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Big Blue Customs / Lexington, KY

Regular client Chris Curtis, owner of the Chip Magician body shop, started taking on more custom work in 2010. Because of this, he decided to launch a new brand around it. I created this hot rod logo design for him based on a pencil sketch he had drawn up by a third party. Chris needed a masculine, powerful image to represent his brand. The end result needed to retain the attitude of the original sketch, while pumping it up with extreme shine.

Hot rod logo design story

First, I started by tackling the color scheme. Here in Lexington, Kentucky everyone bleeds UK Wildcats blue, so I Pantone matched that particular shade for this design’s background. The warped varsity style block lettering in white makes that theme obvious enough. It pairs perfectly with the word “Customs”, appropriately set in a custom font below it. The words are stroked multiple times and shadowed, as is the background. This adds just the right amount of over the top boldness.

Behind the words and background, I added an image of a custom chrome wheel. There is no doubt when you see this that the business caters to an audience who is passionate about customizing their cars. I then framed the wheel at the bottom using two tribal ornaments that subtly suggest flames. Throughout the design, I embellished with chrome effects, gradients, shadows, as well as inner and outer strokes to grab the viewer’s attention.

Finally, I added in some extra bling to the corners of the word “CUSTOMS” for maximum shine. There you have it – one high end, hot rod logo design!

Turnaround Tour | Bowling Green, KY

Gary Gunn was a long time employer and later a freelance client who coached independent automotive repair shop owners. When I worked with him full time, he had me redesign his website, as well as his brands’ logos. Honor Circle was his premium monthly business coaching program. Here is the story of this consulting logo design.

Consulting logo design story

Since this program catered to Gary’s highest paying clients, I set out to convey a high-class feel. As such, the main color needed to be green, the color of money! I chose a thick sans serif font to communicate that this was an exclusive brand.

I altered the word “Honor” by stylizing the H, extending the left side stems on both the top and bottom. Then, I made the O’s italic to further make it stand out. They overlap with the C’s in such a way that they are “circling” one another. I italicized the entire word “Circle”. This differentiates it from “Honor” and adds more forward motion to the consulting logo design.

A drop shadow makes the white text pop even more. I created the dark to light gradient background by first outlining the text with a thick stroke. I added a subtle light to dark gradient and an inner shadow. These create depth and shine to further enhance the image.

Finally, I topped off the design with a golden stroke outline. I solidified the outline and added a gradient shine to it as well. The end result is a mark that attracted the choosiest auto repair shop owners who were committed to investing in their businesses.

Stellar Kin | Bowling Green, KY

I made this CD graphic design for Kentucky indie rock band Stellar Kin. I founded the hardcore emo trio in 2000 while studying at Murray State University.  By 2002, the lineup was solidified and we began recording and touring. “We Need to Know” was our 2004 full length sophomore release on Bad Apple Records. It features conceptual design and photography by myself, as well as posed photography by the famed Neil Visel. My friend Holly posed for the front and back covers.

CD Graphic Design for Kentucky indie rock band

The album lyrics cover serious spiritual themes. Therefore, the art consists of black and red colors and stone faced expressions. I set the main titles in the tall serif Big Noodle Titling font. The letter spacing varies to fit phrases into each outside panel, which spell out “What we don’t know is hurting us. Now more than ever, we need to know”. I set the CD graphic design’s track listing, along with other information, in the classic Gill Sans font.

The front and inside of the booklet tell the story of a young woman who has been tied up by an assailant. On the front cover, she grasps hold of a kitchen knife while cutting herself free from the ropes that bind her. Finally, she stalks her kidnapper with the knife on the booklet inside. The empty chair sits alone on the back cover. I reversed the words We Need to Know out, using the wood paneling from the photograph.

Lastly, the CD cover features a simplified, one color image of the rope. I simplified the individual band member headshots to grey, which gives them a ghostly feel against the black background. This is same grey hue also fills the words Stellar Kin on the front cover.

