It's My Party!

Recently I got a new graphic design client, and I'm doing some work for an events company. They needed someone who could create logo designs for clothing and apparel that are given as gifts at their parties... mostly for teens. So I would have to come up with modern and cool looks for Sweet 16 parties, Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, and the like. Certainly pushing the boundaries for me, as most of the designs have to be create!

Because now I have to think like a teenage boy (no, not those kind of thoughts!)

Or a 16-year-old girl! And because these logos are ultimately screen printed, it creates additional challenges to be limited with only 2 or 3 colors.

But logo design is one of my favorite things to do. It kind of incoporates all my graphic design skills. And the themes I design for are pretty interesting.

They usually include the name or initials of the coming-of-age star of the party and the event date. I create small logos for the fronts and bigger designs for the backs of sweatshirts, hoodies, tees, and more.

Okay, so I have to admit, some of this stuff is pretty fun to make. I mean, pink and white on black with a disco ball and some bling? Yeah... that's my kinda work.

On Safari... A Ticket To Adventure...

You know, sometimes my life isn't about making art... it's about making graphic art! Yes, my actual background is in Graphic Design and although I don't talk about it much... it definitely has had a tremendous impact on my art.

Recently, I designed this logo for Art & Soul Mixed Media Art Retreats, showcasing their 2013 theme of "On Safari". The challenge arose when I was asked to create tickets for each class that will take place at the retreat. I wanted to utilize the animals and other elements from the original logo... but how? Well, in this digital age it takes only seconds to Google the words "jungle + safari" and get fodder for all kinds of ideas! Gone are the days of scouring hoarded copies of Print and Design magazines for just the right "look". Ahhhh, technology.

So I took my ideas and created a look-book on Pinterest and then tried a few for myself. The silhouettes of the animals had the best effect and a sunset-style graduated background color topped it off quite nicely. I love using elements as text and so I borrowed the Acadia Tree to use as the "I" in SAFARI. I created 4 different tickets with each of the animals I used in the original logo to create diversity and collectibility.

I just love a good theme and I'm very happy with the way these tickets turned out. Playing around with graphics is always an adventure for me. What can I say... sometimes work is fun!