Why hide a good thing? I’m cheap. May as well advertise it!

This is the design I just finished up for Collective Thought Project’s event The Shift, happening in Pittsburgh on Friday, December 2nd, 2011 at the Moose Lodge. The event will begin at 9pm and finish up at 3am. Tickets are just $15 before 11pm. Headlining acts are the one and only Danny the Wild Child and Malphunktion. For more info, always visit our website… lolli.org.

This is the design I did for Legions of Dance’s next event Pin-up Affair 3. The event is October 15, 2011 and will take place at the Pittsburgh Eagle, 1740 Eckert Street in Pittsburgh, PA. The event features Terravita, Freaky Flow, DJ Venom, a surprise headliner, and a variety of local and regional talent.

I really enjoyed doing this design. I just got done watching the HBO miniseries ‘Mildred Pierce’ and had been listening to a lot of 30′s and 40′s big band music. When this design was given to me it was very apparent that I wanted to do a vintage style pin-up poster with some vintage-inspired fonts and colors. I really am pleased with how it turned out. I love the simplicity of vintage design and it’s refreshing that the promoter I did this job for appreciates it as much as I do!

If you have a chance to check out this event, I highly recommend doing so! As always, check out more info @ lolli.org.

Vote for my t-shirt design! "Frozen with TERROR"!

Hey guys! I did another t-shirt design for Threadless. This is really getting addicting. I did this design for their design competition “Threadless Loves Horror” (as do I)! I’m really getting the Halloween bug so I found it really fun and easy to do this design. It is way more my style as far as where I see my t-shirt designs going than the one I did previously, and my scores are already reflecting that. So please, help me out! If by some crazy chance I do win I plan to use the money to buy my boyfriend and I the bedroom furniture we’re missing to complete our room! It’s long overdue! Thanks and happy voting!

This is the design I did for the Legions of Dance event OUTLAWS. The event features dj’s 16bit as well as local talent Robbie Rockso, Sean 2:16, Ben Matrix, Doverspike, Bross, and Buku. The event will be at the downtown Mexico City on August 20th. For more info check out lolli.org.

This was a really fun design to do. I’ve been finding that lately I’ve been getting “lost” in design more and more and really paying attention to the details, trying new things, learning new things, etc.. I know, it’s how I always should have been, but life is stressful and sometimes you just don’t have time to put into the things you love. (I know, it’s a good quote. You can use it. )

But yeah, I’m still on the “do what I like” kick, so hopefully all my upcoming designs will keep improving. Oh and as always you can find more info at lolli.org!

Rich and I are working on some improvements to the website, so one of the first things we wanted to do (and haven’t had in the 12 years since the website started) was create a logo. This is what I came up with and will be what we use going forward. I’ll continue to post any additional branding improvements we make to the site.

This is the design I did for Sunset til Sunrise’s event “How Strange 3“. The event is taking place in Pittsburgh, PA on Saturday, September 10th, 2011. The location will be posted closer to the event and you can find it on FaceBook or (our website) Lolli.org. I posted the images pretty large this time so I’m not going to write out the entire lineup because it’s huge.

This was a challenging design for me to do. When Tall told me he wanted me to do the design I started compiling a TON of random, fun images, and had the intent to collage them together in a crazy, random, fun design. About 2 days before we needed to go to print, changes were made (of course) in the size of the final printed piece as well as additions to the lineup. This meant that anything I had worked on would of course need to be majorly adjusted. Not an issue, I’m quite accustomed to working under the wire. I mean, I might as well live under that wire.

In reworking my original concept, I began to move in a new direction. Not just compiling various images together to create a cool and cohesive layout, but really creating my own art for the piece. Now you can get into what a graphic designer does vs what an artist does until you’re blue in the face. I consider myself first and foremost to be a graphic designer. I’m not the best at fine art. Well, let me rephrase that. It’s not that I don’t have skill there… but I wouldn’t position myself as strongly to someone that I could deliver what they wanted on a fine art level as much as I would graphic design. I digress… Anyways. Somewhere between the hours and 1 and 3am, while drowning in some deep tech house, I began to create the world you see in the design.

Where did it come from? No freaking clue. A lot was inspired by things I’ve seen, things I’d want to see. I could say that it might be somewhat inspired by the video of one of my favorite songs: “Ghost Inside” by Broken Bells. (Seriously, it’s a great song. Check it out.) All I know is that when I felt I was done, I sat back and thought to myself, “Wow. I actually like this. No, I love this. This is actually me.”

I have found myself struggling with “rave art” lately, and my place in it, the direction other designers are taking it, etc. Truthfully there are a lot of people out there that can do what I do, can do it better, can do it differently. But it seems that what the big name promoters are all going  for lately all looks the same… and that design style just isn’t me. You know, I loved 90′s and early 2000′s rave art because it was just that… art. It wasn’t about how colorful you could make it, if it could glow in the dark, if it was on super glossy paper, if you used 3-d graphics, any of that. It was truly about an artist creating the promoter’s vision of the event. It was art that could easily be translated into just a poster. Strong imagery, simple and straightforward typography.

About 2 years ago is when I noticed my design really make a shift towards this current “in” style of rave design (bright colors, 3-d, puke puke puke). During that time of course I referenced a lot of other rave designs, therefore my stuff has looked very similar, because face it, I wanted the work, and I wanted to give people what they wanted. I think I’m at a point now where I have the freedom (and client base) to do my own thing and truly stop conforming just because that’s what’s “in” right now. I mean, we’re artists. Being different is what makes us who we are. Trying to be someone else (or even design like someone else) will always be harder than just being yourself.

I’m excited to start this new path. I know that this whole write up probably means more to me as a brain dump than anyone else reading it. To be honest, if you’ve made it this far without thinking I’m nuts, I’ll give you a cookie or a shot or something the next time I see you. I DIGRESS yet again. Anyhow. Look for changes in the future, cause they’re a comin’.

This is the flyer I did for Sunset til Sunrise, Humanaut, Yinz Guyz & Legions of Dance’s Summer of Love party happening on June 11, 2011 at the Irish Center (6886 Forward Ave) in Pittsburgh, PA. The event features Run DMT as well as Yaumbit and a ton of supporting local acts. It also features the Humanaut Lounge, where the great musical geniuses of Humanaut will be setting up camp for the evening.

This flyer was an extreme rush job and it was a RIDICULOUSLY TINY flyer! It’s like 2.125″ wide by 5.5″ tall. Crazy! Definitely a challenge, but… completely doable. Check out this party if you can, it ‘ll be a great start to a great summer. As always, check out lolli.org for more info!