MODERN MUTTS

Art&Culture, Design

Minimalist prints for dog—and design—enthusiasts.

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MODERN MUTTS

WORDS BY Libby Borton

The traditional pet portraiture of a frolicking puppy in daffodils or a Yorkshire Terrier in a teacup may have been good for your gran, but is hardly an image of design modernity in today’s less-is-more times. Enter Swedish friends Emil Tiismann and Jan van Helleputte, whose fine art prints strike the delicate balance between sweet and sophisticated.

The duo founded their online shop, Dogmade, in 2018 to “both capture the unique characteristics of each dog breed while remaining minimalistic and decorative.” The first artwork was of Tiismann‘s Staffordshire terrier, Peanut. To celebrate his furry friend’s first birthday (and the fact she’d finally stopped eating his shoes), he created a single stroke illustration. This original line output and a second mosaic style make the basis of their portraits, which loving humans can customise. Tiismann tells us they’re currently exploring new motifs for the 60 breeds on offer and a third design is on the way. Illo or mosaic, pug or mutt, every piece is printed on paper from the 420-year-old German company Hahnemüehle—“the best fine art paper there is.”

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All images courtesy of Dogmade
dogmade.com

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CELEBRATING FIVE YEARS

A heartfelt thank you to all the photographers, artists, illustrators, and writers who trusted us, dived in, and brought us delight, grace, excitement, courage, wilderness, and wonder over the last five years. Their work not only reflects the bonds we share with our animal companions, it also celebrates their spirit.

None of this would be possible without our four-legged counterparts who sprinkle magic dust time and time again, and our readers, who embraced this kooky idea, rallied around us, and made this world theirs too. With friends like these, who needs nine lives?

February 5, 2019