I love walking around to spy what is on my teams desktops. Everyone has different habits-some 1-2 windows open (me), some 10, some 50 (Styk!)…Therefore I thought it would be fun to start showcasing what some of ‘em look like at any given time.

The first one is from Micah’s computer. He’s from the 2D design department and is currently working on a logo for a current client (Round 2, I believe) as well as a few illustrations, a CD cover simply for the exercise of it (always good to expand your skills as a designer), as well as iTunes (music is always an essential around here for getting the creativity going full throttle) plus many other windows.

His desktop, which can only be slightly seen here, is of a dog parachuting from out of the sky. “Why?” you ask? Well, we leave that story up to you…

I have a sketch book that I’ve been keeping for a few years ongoing now that I do collage work in. It started after a design class I took while at school; the assignment was to bring in found items, markers, white out, tape, etc. and a stack of 11″ x 17″ blank paper. Then in 10 minute increments, you had to create something on the page with no thought, no judgment, no rules, just simply “spontaneously create”.

Being someone that loves rules and guidelines and taking as much time as needed to “get it just right”, this was both a scary & liberating exercise for me. I have held on to the tradition, and now years later, I have quite the book going. I use all kinds of found objects, from lace, to string, to bottle caps, nails, masking tape, whatever I find & like at the time. The pages are constantly morphing, rarely deemed “finished”. (That’s a rule if I were to say that, right?)

At times, elements from within the book end up in designs, which is never the intent behind the book, but if you find inspiration or a solution within it, it should become a tool within one’s toolbox, yes?

I worked in it over the weekend, so if you want to see a few pages from the book, (the cover is what is in the image above) then come on in and take a peek…

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As I’m walking by Bryce’s desk yesterday I noticed his mouse was covered in modeling clay and grippy rubber. I wonder to myself if he is trying to develop an innovative mouse structure, or was experimenting with turning the mouse into a toy of some sorts. (Bryce really likes his toys.) But then it dawned on me what was going on… (more…)

Today I was in the letterpress studio mixing ink for an upcoming Dept of Energy promo poster I’m working on. I promised teasers last week of this work-in-progress, and here is the first one. This poster will need 7 inks total (which took me 6 hours to mix all of ‘em!), 3 press set-up’s & 3 print passes total on two different presses (an electric Vandercook and a C & P manual). Those of you wondering how 7 ink colors end up being only 3 passes-well, that’s because 2 of the passes will be a 3 color split fountain(*). (Ooooo, a hint to how it’ll look!) There will also be some unique details to this poster that extend outside of paper to make it complete. Curious? You should be! But I’m not telling what those are….yet.I haven’t been this excited to print a poster to see how it’ll turn out since….well, ever. If I get it all dead on, this will be simply put, gorgeous. Artful. Keep checking back for more status reports on this project as it progresses….

(*) Split Fountain - Technique of putting ink colors next to each other in the same ink fountain or roller and printing them off the same plate.

For a lot of my letterpress printing I have polymer plates made through Boxcar Press so I can use modern day typefaces & custom illustration. This past week I just finished designing an upcoming Dept. of Energy promo poster in which I needed a pretty big plate made. On my invoice, I found notes for something new they are doing this year for orders over $100. I have to say, I really like this idea by a company as a way to make a greener world. By knowing I am using earth friendly inks, all natural cleaning solvents, all cotton paper, and having a tree planted in her name while making posters on an old steel press, it sure makes a designer gal feel real good.

Oh, and keep an eye on the Skip Report for a future glimpse of the poster being made & as a final in the upcoming weeks.

A little update on a recently completed project

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Some new and improved images of the beauty that is the ping-pong table…