Philosophy Of Design:

Graphic design is never the statement, it is the tone of the statement. It is the frame for the painting. It exists to enhance, not to over-power the information being presented.

The visual language is one that speaks to the subconscious. It is fodder for the snap judgment, the visual first impression. Graphic design is subtle mind control to prepare the viewer for the information. Credibility based on visual connotation, iconography, color, and form is determined by the viewer before any words are read. The presentation can make or break the information.

The concept is the most valuable and integral part of the design process. It is reinforced and driven by research and the implementation of skill.

For example, Julian & Sons (www.julianandsons.com) is a woodworking company owned and operated by a family of artisans who make custom creations from exotic hardwoods for high-end clients and big game hunters. The impression they wish to convey was one of the old world craftsmen creating one of a kind heirloom furniture and installations. Additionally, they wanted to incorporate a lot of photographs of their work.

To establish the design concept for Julian & Sons, I began researching old wine labels and 19th century maps and letters. From there, I scanned exotic leathers and hand dyed papers to incorporate into the design architecture. Colors were chosen that were organic, earthy and slightly subdued to serve as a matte for their furniture photography. To aid recognizability, these elements were consistently applied in various forms in all of their promotional items.

In contrast, the design concept for Hearthstone Property Services (www.hearthstone.net), is based on the client's desire to showcase their many services with a little cartoon "watchdog" character. The development of this character serves as the basis for the Hearthstone design concept.

The colors and shapes were chosen to be bright and conspicuous. The watchdog is incorporated into all of Hearthstone's promotional materials, always busy attacking the job at hand.

Though the two companies used the same designer, the results were very different. The final designs were determined by the clients goals, sound concepts based on those goals, and consistent implementation of the concept.

It is not the will of the designer that creates effective graphic design, it is the skill of the designer, focused research, and faithfully representing the will of the client.

Every project is different, so it is my function as a designer to seek out those differences and embody them in subtle ways in every aspect of the design. It is fundamentally necessary for all design and illustration to be created from scratch and custom built from the ground up. For these reasons I have shunned, in practice and philosophically, any clip-art or design templates in my work.