I was approached late in 2010 with the project of designing a line of barbecue sauce labels for a new local restaurant concept. The restaurant, Company 7 BBQ, wanted to have their proprietary line of sauces and one rub ready to go on opening day. The only problem was the timeline: about 2 weeks total … Read more
I’ve never been much of a cook. If you ask my friends, they will tell you that the microwave is my best friend. In fact, one of my best buddies was shocked when he learned that I actually use the stove on occasion. Well, when I first was out on my own I did not … Read more
Wow, it’s been a busy year for me. So busy that I forgot to post several cool projects that I completed this year. Here’s one of them… I completed this label design for Bunker’s Bar & Grill, a local sports bar earlier this year. The client had a couple of requests: they’d like a sports … Read more
I apparently haven’t been keeping up with the Pepsi throwbacks. I found a new version (from the 80s(?) at my local supermarket. And of course, I had to buy ’em! I still prefer the first throwback design. It’s clean simple, nostalgic, and just plain cool. Pepsi needs to ditch the current formula, go back to … Read more
The people at Cheez-It crack me up. They have a nice Trek related t-shirt reward on their recent packaging. It’s a pretty cool lookin’ shirt: This is the part that cracks me up: Now, I know that the new Star Trek has a broader appeal; however, I’m fairly confident that most “regular” folks won’t be … Read more
So at my day job, we do a weekly e-newsletter and we feature new products to our stores in it. A few weeks ago, we had a new product in our healthy stuff department. It sounded harmless enough: Lily of the Desert Aloe Vera Juice. It’s supposed to help digestion. Still doing good. I was … Read more
I saw this Brandweek post talking about Pepsi’s new “all-natural” soda as well as their “throwback” formulas coming to stores April 20. The packaging is nice, simple, and clean for both designs. What really caught my attention was the Pepsi throwback design: While I’m a fan of the new “regular” Pepsi rebranding, I know that … Read more
There’s been quite a lot of discussion on the new direction Pepsi took with their latest rebranding. Most designers seem to think it is a step backwards and just generally don’t care for it. Well, I’m going to respectfully disagree. Pepsi’s former branding was looking very dated, busy, and definitely in need of a refresh: … Read more
I was out shopping the other day with a friend and we were looking at the Christmas stuff. Along with the typical Christmas lights, candy, and displays there was this: I call him “Gansta Rappa Spuds Mackenzie”, and he sings and lights up. He has either a gold or silver plated “grill” in addition to … Read more
I was in Wal-Mart the other day buying Christmas gifts and I wanted to buy some chocolate for my dad. I went over to the holiday candy section and was browsing the selection when I came across this: (apologies on image quality, I only had my cell phone camera handy) What the heck? Who in … Read more
So as I ripped open my latest box of Kleenex® tissues the other day, I noticed that the strip with the tissue count said “180”. I was a bit confused because I recently started buying the larger packages that I thought came 280 in a box. So I went and got another box. And sure … Read more
Batsakis Foods approached me to design their first product label for Andi’s Authentic Greek Dressing. The client had two requirements: include the Greek Key and the blue from the Greek Flag (PMS 286C). Of course, my first step was to visit my friend Dr. Google to research Greek history and culture. I’ve also been a … Read more
This year marked the 7th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. To commemorate the solemn occasion, the folks over at Rule29 made a pin and were giving it away for free. I checked for strings, but couldn’t find any, so I decided to take them up on the offer. I fully expected just the pin … Read more
I’ve done a lot of product labels since becoming a graphic designer. I’ve seen the birth of the revised and improved Nutrition Facts and the rise of the allergen warning labels. I’m a fan of making sure that people who are allergic to certain ingredients don’t get exposed to them. Especially those who have deadly … Read more
I love pretty much anything Art Deco. Something about the streamlined lines, the muted colors and the furture-forward aesthetic really just fascinate me. Whether it was created in the 30s and 40s or in the 2000s, Art Deco works still seem up-to-date and cool. Whoever designed the Aquadeco Water packaging really did it right. I … Read more
I’ve been buying the Uncle Ben’s instant microwave rice for years. It is a wonderful product for an ADD creative like me: tear the top of the package open, pop it into the microwave and 90 seconds later, you have steaming hot rice. For whatever reason, I ended up actually reading the back of the … Read more
I’ve used the saying “Sugar Coated Evil” for quite some time now just in jest to describe myself. And I was thinking it might make a good t-shirt…so after a bit of work I’ve developed a Sugar Coated Evil line of products on Zazzle. I’ve got just a few items to start and I have … Read more
Or at least price label placement. I was recently out purchasing Mario Kart for the Nintendo Wii and noticed this other game… …either the employee at the game store was being very clever or the package designer needs to take a minute to think about how the final package will appear on store shelves. Either … Read more