Art Director: Me
Photographer: Charlie Langella
Client: FHM US, 2008

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Me on set.

For the full article visit: FHMOnline.com

Amazing vintage ads with great attention to the typography and layout. Aside from their great design, it makes me realize how much life and technology has changed. Time to pay homage to some great 50’s and 60’s advertising.

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Source: http://wellmedicated.com

Designer Reserve business cards finally came in. The silk paper quality is amazing and the spot gloss on the back highlights the little details in the design. I’m very pleased with the final result.

Floral typography is the technique that combines typography, calligraphy and lettering to create some beautiful pieces of art. I hope you find the work below as refreshing and thought provoking as I did. Please feel free to explore the further works of the artists presented by visiting the source article at the end.

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Source: Smashing Magazine

"Family Portrait"

Designed by: Me

Design brief: To create a promotional piece to convey the smaller size of the Hummer H3 and show how it is more appealing to traditional families, unlike it’s larger the H2.

Solution:  a post card stock concept to emphasize the smaller size of the H3 vehicle. The classic traditional family welcomes the H3 into their lives with a family portrait.  This promotional piece is printed on post card stock and inserted into magazines, similar to that of subscription cards found in newsstand issues.

Interesting music video,  directed by Ross Ching. A great use of typography and stop-motion graphics. The use of type is similar to the work of Stephan Sagmeister.

Comment from Ross Ching:

“For this video, I pulled out every time lapse, stop motion and live action camera trick that I could think of. It took me about 2 weeks. The goal was to create a fresh, new direction to take my work to. The Eclectic Series has fared well, but that was all in the past. It’s time to look ahead. Live action narrative is where I would truly like to be producing content, but on the internet, it’s just too difficult to stand out from the pack making movies with a video camera. Moreover, time lapse and tilt-shift (shot with a still camera) are becoming more and more prevalent on the internet. Therefore I spent weeks and weeks to come up with a new, original idea and landed on this concept. If you don’t count the camera equipment that I already had, I spent about $75 on the entire project. Mostly for gas and props.”

Ross Ching on Vimeo.

Designed by: Me
Client: FHM US, 2008

If you would like to see the larger covers click link for more images. . 

Check out Core77’s Essential Guide to this year’s New York Design Week, featuring the best exhibitions, events, and parties from the ICFF on out to Brooklyn, from the Meatpacking district, Soho, Tribecca, and Chelsea, to Midtown, the Flatiron, East Village & LES. Check the page often for updates, and don’t forget to print out a set for your bag. Want it on your phone? They’ve got that too! - Core77

Click link for full list of events: Core77.com

Art Director: Me
Photographer: Charlie Langella
Client: FHM US, 2008

Click link for more images. 
 

For the full article visit: FHMOnline.com

During late December 2008, I sat with a co-worker during lunch at The Republic, a Thai restaurant located near my old FHM office. While waiting for the waiter to take our orders, it hit me all of a sudden that this year was about to end. What a crazy year 2008 was, I went being a Art director at a men’s lifestyle magazine to working at a fashion company. I never really imagined myself working in fashion. 

I was always a generalist when it comes to design, the high-end fashion world wasn’t where I thought I’d be. It’s been a great growing experience as a designer, doing trade shows and fashion weeks around US, Brazil and Mexico, I’ve been very fortunate to have the opportunity to learn and work with some great people. But after the excitement of “new” passed and cycle of repetition became apparent, something common when working for large brands. Everyday task become very mundane experience with small spikes of creative work being the scooby snacks and your highlights of your week that you designed something new and fresh. Most people will love corporate or routine brand careers either for the comfort, the security or to stay away from ever having to utter the words “ I’m freelancing at the moment”, whatever the case, it is a understandable point of view, I don’t mind it; I just was not content with it. I kept getting a feeling I was meant for something more. All my past experiences are going to amount to something great. I’m a big believer in the power of positive thinking and your thoughts becoming things. Life has me amazed by it’s ability to put the pieces together, and conspire to create the best path for your true calling. Now I wonder what is life manifesting for me?

On our way back to work from lunch, I had mentioned to my co-worker  “I might want to open a studio someday, if I just had some free time to actually take on clients …. Maybe I might cut my days at work to maybe 2 or 3” and those words came to life shortly later. During the mid-month of February 2009, my company cut the marketing and art department budget and I was left working two days a week.

First few days, I was shaken up. I lost my comfort zone, I felt as if I had taken my job for granted and lost it. I tried to stay positive but living a certain lifestyle and having it cut in half can be a reality check. Thank god, I know the importance of saving money for a rainy day, so I was at least clear of any financial burdens for the year and could focus on dealing with the situation at hand.

After about a month had past, I met up with an ex co-worker for dinner. Frank Gesualdi, A young self-motivated, success hungry, finance savvy guy and great friend.  Frank and I are sort of in a mini book club of self-help success and career books. He recommended that I read The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, a fictional novel. This was odd, I do love reading fiction novels, but the importance he had placed on the book made me very curious, since well, it is fiction and meant to be taken as entertainment at best. I went to the bookstore late that week and picked up a paper back copy.

This book, to me was honestly a blessing, there could be no better time. This book was the push I needed to get things rolling. Everything I believe in was depicted in the words of this book. It amazes me when inspiration comes from the places you least expect when you need it the most. The story is about a person who knows their meant for so much more, and truly believes in their heart that their dreams are meant to be fulfilled, and when you truly pursue them, the universe conspires to make them true. When I said earlier, “What was life manifesting for me? “ maybe this is where I am supposed to step up and follow my dream. Life could not have set it up any better. I could easily ignore all the signs set forth, go back to the 9-5 grind. I have been down that path. I know that road. I know exactly where it ends. And I know that’s not where I want to be.

So I’m off to follow my personal legend, I decided to form a branding & design consultancy. I have never been so happy. This is my dream and now it is become a reality. I can take on projects I enjoy and work with other creative people I respect and wish to learn from. But the best part was, I feel like I have control back in my life. I have been given a paddle in the stream of life and could pick the direction I wanted to go.

On April 21^st 2009 Designer Reserve was officially ready for business.