Hucklebuck + Bloodroots

I did some work for a group called BLOODROOTS over the past year. I designed a set of graphic tees that will help them raise money for the or African ministry. From their website... "We at Bloodroots are committed long-term in helping orphans and widows in distress due to war, disease, and other life taking events. We are currently seeking genuine ways to offer opportunities to the seemingly hopeless lives in Uganda." As designers there sometimes seems like there is little we can do to affect the world, this was an opportunity to at least have some impact.

They are still working through the production. To check out their websites go to ...

BLOODROOTS BLOG
BLOODROOTS MAIN SITE

HE-MAN Thermos Scan

Just some stuff I am messing with. This is a He-Man thermos from those old skewl metal lunch boxes.

Good VS. Interesting

As a second year art student I was once told something by one of my professors. " Don't aim for GOOD, aim for INTERESTING." Wow, as a young designer this seemed ridiculous at best. But it has stuck with me over the years. I am a big advocate for creating design that does more than organize information and show good use of a grid system. There are plenty of design robots that can handle this task. This is where the idea of INTERESTING comes into play. Whether that means that you are using an unexpected printing technique or an organic or expressive use of typography there needs to be something more to your work. Something that when the client or casual passer by experiences it they are surprised by something. Sometimes it truly is better to be weird than good. If you happen to be one of my students, keep this in mind. As you are working on your projects hold it up and say, what is interesting about what I am doing? Why would the design that I am creating hold someone's attention? Am I working toward newness or just regurgitating what my preconception of GOOD is.

Be more, be unexpected, BE INTERESTING!

Hucklebuck + Hollister Update

Here are a few of the graphic tees that I did during my stay at Hollister. I will be posting more as I process them.

Hucklebuck + Hollister

I spent the last year and a half working in house at Abercrombie and Fitch doing apparel graphics for Hollister. This is just a sneak peek at some of the work I did while there. I will be processing my total work from my time with HCO and will post a "best of" soon.

To see some of the latest stuff I worked on that's currently in the store check out the links below.

Color on Color Applique Logo Tees

Back To School Long Sleeved Textures

Back to School Long Sleeved Core Applique Logo Tees

White on Color Mixed Media

I'm officially on the board for ICON6

I got word today that I have been elected to the board for ICON6, the national illustration conference that happens once a year. Not sure where it's going to be yet this year, but it should be a blast and I am honored to accept the appointment. Check out the site for ICON5 from last year theillustrationconference.org.

How have I not heard of these folks!

BRILLIANT! www.paperrad.org

A group of digital artists. Some of the coolest stuff I've seen in years.

HUCKLEBUCK + PANTONE

Last spring I did some illustration work for Pantone. They were working on a catalog and had me illustrate the cover and a few spreads. One of my students was surfing the web today, went to pantone.com and the illustration that I had done was featured on the home page. Check it out at pantone.com

AIGA Design Revival 08

This weekend I had the opportunity to go to the AIGA Design Revival in Pleasant Hill, KY. Every 2 years they host a weekend design retreat that is located in the largest existing Shaker Village in the US. www.shakervillageky.org. The setting is breathtaking. Historical, serene, just amazing.

Throughout the weekend we had the opportunity to host a series of speakers. Listed below...

Julie Beeler, Second Story
Margo Chase, Chase Design Group
Bill Drentell, Winterhouse - Winterhouse
John Winsor, Crispin Porter + Bogusky
Stanley Hainsworth (previous Global Creative Director of Starbucks), Tether - Tether
Todd Henry, Accidental Creative - Accidental Creative

My highlight of the weekend was having breakfast with Scott Hull, Dylan Menges, Tim Frame and John Winsor. John is the Executive Director of Strategy and Product Innovation at Crispin Porter. We had a really interesting conversation ranging from the finer points of collecting vinyl to the new things they were working on at CPB.

Overall I wish that I would have done my homework before going into the weekend. The speakers that were there were amazing and I regret that I didn't dig into enough knowledge of their work in order to ask more poignant questions.

