Design Solution: Inspire Tray

So I might have briefly mentioned this project in an earlier post. Basically SCAD has an event tomorrow called Inspire that features some big people in the design business that are here to speak and whatever. We are providing food for the after party and it is going to be themed as a dance club. So they are hosting it down at the River Club and turning on the blue lights (never seen them on before). But other then that it should be pretty dark. We came up with this idea to make glowing trays. Not really knowing what to do, I sort of came up with a theory on how to do them. This is a result of that theory.



I have to say they turned out rather well. In the light they look a little beat up but that is not entirely my fault. Someone else cut the plexi-glass and let's just say did less then a bang up job. But in lowlight situations these things are awesome. They give off just enough glow to be an attention getter without blinding the server. The design on the top is an abstract design I came up with. Sort of wanted to stick with a tech theme. Anyways, yeah. Be sure to check out more pictures in the SCAD Work Gallery

Ball and Bugs

So its been a bit since the last post, and I have to say it is not because I have forgotten. It has just one hell of a crazy time. The past couple weeks have been filled with work, school, work, work, oh and work. And maybe a few times of play in there for good measure. Let's see shall we begin? Alright here we go...

So for the last few weeks, Chelsea and I have been attending The Lady and Sons Company Softball games to cheer on the team. It is basically an excuse for us to get out of the house and enjoy some softball. We cheer for the losing team, as it is always the Lady and Sons. Never really having a lick of practice it is pretty funny to watch them play. Hell, they try though. The first game Jamie and Bobby (Paula's sons) played and so I got to meet them and such. When we are out there at the field I have to say it is a battlefield. Not on the field per say but in the stands. Our enemy, the sand gnats that come with warmer weather and their affinity for swarming and biting. Now in Tucson, we had gnats but never to this degree. I means its like a million of them. We try every type of insect repellent to heed off their attacks but to no avail. But we suck it up and try not to let them bother us. They are usually a good excuse to complain about rather then seeing the team lose by another 10 points. Good times, Bugs and Ball.

Two weeks ago, I was hired as the Art Director for A-5, a student run ad agency here at SCAD. We basically have meeting every Friday and go over our upcoming projects and work on current projects. Right now, we are working for a poster campaign for a organization called PATHS. Not really sure what that stands for but they deal with educating people about teen pregnancy. My role will be to create a web splash page for the roll-out of marketing material we are creating for May. It is pretty cool stuff, and has been well received in all the right places. This should be an exciting opportunity to get some more experience. Especially since I haven't really done advertising work before, sort of like a new field for me. This should keep me busy while I attend SCAD anyway.

SCAD is going pretty good, I've been calling this my 'boring' quarter. These are basically my filler classes until I start going into my major classes. Right now I am taking Speech and Public Speaking, Math, and 20th Century Art. Speech class is rather interesting as I am not one to get up and speak (when asked to make a statement I tend to whisper). But nonetheless, I must do what is asked of me. Actually, it was funny because Becca, from catering, actually said I was a pretty extroverted person (wha?!?) Quite the opposite I would say. We have given two speeches thus far and whenever I reach the podium to deliver my words, I usually forget half of them. Luckily, I prepare about 50 times beforehand (much to Chelsea's dismay) so I am able to recover a bit and finish it up without anyone noticing what I missed. So far I've gotten a 50/50 and a 99/100 on the two speeches. The one good thing about this schedule is I have found that I have little homework (compared to the multiple drawing projects of the last couple quarters). This has given me time to focus on professional things like A-5, SCAD Catering, and some Freelance. But more on that later...

Last Friday was the opening game for Savannah's minor league team, the Sand Gnats - seriously they are called the Sand Gnats. Having been prepared from our softball experiences, Chelsea and I loaded up on insect repellent. Two different brands coated our bodies before we left the house. Knowing that it would be busy, we called Blaine and Ginger to see if we could park at their house as we thought they would be out of town. To our surprise, they were in town and also going to the game. So to our fortune, we joined them. We got to the field and I had to get a hot dog because its sort of a requirement at any ball game. We also got a soda to split, which broke my rule of no drinking soda (but hey it was a special occasion). I think it had been a couple weeks since I last had a soda so I was doing pretty good. I am hooked on the green tea though (Go Twinnings!) I am back to my rule again so that is good. As for the night, We mostly just hung out with Blaine and Ginger - the game wasn't that great and we lost. Earlier that night, I had finished about three projects for catering marketing and was waiting on receiving information from a client for freelance so I was able to relax and just enjoy the game. No worry about work. And also at the field, no bugs (except for the ones playing) so we have yet to test if our deadly repellent combo works or not. Good times, Bugs and Ball.

