Regular Koloist contributor and children’s book author Steve Light used a Kolo Noci and Kolo Havana Box to store sketches and things as he was creating his new book "The Christmas Giant.”

I also made a little inspiration book using a Kolo Noci album with Christmas art to look at, to inspire me when working on the book. I created a "Christmas Giant Facebook Page" where I am posting a picture a day, usually from the Kolo sketchbook I used to create the book.

For more about The Christmas Giant, go here or here.

For another post about Steve’s inspiration book technique, go here.

Congratulations on your new book, Steve!

- Ugo

Please join me in congratulating November's winners of the Kolo Monthly Photo Contest 2010! The fifteen lucky winners will receive a $50 worth of Kolo merchandise and are automatically entered to win the grand prize of $500 cash and $500 worth of Kolo products, to be announced on February 1, 2011. Photographs are judged by a panel of expert photographers and designers. Winners will be directly contacted with information about receiving their prize.

Be sure to send in your photos for December's "Summer" theme. Good Luck!

To read more about Kolo's Monthly Photo Contest 2010, go here.

artist: Leacia Sharp
Title: Longtail
Country: Australia

artist: Md. Akhlas Uddin
Title: Blue Sky
Country: Bangladesh

artist: Erin Wallis
Title: A Horse and the Sea
Country: Canada

artist: Deanna Brown
Title: Introspect
Country: Greece

artist: Laura Barry
Title: Worthy of Painting
Country: Australia

artist: Andrius Bulota
Title: Grandmother
Country: Lithuania

artist: Muthukumaran Rangarajan
Title: Shades of Blue
Country: India

artist: Viktorija Vaisvilaite Skirutiene
Title: Over the Fence
Country: Lithuania

artist: S P Mukherji
Title: Blue Fishing Net
Country: India

artist: Karolina Jablonska
Title: Port in Essaouira, Morocco
Country: Poland

artist: Chyi-Dean Shu
Title: Boat
Country: United States

artist: Noppadon Imocha
Title: Culture with Blue
Country: Thailand

artist: Sirsendu Gayen
Title: Steam Engine
Country: India

artist: Hoang Long Ly
Title: Tranquility
Country: Vietnam

artist: Serban Pop
Title: In Waiting
Country: United Kingdom

Pro photographer Itaru Hirama was recently featured in a photo workshop article in the famous Japanese magazine, BRUTUS. Hirama san used a mango Kolo Newport photo album to highlight his stunning techniques with pictures, tips and layouts.

Brutus is one of the most popular Japanese magazines, devoted to pop culture, lifestyles and design in Toyko.

Itaru Hirama is a professional photographer famous for his portraits of musicians and celebrities. He shot the 2010 Tower Record ad labeled “No Music, No Life.” At “The Album Expo 2009” in Osaka, Japan, Itaru Hirama ran a workshop called “Photo Album Is Love,” demonstrating photography techniques and album tips using Kolo Newbury photo albums. Read more about it, here.

The popularity of Kolo in Japan has grown tremendously over the last few years. Kolo is sold in great stores ranging from Ito Ya, the famous stationery chain, to Loft, the popular lifestyle chain. Live in Japan? Check here for our store locator to find the nearest shop that carries the Kolo line up.

-Kate