New Logo

You might recognize part of this design from another logo, AyakoFromJapan.com. AyakoFromJapan.com moved up in Alexa ranking, and in response to requests from numerous fans, Ayako launched an English version, branding100.com.

Whether you're just starting out or have been around for a while, this blog has a lot of helpful advice.

New Logo

Get ready for a good guffaw! Launching April Fools Day 2009 is ScrewballTees.com where you can get the latest in funny, sarcastic, and weird wear for your upper half.

I have had the wonderful opportunity to work with the designer/developer on this project. With our complimentary skills, this project has been a beneficial symbiotic process. I just completed the design of his vision for the logo and consulting on Search Engine Optimization.

eMarketing

Email Marketing is an effective and affordable marketing approach that is very successful for retail, small businesses, and business people who work by contract (artists, real estate agents...). There are a variety of services available for mass email marketing, each varying in cost of services comparable to services offered. I've used a few different systems and I have my favorite, but I always try to recommend the one that best suits the client and his/her comfort level with computers and learning new interfaces.

This a screen capture of an email for one of my favorite companies, Model City Models. They went with a publishing system that I had the chance to briefly work with when I set up an email template for BuyAt. Model City Models does really awesome work. Check out their portfolio section for the LED lit models.

Updated Logo

Large companies with millions of dollars and agencies with hundreds of people spend much more time and money on research before they create, share and launch a design. I don't have either, so when I created the AyakoFromJapan.com logo, my research focused mostly on anime styles, Japanese design and Japanese patterns, but I didn't look deeply into the history of the Kimono.

Some of AyakoFromJapan.com traditional Japanese readers loved the logo, but wanted to let us know that the direction of the character's kimono, with the right side wrapped over the left, is a funereal tradition; it is how the dead are dressed for burial. Ayako didn't favor this association (of course!) so I changed the kimono to show the left side over the right side. Since the header space is so small and you can't really see most of the detail, we also gave it a punch of gold for a waist band so it pops.

Anyanka!

Meet Anyanka!

A few months ago, I met with a client to go over a design and much to my horror, the color that displayed on his monitor versus the color that displayed on my dinosaur-pc-laptop was so drastically different I found myself apologizing and reassuring the client that that was absolutely not the shade I intended.

Last week, I got feedback to make my designs more dynamic by using more shadows and other styles. I wasn't willing to admit it, but the reason why I used mostly flat color was because my computer couldn't handle more than a drop shadow or two and even that would tie up my computer for a minute even if I just moved the object. I was in Maine, so I also couldn't go to work and quickly apply some filters to the design either. I ended up doing some more styles, but every time I did, I had to sit and wait for it. It took me twice as long to finish the project (I didn't bill for the extra time, of course.) and while I sat and waited for filters to apply, I suddenly realized how limited in design I've been simply because my computer can't handle it.

Alas! I have feared the commitment, but it is done. I went all the way and I love her! Her name is Anyanka, a direct reference to one of my favorite Joss Whedon characters. She has two (two!!!!) NVIDIA graphics processors!!!!!!! Isn't she shiny!?

Commission Completed

I am always very excited to get the chance to create something really fun! I had the wonderful opportunity to turn the blogger Ayako into a cartoon for a personal brand of AyakoFromJapan.com. If you can read Japanese, check out AyakoFromJapan.com.

eMarketing

This is a new eMail Marketing Template for a local Baltimore City small business.