Crop Business Cards

Posted by ryan as Design, Portfolio, Print

Today Crop Bistro reopened at their new location. They have an amazing new location and I was fortunate to be able to work on their new business cards. It is great to be involved with projects where the client is passionate about what they do.

New Blanket Design Magazine Out

Posted by ryan as Art, Design, Designer, Illustration, Inspiring, Print, Typography

Today a new Blanket design magazine is out. In Blanket’s own words

Blanket is a free PDF art + design + photography magazine that is released bi-monthly. It is aimed at uncovering new, emerging talent from around the world.

This month’s issue is on the Past & Present and they are now 2 years going strong. Happy B-Day Blanket. Thank you for putting out a creative online mag. Check them out here and start downloading some quality design.

Capital A & Madhouse Get Local Media Props

Posted by ryan as Advertising, Art, Design, Illustration, Inspiring, News, Print, Typography

The Toledo Free Press has written a small article about the local design company Madhouse. More specifically their screen printing sub company Capital A. Go read that article here.

I think its great that a local company like Madhouse is taking the time to create the tangibles that come with the rock concert experience. A great poster helps solidify that experience in time to all of those who attend that show.

I really enjoy Capital A’s poster of The Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. It features a great moody black and white gun with nice scripted red type. Very nice. Keep up the good work Cap A.

Having had screen printing experience I always wanted to get involved with this form of expression. Whether for concert promotion or personal artistic expression. I was in college during the mid to late 90s and I worked at a design/screen printing place in Bowling Green Ohio called Gateway Graphics. I guess I was really personally inspired by the graff artists movement herald in the early 90s. Artists like Shepard Fairy were out there making an impact with their Andre The Giant Obey posters.  So many have come and gone since.

These days though, as far as agencies that are out there creating great posters, you have to nod your head to Aesthetic Apparatus.

I am the proud owner of this Dinosaur Jr poster created by AA. My first concert ever was seeing them in Columbus Ohio. Jawbreaker opened for them. Some time around 90, 91. Oh so good.

Best Self Proclaimed Design In Toledo

Posted by ryan as Advertising, Career, Design, Humor, Interweb, Print

Locking down the votes in the highly publicized competition for best design in Toledo is Toledo’s own Verso Group. I have to tell you, the more I’m involved in this design stuff, the easier it is to become the “best of” these days apparently. 10 years deep now for me, and I still have a lot to learn. I didn’t know just saying you got voted number 1 was the same thing as being number 1. I assume they have a lot of local Addy Awards that they don’t even want to talk about. Anybody else get nostalgic when they see V’s flash intro, ah yes 2001, I miss you.

UPDATE: I stand corrected. Verso is not the best self proclaimed design group in town, they won the title from the very prestigious paper in Toledo, The Toledo City Paper. I know all of you fellow designers out there are like duh, we seen their design, we knew they were the authorities on the matter. Its not surprising that they would pick Verso, I’m sure out side of the little night club bubble they probably don’t have a clue about Toledo’s design scene. We actually do have some things poppin. (Toledo AIGA) So congrats I guess Verso. Start upping your game though if you want to be recognized on the same level of local agencies.

The Fast Aesthetic

Posted by ryan as Art, Design, Inspiring, News, Print

Dustin H. drops a new issue of Faesthetic. I may not be a backer of some of D’s color pallets, that doesn’t mean I don’t have an appreciation for them. I think he does great work and his progression is obvious when you view all of his work. Keep up the good work Dustin.

In his own words for this issue.

Faesthetic is not a lifestyle magazine. Faesthetic is a collection of art & oddities from around the world. Faesthetic #7 is 160 pages of original 2 color art with the theme of “DOOMSDAY”. Perfect bound with a cover designed by Tim Biskup. Issue #7 features 80 artists and is 100% ad free! All for only $25!