27 October 2009

Jr. Creative Advice: In my thoughts and prayers.


photo by De-ann Black

Yesterday a graduate student committed suicide during a professor's office hours. That professor was Mookesh Patel, he was my professor during my undergraduate studies and is now considered a dear friend. I can not fathom going through or witnessing something like that and I want him to know that his students past and present are here for him as he has always been there for us. State Press Article.

I found out from one of my friends who I went through the program with and we started talking about the program and the stress that goes with it. Many don't understand how the ASU Graphic Design program works, it is a hard, nose to the grindstone program that really bonds a class together. There is no just sitting in a lecture for 60 minutes and then taking a midterm and a final. You are in rigorous 3-4 hour classes making, building and exploring. Your first year it's plaka and plaka and oh yea did I mention plaka . . . you will have nightmares about that stuff. There are insane deadlines and extremely high expectations, we are after all the best design program in the nation.

All this rounds out the year with an application to the professional program consisting of multiple tests and then onto the waiting game til July to see how many of the 200 get to be part of the lucky 30 to get in. After your first college summer, come the three professional years . . . and that is a novel in itself.

As challenging as the program is I wouldn't trade my experiences there for anything, All the professors, Andy Weed, Mookesh and Al, Jennifer, Haywood and yes even Beth . . . are so true to the craft and the pursuance of making us the best we can be. That program really prepared me for graduate school and for real life in the advertising world. There was a stint of 4 months where I consistently worked 80 hour weeks just to make client deadlines. Yes, I have even slept in the agency.

Mookesh, I am really happy you are safe and hopefully can put this tragedy behind you to continue doing the great work you have done for so many over the years. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family during this trying time. You truly are a beacon of inspiration.

Relay for Life


Here is some work that we did for the Marin Relay for Life. Krystha up on her soap box.

25 October 2009


Here's one of the videos we did for Mavericks Surf Competition. The window for the competition opens Nov 1st. 


24 October 2009

Mavericks Live Tour 2009 Video


Here's the final cut of the video for Mavericks that I worked on. If you want to share it on Facebook visit Facebook.com/Mavericks
and click the share button. The opening ceromonies are going to be held in a week!

03 October 2009

Mavericks Surf Competition 09/10


So it is less than one month until the Mavericks Surf Competition window opens and everyone is getting really excited. This is the logo I just finished for the 09/10 competition. We are busily getting all the promotional materials ready for the competition. There are some great shirts coming out for the competition and all kinds other promotional items.

If you are not familiar with Mavericks. It is a surfing competition unlike any other. You can read about the history on their website maverickssurf.com. A basic bare bones of it is 24 surfers get 24 hours notice to get their asses to Half Moon Bay, CA to surf the biggest baddest waves in the world.


01 October 2009

Jr. Creative Advice: Break Rules.



I am all for learning the rules of design and mastering them as well. . .but along with that I am for breaking those rules as long as you can defend your reasoning for breaking them, or you just make something remarkable.

So in the spirit of breaking rules here are some tunes from Little Texas: Kick A Little.

VOTE: Phoenix Design Week 09 Poster



So I entered a contest in my free time. Yes I know I am crazy for doing more work when I'm not at work . . . WOO! Anyway click on the poster above to VOTE for my poster much appreciated.

The poster celebrates the Phoenix Bird as it dies and is reborn from the ashes, very similar to the generations of designers. One set goes out and then another comes in all further paving the road than those before him. That is the reasoning for the copy "To those who came before: thank you. To those who will come after: good luck."

Enjoy!