I was humbled to be featured next to some really talented designers today, on Behance's "Branding Served" for my recent logo work. Be sure to peruse the other portfolios in the gallery for some beautiful branding work from all over.
“‘Good enough’ is an enemy.”
Issue No. 210, Computer Arts Magazine
On the heels of Pantone's announcement of Emerald as 'Colour of the Year 2013,' the popular design magazine Computer Arts from the UK asked designers about their thoughts on the selection. I was humbled to be asked my opinion and have the identity I'd done for The Katie Boyce Company published in the article. You can pick up Issue No. 210 of Computer Arts at the newsstand, or read the piece below.
If the recently reformed New Order want to demonstrate that they're still with the times in 2013, they should consider updating the title of one of their iconic songs to 'Everything's Gone 17-5641.' In early December 2012, Pantone Color Institute revealed its 2013 'Colour of the Year' to be Pantone 17-5641, better known as Emerald. Pantone's executive director Leatrice Eisman explained that the accolade – arrived at after 12 months of global trend-spotting by Pantone's colour experts – was clinched by the shade's "sense of clarity, renewal and rejuvenation."
For Marco Costa, design director at Portuguese furniture design company Boca do Lobo (www.bocadolobo.com), Pantone's announcement was perfectly timed. Just a week before, he had launched the Diamond sideboard, an updated version of a piece he had originally created in purple in 2007, with an exterior featuring silver leaf covered in vivid, high-gloss translucent emerald.
"Pantone could not have chosen better," Costa enthuses. "I had prior knowledge of the 10 possible colours for 2013, and I let myself be seduced by the powerful and strong emerald." For him, the shade is ideal for the luxury end of interior design. "Emerald is an inspiring and uplifting colour suggesting abundance and wealth in all its forms, from material and emotional well-being to creative ideas. It has an amazing power to communicate."
Jack Muldowney (www.jackmuldowney.com), a Chicago-based designer, is also ahead of the pack, as in 2012 he completed a new identity for The Katie Boyce Company, a political consultancy, using emerald and cream.
"I felt the emerald shade was the perfect marriage of approachable, playful and respected, trustworthy tones,"
he explains. "Emerald green denotes a sense of life and energy, and it does so in a refreshingly 'non-trendy' way. This selection is interesting to me, in that it's an ode to the classic while being just as vibrant in modern applications."
Muldowney also sees the shade as versatile enough for a range of design settings: "Green is often considered gender-neutra and associated with a revival or renewal," he says. "I can see Emerald being used for anything from defining a children's brand to creating a more professional identity."
Not everyone is so taken with Pantone's choice: art director and designer Radim Malinic (www.brandnu.co.uk) feels less than energised by this year's pick. "Unlike previously chosen colours by Pantone, Emerald is not a colour that I would favour or plan to use. To me, Emerald feels dated, uninspiring and rather heavy." He adds: "Sorry Pantone, I'm hoping 2013 will be cheerier than your colour selection."
Judging by the other colours tipped by the designers we asked, 2013 still offers a bright outlook, even for those who are unconvinced by Emerald. Costa foresees a year uplifted by "very citrus and pastel colours." He adds: "Blue will continue to be widely used, as well as yellow, gold and red. These colours have the ability to transmit sensations of power, personality, trust, strength, heat, action and excitement." Muldowney, meanwhile, is currently working on projects where the black-and-cream combination, purples, and more vivid oranges seem to resonate. He says" "I'm excited to see how some unexpected colour combinations make their way onto the scene for 2013."
“Obviously digital communications and the Internet are far superior for most information delivery, but there are certain things that, when committed to physical form, elevates their importance. It gives them this preciousness. I think that as the Internet cannibalizes traditional print communication, what you’re going to be left with is only stuff that’s really high quality. And it’s going to be a really high signal that this stuff is worth paying attention to.”
“I like design to be semantically correct, syntactically consistent, and pragmatically understandable. I like it to be visually powerful, intellectually elegant, and above all timeless.”
“Design is a plan for arranging elements in such a way as best to accomplish a particular purpose.”
The identity work I did for the Katie Boyce Company was featured on the design blog Design Work Life today. Much appreciation for the comparison of my "emerald green" identity to Pantone's selection of Emerald Green as the Color of the Year for 2013. Thanks to DWL for the nod.
Sauganash Brewing Co. was featured today on the beer and design blog Oh Beautiful Beer. Definitely peruse the site for SBCo & plenty of really great creativity happening in the world of beer around the globe.
“Despise trends, despise fads, despise anything that is transitory – following transitory in design is a sin.”
The new year is around the corner, so what better time to toss up some fresh .com-ness heading into 2013. Lots of new work is being compiled, so be sure to check back for new photos, projects & other updates.
AIGA's 2012 Chicago Snapshot publication
Today, I was excited to attend the 2012 AIGA Chicago Annual Meeting and converse with some fellow creatives and witness what great things are happening in our local Windy City design community. The city's design scene has no shortage of inspiring folk & I was thrilled to see some packaging work I'd done for Sauganash Brewing Co. in the annual AIGA "Snapshot" alongside some talented Chicagoans.
