Ellen Giggenbach
20 // Ellen Giggenbach is originally from Bavaria, Germany, but now lives in Wellington, New Zealand. Ellen studied Graphic Design in Vienna, Austria, and Wellington, and on completion was awarded a Diploma with Distinction in Design. She is drawn to mid-century design for its striking colour combinations and graphic shapes, and to European folk art for its joyful motifs. Clients have included Hallmark USA, Tigerprint, Djeko, Lagom Design, Galison and Air New Zealand. Ellen’s dream is to create a retail brand, as Cath Kidston and Orla Kiely have done – a complete brand, from store design and packaging to full ranges of coordinated homewares to stationery, gifts and clothing. In the future, Ellen hopes to continue to create her art every day, and plans to expand her designs to tableware and bedding. She is also creating a series of exciting papercraft books for Templar Publishing.
Design Heroes: Orla Kiely, Charley Harper, Mary Blair
Geometric Tree
Ellen has a large collection of papers that she has painted with acrylics, and she uses these to create her designs. The individual shapes are roughly sketched and cut out of the painted paper, sometimes freehand, sometimes using a ruler or a compass with a knife attachment.
Geo Christmas
Originally a paper cutout that Ellen then manipulated in Adobe Photoshop. Clever use of light and dark gives the shapes depth.
Geometric House
Ellen’s house and tree designs were created as large wall decals for Janna Morishima for an after-school care room in New York. Once the composition was complete, Ellen lightly glued down the pieces and scanned them into Photoshop, which she used to fix small imperfections and add some detailing.
Geometric Cloud
A pleasing arrangement of triangles made from cut papers. Ellen’s brushstrokes, running in different directions, add extra detail to the design.