Like I mentioned earlier, I have been doing a lot of work for SCAD catering - marketing and events. For the past couple weeks I actually didn't really have a weekend. I had been working events for most of the day. A while back was SCAD day and probably one of the busiest days for us. What made it worse is we had another event that day and people started bailing out as they had prior engagements. By the end of the day the team was just three of us - running around downtown trying to get everything in order. After a 12 hour shift it was over and I was beat. It was the end of three days straight of working on different events. Tiring stuff. I have also been working on some marketing stuff for them. This Friday is a speaking event called Inspire, its a collection of speakers from around the country that are leading professionals in the realms of design, interactive design, advertising, etc. We are doing a after party thing for them and so we decided to create custom (and light up serving trays) I created a design and we are going to try printing on a translucent material that light will be projected through to create this glowing tray. I have no idea if it will work but in theory it sounds awesome. I created that the other day and should finish them up in the next day or two. I have also created a few other things as far as marketing goes and soon I shall start on their web page. So it looks like I will be kept busy with things they will need. I am enjoying doing this stuff and I know some of you have seen a bit of my concepts so I can only promise that their will be more to come later (mostly in that same style).

As far as my 3rd and final job goes, that is freelance and it is a beast of a job. In the last weekend I have created basically a whole new website for a client, that includes a product database and online store. I am still trying to iron out the details of it but it has mostly consumed my free time as of late. Can't really go into much detail right now, but I'll probably share the inner workings when I am finished. Until then my friend, good night

furniture!

we finally have a couch! and after taking two naps on it already and laying on it all day, i'd have to say it's the most comfortable couch in the world! and to make it that much more awesome, the first movie that i watched while laying on it was HSM (i swear i'm 24, not 15).
yes, the couch is in fact two different colors. my mom dyed the bottom of the slip cover, but didn't have time to dye the cushions. i'll get around to it eventually, but i think it looks kind of cool just the way it is!

we spent a few hours at the beach on sunday with my friend maggie and her friend from CO. i didn't think we were out there that long, but my god are we sunburned. im a freakin lobster! and rylan's legs are so burned he walks like an 87 year old man.

not much else is going on at the moment. my aunt and uncle from ATL are coming down next week for a few days with their grand-daughter who i havent seen since she was itty bitty. apparently she looks like she could be my kid or something, even though we're not related (technically she's a step- third cousin, or something like that...) ok, tata

Design Concept: A5 Graffiti

This is a concept for a marketing campaign I am trying to put together for A5.

Problem: To brand and create interest for A5 so that it appeals to the student body of Savannah College of Art and Design.

Concept: Create a 'guerrilla' marketing campaign to brand A5 as an edgy graphic design agency that students can connect with. My purpose is to make it feel like an underground group of 'rogue' designers. Second purpose is to state that you can gain experience while expressing your ideas and using your talents.

Phase 1: Sticker

Its purpose is just place the idea of A5 into people's mind. These will be handed out around campus. It would be a clear sticker with black or red design. The Graffiti look provides an edgy look to the otherwise clean logo. This would be the first part of a bigger campaign. Hopefully, people will keep these or use them to help spread the idea of A5. This is just a rough sketch of it and I am going to bring it up among the team - so hopefully they will like it. I am digging the way this turned out though. It was cool getting input from Chelsea, Taylor, and Andrea on this. Made some small changes and hopefully they will like it.

socializin'

so yesterday rylan and i took the dog for what we thought would be a really uneventful walk around the block. we take her to the park down the street and let her run around for a bit, then we see another dog coming, so we put her back on the leash and head back down the street (away from said pup). see, our dog, she's just unfriendly. im sure its our fault, but we blame the humane society! when we went to see her at the pound (love at first sight!) she was in the cage with this horrible dog who tried to bite her every time she tried to come to the front of the cage so we could see her. we also think she's a doggy rape victim, since the only time she gets really hostile with other dogs is when the go to smell her lady bits. anyways, i digress... so we get to the end of our block and turn around to see the guy and his dog right behind us. we explain that she's not a nice puppy, but he doesn't listen. and his dog is big, but this doesn't stop little lola- oh no, this girls got a lot of fight in her (she gets that from me!). so the dog goes to smell her hoo-ha and she snaps at the dog. the guy just laughs and says they're playing (brain dead idiot) then lola starts foaming at the mouth, cause that's what she does when she's nervous. he will not leave us alone. well that dog starts to lose interest and starts to chew on pinecones. and then guy proceeds to tell us that we really need to socialize our dog and watch "the dog whisperer."
we get home from our short walk and the neighbors (who we've never met) ask rylan to come help them move an entertainment center. they all have ankle biters, which is fine, but they were standing around talking about them afterwards, and obviously rylan and i have nothing to contribute to this conversation, but we can't just leave... turns out one of our neighbors husbands is a pastry chef from the netherlands! kind of cool.
anyways... thats my story, and im stickin to it.
-chels

