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.

Danish architecture and landscape photographer Kim Høltermand’s stark, striking images have appeared in numerous publications, including Process Journal and Grafik. He was included in Netdiver’s Best of the Year 2008 and was awarded first place in the 2009 International Photography Award’s Professional Architecture: Buildings division for his photographs. The Journal recently interviewed Mr Høltermand on his techniques and inspirations.

Jarrik Muller is an Amsterdam-based designer. His work explores dimensional letter-forms and typography as an object. The Journal interviewed Mr Muller about his latest explorations and his thoughts on type.

You created the 3D typeface for German magazine Jpeople, correct? How did they approach you for the project?

I started this 3D typeface as a personal project in 2006 and finished it in 2009. It started as a 2D typeface; after I added grey tones to it I realized that there might be more than one way of viewing it than a 2D typeface. I began to see the possibilities of a 3D typeface and began experimenting with random words made out of foam board and wood. This resulted in a 3D typeface, constructed out of paper, that is easy to use, reproduce and has plenty of possibilities for design processes. Thanks to Zedz for being a good sparring partner, always there to bounce ideas off.

Sophie Blackall is an illustrator with a curious preoccupation, notes left for passing strangers. “Their messages have the lifespan of a butterfly,” she explains on her blog. “I’m trying to pin a few of them down.” Ms Blackall does just that: she paints reactionary pieces based on posts in Craigslist’s “missed connections” section and collects them on Missed Connections NY. The Journal recently interviewed Ms Blackall about her work.

How long after you started reading the Missed Connections section did you start making illustrations? What prompted this change – from simply reading to reacting visually?

From the first Missed Connection I read, I saw them as potential paintings. The idea for the series percolated in the wee hours that night and for once I woke up and got on with it! The decision to make it a blog, rather than just accumulate the images for some undetermined project down the line, was purely to enforce self-discipline. I thought that if even one person was looking at the blog, I’d feel obliged to keep producing the work. As all freelancers know, it’s not easy to maintain a personal project alongside all your “actual” work, no matter how enthusiastic you are. I didn’t want this one to go the way of the unfinished novel in the drawer.

The fact that more than one person looked at the blog was, and continues to be, the most extraordinary bonus.

Pavel Fuksa is a Creative Director at the advertising agency JWT Prague and an Commercial Director at Rats Prague, a film production company. He is a visual designer by schooling, and has been illustrating and designing for clients for seven years. The Journal interviewed Mr Fuksa on his latest creative venture, a music video that combines his unique graphic style with his directing skill.

You directed and designed for The Navigators’ music video. Have you ever worked on a project like this before? What was it like to direct the video after designing the matchboxes?

I have never done project like this – this was in my charge from the very beginning till the end. The actual direction wasn’t hard, it was all about the finalized designs, good locations and capable editor (thank you, Petr from asfalt.tv, again.)

Sebastian Lange is a German motion-graphics artist. He is best known for his widely viewed, self-described “experimental kinetic type animation” animation, Flickermood 2.0. The piece is collected, sophisticated and vivacious, but retrograde with its soundtrack and film-like dust and scratches. The Journal corresponded with Mr Lange over the last month and asked him about his project:

What got you in to motion graphics?

I think it started since I have been able to draw and paint, and when I was at school I got a book about Walt Disney animation techniques from my father. From that point on, animation was always something very fascinating for me – I used to draw a lot of flip-books at that time. I also did a lot of music and band-playing. There has always been a huge admiration for cd-covers, artist posters and music videos. After finishing school I didn’t really know what to do: studying or making music?

Brazilian photographer João Castilho graduated with a degree in Journalism from PUC Minas and a MA in Visual Arts from Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. His work has been displayed in numerous publications, including Condé Nast Traveler and National Geographic, and his photographs have shown at a handful of solo exhibitions.

Mr Castilho’s photographic portfolios have a strong sense of coherency. Many of his photographs center around environment and interaction. The expert use of color and deep, crushed blacks make for dramatic, moving images.