I didn’t live through the 1950s, but I played with the paper dolls. The sometimes simple, sometimes frou-frou silhouettes likely visited the great recycling box in the sky some time ago, but they live on in my memory. Grace Hester’s silhouette and typography-inspired prints have a touch of that paper doll feel, with a modern twist. She creates custom prints to suit all ages and interests. Her images are simple, modern, and striking and come in a rainbow of colors.
What I find most striking about the prints at Grace Hester Designs is their simplicity. In the Animal Solo print, two tones create the graphic of a butterfly silhouette. Accompanying the animal image is the word “butterfly” in both English and Chinese. The prints from Grace Hester Designs would look equally at home in a living room, nursery, or a classroom. Grace will morph the designs to your needs – you can choose words, colors, and even languages that suit your family. The bird-themed family keepsake print celebrates your family or a special family you know. The family print has the name of your family, and the number of birds reflects the number of people. These family prints are ideal gifts for a couple who is newly married or a family with a new baby or a new home. I can imagine these prints gracing the entranceway of a home or sitting as mine does, nestled in the midst of family photographs.
If you’re looking for a gift for a special relative or teacher, Hester’s animal prints allow you to tell someone how special they are through animal metaphors. They feature phrases about the characteristics of each animal, like “my daddy is brave like a lion.” Custom? Of course! If you have a specific animal in mind, you can change the print accordingly. Grace Hester Designs’ alphabets and alphabet rhymes are not just for the nursery. They’re a menagerie of animals in natural colors, a group of animals next to the letters of their name. These 11×14 prints would be an excellent choice for a new teacher. They’re also available in little 4×6 prints, perfect for dancing across the top of a bedroom or classroom wall. Teachers will also enjoy the print of the days of the week in various languages. Those who adore a particular animal will enjoy the striking single-color animal prints in multiple languages.
If you’re looking for a print for a themed nursery or bedroom, the colors are not the usual tepid tones. Enough of pastel pinks and blues – these art prints come in shades like forest green, cocoa brown, light fuschia, burgundy, and a pale yet vibrant shade of orange. Her animal prints also come in the animals of the zodiac, to which you can add a name and a birthday.
For those who are celebrating a new arrival, birth or adoption prints feature all of your child’s “vital statistics,” including name, weight, and place of birth, all in variations on blue and pink. A variety of playful font sizes and tones catch your eye: imagine displaying this keepsake in new baby’s new nursery.
For a slightly older child, Grace Hester Designs features cut paper silhouettes of girls and boys at work and play, with the child’s name integrated into the picture. These paper silhouettes can be personalized in just about any way you wish: you can choose the name, background and paper pattern, making them perfect for a nursery or an older child’s room.
These prints and cut paper art pieces are affordable gifts at less than $40. If you wish, you can save yourself a shopping trip and add a frame for an additional charge. What would I like to see? These prints are wonderfully designed for the busy family who delights in simple, beautiful art with a custom touch. I’d love to see slightly larger sizes of some of the prints, and a line of cards – please! Grace Hester regularly updates her blog and Etsy site with new creations, so check back to see new silhouette and cut paper art emerge.