Beaker Seekers is a group which raises funds to help school systems in low-income areas afford different learning resources and field trips to places like Birmingham's own McWane Science Center. As a pro-bono project, I was asked to create a brand for them, as well as mock up a few print pieces that the logo may be used in.
As part of the rebrand for UltraBlast Laser Combat Center, they wanted to introduce narrative "lore" to the customer experience. This narrative centered around a war between an evil, all-powerful corporation, and a growing rebellion fighting against them. The patron joins the fight by first choosing one of six factions, which could be made up of anything from "defenders of earth" to "underground mutants" to "necromancer androids" and more. My job was to create the logos for each of these factions, which would then be used on in-store interfaces, apparel, and anything else necessary. My main goal was to make sure each logo represented a unique style so that customers understood the basics of what each faction represented, and would be equally drawn to join any of the six. As an added measure, I made sure the first initial of each faction's name was present in its respective logo mark, so that each mark can work successfully as a standalone icon.
Smart Financial is a company that sells cars at specific rates and under specific arrangements so that those who might otherwise have difficulty buying a car are able to do it more easily. I was asked to create their brand; once it was finished, it became a surprising favorite of mine. My goal with this logo was to combine the ideas of intelligent decision making with automotive motifs, and I've always really loved the way it turned out.
This brand was created for Junkyard Bots, a series of "junk sculptures" by artist Diana Vest. The logo was created with several of the artist's specific bots in mind – Vest often uses light bulbs as the "heads" of her sculptures – which is why the mark somewhat resembles a face. The mark also contains a sort of cursive form of the initials JYB within the bulb's filament, so that it works exceptionally well as a standalone icon.
This logo was created for Small Stages, which is a series of events where various locales will host small, intimate performances, usually by local, up-and-coming artists. I created this logo to reflect the friendly, down-to-earth nature of the event, without allowing it to be associated too closely with any single genre of music, as the performers change between events. This brand was also created pro bono, in order to support the local artists and organizers.
Leapfrog Systems Consulting is a group which consults in the world of technology and communications systems. I was asked to create a brand and collateral for them, which resulted in a logo which is still one of my favorites. The Leapfrog logo is simple, but carries a ton within it. Based on the shape of a frog's footprint, it is made up of connected, tech-themed points, which also form the back-to-back initials L and F – this allows the icon to stand very strongly on its own whenever necessary.
Let's Think On It began as a podcast wherein Dr Mark Westfall would talk with guests about mental health issues, largely in an effort to help those without these issues understand the struggles of others. From there, it grew into an in-person lecture series, which required quite a bit more branding than the existing podcast artwork could provide. I created the whole new brand then, as well as several pieces of collateral, and a new website design.
When author Donna Roberts was preparing to release her second novel, she gave me a copy of the manuscript and asked me to design the book cover. An Untethered Life is about a young woman coping with the loss of her brother to suicide, and is full of compelling imagery and symbolism. In creating the cover, I made sure to convey the tone of the work, as well as utilize the symbolism in a way that grabs a reader's attention and holds it until the very end of the story.
During a long professional relationship with COCM, I created countless pieces for them. I designed and formatted their Annual Reports, created standing banners for them, designed their website as well as the website for their blog/podcast, created their brand standards book, and designed tons of print collateral. Shown here are some of my favorite pieces.
In preparation for opening one of the first whiskey bars in downtown Birmingham, this client asked me to create a brand that utilized a fresh take on Birmingham's "Magic City" nickname in its look and feel. To accomplish this, the client asked me to use the aesthetic of the Harry Potter film series as inspiration. The end result is a unique and engaging brand, blending motifs of "old magic" and "distinguished taste" in a fun, almost tongue-in-cheek way. The plans to open the bar sadly fell through, but this remains one of my favorite pieces.
