Designers United is a design team that was brought into being by art directors Dimitris Koliadimas and Dimitris Papazoglou. They create print and digital graphics for businesses, art institutions and other organizations and have some finely tuned design sensibilities. Great work from a seasoned studio with a consistent point of view.

Atipus is a very talented mid-sized studio based in Barcelona. The studio was started in 1998 and has been knocking out great work since. They have a very clean / simplistic approach but there are hints of playfulness peaking through everything. These guys are my new design crush. Jump on their site and check them out.

Some super great illustration work coming from UK’s Owen Gatley. His illustrations have so much character and make me think of some favorite book of mine from when I was kid that I can’t quite remember. A really warm, curious perspective that makes me want to raid my parents old library.

Recently caught up with some great work from Spin, a small UK design firm based in London. Their work has an energetic, offbeat, even frantic feel but is grounded in a solid foundational understanding of typography and composition. I’m really into their editorial and layout work and love how they seamlessly incorporate simplicity and chaos into one piece.

I was floored when I caught up with these Alvin Lustig compositions courtesy of ButDoesItFloat. I swear no one does it like this anymore. A beautiful exploration of shape, balance and composition that’s both minimal and complex.  If you haven’t picked it up yet, Born Modern is a great book from Chronicle that catalogs Lustig’s life and work. Timeless work from a timeless artist.  Long live Lustig.

Sawdust is the creative collective of Rob Gonzalez and Jonathan Quainton, both independent graphic designers based in London. Classic, clean, geometric goodness. I’ve been drawn to this stuff from the beginning and it’s great to see young studios pushing the craft with thoughtful and timeless executions like these.

Been a production machine at work over the last two weeks leading up to a project launch and during such times it’s always hard to get out of the cave and good inspiration that feels fresh. As such I was happy to come across the work of Rob Ricketts, a Birmingham based designer who’s got some chops despite being an up and comer. Especially like his “Programming an 808″ posters.

I came across the stylings of Eric Mortensen on Dribbble a couple of weeks ago and was struck by how buttoned up his work is. Nothing but gold on his account and I love his icon sets. Keep an eye on this one.

I recently got a pack of Monarch playing cards in the mail and was please to see they were designed by Curtis Jinkins and his Neighborhood Studio. They have a really great shop that should be checked out and of course a wide range of amazing work. Curtis seems to be able to transcend any particular style, but his work is always distinctively him. Great stuff.

Borja Bonaque is a designer / illustrator from Valencia, Spain. He’s produced artwork for Elwood, Financial Times, Wallpaper, Zoo York, New Scientist, Rioja Wines, Bancaja and Wired Magazine and has a style that makes me want to watch The Hudsucker Proxy. Feast thine eyes. There is a timeless trippy-ness, an industrial loneliness and a beautiful exploration of man-made structure here that is worth taking in. Really great work.