How to use an online product designer–petsontees.com

OUR SECOND OXFORD UNIVERSITY SUMMIT: PRINT IS DEAD, LONG LIVE PRINT

OUR SECOND OXFORD UNIVERSITY SUMMIT: PRINT IS DEAD, LONG LIVE PRINT

petsontees.com advertisement for Animal Sheltering Magazine

HSUS magazine is a national magazine that is viewed by animal welfare organizations as well as their coordinators. The purpose of this ad was to encourage these organizations to open partner stores with petsontees.com to help raise funds to support their cause. The concept was to use an everyday situation and try to illustrate it with as few elements and copy a possible. The idea is that there is a list of needs that a particular animal shelter or organization has and the note stuck to it is written by someone else suggesting they visit petsontees.com to receive help getting those items. It's a problem with an offered solution.

More logo fun!

 Jensen Apparel has been looking for a way to help animal care organizations through multiple platforms, beginning with petsontees.com. The apparel company has segmented itself as a fundraising tool for these animal organizations and is using apparel and other products to help produce revenue. The next step for this company is to expand once more with freedogtag.com–under construction and offer dog tags to consumers for the cost of shipping and handling. That makes this product FREE which is unheard of in this economy. When compared to national pet supply retailers it's more than half the price of other id tags. This is the logo process for Jensen's new project. The concept? 

Well… dog tags, of course!

Awareness ad

This particular ad is still under construction, but the purpose is to encourage dog adoption in the month of October. Animal welfare organizations and supporters alike want to make the public aware that adoption is few and far between and more animals are being euthanized as opposed to being adopted.

Partners of petsontees.com will receive ads like these to fundraise for their cause–helping animals. This ad is to make the public aware that if you don't invest in an ID tag for your pet, then it is possible you may never see him/her again. In comparison to large international pet supply stores $3.99 is pretty reasonable.

Need Help?

This is a new ad done for petsontees.com to promote fundraising for animal welfare organizations. 

New Print Ads for petsontees.com

Click here: Check out my advertisements/designs at petsontees

Sruttin'

Tee shirt frame for the 4th  Suffolk Humane Society Mutt Strut

SEO

This is a wonderful guide to Search Engine Optimization. It's a pretty site, too. Just saying.

The Cute, The Cuddly, and The Curious

Recently I accepted a position as an Advertising Graphic Designer in an apparel manufacturing/distribution company. It was apparent when I was greeted by a big grey dog named Buddy, that clothing wasn't the only thing this company had a knack for. Jensen Apparel has just recently introduced Petsontees.com where online guests and animals lovers can upload any artwork, picture, or word to a tee shirt. The concept of this website is to host other online stores for local humane societies, sponsoring companies, and supporters. This website acts as a sub branch of petsontees.com, but with the name chosen by the governing organization.  20% of all proceeds go to the welfare of animals and their owners/supporters. The site is free, no hassle, and easy to use. Sign up now. My job is your job, let's help out the cute, the cuddly, and the curious.

Logo Design Process: Blown Away

This client came to me with the idea of using butterflies to represent growth and change to her clients.  Being that she owns a salon, there was room to be creative with the butterfly and hair concept. I thought it would be fitting to use the new logo trend of an image within an image.  So the idea of using two silhouettes of female heads with long hair accompanied by these very organic swirl elements became the foundation for the logo. 

My client being a little skeptical after reviewing thumbnails is now in love with her new identity. Ms. Lakisha Pridget is now the proud owner of Blown Away Salon and an unmistakable identity:

Logo Design Tips

Logo Design Tips

Designing Brand Identity

Resume with new identity

A good friend of mine posted this on facebook and had to post for you guys. It's creativity at its best. Thanks Bethany!

The BRIT Awards 2011 - Adele sings ' Someone Like You ' Live HD

I've been jammin her new album. This is one of my favorites.

Self Branding Progress

As required for my Communication Arts Workshop course—Portfolio, I am working on branding myself as a graphic designer. The reason behind the tree and moon mark is culture. I grew up in what we call "the sticks" on Moonlight Rd, from which the moon symbol stems. I like working with a very neutral color palette, but did not want it to be muted. I am working with shades of brown for a more natural appeal and the teal—my favorite color, for contrast. As you can see in the above images scale, placement, and type are still being considered. Hoping to finalize on the logo very soon.

Happy 1 Year!

A year ago the stress of life, school and work began to weigh heavily on my mind and well-being. It was at that time that I realized I had to release these emotions. Knowing that my sister Melody had been blogging for some time, I began reflecting on the idea of writing. I was familiar with diaries and journals, and had done it all before. It just seemed to be such a task, almost like work.
The difference is this time the writing would not only help me, but others in my situation. Thus, Katographx was born. The idea of this online journal of my quest for a degree in Graphic Design, emotional stability and stress management was to expose myself to the world in a way I had never before. Katographx has had some positive feedback within the first year. It has been greatly appreciated. Here's to the first and another year of Katographx. Thank you all who have read, supported, and even responded. It is my promise to make sure you have more reading to do in the coming year.
Happy 1 year, Katographx!

