It’s been an amazing two years as an independent designer. I feel extremely grateful to everyone who has supported and worked with me.

My new contact info is listed on the contact page. Thanks again, please stay in touch!

Sola is a young adult ministry of Crossway Church. The concept comes from the Reformation, when Martin Luther compiled his 95 Theses and nailed them to the church doors in 1517.

In addition to the logo we produced a set of posters, featuring portraits of the young adults in the church.

Check out the TONO project here.

I decided to update this post with all the illustrations done for the recent launch of the new packaging for Square One Coffee.

If you haven’t been to Square One on Duke Street, it’s high-time to discover them. They’re quickly making some big strides with their brand. Best coffee I ever had, too.

You can buy whole bean with the new packaging in the online store.

Check out this Flickr set for some shots of the new packaging and display. Professional photography coming soon, I promise!

I’m sure you have some in mind, too, so make sure you leave a comment and let me know who you like. Hopefully we can help each other discover some new crushes.

These guys are the best in the world right now, in my opinion. Seems like everything they touch is just way ahead of everyone else.

One of my favorites for a long time. They were just featured in the most recent Communication Arts. I really enjoy their strong use of typography as a design element.

I have a big soft spot for poster design and screen printing. No one does it better.

Discovered the amazing Vanessa Eckstein in a design magazine. She’s unstoppable. She can somehow pair her European grids with a wonderful sense of texture to achieve unbelievable results.

A classic design studio in Seattle. Well-known for quirky posters and products.

Another poster shop; one of the best around. Great illustrative logo work as well.

I shed a tear for Templin Brink Design, but I guess every good thing must come to an end. This is Joel Templin’s new shop. Very fresh design approach.

Gaby Brink was the other partner from TBD who recently started a new gig. She has a great structured style that I really identify with.

A classic shop who’s been leading the way for a long time. I had the pleasure of meeting both Sean Adams and Noreen Morioka at the AIGA conference in 2007.

Love the name and attitude of this great little shop.

I always enjoyed the work produced by these guys. Mike Burton has moved on, so I’m curious to see where they go from here.

I forget how I found this guy, but I love his work. Great use of typography and an appreciation for the handmade.

The shop that founded the LogoLounge series of books. Some of the best identity work.

A fun new studio featured in the Fresh section of Communication Arts.

One of the best studios in the mega design center of Minneapolis.

I can’t think of a better name for a design studio.

Funky diagram illustrations with loads of texture. Paul Kepple is probably the most prolific graduate of Tyler (Pentagram partners don’t count).

Read the logo book they produced with Rockport. Good stuff.

Unbelievably talented designer and illustrator. Just featured in Print Magazine as a top young designer.

New website and wonderful textured illustrations.

I’ve been learning the fickle art of screen printing recently. It’s a lot more challenging than you might think, but totally worth the effort. Big thanks to the guys at The Infantree for their help. Between creating a design, burning the screen and carefully pulling the ink, I definitely had my hands full.

This fun little gem was printed 2-up on French Speckletone with white ink. The card was produced for a recent brand workshop held at The Infantree.

Hand-printed, hand-cut and hand-mailed. Just how I like it.

It’s always satisfying to get away from the computer and actually make something.

I’m excited to share with you some new signage for Square One Coffee. It’s always satisfying to build a brand over time and see the cumulative improvements. These guys are really heading in the right direction.

First up on the docket is an update to the menu, complete with custom crafted wood paneling (courtesy of the owner’s father).

We also just set out a new sidewalk sign (I was lucky to get that awesome truck in the background). Make sure you look for this one; our hope is to change the graphics on a regular basis. Who doesn’t like an excuse to make oversized posters?

One of the best portfolios I reviewed was by Beth Coller, who isn’t even graduating until December. Check out her work here.

Cheers, KU!

What a wonderful evening of letterpress and craftsmanship we were given when Jim Sherraden and Hatch Show Print came to town on April 16. AIGA Central PA hosted, this time at Penn State Harrisburg. Jim talked for an hour to a packed house of well over 150, bolstered by many students (always great to see).

I was thoroughly impressed with Jim’s sense of professionalism and courtesy. Nashville’s southern charm was on display and we ate it up. I overhead a conversation Jim had with two Tennessee natives who missed their home very much. They said the barbecue was better. I’m not sure what that means, but I know we scrooges in the East could learn a thing or two about southern hospitality.

I scored several posters, but the crown jewel of my design collection is now a signed copy of Jim’s book. He literally drew a poster on the inside, adding this thoughtful touch: “Integrity through courtesy.” You’re a professional, Jim, thanks for gracing us with your craft.

This illustration is super quirky and fun, which is exactly why I need to show it off. Birds seem to be all the rage these days and nothing is more trendy than a textured illustration. At least I avoided vector paths! This came right out of the sketchbook.

Two birds chatting on some hand-drawn type. Right on.

Check out this link for more bird illustrations.

Be Confident

I can’t stress this enough, but confidence is the key ingredient in the whole mix. It affects how you shake someone’s hand, what you say about your work, and how much you charge. It’s not always easy to feel confident when you first start out and try to figure out how to run all aspects of a shop by yourself, but it will come. And when it does, your energy and passion will show, whether you realize it or not. Believe in yourself!

