Pimp My Pine Wood Derby

I just finished making my Birds and Bees show car for the AIGA Pimp My Pine Wood Derby Gala tomorrow night. I've lost a lot of sleep over this little car but I think it was worth it. 


AIGA SF will celebrate cars, their design and the need for speed with our Fall Gala: Pimp My Pine Wood Derby. The Gala will feature custom-designed pinewood derby cars created by our guests who can choose to donate them to the auction, or race them on our derby tracks for fame and glory.

The Gala will be hosted at The Forum at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts on November 18, 2010. The event will feature:

• Hosted wine, beer and soda
• Silent Auction of “Show Cars”
• Live racing of “Race Cars”
• Raffle for prizes ranging from posters, restaurant vouchers and magazine subscriptions to a copy of Adobe CS5.

More Movember!

FYI I am featured on the Brute Labs Blog for my involvement in Movember! So Excited

Raven Works Logo Design

Logo design is the illustration of the business. It is considered to be the tool which gives the first impression of a business. Before starting a business much consideration is given to the logo design. The logo should be designed according to the name of the company and the business product. Logo design has many advantages including:

• Logo design promotes the business in the market.

• Logo design helps in attracting potential customers to the business.

• Logo design gives a unique identity to the business

• Logo design is as important to the business as the business name.

This is a new logo I created for Raven Works. Raven Works is a company that makes unique jewelry using wire weave techniques. In this design I wanted to incorporate the lines of the wire and the beads used in the jewelry. I recently did an artist Interview with the owner of Raven Works. This jewelry makes great christmas gifts I plan on buying some myself. 

Movember

So a lot of you have been asking about Movember. This is a picture of my team, everyone shaves their face on the first of the month and then grows a mustache to raise funds. I will be putting on some fake stashes to keep you all entertained. Please donate to my movember fundraiser! It's for men's health and cancer. Click here to donate: Http://us.movember.com/mospace/599330 And then click "donate to me" Thank you everyone!
Oh yeah, and the first 25 people to donate get a limited edition mustache print made by yours truly. Just ping me your address.

New Surface Pattern

Yeah I finished a new surface design! This design is part of a Birthday collection I am putting together. I could see this being licensed for a fabric, wrapping paper or scrap-booking paper.

Artist Interview- RavenWorks

I’m Super excited today to introduce you all to an amazing designer/jewelry maker Carrissa Larsen. She owns and operates RavenWorks, which is the home of unique jewelry, from simple designs, to the truly unique. She works with stones and sea glass, and every piece is original and hand made. Whenever I ware her creations I get endless compliments. You can see her designs in person at Stones and Stuff in Portland, Maine, or The Sandpiper Jewelry Gallery in South Portland, Maine or browse her collection on Etsy.

Please give us a brief bio, where you are from and how you started in this field?

I'm originally from northern Vermont, but have spent the past 5 years in Westbrook, Maine. I stared getting into jewelry design when I moved to Maine, as a hobby while I was trying to adjust to the move.

When did you first discover your creative talents?

I used to love to draw and do creative projects as a child. I moved on to writing as a creative expression, and earned my BA in English Literature. Ive always been in touch with my creative side in different ways.

Could you tell us about some of your work?

My main body of work focuses on using unique natural stones in combination with various wire weaving techniques. I try to highlight the beauty of each stone, working the weave with it, while trying not to detract from the stone its self. 

What inspires you to keep going and how do you keep yourself motivated?

I'm driven to create. I hate being idle, and I'm always working on new designs and ideas.I keep motivated by the fact that I'm making a living out of doing what I love.

How would you describe your style?

My style is very elegant, and simple, but with a unique edge. My style is natural and organic.

What is your approach to design? 

I don't really have a design process. Each design comes to me as I work with the individual stones

Share with us something funny that has happened to you recently.
A lot of funny things happen while I'm vending out on the streets. I end up talking to a lot of bizarre people. Recently one of my recent visitors, a local guy who just likes to shoot the breeze brought me a cup full of beautiful sea glass.  I don't think he's employed, and may not have a home, but he collected all these great pieces just for me. I thought it was funny that he had thought to do that for me.

How do you bridge the gap of the business side of designing?

I'm always promoting myself, and always creating as I'm selling. I try to keep the two as intertwined as possible.

Describe yourself in 5 words.

Determined, perfectionist, driven, abstract, stubborn

Lastly, any words of advice for aspiring designers/artists?

Just do it! I know it sounds cheesy, but sometimes you just have to suck it up and go after your dreams, and the rest be damned. No one is ever going to make it happen for you, you have to make it happen for yourself. Stop dreaming and start doing!