Article on Design Thinking

340 is...

 
This semester is going to be very eventful for me. I am anticipating graduation following Spring semester, and I have the privilege of being a part of a unique school project. 340is ... a group of creative students, from all sectors of the art genre, to create 340 High Street Student Art Magazine. Works of art from within the walls of the Tidewater Community College Visual Arts Center in Portsmouth, Virginia will be unveiled in a new light upon completing the 340is campaign.
The magazine has yet to go digital. However, with this group of innovators, followers can expect to watch the magazine develop via social media.  Check out the progress and join the dialog @340is on Twitter and Facebook.com/340is. It's a process you will want to follow. Watch how the thought process of a class full of individuals, becomes the idea of one unit. 
I am extremely excited to be a part of the process of this publication. It  is an honor to work with such inspirational people.

A Web of thoughts

Aargh! Yes, that's meant to sound somewhat like a pirate. This  whole web thing is driving me bonkers. html, < > or whatever language this thing speaks. This is strictly a rant blog, which I try not to do too often. I want so badly to be able to create websites, but I am definitely not a natural. This is only 3 days in, so hopefully it will get easier. After making very clear that web was a weakness for me as a designer, my teacher immediately rebuked my comment with "you just started." Here's for my teacher, I will try.

Counseled Out

"Those who understand the least make the most noise."
Jeffrey Zeldman (http:http://www.alistapart.com/articles/understandingwebdesign)

Upon attending the wrong Portfolio class last night I was very concerned with some words from the professor:
"We as Photographers should learn how to create websites, business cards, and learn how to do the Graphic Design thing."
"Wait just a second there, buddy. " I did not say this aloud, but was definitely thinking it. I'm a little disturbed that our instructors, the very ones qualified to train art students, ones whom students see everyday are encouraging one department to do another department's job. Why is this such a crime?
 Well, let me put this into perspective. If I, as a Graphic Designer, declared myself to be a Photographer as well, then I would have some pretty big shoes to fill. Not to mention, I would be a package deal. However, I'd be a lie. I may have learned some Photography, but did not delve to deeply into the subject. That is not why I enrolled in school. I am here to be a graphic designer. So, yes I wish to acquire all the skills necessary to create my own designs and advertisements without depending on another party. 
Of course it is important to be versatile as an artist. My issue is in the fact that while instructors are advising students to become distinguished and submerged in their field, behind the very same walls advising them not to become dependent on another colleagues learned skills.  In summary, cancellation. Now I'm quite biased.
As Graphic Design majors we do explore basics of Photography, but only Fine Arts by election. I find it unfair, contradictory, complex and many other adjectives. In lamer terms, he basically said "Oh, you don't need those Graphic Designers. You could do their job." That's how it felt to be the only Graphic Design major in the room, like a slap in the face. I was discouraged.
I want to teach my readers a lesson.
I understand that it is necessary to explore other facets in your field, but you should never try to excommunicate the ones who know those other areas best. We need each other and should support one another. No one artist is better than another, nor is one art form better than another. No idea is yours alone.

Back to school, back to school...

It is official. My final semester before graduating with my associates degree in Graphic Design. It will more than likely be the longest semester ever. I have very mixed feelings. I'm not sure whether to be excited or scared or which one I even am at this point. It's the home stretch. My main goal is to not screw up my GPA in the final semester. I have managed to stay on the Dean's List for the past two years and plan to keep it that way. Unfortunately, I still have no idea what I'm getting myself into this semester.
The most important thing is to stay focused, remain calm, and have confidence. When people complimented me I used to say things like "this is nothing compared to what the other students can do." What I have learned just within the past couple of months is that, we are still learning, and I too have something that they don't.
Here's to taking it one stride at a time...
Back to school, back to school.

The Brain's Roladex

This was me two days ago. My friend and I were having a conversation, when suddenly... a long pause. I hate when that happens! You know that moment when it's on the tip of your tongue, but just can't spit it out? Yeah.
So a friend explained to me that when you know something, but just can not think of it, your brain does not give up the search. She explained it as "the sensors in your brain are thumbing through it's roladex/index." So, this was my illustration to match the explanation.

Why You Should Turn Down Some of Your Freelance Design Projects
This should answer some questions for freelancers.

Lucky Year

Here's to another year. This is the year in which the seeds I have planted as a student shall blossom into a field of possibilities as a Graphic Designer. Those who know me have heard me call 2011 my "lucky year." By now, those same people are probably wondering, "well, what makes it so lucky?" Here's the thing. Aside from graduating, I don't need anything  to make my year lucky. My optimism is what will determine the outcome. My mother always reminded me that we, as the controls of our own roller coasters we have the ability to steer our lives in the direction we so choose. However her words were a little more simple "you can wish things into existence." So I say let regrets be bygones and let bad experiences be the tools with which we learn and progress. Let's make a wish:
This year will be my year. In fact, it will be my lucky year, because I have so declared it.

Putting myself out there