Its shape derives from the Greek epsilon (ε), and the “C” character, which references the cradle of European civilization . The two horizontal lines have been attributed to the stability of the European market. Before the symbol was created, the European Commision (EC) listed four criterion for the design:

It should be a highly recognisable symbol of Europe. It should have a visual link with existing well-known currency symbols. It should be aesthetically pleasing and easy to write by hand.

Fabien Barral is known for uniquely textured work that is layered and colorful. He is also the creative mind behind Graphic-Exchange, a premier source of design inspiration. The Journal had the opportunity to interview Mr Barral. Here is what we asked him:

How did you get started in design and graphics?

School was not my cup of tea, and I always feel stupid learning things I don’t care for. At the end of my regular school courses, there was a forum to present working life to young, unprepared people. I saw this amazing school where you can design magazines and CD sleeves. That’s a job? Good … I get into it, I love it and I never stop. It wasn’t so long ago – 12 years ago – but, believe it or not, it was a time without internet and Photoshop layers!

What inspires you? Who do you look to for visual inspiration?

I am that kind of designer that needs to eat thousands and thousands of images before going into the creative phase. Most of the time I do mood-boards of what I love and can feature on the project, and when I am not on the computer – driving, walking in the street – images and concepts come to my mind. I don’t really know how, but it happens. Sincerely, it also happens when i fall asleep: not when i sleep, when i fall asleep. This curious moment where you are not awake but not gone enough to not remember…

Apple released it’s much anticipated tablet computer, the iPad, on January 27th. The device is getting a lot of attention. Twitter was abuzz with aliases such as itampon and maxipad. The New York Times has an article on it. Gizmodo was at the press conference: they have pictures and video of it in action.

The iPad, as Apple CEO Steve Jobs explained, is a personal computing device that fills a void between laptops and smart phones. Jobs says the device excels at everyday computing tasks like browsing the internet, reading email and watching movies.

A quick look at the Apple Tablet:

I can’t help but thinking of the Apple retail store with their employees buzzing around with their little credit card processing units when I saw this new technology released today by a company called Square. This startup company looks like it has some big plans, and with famous entrepreneurs on their team (Jack Dorsey) they have reason to be. Square seems to be saying, “Hey, you can reach out to your customers in a new way, because, face it, your customer is evolving. It’s up to you to adapt, and this is one way to become sociable with them in a new electro-centric way.” I like that. I hate getting receipts and having tons of those “I bought 10 coffee’s from you now give me a free one” cards.

First test of our stamps

We recently ordered custom stamps from rubberstamps.net (great turnaround time and quality, will definitely use them again) to leave ink imprints on unsuspecting documents floating around the Inksie office. I believe small details (such as these stamps) can really do a lot for brand recognition and personality. It adds another dimension of uniqueness to every package shipped out to customers. Like the narrator (Edward Norton) in Fight Club says at the beginning of the movie, “The glass dishes with tiny bubbles and imperfections [are] proof they were crafted by the honest, simple, hard-working peoples…”