This song is an absolute banger. Ryan Strumpfler is an amazing guitarist and songwriter and creating the artwork for the release of his first solo single was an amazing opportunity. Since this song has such a powerful title and unique meaning and sound, I wanted to make sure we were really throwing the name out there while using very simple visual queues to drive it home. Highlighting the name also pre-solved the issue with modern album artwork where the image has to be easily read on the small displays provided by streaming platforms’ browsing areas.

The basic idea was trying to visually recreate those dimly-lit dive bars that we all have found ourselves in one time or another, as well as illustrating that “stumbling home” moment. An earlier iteration I had presented was met with the critique, “Can we make it more sticky?” Tactile problems require tactile solutions, and the solutions for this involved capturing some high resolution scans of things around my house (including a disintegrating Stephen King novel, my own coffee table, and a piece of glass that I allowed a beer can to leave a sticky ring on). Another notable element is the “beer suds” that was captured by creating a makeshift miniature photo studio, soaking a glass panel in beer, and then using the mini-studio the manipulate the light so that we captured the highlights and shadows of the suds.

Utilizing these high resolution scans and photos along with the oversized typography we are ensuring that these ideas are being communicated at both the small digital streaming scale as well as in larger print works.

This project also included creating some promotional materials as well as the animated “canvas” that can be seen when streaming the song on Spotify.

Always a pleasure to work with this group. This project was started as just a consultation for their typographic treatments, but eventually turned into a full logo redesign. Our goal was to first establish a better typographic representation of their name, redesign their “crystal ball” circular logo, and then provide a document for it’s proper use as well of a set of files they can utilize for their in-house designs.

Blue Light Bandits are an incredibly talented home-recording groove rock band. When discussing their new logo our conversations naturally led to the 1970’s. I expressed that my favorite aspect of their music was that they were honoring that era, but they have a uniquely crisp execution that I could only describe as “Menthol Music” (the bold taste you love with the refreshing taste of menthol). When they loved that phrasing, I went ahead and analyzed cigarette advertising of that time, informing the typography selections for their logo.

From there, I took the concept of their existing logo (which was “BLB” flowing together like a lava lamp) and started tearing through graph paper trying to work a new “BLB” that would harmonize with their new typographic element. We eventually landed on their current “crystal ball” that references the flowing ligatures of the primary text of the logo (“Bandits”) while abstractly hinting at the letterforms.

This was a particularly fun project because it also involved educating the client after completion. We created their site using Squarespace so that they would be able to maintain and add content as needed on their own, where before they were unable to do so without reaching out to the company that had designed and hosted their site.

Their previous site lacked some of the other visual elements their brand (which I had also created during an earlier print project) and they were looking for a cleaner look to showcase their professionalism. This was accomplished by utilizing a lighter “portfolio-style” look that allows the user to locate necessary information quickly and gradually guiding them towards the “Contact” page.

After the completion and launch of the site, I was able to educate the client on how to maintain and add information through the Squarespace Editor, and provided a manual that included any information they may need if any changes had to be made to any custom coding.

Noel Herbals is a local shop based in Somerville MA and run by Shannon Noel (no, we are not related). Shannon was a pleasure to work with for this series of projects, including creating labels for some new products as well as taking the elements of those new elements to create some brand collateral (including business cards, product information handouts, thank you cards, and product-use directions).

The final characteristics of this brand were an extension and refining of the existing brand. It was important to maintain a light white-based color palette so we can emphasize the gold foil print without looking too gaudy. We were also able to land on a pair of typefaces that make this brand look at home with the others on the shelf while also utilizing a contrast between the two to make it stand out. Montauk (secondary/tertiary information) follows the trends of this industry and make it feel at home on the shelf, while it’s stark difference to the stronger, taller, and more elegant Titular (primary information) lets it stand out.

Original floral illustrations by Sara Reigler.

This thesis project was an exercise in utilizing analog printing methods to help emphasize the best qualities of smaller expertise-based businesses using a local craft brewery as an example. After a consumer is visually stimulated by a product the very next sense used in making that final purchase decision is touch. The aim was to utilize letterpress printing as a way to unite a sort of branding holy trinity: a well-crafted product in a handsome label with a pleasing tactile quality. The unfortunate conclusion of this thesis was that letterpress was not a commercially reasonable option, but there are ways to nod towards that same spirit.

Other deliverable elements of this project were labels, packaging, and merchandise design.