Cashflow is King

The best business advice I can give you is to manage your cashflow well. You charge Person A for the work you did for them, but Person B (that vendor you hired) will most likely want his money before Person A pays up. I guess the awesome office furniture will have to wait, right? The concept is simple. Be smart with your money and make sure you have enough to cover it all. 3-6 months of income and overhead in the bank is a great ground rule.

Immerse Yourself in Culture

Designers don’t design for the design industry. They design for every other industry imaginable. It’s crucial that you feed yourself a healthy dose of culture and that you stay relevant to consumer needs. The more you understand the subject you’re designing for, the better your solutions will be. Approach every day looking for an opportunity to learn.

Enjoy Your Clients

The best design is done for clients who value design. Equally important is the value that you place upon them. The more you enjoy them and value who they are, the better your design will be. Make it your business to know all about their business. Sometimes a bad client can become a really good client if you spend the time to educate them about the design process and treat them as you would want to be treated.

Be Driven

The only person who is going to make this happen for you is yourself. Make the choice to step away from your comfortable job and take a crack at working for yourself. Your reputation is on the line in everything you produce. Sweat the details, make sure color is accurate, check your spelling, be organized, treat every job as a potential entry in your portfolio. Bottom line is effort on every front.

Don’t Lose in Winning

Being driven is good until you begin to hate what you do and never have time for your family. Wealth, industry awards and rockstar status don’t even come close to the feeling of contentment and investment in those you love. If I were to lose every accomplishment I’ve gained in my career but still had my wife and kids, I would be a very rich man. Don’t lose sight of what really matters.

I’m happy to officially announce my involvement with The Infantree. The INF, as we like to call it, is a group of dedicated young artists and designers who work both independently and collaboratively. Check out our new website for all the latest.

To celebrate our kickoff, we recently held an Open House on First Friday in downtown Lancaster. I finally learned how to screen print and made my first “real” painting since high school.

It’s a great feeling to be part of this group. For the one or two people that actually follow what I’m doing, I definitely recommend you start following The Infantree, too.

The pictures below show our screen printed posters, utilizing the new logo and typeface I designed last year. Fun stuff. We ended up pulling four different colors and cut them down to handout sizes for our guests. The mix and match effect was a big hit.

More good things to come.

Knock Knock is a unique product company that combines good design with humorous writing. The combination is powerful and instantly engaging, employing various forms of satire, wit and irony.

I was most struck by the vision Jen had for her career. She simply wanted to use design and writing to create something meaningful. It’s my hope to do the same.

She also encouraged a crowd full of designers to embrace their ability to write, and not shy away from it. I’m a big believer in the power of designer as writer (and vice versa) and Jen only confirmed that notion.

Thanks, Jen! Where’s my pen…

TONO Architects is a distinctive practice located in downtown Lancaster City. They work in a thoroughly progressive style that emphasizes structure, repetition and strong lines. A mark and identity system that reflected their aesthetic was the perfect solution.

The stationery was printed on Neenah’s Starwhite Sirius, a beautiful, FSC-certified stock.

Working with TONO has been a wonderful experience, due in large part to their principled and modern approach, which emphasizes the same things I desire in my own work.

In need of a sophisticated design solution for their annual president’s report, Millersville University turned to RSD. This 40 plus page book features a beautiful soft touch paper from Scheufelen in the first section, and utilizes a double saddle-stitch to transition into the financial section.

Black and white photography is used throughout in a simple and straightforward 2-color layout that emphasizes the school’s brand colors in an elegant presentation.

After completing a simple refresh of their logo, Square One Coffee was in need of an attractive wholesale package that doubled as an introduction to their company. We decided to create an identity kit that showcased their new brand initiative while also offering basic information about their roasting capabilities.

The interior of their retail shop is loaded with gritty textures, exposed architecture and burlap sacks, which lends excellently to a raw visual approach in their communications. Little square buttons never hurt, either!

Last month I created an art piece for the 6×6 Show at the Infantree in December, to celebrate my coming anniversary (see below). Yes, that’s the typeface I developed this year, which you can read about here. The piece ended up selling, which was another first for me this year. I think it’s a wonderful example of combining art with design aesthetic, something I hope to pursue even more.

It’s hard to put into words what this year has meant for me. There’s no limit to how far this will go, and I’m excited to walk the path and see what develops.

Thank you, friends, for your support. Let’s make 2009 even more amazing.

After a few months of work and rework, I’m happy to announce that I’ve designed my first typeface. It’s a slab serif based on a variety of early advertising type. While I’m as green as could be when it comes to typographic design, it’s been a dream of mine for some time to create a complete face. I’ve only developed one weight in all caps and numbers, but I believe it’s a good start for my growth as a typographer.

As I’ve grown as a designer, I’ve discovered a passion for letters and the printing process that I’m very interested in developing. There’s something that feels “right” when I get away from the computer and get my hands dirty making something. I think the next thing to tackle in 2009 will be some wood block prints using this typeface; I’m excited to see where things go from here.