Rock Paper Kicks

So if you have been keeping up with our blog you’ll have noticed an excerpt, on Jennifer the talented PaperSmith, that I posted about a week ago. Well we’ve been working on branding for her company called “Rock Paper Kicks”, I managed to spend a bit of time this past weekend sketching out various ideas. Here’s a rough glimpse into my sketchbook and illustrator work. I personally love the earlier stages of my design process because I get to design-vomit all over the place before we dial in the details.

In-Context Photo

(Final Image)

Some of you may take my advice as common knowledge, but everyone else should make it their routine to generate in-context photos of their work as part of their process. CS RECOMMENDED!

I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to use in-context images for your work. Whether a product design or graphic project, you’ve already spent “x” amount of time designing it; SPEND! that extra minute to render or Photoshop your awesome design into place. Your clients and viewers will appreciate the effort. Remember that a percentage of people are not DESIGNERS and will have trouble imagining
how awesome your design looks in it’s appropriate environment.

I just wrapped up a branding project for Tre Redeau and wanted to share a quick in-context process. One of the image I generated was the idea of a promotional vehicle for the client. Rather than a regular van I suggested the idea of a mobile concert station using a step van.

Concept: Since my overarching theme was black and gold, I imagined a photo of a black step van taken under some sort of street lamp at night or with a dark background, with Tre’s logo on the side. My request was a bit too specific so I searched three different images that I can composite together.

A good site to find royalty free images is: www.compfight.com

Step Van I used. Although this wasn’t black its at the right angle and a dark hue:

Of course the step vans background isn’t very attractive, I wanted it to feel parked in a fancy parking structure.

Full article →

Tre Redeau Intro

So I’ve been working with Portland based rapper Tre Redeau commonly known as Blazé for sometime now. Tre wanted an intro for his music videos but also a clean easy to read logo. I finally finished the animation last night  and am excited to show it to him. Check out the short 12 second clip.

Twelve Flavors

All you designers know the feeling when you wrap up a project and ready for the next one, well we just wrapped up a branding project with TwelveFlavors. Just a few more tweaks and the final packet goes out today. Here are a few icons that got us excited through the design process.

Logo’s we’ve done thus far

102 Production Intro Video

Creative Session | 102 Production Intro Reel from Creative Session on Vimeo.

A few weeks back I started a logo project for a company called “102″ they’re a production company based out of Portland, Oregon. Here is the chosen logo along with an intro clip that will be used at the beginning of their videos. Enjoy.

I’ll be posting our process soon

CS Dreamcatching

I’ve been sitting on the idea of designing  a dream catcher out of our company logo. To me it was a cool idea because the aesthetics of our logo lends itself  to the intricate weaving details of a dream catcher.

I was inspired to design this way back when I saw the “TED talk” of Elizabeth Gillbert speaking about her book  ”Eat, Pray, Love” and the ways she stays inspired. The TED talk left an lasting impression when Elizabeth told the story of Ruth Stone. When an idea comes to Ruth she would feel or hear it coming, she then immediately would run like hell to catch the idea into some notes. Other times the idea would barrel through her and continue in the landscape looking for another creative. I’m sure we all have experienced this phenomenon once or twice in our lives, and idea comes to us and we do nothing about it and the next thing we know someone out there has executed it.

The CS Dreamcatcher is a graphic tribute for us to constantly hold onto our dreams and ideas. To be diligent and effective, to execute accordingly and never push or ignore  our genius aside.

here is the video:

Air Max Typhoon

Been working on this illustration as a contributing piece for the gallery show at Astro Studios. See the progress its a typhoon of Nike’s

CS INTRO CLIP

I’ve been meaning to make sometime to design a 10 second branding video that we can use at the beginning of all our videos. Finally sat down and sketched a really simple idea. The concept is to capture our passion for sketching and how sketching can lead to design opportunity, hence the ding sound effect at the end. Let me know what you guys think.

Starting the Oregon sweaters

Finally made a little time between all the regular work I had to swing by Keith studio in Oakland to start designing the final Oregon graphics for us to make the screen. We are well on our way in getting the Oregon sweaters for this winter season. Stay tune.

Spent sunday at Keiths lab being productive.