SPACE

This is an illustration for Pocket Sized magazine. The theme of this issue was "space." I think the illustration has great movement. I like the contrast between black and white, it keeps it simple but energetic. All the different pieces flow well together without being too busy. It's dark and mysterious, but exciting and alluring.

Yes, this is how i feel after sitting at the computer all night working on finishing up all my projects.

Forever Plaid

PRINT magazine this month has an article about how everything in Scotland is plastered in plaid, from food packaging, to billboards, to people. Many of the images shown in the article are of traditional tartan plaid.

I really liked this variation, it's an ad promoting Glascow, Scotland for the 2014 Commonwealth games. I think the plaid on top is a fresh take on a classic Scottish image and the logo below even incorporates plaid without being terribly cliche.

Colt 45

You'll have to click on this image to view it larger, and even then it's still kind of difficult to see all the details.

It is a brown paper bag with graffiti-like illustration to for none other than Colt 45. The brand is seeking new ways to promote it's image and appeal to a younger, hipper crowd. I think using a brown paper bag is genius! A reminder to designers to always explore different mediums but never forget something so simple and clever.

New Typeface

This is BLACK SLABBLATH, a new typeface from Stefan Kjartansson releases this past February. The article says
"it began as an experiment to push the maximum amount of black into white space, yet still carve each character judiciously from its initial block." -PRINT magazine, June 2008

i particularly enjoy the bold geometry and i think it's playful, almost like blocks or legos the way the letterforms fit together.

Paragraphs?

This layout isn't anything particularly special, but there is an element that I really enjoy: the paragraph breaks. You may have to click on the image and view it larger to see what i'm talking about.

Rather than using a traditional return, the paragraphs are separated by a double backslash. The backslashes are red to provide high contrast to the thick, black ink of the text. I think it stands out nicely and is a creative way to represent paragraph breaks.

student work

speaking of student work...here's the winning piece for print's annual student cover competition. looks great! i seem to remember seeing loopy, swirly patterns like that a lot of places over the past year.