Easter Sunday

Our plans for Easter Sunday were set in advance and included us to arrive at the Hansen's house for brunch in the morning. The Hansen's are a wonderful family that have included us as their own kids, to which I could never thank them enough. They were our adopted family on Christmas when our own families were a thousand miles away. They are the nicest people and a sort of comfort blanket to us when we feel like we are alone in this Southern town. And as I am not really one for the whole thank you card idea - I tried to think of someway to just say thanks for everything they have done for us. So the night before I did what any artist would do, I drew them a picture. The Hansen's are avid Disney fans (more so then Chelsea and I, by far) and actually have a Mickey room which houses their collection of Disney art. I decided to take a crack at drawing that old mouse. It is to note that this is the second time I have attempted to recreate the wonderful international icon - the first being as a small drawing for Chelsea, back when we first met. That piece however was a lot easier for me as it was built entirely on the computer. This drawing, was to be done by hand. So with my brown charcoal (thanks Taylor for the wonderful Christmas present) I went about the task of drawing my interpretation of the Disney legend. It actually didn't turn out half bad - As in at least it could be recognized as the character. It was definitely a quick sketch and only about an hour from start to completion (with mounting). I would say my skill for the physical mediums has seemed to jump a bit toward the better (yay, money isn't being wasted on my education). For what seemed like the first time, I seemed to have control over the medium instead of daunted by it. Even when creating the drawing for my art classes, I always felt that there was something missing, something just beyond the drawing that I had yet to capture. Perhaps, it was the simplicity of the mouse, but the lines just seemed to appear as I tried to draw. Now, I am not saying I successfully replicated an exact reproduction of said mouse, but I feel like I did a pretty good job. It sort of takes me back to another sketch I did for Chelsea back when we first starting dating. It was a small pen sketch of a bear. Now this little drawing was nothing more than an inch tall and yet still, was my favorite drawing I have ever done. When I gave it to her, it was pouring that day - so much so that the streets near her dorm were flooded. While trying to rush from my car, I dropped the small picture into the flooded streets. Frantic, I quickly snatched it from the water, soaked with rain. Yet still the picture survived and dried to almost original quality. Perhaps it is the idea behind the picture rather then the art itself that is held dear - but it is funny how such small works have such fondness. I digress, he small token of my appreciation had been completed and was ready to be presented to our 'Georgia family'.
We arrived at the Hansen's and let me tell you that Nicki knows how to throw an event. While there was only eight people there, they made enough food for an army. The gift was well accepted and placed within their Mickey shrine room. Felt kind of good to be among past and present master of Disney art. And then we feasted. I am almost embarrassed to say that I probably had four helpings of the delicious food that was on display (why do I always seem to gain about fifteen pounds when the parents come to visit?). But man was it good - they must have thought me a poor starving college kid, my diet consisting of ramen and rice (that is until one sees my gut and says, nope that boy hasn't missed a meal in quite some time). It was a great time eating and just hanging out. My kind of day.
Easter also happened to be Ginger's birthday (Nicki and Jim's daughter-in-law, for those trying to keep track and also good friends). Ginger was the person who convinced me to come to SCAD and finish my degree (with help from Chelsea of course). Her and Blaine were to be flying back on Easter from Germany where they were on business for SCAD. So to celebrate her birthday it was planned that we would all have dinner at a restaurant called 'Cha Bella.' Before they arrived we drove over to their house and decorated the front door with a banner to say Happy Birthday (little welcome home present).
The restaurant was an interesting place. The decorations were sort of this hip look and we were informed that everything was organic (flashbacks of Casbah in Tucson - but those thoughts were quickly forgotten). This place was a high-end italian (i guess?) restaurant. I ended up ordering some pasta that had portobello mushrooms, fontina cheese sauce, and black truffles. I have to say it was pretty damn good. The night was spent chatting, hearing of Germany, opening presents, drinking wine, eating, and just having a lovely time. The next day would be my first day of school and this night seemed to cap off a wonderful Spring Break. It was great to be around family and friends (two things we never get to see enough of). Spring Break was now over. Yet almost seems weird to have such a night. We were adults - no longer the same people we were a few years prior. No longer at some Denny's at two in the morning ordering a bacon cheeseburger and seasoned fries. I just ordered something with black truffles on it! Seriously what is that? While some of our friends are back in Tucson, know in our hearts we wish you were here (so get your asses here already - did i mention the beach?). We had traveled to two new cities and had already made promises to visit them again. we had ate, laughed, and ate some more - it was time to get back, get back to the everyday, back to school. It was a short week that seemed to pass by in a second. But as a memory, it will last forever.