Merry Christmas 2009!

Vino with Veterans Blizzard

The first Vino with Veterans event met with the first winter storm of the year. 20 hardy souls met at Spill the Wine for a few hours of lively conversation, beverages and snacks. I personally had a great time and hope the weather will be a little more kind to us for the next event
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YouthLink Brochure

Recently a long-time client and friend, Nan Upin Murphy, asked my help in developing YouthLink's new marketing plan to donors. The main marketing piece is this brochure. Even non profits have been hit hard by the recession so this went from a very large project to a very small project. Even so, I think this visual will be a nice change of pace for them.

Be sure to click on the image for better detail.

Cancer Research

I've been working with my friend Jonathan Wiese of 3.2.1 on a marketing program for Children's Cancer Research Fund. With his direction, I submitted this idea as my favorite for a series of 4 postcards. Since it has a child-like flavor, I thought it hit the mark completely.





The client couldn't make the connection between old technology (planes, trains, mining, hourglass) and the new innovations their research creates. So, we settled on the idea below... which I also liked.

Vino with Veterans

I was asked to create a new logo for a new program with the Minnesota chapter of AIGA. Vino with Veterans is a casual social gathering exclusively for veteran designers (15 years or more of work experience). My hope is that these gatherings will spark great conversations about the business of graphic design. Sharing our experiences, ideas and passion with each other could really help the Minneapolis design community, especially in the current economic climate.

Gold Man

The more we tear away the flesh, the more we see something beautiful forming in us.

Baby Icons

Here's a series of icons for a baby catalog. The client wanted the icons to be similar to the universal icons we see on bathroom doors and road signs... only with a bit of softness and cuteness added.

Directory Cover

Here's a quick design for Freshwater Community Church's photo directory.

Type Treatment

Here's one of several type treatments for an ad campaign ably art directed by Jennifer Farquharson of MMG Worldwide.

Free Graphic Novel

As you may be able to tell from recent posts, I've been rummaging through my office storage. I'm noticing I have 4 or 5 boxes of the ArmorQuest graphic novel I illustrated years ago (written by the brilliant Ben Avery). It's black and white at roughly 160 pages. I've given up all hope of making money off of these books, so if you would like a free copy, please send me an email request. Include your address of course and $2 to cover postage.

Wehmann Catalog

More blasts from the past. Jason Rysavy of Catalyst Studios asked me to create a bunch of icons for his client's catalog. His talented designers put them together to create this fun and unique piece.

First Logo Book

Early in our marriage (and my career), my wife and I decided to intentionally choose a city to spend our adult lives in... instead of staying in Minneapolis simply by default. We loved the West and picked Spokane, Washington as our perfect place. Not too small, not too large and close to the mountains.

I created this promotional piece to find work in Spokane. It worked well and I eventually found myself at the best design shop in town, Anderson Mraz Design. Even though we moved back to Minneapolis a year later (go figure), we kept fond memories of Spokane and a wonderful mentor, John Mraz.

Blackwood Brochure

As you know, I've been helping Blackwood Management Group with their business tools. Here's some pictures of their overview brochure. This piece is meant to be tucked inside a custom portfolio but that hasn't been finished yet.

The Cardinal Masthead

My friend, Kurt Kolka, has been drawing The Cardinal both in both comic book and serial strip formats since 1990. If you're interested in a Christian superhero who flies around in a red bird outfit, you can follow his exploits here.

He's working on a new printed collection and asked me to redesign his masthead. I couldn't resist.

1 Logo, Several Options

I recently worked on a logo design for a company that safeguards businesses against catastrophe. It's not always possible, but I like it when I can tell a small story about a company with the logo. Often times it is a struggle because a logo needs to be simple and iconic. This logo system for BounceBack Solution offers a single logo with several options. I envision using these alternative marks on business cards and animated on the website.

Correction

I must concede that the previous posts do not hold the title for the "World's Most Expensive Business Card." I was forwarded to this YouTube video for proof.

I laughed out loud.

World's Second Most Expensive Business Card

Here's another business card hot off the letter press. I've worked with Jonathan Wiese for many years. He's the best kind of client... one of my best friends. It took me several refinements to get this logo just right, but now I can see it was well worth it.

Jonathan wanted his business card to be unique and pull double duty. On one side it is a traditional card. Turn it over and it unfolds into a mini brochure!

Even though this piece is letterpressed with 3 colors and a diecut, it still was cheaper to print than the cards in the previous post. However, if you add in the design costs, it should probably share 1st place. (:

World's Most Expensive Business Card

Blackwood Management Group is a new business that has just qualified as the best client of all time. Let me explain.

When we were exploring their stationery items, I showed them stainless steel business cards. A vendor on the west coast offered them at roughly $1.50 each. My client fell in love with the idea of metal cards. Right before sending the art file off to be produced, I learned that their etching process wouldn't work with my design. Apparently if graphics on the back and the front overlap, you'll get a knockout. Disappointed, I showed my client a very beautiful letterpress option on metallic paper with the same diecut... at only a $1 per card. (: Undaunted, my client found a vendor from London who offered a thicker-steel option making our design possible. With a price tag of $3 per card, I did my best to steer them towards the still crazy-expensive letterpress option. But they wouldn't budge.

Even though I think they are a little insane, I'm thankful to be holding the most beautiful and expensive card I've ever designed in my career.

The Quarter

Here's a new logo for The Quarter, a very casual, conversational ministry at St. Philip the Deacon Lutheran Church in Plymouth, Minnesota. I like how a lot of elements came together efficiently to form this relatively simple mark.

Propaganda Poster Wanna Be

Here's a few images I created for a long time client, BI. The art director, John Eastman, wanted the vibe of those great WWII propaganda posters from the Soviet Union. I'm also noticing some Douglas Fraser influence... although I'm pretty sure he would have done a much better job.

LogoLounge 5

Yesterday, I received my copy of LogoLounge 5. Just like the previous publications, this book is full of beautiful work and I'm honored to have 38 of my own logos/icons included. I'm especially looking forward to being a guest juror for LogoLounge 6!

Drip.Dot.Swirl.

Drip.Dot.Swirl, a book and DVD offering 94 patterns for design or illustration has recently been published. It's a fine collection of repetitive designs and patterns that can conveniently be used by graphic designers and illustrators.

When preparing the book, Von Glitschka, the author (and also an incredibly-talented illustrative designer) asked me to submit a design incorporating one of his patterns. I was honored and used his pattern in a Christmas greeting.

Visit Amazon to pick up your own copy today... you won't be disappointed.

Health and Beauty

Here's three icons for a series of health and beauty suppliments for a client in Boulder, Colorado. The demographic for this product is heavily female, so the client wanted something elegant and flowing.

Miscellaneous Images

Here's three images I recently created for a client. I won't even bother explaining what these are for.