This is part one of a three-part series on my The Sketchbook Project entry. I decided to enter the Art House Co-Op’s The Sketchbook Project this year based on the link provided by my design friends over at the HOW Design Forum. The great thing about knowing a lot of folks in the design industry … Read more The Sketchbook Project: The Maiden & The Hawk Part 1
I was pleased to learn that I was going to have one of my pieces featured in the new book, Creative Workshop: 80 Challenges to Sharpen Your Design Skills by David Sherwin published by HOW Books. David put a call for willing designs to be sent one of his challenges. Each challenge had a time … Read more Sweet! nsquaredesign in print: Creative Workshop
I was invited to participate in the Say Something Poster Project. Jason, one of the project founders, liked my work on the Haiti Poster Project and asked me to join in this new endeavor. This poster project gives designers the chance to “say something to inspire, motivate, and educate teenage kids.” Phase one would include … Read more Say Something Poster Project
Sorry about the lack of blog posts lately. I’ve been quite busy this past holiday season with personal and freelance projects. Some I can show ya now, some I can’t… 😉 So I know this one is a bit late in coming, but I just had to show off my holiday card for 2010: Usually … Read more Holiday Card 2010
At my day job at Dorothy Lane Market (an upscale grocer here in town), I’m the only designer on staff. It can be quite demanding at times, and like all design jobs, some projects are cooler than others. Once project I look forward to every year is the Food & Wine Show poster (and related … Read more DLM 2010 Food & Wine Show Poster
A year or so ago I ordered a product that was on sell at through the Dell Business website. Ever since, as one you would expect, I’ve been on their e-mail and paper mailing lists. In my efforts to clean up my inbox, I decided to opt out upon receiving their latest e-mail. What I … Read more Dell’s Unsubscribe Procedure = MAJOR FAIL
I’ve never been much of a cook. If you ask my friends, they will tell you that the microwave is my best friend. In fact, one of my best buddies was shocked when he learned that I actually use the stove on occasion. Well, when I first was out on my own I did not … Read more Artisan Economy
Over the summer, I was asked by my longtime friend Leslie (who co-owns the Innport B&B with her husband Jeff) to illustrate their dog, Deaf Monty for a new business venture. They are hoping to obtain a liquor license and open a small wine tasting bar at their bed & breakfast. They have a small … Read more Deaf Monty Illustration
Wow, it’s been a busy year for me. So busy that I forgot to post several cool projects that I completed this year. Here’s one of them… I met Sarah through mutual friends a few years ago. She is a bright, bubbly, enthusiastic person. We both share a love of creativity and her energy really … Read more Wedding Invites for Sarah & Jon
The story of the 33 trapped Chilean miners has really captured my heart. These guys could die any day that they go into work as a part of their normal job. (Most of us designers just sit at desks,the most dangerous thing we have to worry about on a day-to-day basis is falling out of … Read more Chilean Miner Poster
Wow, it’s been a busy year for me. So busy that I forgot to post several cool projects that I completed this year. Here’s one of them… I completed this label design for Bunker’s Bar & Grill, a local sports bar earlier this year. The client had a couple of requests: they’d like a sports … Read more Bunkers Sauce Labels
I just received this cute little bit of direct marking in the mail this week: As you can see, it’s addressed to “Our Neighbor”. How nice! But the return address is in San Antonio, Texas. Hmm…a quick Google maps search shows that San Antonio is about 1200 miles from Dayton. Wow, that’s some neighborhood! I … Read more Mail Fail…Local is Relative
As mentioned in my previous posts, I had the privilege of attending the 2010 CFC and HOW Design Conferences in Denver in June of this year. Like any conference, you share stories with your colleagues. Eventually someone breaks out the business cards and you trade. And while I love a well-designed business card, I have … Read more How Not to Make Friends After A Conference
I had the privilege of attending the 2010 Creative Freelancer Conference and a few sessions of the 2010 HOW Design Conference. In a stroke of brilliance, F&W Media decided to hold the CFC, HOW, and inHOWse conferences all at the same location and at the same time. As a result, my CFC package included access … Read more CFC & HOW 2010: Part 2
I had the privilege of attending the 2010 Creative Freelancer Conference and a few sessions of the 2010 HOW Design Conference. In a stroke of brilliance, F&W Media decided to hold the CFC, HOW, and inHOWse conferences all at the same location and at the same time. As a result, my CFC package included access … Read more CFC & HOW 2010: Part 1
After a short hiatus, the HOWiezine is back and to the theme for issue 14 was Coffee. Personally, I’m not a coffee fan, but I couldn’t miss a chance to participate, so I signed up without being inspired as to what I’d do. I did something thinking and I figured I could use my aversion … Read more HZ-14: Coffee
What’s a Mail Fail? When a direct mail mail fails to: target the proper audience and/or other fun errors such as typos. The other day I literally received three Mail Fails in one day! I was thrilled and entertained by these off-the-mark and mailers: 1) Toyota Wants Your Car! I received this official looking letter … Read more Mail Fail x3
As a designer, I do my best to make sure that the solutions I develop for my clients are appropriate and meaningful to their target audience in order to help them sell their wares or services. For the most part, I believe that it’s not evil, however when even a 3 year old makes judgements … Read more Even A 3 Year Old Knows Branding