Custom Work

GETTING THE MOST “BANG” FOR YOUR BUCK

One of the more challenging projects I’ve taken on was the design and fabrication of a nine-foot sign for a shooting range situated along Highway 36 in Long Creek, Illinois. The business, named “Shooter’s Paradise,” had facilities for both archery and guns. I designed two logos that were bilaterally symmetrical so that coming from one direction, the viewer would see an archery target complete with dimensional arrows. From the other side, the sign was a gun target. 
       Combining my woodworking skills and the aid of a friend who took on the fabrication and welding of the arrows, I managed to increase this company’s new business two fold. 

 

ENTERING MY SECOND CHILDHOOD

In 2007 I partnered with a very talented friend of mine to create a series of five DVDs containing 20 episodes of a little known children’s cartoon from 1962 called “Space Angel.” I had spent over a year collecting the old programs, which were now in the public domain. It was then I got the idea to create what I had not been able to find for myself. I sat about designing animated menus, selected introduction music, wrote and drew up a program guide and created fresh DVD packaging inspired by the work of the legendary creator of the show, animator Alex Toth. In truth this venture was a thinly veiled excuse to relive those days of wonder from my youth. Within a year I managed to sell 50 sets on eBay. It was hands down the most fun I’ve ever had doing design.

FINDING UNIQUE SOLUTIONS

Here’s a project I took on to help sell communication services to contractors and developers. Instead of just creating a set of documents to go into an envelope, as had been suggested, I proposed that the information could be designed to look like blueprint drawings and placed into a metal boxes as a way of adding interest thus insuring the highest probability that the recipient would want to keep the information and not just toss it into the garbage. Not only did my idea sell, it turned out to be a very lucrative strategy.

FROM SOUP TO NUTS

After designing a logo and business cards for Neon Kerat, I was asked if it would be possible to design a hair appointment book in a smaller format than the salon was able to purchase. After considering a number of approaches, I decided on durable semitransparent plastic covers with spiral binding to bring the new design to fruition. This was an unusual project and required more hours to create than might be considered economically expedient, but the client was thrilled—and sometimes that makes all the difference. The take way here is that virtually anything can be created and I’m not one to shy away from unusual requests.