New Project
I’m starting up a new blog tomorrow. It will be my campaign beginning in 2009…you’ll see.
Fun with Packaging!
So I’m in a graphics class right now that focuses on the design of packaging. We’ve been concentrating on branding and logos for one product with two different demographics. After refining these ideas came the mock-ups for the actual package design for said product. Being the opportunist that I am, I chose to do my own product.
My comic book buttons are my best selling product so I came up with a brand name and some packaging. I’m testing it out now in my shop and each button order is going to be shipped in these:
I decided to call them RESCUED! since they were taken from old and forgotten comics. I’m really happy with how it all turned out. They were made from the covers of real comics, so all of the comic book is used and non goes to waste. I’d love to know what others think about!
BIKE!
My boyfriend Dick loves bikes. He’s fixed them up, sold them and just made me the best bike ever. We still have to strip it of some gears to make it a single speed, but it’s all painted and tuned up. Bask in it’s glory.
Before & After
Terrible Typography : The Battle Against Awful Fonts
I’m just gonna say it. I hate Papyrus. It’s everywhere. From now until I get so tired of it that I go insane, I will document all the places that Papyrus pops up and haunts me.
Exhibit A: I was having a wonderful time the Renaissance Festival with some friends this weekend when I see this.
I was just looking for some handmade jewelry and saw it. I love Echo & Wild’s silver jewelry, but frown upon their company identity.
Then today, I was reading a Game Informer magazine that came in the mail. I was looking through it, just thumbing through and then set it down. And guess what I saw on the cover? The COVER!
Dammit! It’s everywhere. Maybe by documenting all the ways that this offensive font invades my life, I can convince at least one person to be more creative with their typography.
The battle has begun.
On the Road Again
After taking a sabbatical that was brought on by one part school and two parts laziness, I have begun listing products regularly in my shop. I also had a photography revelation which I think really brings the shop together. I was Home Depot the other day for some wood and picked out a few paint chips while I was there. I’ve been using them for the background of my photos so I can have a matching and limited palette. Let me know what you think!
Comic Book Advertising 101 : Lesson 2
A crucial part to any advertisement is celebrity endorsements. Just make sure that they stand the test of time.
I’m pretty sure if you send it in you’ll still get that autograph. I’d be careful about putting a return address tho…
The Creative Process 2.0
So I gave all of those sketches to Mom and I played around with the designs she liked:
She really like the top left the most, so I worked with that one and played with color and composition.
She really liked a lot of elements from each of the cards so she went to
her friends in the Cafemom Etsy Moms group and got some opinions from there. They liked the bottom two and different things about them. So we brainstormed a little more and came up with the final version!
I took the second one’s logo in the middle and the third one’s information on the bottom. Together they make sweet business card love. And I extended the line on the top of the logo to bring it all in.
I’m pleased.
The Creative Process
So being a graphic design major in the BFA of it all, it was ingrained into my head to sketch sketch sketch, and have thumbnails encompass my whole being before even touching the computer. Damned if my teachers aren’t right. I’m in a time crunch right now actually working for my mom. She’s going to a lunch this weekend and needs business cards to pass out. Her shop, Donna Pool Designs gets all kinds of business…and a cards are must for this event. So here’s what I’ve got so far…
These are super-simple sketches just to get an idea of placement for the cards and the overall layout. I googled business card design and just saved some really cool ones that I found. Research and gathering influences is a must for me. I need to see what else is out there…what it is…why it works…why it sucks. All that stuff builds into a unique design. Along the same lines as these sketches are some for a logo for her business. I’m going to build these designs into a whole new aesthetic for her online shop.
Please excuse the rushed nature of the sketches….again they are meant for rough ideas! I just play around with whatever is in my head and they all kind of evolve with each thumb. And like some, I draw something I know I’m probably going to hate, but getting it down on paper might mean that I can come back to it and make into something awesome later on.
I called her today after sending the sketches and we narrowed the card design down to the second row and the logos, if numbered going left to right, 3,4 and 6. If that makes sense ^_^
I would love feedback! These need to be 100% done by at the latest on Thursday. More detailed and specific sketches come next…then color! I’m a busy bee!
Comic book Advertising 101 : Lesson 1
If you are a hardcore fan of comic book, a casual reader or an advertiser trying to sell to the afore mentioned demographics, this online course will be very beneficial to you. Advertising in comic books is becoming much more prevalent. I mean really…they are on almost every other page now. So in order to tap into your market and study the transformation in advertising we are going to focus on how the 90′s handled it in this first lesson.
What you can take away from this example is how EXTREME they make it. Comic book fans in the 90′s only responded to the most extreme of advertising. It’s like they’re comin’ attcha! Everyone looks a little maniacal and I feel like Professor X is trying to fart. So remember that. Try to employ insanity and farts as much as possible if you’re going for the 90′s aesthetic. Not really sure why a poster in the underwear package makes the briefs un-boring, but we’re just gonna go with it.
And always be sure to label your advertisement as an “advertisement” because comic readers are so dumb they might actually believe this is part of the story they are reading. Especially if the ad has nothing to do with the book in which it’s published.
Next Class we’ll travel back to the good ol’ 60s and 70s for some REAL learning material.