Clash City Rockers | N/A

I made this basketball shirt design comp in order to demonstrate my skills to a custom sports apparel company.  The team name is an homage to punk rock legends The Clash. It also commemorates a district tournament win for the fictional high school sports team.

Basketball shirt design story

First, I chose a red and yellow color scheme reminiscent of my high school alma mater, the Muhlenberg South Suns. Also, the main titles are set in black, which contrasts the white shirt. I made the most of a four color screen print to demonstrate my versatility. I blended many of the colors together in percentages, thus creating gradient effects.

My suggested basketball shirt design lays out on a white shirt along with bright red ringers for a vintage sports feel. I framed the requisite basketball shape with a bold red circle filled with bright yellow stars. Additional black and white strokes give weight to the frame. A burst of sun rays in the background completes the shape.

The word “CHAMPIONS” shines in a yellow to orange gradient, which pops off the shirt with a black shadow. It then adorns a stitched red ribbon in the foreground. I chose to set it in the bold serif Memphis font to give it a traditional athletic feel.

“10TH DISTRICT BASKETBALL” at the top features a white to black gradient with a heavy black shadow. “2009” and “CLASH CITY” display in a heavyweight sans serif font, which is similar to Britannic Bold.

Finally, the word “Rockers” splashes across the front of the design in a thick, painterly script. This gives the apparel design an edge.

One-Inch Buttons | Various Clients

When I started playing in the independent music scene, every band I knew had one-inch button designs. They are cheap to make for a band who may not have the money saved up to record an album yet.

Fans of independent music love to wear these little collectible pins as fashion accessories. I have collected so many over the years that I couldn’t realistically wear them all. When I came home one day, I found that my wife had pinned them all up on my curtains in my office. It looked really rad!

Some of the designs above were made for bands, such as Stellar Kin. I also have designed pins for labels like Bad Apple Records. Other button designs were made just for fun to commemorate an inside joke (“The Locksmith”). I made a few as inexpensive, personalized birthday gift idea for my friends (“April L Rocks!”).

I love that this format has both freedoms and limitations. Basically, I can design anything in Photoshop without having to worry about high printing costs due to the size or number of colors used, such as with screen printing. The small canvas also presents its own challenges. If I make the text too small, for instance, then it will be hard to read.

Button designs for everyone!

Whenever I take part in a new music venture, I always design buttons to get started with merchandise. As I mentioned, they are easy to afford for both buyers and sellers. My friend Matt has manufactured buttons with his company Think Twice Buttons since 2001. He does great work and has a ton of sizes and options to choose from.

Stellar Kin | Bowling Green, KY

I toured with the band Stellar Kin for six years. In addition to writing and performing, I created all of our band merch design. It is a special feeling to know that there are hundreds of these floating around out there with my former band’s name emblazoned on them.

Band merch design story

This shirt design is one of my favorites. I sought out to use an alternative placement from the beginning. Why not wrap the art around the side? The story of how the artwork came together for this jade green shirt is a unique one.

When I lived in Bowling Green, Kentucky, I came home from work one day to find that a neighbor’s home had burned down. Some of the debris had blown into my yard. I picked up a burnt piece of a page from the Bible. It instantly inspired me to create a unique band merch design. Not only did it contain scriptures about how we are called by God to love one another, it was distinctly shaped like one half of a heart. I scanned both sides of the page and simplified it to a simple high contrast solid black.

After I mirrored the two sides of the page to form the focal heart image, the phrase “Love never fails, even when we do.” came to mind. It sums up the main idea of the scriptures, as well as a personal mantra for myself. I set this text in a distressed typewriter font across a grungy faux papyrus scroll.

I distressed the band name “Stellar Kin” as well, featuring it in a pirate style script. Finally, I colored in the background of the art with some hot pink paint swaths to add extra chaos, while still tying the art together.

Modesti’s Car Care Center / Culver City, CA

This California full service shop sought to update their existing auto repair logo design. Modesti’s was founded in 1972, and had built a sterling reputation for customer service. As such, the family owned automotive business needed to retain their brand’s traditional image, while adding a modern flair.

