The Turkey Bowl was a multimedia, cohesive campaign. The client wanted a fun, custom graphic for an experimental marketing campaign that would bring customers into their locations. Customers would "bowl" to earn savings or prizes. The turkey sketch provided by John Quirk, supplemental drawings and vector work done as needed by myself. The graphics created were transferable to all sorts of media to keep a consistent look and feel. The campaign included personalized direct mail, digital/web ads, eMail marketing, signage, and the dimensional Turkey Bowl kit; Custom router-cut Coroplast, with removable vinyl lane graphics.

Direct Mail, EDDMs, and variable data mailers are still very viable options. Variable data in itself has a lot of potential if used properly or in a personal aspect and with corresponding digital marketing. The best news is that nearly everything can variable, you don't need to check your mailbox to know that. Here is a sample of various mailers of a variety of types; direct mail, personalized, and EDDMs (Every Day Direct Mail).

Keep it fresh, but similar.

Pacific northwest franchises provided a few corporate approved stock photos, logos, and the offers themselves; I was tasked with creating fresh art for a variety of print media at least once each month. From door hangers, EDDMs, postcards, banners and additional signage. I enjoyed revamping work, recycling design elements, and the challenge of making something new, yet similar consistently.

Aaron's print work was all corporate approved. Brand guidelines and legalese had to be strictly followed.

Beginning with XMPie, it was later that I was directed to utilize a new web-based method that tied in seamlessly with Klear's exsisting workflow.

By piecing together tutorials, how-to's, trial & error; I was able to find multiple methods for creating web-to-print portals. Which method was up to the client's needs or goals. Understanding the system I was able to create cleaner and simpler websites and support file management. 

Provided with gigabytes worth of decades old scans, low resolution images, product manuals and few other materials, I was tasked with creating something memorable, and unique.

Starting with sorting through and seeking out 100s of old photos, posters, ads gathering new ones, and seeking historical shots directly from Honda; I was able to gather enough visuals to accurately showcase Lanphere Honda's rise from the early days. In the process, developing a new method to preserve resolution when scaling old scans, or decades old magazine ads 1000% larger. 

A fairly complex project, I broke it into 3 parts: Part 1 - Full color, full coverage vinyl graphic base layer. Part 2 - Router cut, custom Sintra shapes with vinyl overlays, or direct print. Part 3 - Cut reflective white vinyl. Either direct placement over vinyl, or vinyl overlay on router cut Sintra letters and logos. 

My first large-scale anamorphic piece.

Specific image searches are key to push the effect. Distorted specifically for that space, with the best viewer point base being at the entrance at about 5'-6'. Experiments, tests and trial & error with heavy photo work were the name of the game. All wall graphics were paneled out and press-ready for outsourcing. Install guide, and general schematics for the installers also provided.

There's almost always a better way of doing things.

YoZone needed to refresh their store graphics. Everything from menus, logo wall graphics, a-frames, and window clings. But there was one thing that needed revising the most: the frozen goods machines.

What was created were magnetic panels and accompanying graphics designed to fit below existing wall graphics, and fit up to 3 flavor tags. Everything was totally interchangeable; from the machine's content tags, to the flavor tags. As flavors changed it was an inexpensive, full color, magnetic slap on the wall. Flavor tags not in use were stored in the office on another magnetic friendly wall.

Bézier curves are my friend.  

Generally there is always some sort of vector elements in my work. Some more than others. Here are some full, if not predominately vector artwork used in assorted projects or as a stand alone piece. 

Photo hunt, design, die creation and set-up of a wall graphic more than 20' feet long and 95" tall.

How do you make an image look great when you're going to blow it up +2300% without adding resolution hiding artifacts? Develop a new method of course! 

- Pixelation nearly non-existent from a viewing distance of -12".

- Router cut "digi-fade" created to blend last panel into the next wall.

- Done correctly the first time with a team of one.

- Worked closely with installers to ensure success.

My initial sketch was close, but not exactly going the right direction.

No worries! After review, new provided verbiage, samples and feedback; the go ahead was given for custom elements. Opening the door to a unique piece. A custom wine bottle die over 3 pages, custom envelope size with bleeds to fit the 3 page invite nicely, swivel rivet allowed the design to "pour" into other pages. All graphics and styles stayed consistent, across multiple formats for the event including; eBlasts, mailers, signage, and retractable banners. 

I love a challenge, and this packaging adventure was one of them.

PDX Magazine's editor tasked me with an exploration into some sort of packaging that would be cool enough as a keepsake and show case all issues thus far. So how do you make packaging where the cost is minimal, anyone can assemble, and most importantly is unique? Quick sketches of an idea (or 5) were key. It allowed me to work through potential issues in sketch. Still, unforeseen issues cropped up while creating the first prototype. The second prototype addressed those issues, and was much stronger. However the cost to make the latest prototype was a tad too high. Another solution was found, super low-tech, and very inexpensive. These packaging ideas were abandoned but it was a nifty adventure.

TANK - It all started when I kept getting parking tickets.

Not pleased with the amount of said parking tickets I was getting, I decided to fight back. Cardboard style. Gathering as much cardboard as I could to create a tank that was self standing, breakdown & transportation friendly, and easy-ish to set up. The tank was strategically parked illegally in several locations. Reactions were many and priceless, which I did document on my own.

BIKE - If you are really lucky you might find one of these in downtown Portland. Somewhere. Sometime.

Not really sure how this popped in my head, but I quickly sketched out the idea/concept before I forgot. I used create the bikes by hand. Drawing them out on found cardboard, cutting it out, and gluing as needed. Unfortunately, creating these took time, and the bike only lasted a few hours before collapsing under its own weight. I revisited this idea recently with a new, improved design. This time a Colex router cut it out for me. With minimal glue and parts, this new bike design lasted days before starting to collapse.

Time was of the essence.

After about 15 minutes and a few minor tweaks, the Ford Gallery logo was ever so slightly improved. Kerning was corrected, visual balancing adjusted,  and 1 color used instead of 2 made this a printer/router friendly logo while adhering to overall previous design. 

Can you make newsroom-esque graphics for a video shoot? Just two desk panels and two 4'x8' background panels? Can it be done today?

Yep. And it was.

Minus the reduction of one table and modified installation, it turned out very well given the timeline, and was fun to create. 

Packaging Concept for Watches.

Although not a live project, but a school project; I liked where I was going with this. I found it oddly enjoyable creating tangible prototypes and thinking dimensionally. The tension created by the watch holders added some stability and a dynamic effect. In testing basic prototypes to verify functionality, I found the idea to work even using less sturdy materials.

Quick, fun drill/experiment. The idea was to create something using a mish-mash of artwork, photos, scans, scraps to name a few. A decent chunk of my skills were put to use in this little piece.

Which includes:

Acrylic Painting / Scanning / Photo correction / Photography / Photo manipulation / Vector elements