More from the Old Media Series

From the top: Seeburg Wall-O-Matic Jukebox, Remington Portable Typewriter, Philco Model 48 Radio.

Old Media Series: Emerson Portable Radio

Another from this recent series.

Old Media Series : Cameras

I'm a junk collector. Many of the things I collect are related to "old media" and the tools that used to be used to communicate: cameras, typewriters, radios, tape decks, metal typesetting equipment, old metal line cuts, commercial art tools. Anyway, you get the idea. I'm fascinated by the art of these objects--humble tools in their day, designed for utilitarian purposes--worth cherishing. These images are part of an Old Media series which I started a few years ago--although these particular images were just done recently.

Sketches for PPG Industries Exhibit

A while back I was commissioned to develop concepts for a new exhibit for the Architectural Products Division of PPG Industries. These are a few of the preliminary sketches which were done as part of the design and planning phase. The sketches are best seen as "visual thinking"—a kind of spatial exploration of form and arrangement and not really art or drawings. The sketches were followed by a series of rough three-dimensional models which were quickly assembled in scale to replicate the size relationships of the products, the exhibit booth and most importantly the environment that viewers would experience upon entering the space.

Industrial exhibits and tradeshows are highly regulated environments which exist for a short period of time, usually for 2-3 days and sometimes up to a week. The space for the booth is rented by corporations, much like magazine advertising space. The costs are high for the design, construction, transportation to the show, staffing, travel expenses, transportation back from the show, and then the storage of the exhibit properties. But the possibilities for success are equally high. In this instance the show was attended by influential architects, urban planners, construction managers, facilities planners, and contractors from around the globe. So the opportunity to market new products where they can be seen, touched and explained in real life is the essence of "marketing." (the term having been derived from the crowded atmosphere of markets themselves) 

Corian & Opal Glass Lamp

Over the years I've designed lots of furniture...some of which I've built in my quest to become a better woodworker. (Always hoping to equal the talents of Brothers  Bill & Greg)  And of course I always design the things I build, by first drawing them--I think of the drawings as an integral part of the design process. There are occasions though where I have designed things--with the thought that perhaps they could be manufactured for sale, rather than something I would make with my own hands--limited edition craftworks if you will. This 9x12 inch watercolor sketch on brown wrapping paper depicts one of those thoughts. This was done in 1989.

Indaba Global Research Identity

Recent corporate identity design work for a Boston area financial start-up. The company's business is to provide independent financial research to large institutional investors--like Fidelity Mutual Funds. Their business model is one which will aggregate information from multiple sources from around the globe.

The word "indaba" means meeting or conference, as well as "gathering". In an agricultural sense it would represent the "harvest." So, the inspiration for the mark is one which attempts to combine a contemporary harvest symbol, with the concepts of aggregation of multi-sourced information--uniting to form a circular form representing the globe--all somewhat abstractly. The secondary symbolism is that of the letterform "I" for Indaba.

Color was carefully chosen to fit the financial industry, and to have only positive global connotations. Blue tones--the most widely accepted colors--generally symbolize peace, calmness, stability, security, loyalty, sky & water. 

Seek You Identity

Corporate identity for a new start-up company. Their idea is to create a social network communication tool which alerts users to the location of other members--anywhere in the world. For those busy "road warriors" who don't want to miss the opportunity to spend a few hours/minutes with friends if they find themselves in Heathrow Airport at the same time. Not a product that I personally need--but hey, I guess there are globe-trotters dying for yet another electronic tool to use to track their friends.

 

One World Trade Center Entry

Design entry to the New York Times for the identity of the new One World Trade Center Building in New York.  The symbolism is of an abstracted numeral one that is inspired by the architecture of the new building by David Childs of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.

See article here: http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/01/help-put-a-new-face-on-freedom/