Making Things

old photo I like that I took of a former co-worker.

PUBLISHED: Boxed and Labeled 2

I recently had the good fortune of being published alongside my longtime partner in crime Brent Anderson in a book about labels and packaging by excellent German publisher Gestalten called “Boxed and Labeled 2”. 

They feature some advertising work on a liquor-store takeover for my old comic strip Middlebrow (RIP) where we (illegally) re-labeled existing beer boxes with our own custom “Middle Brau” label. Fun times. 

You can purchase a copy of the book and see all the other excellent work from far superior designers than myself HERE.

ALBUM COVER: Relient K

I was recently hired to do the album artwork for pop-punk act Relient K’s forthcoming covers album “K is for Karaoke” and I’m really pleased with how it came out. The concept is pretty self-explanatory, but I think it’s got a fun vibe their fans will appreciate, and the custom lettering was an exciting challenge.

If you’re a fan of pop-punk in general, and covers of Justin Bieber (that are better than they have any right to be) in specific, you should pick it up.

Available in-stores and online October 4th.

Comm Arts

I recently had the good fortune of being featured in Communication Arts “Fresh” section. Head over there to check it out and hear a few thoughts I’ve got rolling around. 

Silver Screen Society: The Third Man

Making a rare foray into film design for the Silver Screen Society with one of my favorite films – The Third Man. Check out the other great work for the film at Silver Screen Society.

Album Art: Hidden Pictures – Synchronized Sleeping

Hidden Pictures, a band I’ve been working with for a few years now, is launching their first full-length of super-catchy indie pop in about a week titled “Synchronized Sleeping.” I’ve finally got my hands on a physical copy and wanted to give you the first look.

I had a lot of fun working on this project as I hope you can tell.

The music has lots of layers (horns, keys, glockenspiel, steel guitar, etc.) so I wanted to do something that felt really eclectic, with no discernible era. A lot of the illustrations are pulled from the lyrics, which are thankfully very visually evocative. 

One concern was not making it too cluttered, and pacing the style across the different panels, as to not exhaust the viewer. I limited the illustration to two main panels and I think it solved the problem well enough, with an extra solid hit of color for the disc face to break up any feeling of monotony.  

So there you have it. It was pretty labor-intensive, but I’m really happy with the result and feel privileged to work for a band that allows a ton of creative freedom.

*note: special thanks to Brandon Schaefer and my brother Austin for some helpful advice/inspiration. 

Identity: Life Uncommon Photography

I worked on this project a while back during my brief stint at Design Ranch and I’m just now getting around to posting it. It’s an identity and collateral system for Kansas City photographer David Tsai and his studio Life Uncommon Photography. 

David’s a hell of a guy and it was a pretty great project to get to work on–in no small part because I got to collaborate with my friend (and letterpress guru) Bob Atkins at Skylab Letterpress, as well as fellow KC designer Nicole Williams.

The project heavily relies on copywriting extraordinaire Claire Gude, who wrote in an elaborate, stream-of-consciousness tone inspired by each one of David’s photos, illustrating the central idea that in every shot, there’s a story.

Credits:

Co-Designer: Nicole Williams

Copywriter: Claire Gude

Creative Directors: Ingred Sidie and Michelle Sonderegger

Printed by MPress and Skylab Letterpress

Logo: Stir

A buddy of mine recently started his own branding firm called Stir, specializing in the food and beverage industry, and I helped him out with some design (such as this logo). I’ve done business cards and some other stuff, but until I get some decent photos taken, this will have to do.

If you follow the link you’ll probably recognize some of my own work, as the proprietor Brent is a frequent collaborator. 

Hidden Pictures – Whitney Houston

One project I’m consistently pleased to be a part of is working for Hidden Pictures, a band in my home town. I’m a legitimate fan of the band, so it’s easy coming up with work for them. For a couple of EPs they’ve put out, I collaborated with ultra-talented New Zealand photographer Andrew Smith and the latest (now available for purchase) is called Whitney Houston. Amazingly enough, more than one of the songs actually has a Whitney Houston reference. 

It’s been good to collaborate with such a talented photographer. He really does most the legwork, with me mainly contributing typography. I essentially found his stuff online, hit him up, and he was willing to work with me. Not every day someone is that approachable, so you need to acknowledge it when it goes your way.

I highly recommend the album itself, which you can purchase at the bands BANDCAMP website. It’s pretty straight-forward pop rock, but well crafted and catchy as all get out. Also check out their previous EP Choosing Sides.