Sea Life Sketches on my iPhone

I did these sketches with my finger on my iPhone. I Went to the Academy of Science last Thursday and took a bunch of fish pictures. 

Illustration-Junk Food

Here is an acrylic painting I did for a magazine article on heart disease. I had a lot of fun with this one.

Gluten Free Blueberry Peach Cobbler

This is my first Gluten Free baking experience.
Preheat Oven to 350

Filling:

6 Peaches  (sliced with skin on)
3 Cups Blueberries
1/2 Cup Agave Sweetener
Lemon Juice from from 1/2 lemon

Topping:

2 3/4 Cup all Purpose Gluten Free Flower
1 1/4 Tsp Xanthan Gum
1 Tsp Baking Powder
1/4 Cup Sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
6 Tbs Butter
1 1/4 Cups Milk
1 Tbs Cinnamon
1/4 Cup Gluten Free Oatmeal

Mix filling together in a bowl
Mix Topping together in a bowl (mix dry and wet then combine)
Use a 9x13' baking pan
Pour in fruit and top with topping
Bake for 45 min

Serve!

New Wrapping Paper Designs

I designed these birthday wrapping paper designs today. I really want to get my collections into shape and start attending the east bay licensing meetings. It's a lot of work. More to come.

Sketchbook

Hi everyone! Happy Friday! Here are a few pages from my sketchbook.

Logos

Effective Logos should be 5 things:

Simple
Memorable
Timeless
Versatile
Appropriate

I am currently working on a rebranding of Gladstone. I work here full time. Here is a sample of the current identity.

This design is not:

Simple
Memorable
Timeless
Versatile
Appropriate

Here are a few examples I have mocked up (Bottom 3). In these designs our name is simplified to Gladstone and the many departments are treated similarly and the logos are taken away to make our identity feel united.

Brute Labs- Designing for the good of it

I attended a talk last night at Red Rock Coffee in Mountain View called Small Talks, Big Ideas: BRUTE LABS.
It was really f-ing awesome. BRUTE LABS is a small group of young people dedicated to action. They are changing the world, utilizing any resources they have and seeking the support of their peers. They use design and technology to address global challenges such as poverty, education, health care, human services, environmental improvement and much more. They organize end to end solutions, bringing together volunteers from around the world to help drive innovative new solutions for the world's most pressing issues.

I got to see a verity of projects they have worked on. It was very inspiring. . . and made me question if I can be more like BRUTE LABS. I work for a non profit biomedical research company (Gladstone) and we do research mainly for AIDS, Alzheimer's Disease, and Cardiovascular disease. So I guess in a way I am contributing to social causes, but not in the same super cool way Brute is. I guess the big difference is I don't really see many results from my labor. And I don't make enough tee shirts. Kidding.

I also donated a painting to the Hospitality House which is another non profit (http://www.hospitalityhouse.org/) They help homeless People in the Tenderloin make art and help many homeless and low-income people to be empowered to unite their voices to stimulate social change. But still where are the results from this? What changes did I make?

As creative people we have voices and if we choose to make them heard they can make a change.

Vegan Banana Muffins Unvailed

Okay you've asked for it and now I'm delivering. Here is the recipe for how to make the best muffins in the world.

Makes 12 muffins

4 ripe bananas

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup of whole wheat flower

1 1/2 cups of white flower

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

a healthy splash of vanilla

1 glass of red wine (or more to taste)

1. Pour glass of red wine to sip while you make these tasty little treats

2. Preheat oven to 350°F

3. Grease or place those cute little paper cups into your muffin pan.

4. Mash the bananas in a bowl, this is good for stress, trust me.

5. Add oil, maple syrup, salt, vanilla, cinnamon and mix

6. Add flowers, baking powder, and soda and mix some more, but not to much or you will activate the gluten in the flower and these muffins will only be good for door stops.

7. Okay now you are faced with a few choices, get ready. If you are feeling boring continue to step 8 (it's like a choose your own adventure book). But if you are feeling a little sassy you can add either 1/2 a bag of chocolate chips (which makes these not vegan anymore depending on the chocolate you use) or one of those square boxes of blueberries. Fold in your secret weapon carefully until they are evenly distributed throughout your batter.

8. Spoon into muffin tins and bake for 20 min.

9. Keep 6 for your self, give 6 away to make new friends, get laid, or get that new job you've been drooling over. Trust me they work.

