Initially, this had all the earmarks of an “opportunity” to do something for your family that ends up taking way too much time and getting the desired result is so stressful that you swear off helping anyone ever again. And then, it was different. After all, I couldn’t let them put a crappy granite lighthouse on top of my grandparents. Collaboratively with a sculptor in Logan, the final piece came together seamlessly. Aside from type limitations, there was a considerable amount of freedom in the design of the stone. So much, in fact, my final sketches were able to become reality. The overall shape suggests an infinite love. Several smaller messages exist that only family might pick up on such as the St. Christopher medallion inserted into the foot of the stone.

Concept backboards for the long-standing Nerfoop line of kids’ basketball toys. High energy, high impact graphics that children enjoy having on their walls as much as they enjoy shooting the plush ball through the hoop. The examples shown cover several themes: NCAA Tournament, iconic 80’s imagery as well as generic filler backboards for all seasons.

My involvement in this ever-changing and evolving project began in 2008 when I was commissioned to create a 12-pg layout for a conceptual magazine. That grew to include the design for almost the entire 100-pg first edition, a book cover and an overhaul of the online experience for the brand. It has since grown into a piece that will see two brand new issues coming out in 2012.

In the same vein as the forgotten logos, these proposed hand-held brand identifiers never made it to the production line but are worth a look.

These pages are for those (mostly) who gave it their all but came up just a little short (in the client’s eyes) at the end of the meeting.