I had a cigar with the desk clerk at the INN that we were staying in Beaumont Inn on the last night. It was nice to talk to someone who wasn't a designer. It was also nice to able to sit on the front porch and think of what direction I want to take the studio. Passion was a main underlying theme of the weekend and got me thinking about what I truly am passionate about. Is it the problem solving aspect of what we do as designers? Is it simply the creation of imagery that creates impact? Is it the idea of typography and communication? I think a bit of it all really. I am in a situation now, however, where I am teaching full-time and am not relying solely on my work to pay the bills. That is an interesting place to be. Freedom is often the toughest thing to deal with.

WORK SONG POSTER

Check out the "so far" on the first poster for the season. It's for Work Song: Three Views of Frank Lloyd Wright. I pulled the type from an organic commandment that is in Wright's studio. We are going top do a limited screen printed version of the poster to sell at the show as well as the Westcott House bookstore.

SPRINGFIELD STAGEWORKS 05-06 > 08-09

This fall we are going to be celebrating our 4th season of work with Springfield Stageworks. Stageworks is one of the longest standing clients that Hucklebuck has had the pleasure of working with. They are one of those rare clients that pretty much allow us to do what we do and always love the result.

We have been contemplating doing a limited run screen print showing of all of the Springfield Stageworks posters that we have done over the past three seasons sometime this winter. Selling some prints and showcasing some over sized prints as well. We'll post it here if something works out.

Here's to season 4.

WORK SONG - THREE VIEWS OF FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT
by Jeffrey Hatcher and Eric Simonson
September 25, 26 & 27, 2008
7:00pm
Performances at the Westcott House
1340 E. High St.

HAMLET
by William Shakespeare
April 23 - May 2, 2009
8:00pm
Performances at the State Theatre
19 S. Fountain Ave.

SEEKING POTENTIAL RETAINER CONTRACT CLIENTS...

Hucklebuck is in the middle of ramping up efforts for Fall 08 and in that process we are on the hunt for potential client relationships. We are specifically looking for clients who would be interested in signing on for an annual retainer that would contract Hucklebuck to design all promotional materials (within the boundaries of the contract) for a flat annual fee to be broken up throughout the year. It has been our experience that many of our clients work this way even if they don't realize it.

If you are interested in more information regarding the idea of working with hucklebuck on a retainer basis and making Hucklebuck your "agency of record" please contact us at info@hucklebuckdesign.com

NEW WEBSITE ON THE HORIZON

So it's been close to 2 1/2 years since we have even updated the hucklebuck website. Pretty weak really.

Well, launching sometime mid-august or so will be the new Hucklebuck Design Studio site. I'm tightening up the laces on what it is that we offer and am actually in the middle of a potential name change. It's Huckebuck for now, but keep an eye out for an update. To view the new homepage holder go to hucklebuckdesign.com

Hucklebuck's main goal is to enable our clients to achieve an accurate image that is a true portrayal of their business or other endeavor. We do this through our understanding of graphic design and art knowing that these are the first points of contact that most potential clients or customers encounter. At the end of the process our clients receive a solution that they can use to increase the success of whatever they are choosing to pursue.

If you are interested in hiring Hucklebuck please email us at info@hucklebuckdesign.com with a description of your needs and we will get back with you as soon as possible. Please feel free to also call at 937 631 5901.

Redmond Channel Partner Illustration

Just recently did an illustration for a magazine. It's obviously centered around Mr. Gates. It's a 2 page spread in the interior.

SKETCHBOOK SCANS...

These are some supa-fresh scans from my "6x9s" that i keep. I think I have nearly 9 of them full so far. Going back to 2000. I am working on a portfolio book and some of these bad boys are going to go in it.

Napoleon Re-Pop...

This is a snippet from a project I did in one of my graduate classes. The objective was to take an existing poster and redesigned it.

One Napoleon death mask, a museum hat and a hand scrawled sig later WHALA...

LATEST HAYES CREATION

Welcome Jude Michael Hayes to the world. He was born on May 5th. He's pretty amazing and will be his big brother's best bud shortly i am sure.

52 YEARS OF NORM HAYES JR

I just did some work for a class I am taking. I ended up doing something for my dad. He's turning 52 this year so I did a little retrospective...

NEW POSTERS

Just finished some new poster for Stageworks. They did a showing of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari this weekend with a live score. They did a great job.