Small luxuries: Robert Shadbolt postcard set

I've just found these very nice limited edition postcards by illustrator, Robert Shadbolt. They're gocco (a Japanese technique, sort of a cross between screen-printing and rubber stamping) and are themed around the artist's impressions of Tokyo.

They will set you back the grand sum of a fiver for the set – a special yet marvellously affordable present, especially as each is numbered and initialled.

Robert Shadbolt, aside from having his work in various magazines and adverts and things, also teaches illustration at Salford University. You can see some results of his teaching methods on his totally absorbing Flickr stream – including the project looking at the way we draw the human head, which resulted in more than 6000 images. He also has a whole line of work devoted to Manchester.

According to Shadbolt's biog: "Because his work still predominantly relies on drawing, he's on a constant search for the perfect drawing implement. He used to buy pens and get advice from Philip Pool (1909-1999) the legendary pen expert of Drury Lane, London. Time is now spent trawling eBay looking for nibs and pens like Sommerville's Alfred and the Pelican Graphos." I like that. His trademark is the smiling face you'll see recurring in many of his drawings.

Each pack contains four weird and friendly-looking postcard-sized prints: Godzilla Face; (burgundy); Happy Faces (red); Rabbit Face (blue); Space Face (lime). Buy them from Mr PS, £5 the set.

I discovered the cards and Robert's work thanks to last week's reacquaintence with Mr PS – aka Megan Price – when I wrote about the excellent Poundshop (a design shop where everything is really cheap but still really good) where Mr PS had some designs on sale.

Mr PS creates some really lovely, bold, colourful and graphic things – printed onto tea-towels, cards and tote bags. Check out the shop (I love this nice cat and the Tip Top card, particularly – as well as the chirpy Eggs, Chips & Beans print I've mentioned before).

Nice things all.