Perfecting your Portfolio

I Attended a talk put on by AIGA Called “Perfecting your Portfolio.” I have been working on my portfolio for over a year and this talk was a great motivator to get my portfolio finished and stop being such a baby about it.
The three panelists were Eric Heiman of Volume Inc, Liz Mullally from Apple and Henrik Olsen of Hot Studio. Here are some highlights from the talk, and a few added comments by yours truly. . .

JOB SEARCHING NOW
-People are less specialized in their skill sets
-Most jobs are looking for a well-rounded designer

HOW TO PERPARE FOR A JOB SEARCH
-Research the companies you want to work for, make sure they are right for you. Don’t send an interactive portfolio to a greeting card company, that will just make you look stupid.
-Think about the type of work you do and how it relates to the company you are applying to
-Don’t waste your time applying to companies that you really don’t want to work for
-Have good core design skills, and an open attitude
-Have good people skills and business skills

HOW SHOULD PEOPLE CONTACT YOU?
-e-mail
-snail mail (make it cool or you are just wasting time and money)
-network!
-DO NOT CALL.
-Don’t send large attachments or any attachments if avoidable, they are annoying as hell.
-In your e-mail include a link to your URL, and resume
-If contacting an in-house operation go through the right channels (ie. Recruters, staff)

PORTFOLIOS
-You should have your portfolio in 4 formats: web site, PDF, interview portfolio, and a leave behind portfolio. All should carry the same look and feel. The interview portfolio will be an interactive portfolio with you and the interviewer. The leave behind portfolio needs to have more descriptions about your work because you won’t be there., doi!
-Your portfolio has 10 seconds to make an impression: GO!
-Relate your projects to their projects
-Make sure to include your perspective about your work
-Judge your portfolio by the worst piece in it, if one piece looks like crap, your whole portfolio is going to be crappy
-Self Edit, show 5 Totally Fuckin’ awesome pieces vs. 15 not so awesome pieces.
-Don’t put in boring garbage just because it got printed, nobody really gives a crap about that.
-Your Portfolio is about your potential
-Don’t let the design of your portfolio book or website be so cool that people stop giving a shit about your work. Keep It Simple Stupid (KISS).
-Don’t let the writing in your portfolio be corny, good god real people have to read this crap.
-Be clear on what parts of a group project you worked on. Don’t take credit for other people’s work because that makes you a liar, and nobody likes a liar.

RESUME
-You are a designer so make your resume clear and well designed
-Name-dropping is actually cool on your resume, unlike anywhere else where it makes you look like a real douche bag.
-Just give the facts, no body cares if you like to hike, or that you have 3 cats all named fluffy
-How should we send our resume? E-mail is probably the best way. Include a link where they can download a PDF from your site, nobody likes dealing with attachments.
-Tailor your resume to each firm
-Use common keywords in the descriptors of your resume, if you don’t know any keywords: google it dummy.
-You really don’t need objectives on your resume, they usually just make you sound stupid.
-As a new grad should you include other non design jobs? No, it’s not really needed and nobody cares that you worked at Starbucks or folded tee shirts at the Gap. The only exception would be if design is a second career and you were a rocket scientist in your former job, because that’s just awesome.
-Put your experience section before your education section.

INTERVIEW
-Don’t show up late for your interview unless you don’t want to work there.
-The interview is about getting to know the interviewee. If someone has to sit next to you for 40 hours a week, they want to make sure you don’t smell like Doritos, or have a weird tick. So let the interviewer know who you are, be confident!
-How do you talk about your work? Can you communicate effectively?
-An interview is a two way street. Ask questions about the company, show you know about the company.
-Let the interviewer drive the interview, they don’t have all day.

FOLLOW UP
-Send a awesome e-mail
-Mail a cool note
-Bribe the interviewer with cookies, beer, or cash
-Keep following up, about once a month

Hope this was helpful.

National Student Leadership Conference Poster

I designed this poster for the NSLC. High school students interested in a career in science sign up and visit many scientific institutions. I volunteer to be a tour guide for this event. I was asked to design a "cool" poster that would attract high school students attention. And this is what I came up with.

New Work

So I haven't Bolgged in a while. . .

Mostly because I've been too busy.

Work at Gladstone has been insane for the last few months and will continue to be nuts until the end of March. I am in the middle of trying to move to San Francisco (from San Mateo) which is like having another full time job. No really, I'm seeing 4 places tonight after work. I also have 2 rather time consuming freelance jobs right now. To top it all off, I started a new series of paintings. I am doing acrylic paintings with graphite on wood panels. The wood panels are recycled scraps from a few different furniture shops in San Francisco, along with a few dumpsters, I won't mention the location of.
The series is called "The Birds and the Bees." It is about dating, mating, and breaking up.

enjoy.