Word Play

Although we've come a long way, it's clear that racism is still a serious issue in America. This odd bird of a drawing was inspired by the words of rancher Cliven Bundy, NBA franchise owner Donald Sterling, as well as the hideous actions of former  Kansas Klan leader, Frazier Glenn Cross. The Southern Poverty Law Center tracks "hate groups" around the U.S. Here's link to a hate map they created, showing where these groups are active.

 

Community art

This is my most recent piece for Athletic Management Magazine. The article focuses in on New York's Queens College - which makes community service an important part of their athletic program. Student athletes are encouraged to volunteer in the community in a variety of ways. Giving your time to help fellow citizens is always a good thing. Below are a few ideas I submitted for this piece:

Thanks to art director Pam Crawford for another fun assignment!

You can view my new illustration website here!

The Evolution of a Logo

This logo had an interesting conceptual evolution. It was created for a new company which provides an array of environment products. Luz Verde translates into "Green Light" - which ties in with the environmental theme. This minority-owned business is also named after the owner's mother, Luz.  Because the company's product line is still evolving, the owners wanted a  positive image relating to it's name - yet vague enough to fit a growing variety of solutions.

The winning direction was inspired by an 1800 woodcut by Thomas Bewick. The reference image was 1" in diameter. I modeled a much larger drawing after it ( as a vector file in Abobe illustrator). My client liked the classic copperplate font best, and the strong horizontal line connoting a horizon line. The sun image has an ancient Aztec feel which ties in well with his roots.

After previously trying more complex logo ideas in the first rounds of sketches, we discussed a simple "sun" symbol to connote "green light". Here are some of the solutions I submitted:

Round #3 ideas

After seeing the first round of ideas, my client suggested a theme of an "open hand" offering an array of solutions. Here are a few of those ideas:

Round # 2 ideas

For the first round of ideas, I played with some very literal interpretations of the company name. These ideas got the conversation started:

Round # 1 ideas

It was very rewarding to help this company's visual identity evolve. A special thanks to Michael Blumenson for this opportunity. Here's to great success for Luz Verde Solutions.

Word Play

 

Somehow my free-associative thinking led me from iconic American to another.

Word Play

"In order to become the master, the politician poses as the servant."  ~ Charles de Gaulle

Words can be so powerful. I love playing their meaning in a visual way. This is the first installment in a series exploring the intersection of words and images. I call them Word Plays. I'll be posting a new one every Thursday, so please visit again soon.

Sketchbook Faces

Sketchbooks are safe havens for artists. You can throw self consciousness out the window, and put anything you want within the pages. From dark ideas to silly ideas,  it's all OK to express. Sketchbooks are places to make discoveries, and to have fun.

Boiling Springs Savings Bank Animation

I recently came across this old ad on YouTube - for which I had a part in creating. Back in 2006, I started illustrating a print ad campaign for a Boiling Springs, a chain of savings banks based in New Jersey. I created a character who appeared in the ads, called 'Rate Man' (who helped people find great rates). He became very popular, so the bank commissioned three animated TV spots based on his character.  For each spot, I drew 15-20 frames for which the animator built the look of the ad around. It was a thrill to see my 'Rate Man' character come to life. Thanks to Block & DeCorso Advertising for this fun experience.