Writing for Visual Thinkers

Writing for visual thinkers? That was the illustration assignment for the current SPGA Chapter of the Graphic Artists Guild meeting promotion. The meeting is Wednesday, I'll be there and look forward to Amy Posner's presentation on how to write for social media and personal promotion. I was happy with the illustration, but the printed postcard is much more vivid and more red than it should have been. Ahh, the joys of digital printing without a press check.

This lucky illustrator creates HP “Work In 3G” campaign images

Last summer I was fortunate to have the opportunity to create some fun and unique illustrations for the current HP “Work In 3G” campaign. I collaborated with the talented creatives at McCann San Francisco, art director David Swope and art producer Evelyn Chan. They produced great Flash animation of the key illustration, a pop-up style world of transportation. The big thrill came when one of the ads appeared in the end of the year Time and Newsweek magazines. Imagine my work in the Time magazine person of the year issue with Shepard Fairey’s graphic illustration of Barack Obama on the cover, very cool!

Here’s the set of four ads, these appeared in commuter train cars. Click to see it larger.

Give Bees a Chance design featured on CP Ungiftables

CafePress has a cool Flash site called the Ungiftables. It's a fun way to browse for gifts for the ungiftable characters in your life. I was happy to learn they chose my Give Bees a Chance t-shirt as a potential gift for the "nosy neighbor". They also have products for "conspiracy uncle" "emo nephew" and "vege-liberal activist". Very clever, certainly there's something for everyone at cafepress. Visit my shop, Matissimo Online Boutique, it's a fun sideline for me.

Trick or Treat in the Junction

I can't believe it's almost time for Halloween! Where did summer go? The West Seattle Junction Association is using my Trick or Treat poster to promote their very popular trick or treat event. They really don't need to advertise it, somehow kids and parents just know and they turn out in droves. But the poster I designed last year was popular so we're using it again. I really like my hairy green spider, so I decided to add this design to my CafePress shop. My order of mini buttons and magnets arrived today and they're a lot of fun. Of course, if you're so inclined, thongs and mousepads are also available.

Apple iPhone — I couldn't wait

OK, I really did not plan to get one of these things. I was concerned... could this device live up the intense hype? will Apple stock plumet after this thing debuts? I'm not a early adopter type. I could wait 'til gen 2. Well, after I saw the husband's Saturday morning, I realized this is a must have. Why wait? I ran out and got one. Since we had an AT&T family plan and I'm a full-time Mac user it was an easy decision. Wow, we had fun playing with them all weekend. It was a little surreal, I felt like we had jumped a few years in to the future. The demos on the Apple site show it off, but when you hold yours in your hand with your calendar, your address book, music and photos in it you realize the possiblities. Now if AT&T can handle all the extra demand, we'll be just fine.

By the way the photo shows the iPhone in a nice protective cover made by incase without it it's a bit slippery. Geez, I don't want to drop this thing!

Hooray for Cooper Black!

I finally had the opportunity to use Cooper Black, a classic retro font, that I used to hate, but now have a strange fondness for.

This is the 2007 West Seattle Community Summer Festivities Calendar. You gotta know when the HiYu Kiddie parade is and the Rotary Raspberry sale is not to be missed. My spouse makes killer jam every year with those raspberries, mmm. Curious for more details here's the West Seattle Summer Festivities Calendar in pdf format (248k).

Now where else can I make use of Cooper Black?

Spring in the West Seattle Junction

My studio is located in West Seattle, specifically in “The Junction”. It really is the Heart of West Seattle, I love being part of the neighborhood. There's great shopping and lots of good places to eat, it's very lively these day. I can walk out my door, cross the street and find great desserts at “Coffee to a Tea with Sugar”, yummy sandwiches at Capers and Husky Deli, hmmm where should I get lunch today? Easystreet Records has great coffee (and breakfast — hi Lydia), and funky-graphic-overload decor, amazingly the CD I want is always on sale, YES! There's too many great small businesses to list, you get the idea.

Recently I had the opportunity to create a Spring direct mail promotion for the Junction Association. It was their first big mailing, it promoted the start of the popular West Seattle Farmers Market and Spring sales and events coordinated by merchants. The back of the postcard had 20 coupons from Junction establishments. They let me go loose with a fun and colorful illustration, you certainly couldn’t miss it in the stack of mail. I think it brought the Junction’s visibility up a notch — with style!

Matissimo mentioned in Creative Tech Newsletter

Yesterday my CafePress shop was featured on Creative Techs Quicktips email Newsletter. That was nice, Thanks Craig) I got a spike in hits. The Creative Techs newsletter is quick to read and always helpful. If you're a creative type using a Mac I recommend subscribing. Check out the past issues too. (Creative Techs is a Seattle based computer support group.)

15 more minutes (I mean seconds) of fame.

My poster shows up on the third episode of Grey's Anatomy. Izzy and Alex discuss going out right next to the Boats Afloat poster! Now I'm a big fan of the show and of course will watch the rest of the season to see if the poster appears again. The plot thickens... Will Dr. McDreamy choose Meredith or Addison? Will Alex pass his make-up exam? Tune in next week.

My primetime debut

Here’s my Boats Afloat poster in two scenes from the 2005 season opener of Grey’s Anatomy. Good show!




The poster was created in collaboration with Dirk Mynatt of GForce for the Northwest Yacht Broker’s Assocation.

In case you don’t watch TV, Grey's Anatomy is a popular medical drama about overworked surgical interns and their sex lives set in a Seattle hospital. It’s entertaining, with lots of good looking characters. Sunday nights at 10pm (after Desperate Housewives).