Auto repair logo design story

Modesti’s requested that I keep both their original font and colors. However, they could not provide me with image files of their existing logo. Since Modesti’s only provided photographs of their original mark, I meticulously retraced their custom drawn script font. Next, I created an orange gradient effect in order to give the main title a high end shine.

Finally, I stacked up thick strokes in orange, white, and black. These solid outlines add depth, and also make the name pop off of the background.

I then combined the familiar “Doughnut Frame” and “Hand Grasping Wrench” elements behind the name. Sometimes the most obvious solution is the best one!

The bold white font spelling “Car Care Center” over the green circular frame hearkens another West Coast business institution, Starbucks. I styled the hand and wrench with detailed shadows and highlights. This creates a realistic illustration for this auto repair logo design.

Last of all, I embossed the shop’s establishment date on the chrome wrench. This is one last reminder of their strength and stability.

I also provided the shop with simplified versions of the logo. Both the black and white versions and solid color versions leave out the chrome and gradient. I also left out the extra details of the hand. Modesti’s enhanced their brand via their shop’s signage and vehicle wraps. Here are some examples of how they used their logo.

The Gagne Group / Rochester, MN

The chairman of this entertainment booking company had worked with me on several projects before. For this new project, he requested a classy, sturdy mark to represent his brand. The right booking logo design is extremely important to establish a company’s image.

Booking logo design story

We connected in a few online meetings to brainstorm the right image. During our meetings, my client decided on a logo hearkening back to ancient Roman fonts and architecture. The popular Trajan Pro serif font nailed the look he desired. It is a familiar. Everyone uses it. However, it is a timeless go-to font.

The word “The” on the top gives the mark a touch of modern class, since it is set in the LHF Tideway Script. I then embossed all of the logo lettering so as to give it a chiseled effect. That effect, along with the the brown stroke, make the yellow text appear gilded.

Finally, I added a subtle shadow that gives the words depth. After I finished my work on the fonts, I focused on the background shape. It is a mix between a roof and a shield, rounded at the bottom. The “roof” invokes images of the Parthenon, as well as many other classical structures.

I styled the background with a pattern of grey clouds. This pattern simulates a marble texture. I also added an inside stroke emboss to give it more depth and a high end engraved feel. Perfect for a booking logo design.

Last of all, I added an outside stroke, shadow, and a white overlay to give it a glossy shine. In addition to the full color logo with effects, I also included a simple black and white version. The final product pleased my client, to say the least.

I always provide my customers with files for any application. Whether you need to use your logo on uniforms, print ads, or billboards, I have you covered.

AWA World-1 Wrestling / Valdosta, GA

Ramma-lamma-lamma – Rock n’ Roll is King! I always have fun when I create a project that involves one of my outside interests. Whether it’s designing band merchandise such as one-inch buttons, or a wrestling poster design such as this one, I always have an edge because of my lifelong passion for the subject matter.

Years ago, the AWA pro wrestling promotion was one of my main print and web design clients. During this time, the AWA was divided into several regional offices in the USA. An independent promoter ran each territory. The Georgia based World-1 South group hired me to create this poster for an upcoming event in Ellaville, GA. A tournament featuring 80s stalwart tag team stars the Rock n’ Roll Express was the main event of the evening.

Old school pro wrestling poster design

I poured through a few of my old coffee table wrestling books to find the perfect old photo to feature. Ricky and Robert are putting their dukes up, ready for action.

Then I scanned in an old bandanna to frame in the classic babyface team. My actual bandanna was turquoise, but I recolored it pink to make it pop over the blue grunge background.

I used the Mesquite “Wild West” style font for the main title “Old School Tag Team Tournament”, as well as a grunge stamp style font throughout for a strong, masculine feel. The vintage disco style font for the words “3rd Annual” tops the design off with a flamboyant flair. Finally, I tilted the elements in the foreground to help the art catch a few more eyes.