Classic Colour - Dana Burrows

After reading Jason's article about acknowledging those who came before us to influence our work, it reminded me of an article I came across recently about designer Anna Kövecses.

Anna Kövecses is a Hungarian born graphic designer, illustrator, amateur photographer and videographer who is currently living and working in Cyprus in the Mediterranean.

Kövecses finds most of her inspiration from the 60's, Eastern Europe books, magazines, furniture and ceramics that filled her house from back when she was a child. She has a very strong Bauhaus influence about the pieces she creates.

She uses different elements in her work such as typography.   She mainly uses Dutch, Danish, Norwegian, Albanian and Polish letters and words because she loves the look and sound of them.  I believe this helps with the Bauhaus emphasis that she gives to her  work.

After entering a number of design competitions she was able to create a substantial portfolio which eventually were selected and published in three different LogoLounge books.  She has worked with such brands as DISH, Kempinski, TAG Heuer, NESpresso and Reebok.

“Looking at the colour choices people made in the past really helps to improve my graphic design work. When choosing colours, I try to surprise myself with ones I certainly wouldn't think of immediately... I try to break my own rules and bring in some fresh combinations.”

Bizarre, poster design, 2012.

Mej'viz @ Szimpla, 2012.

Aritzia Reviews Issue 5, 2013.

DISH Installation Van Design,  2012.

Take That Step!

Poster design selected for Let's Be Brief's 'The Art of Winning' exhibition, 2012.

This is an example of tapping back into past designers to help us with our work today. There is little out there today that is completely original. In the design world we basicly build off past designs and alter and regenerate what is already there.   Personally I do not think that this is  a bad thing. Even if our completed work has been influenced from what we started with, it has still ended up being something that we have spent time over and has resulted having our imprint on it.