Here are just a few of the trading cards I designed over the past decade: 
I was responsible for design, art direction, approval process with movie studios licensing department, print pre-production, print quality control. Hundreds upon hundreds of unique designs met on a very short deadline. The amount of work involved equals the output of some fully staffed advertising agencies.
Today’s entry covers a few of the designs presented for the rebranding of the Kuddable Kakes line.
Party Time Bear Design, color option 1:
Party Time Bear Design, color option 2:
Birthday Bear Design, Design option 1:
Birthday Bear Design, Design option 2:
Today’s entry are the 3 design options presented for the “My Favorite Teacher” cake and plush collectible. (See previous entries for description on this continuing branding campaign).
Brand is based on the idea of the teacher and classroom, playing off the product, supporting it with similar graphics, chalkboard, hearts etc.
The client chose the one with the green background. I personally pushed for the red background, i felt it popped more.
If you have been following past blog posts you already know I am posting some of the designs for a line of collectible cakes marketing.
Today I am posting “Ballerina Princess Cake”. Below was the final they chose.
I thought this one was also a good one to go with. But, both work. It was a matter of preference.
Here are some color options with a minor design change to the background. I talked them out of this as i thought it was too busy.
As I post these I am actually pretty proud how easily I can design in a feminine style for a feminine product.
More later…
Taking a break today from the Kuddable Kakes designs.(see previous blogs).
Here is a logo and branding I did for Max’s Seafood restaurant in New Jersey.
The owner was adamant about using a mussel in the logo. This restaurant had been known for its mussels for decades. As a designer, when you design a logo you think “simplify the image into a graphic shape.” Well when you take this concept and apply it to a mussel, you get a black blob. So the conversation had me trying to explain why most seafood restaurants use a lobster, crab or fish in their logo. The client was not budging…wanted…NEEDED a mussel.
So below is what I came up with. It is actually one of my proudest moments as a designer. I even had the printer emboss the ridges of the mussel on the menu, it makes for a great effect. The process was 1. sketch out in pencil 2. redraw in Adobe Illustrator, finish in Adobe Photoshop.
It is also a prime example of why good logos cost money. Simply put, a good logo, done well, can be a money-maker for the client. This client puts this logo everywhere, commemorative mugs, shot glasses, tee-shirts etc. He has continued to make money on this logo long after he paid his branding bill to me. This logo next to any headline on a billboard IS a billboard or ad. It is that recognizable.
Today’s entry is an ad design (also used as a flyer), that was run in trade magazines and the flyer passed out at industry conventions. Showing 6 of the products together all the while trying to keep the same brand look for the line. One of the many branches of the full service marketing tree I provide. Some other things involved in projects like this is photography, photo-editing and enhancing, ad scheduling, job tracking, quality control & management. My services are perfect for the middle market that do not want to spend $50,000 a month with a top ad agency nor do they trust the casual freelancer.
