Visual identity system, guidelines and image library

What’d I do? Created a warm, luxurious visual identity for one of Atlanta’s newest planned “hometown” communities that flexed across all kinds of experiential, printed, online and broadcast materials but remained cohesive, distinct and totally indicative of “the good life” (Avalon’s brand position) in each piece. I also defined a photographic look and feel, then collaborated with talented photographer Justin Keoninh to build a gorgeous image library that oozed high-class, luxury lifestyle, fashion, retail, dining and home design. 

You can view the entire guidelines here.

Five years after the brand was introduced I had the rare opportunity to revisit the brand guidelines and determine what worked, what could be eliminated and what could be improved. These are brand guidelines for a living and evolving visual identity system.

Here’s a link to the updated brand guidelines.

Sole designer on new website for Avalon, a hugely successful multi-use property. Focused on making it light and bright and focused on the goings-on at the property. The client wanted the backend to be easy to use as it would need nearly daily updates (the screen grabs I have are after the site had been live for nearly two years!). I also made the zoom-in-able site map. Collaborated with back-end developer.

Working at Thrive I was the primary curator of the brand. This was a new experience for me, both creating a brand's look-and-feel and in working with it day to day. I worked on projects ranging from a multiplicity of brochures to templates to promotional materials and mailings to even a tradeshow booth design. It was my goal to have a fun and expressive system that showed the world the company as it wanted to be seen.

I designed and implemented a set of office graphics and wayfinding devices for the Thrive offices. The hand-drawn style is meant to be human and show process, reflecting the Thrive ethos. Designed to be friendly and engaging, the office graphics have segments of chalkboard paint interspersed for personalization and interaction. Each conference room is labelled for functionality but also with personality. The new designs make an industrial space more fun and have much more personality.

Georgia Innocence Project desperately needed a new identity. The organization was not capturing the attention of the public to support their very worthwhile and timely message. The identity we developed applied humanity to all of those inhuman statistics, reminding us that each of those imprisoned innocent was a human being who had lost everything. And support is up—way up—giving Georgia Innocence the moral and financial support it needs to carry out its mission.

My biggest project as a freelancer has been a complete rebranding of the City of Atlanta's Department of Parks and Recreation. Taking this monolithic agency and giving it a look that's fun, young and consumer-facing has been a challenge and a joy.

I created a look and full guidelines, plus deliverables ranging from two full program guides, signage, flyers, promotional items, uniforms, banners and more. Please view the program guides online in their entirety: the Spring guide can be found here, and the Winter guide here.

It's been so creatively rewarding to really flesh out a system by designing all of the deliverables, and doubly so for such a worthy client. Who doesn't root for our parks?

Have a look at the entire brand guidelines.

Visual identity system, guidelines and image library

What’d I do? Designed a look and feel with beaucoup more energy and spark than your average suit-and-tie law firm’s identity, plus a set of (dummy-proof) guidelines with very structured designs for broad use. I also worked with photographer Gregory Miller to create a uniquely lively image library that depicts the firm’s work in law while minimizing focus on individual lawyers. 

You can view the entire guidelines here.

What'd I do? Worked alongside Thrive's industrial designers to create luxurious gift boxes for Parker and Waterman pens. From initial sketches to mood boards to CMF (color, material, finish) explorations, we collaborated to design the boxes from the ground up. The designs started in 2D and moved to full renders. It was exciting to be involved in all stages of a high-end luxury packaging design. 

At Thrive.

Logo and visual identity system

What’d I do? Designed brochures, a wayfinding system, post-it note installation, pencils, lanyards, placards and presentation design for Georgia Tech’s FutureMedia advanced technology program and connected FutureMediaFest. I also designed the 2D aspect of the signage in collaboration with 3D designer (and miracle-worker) Hartmut Jordan to create low-tech custom signage for the price of renting readymade.

At Iconologic. 

Logo, visual identity system and guidelines

What’d I do? Redesigned the logo for the IOC in close collaboration with Brad Copeland and Matt Rollins at Iconologic. For this high profile project, we worked with talented type designer Joshua Darden to create a custom typeface, Altius. Over two years, I also created four massively complex guidelines (each easily 100+ pages) for this client,  including overarching identity guidelines, plus digital, network and sponsor guides.

Visual identity system

What’d I do? Created a variety of POS and advertising for vitaminwater’s summer 2010 campaign, a youth-oriented push that enticed everyday kids to visit pop-up shops and be photographed...where they’d then become part of the campaign. (Pretty cool.) I also designed the look and feel for a related website where vitaminwater-loving kids could vote for their favorite images. 

At Iconologic. 

Look and feel

What’d I do? As a part of Coke’s "Happy World" brand directive, I developed a look and feel for the soft drink company’s yearly global event. While another direction was ultimately implemented, I think this one is pretty darn happy. 

At Iconologic. 

Look and feel

What’d I do? Created a visual identity that takes the essence of the client’s market (commodities) and makes it a device as a plus/minus. Each plus/minus represents a transaction and a moment in time. Like in ICE’s everyday work, there’s a story for each and every one.

At Iconologic.  

Book covers

What'd I do? Worked as in-house designer at Penguin Putnam under creative director Paul Buckley. 

 Book covers

What'd I do? Worked as in-house designer at Penguin Putnam under creative director Paul Buckley. 

Book covers

What'd I do? Worked as in-house designer at Penguin Putnam under creative director Paul Buckley. Here, I art directed all Penguin Classics, working with Paul Buckley to implement his re-design for the books and writing guidelines for the new look’s implementation in both the U.S and U.K.

Dynamic digital imagery

What’d I do? Dug up and pieced together a heap of evocative imagery for a 24/7 lobby media wall, merging found, personal, vintage, free and borrowed images into an image set that was displayed round the clock in a one-of-a-kind installation that read and responded to external forces like world events, traffic patterns and weather forecasts. I made around 500 of these; a selection is shown here. 

At Iconologic. 

Logos

What’d I do? Designed a whole bunch of logos for a wide range of clients big and small. Most of these have full-on, corresponding look and feel executions as well. Some were implemented, and sadly, some I only wish were.

Infographic

What’d I do? Created an email infographic for a topic the recipient doesn't like to think about. Worked to create a visual story that would take the recipient on a journey while visually drawing them into little vignettes along the way, hopefully making the dense copy easier to take in.

At Soloflight. 

Look Book

What’d I do? Designed a simple, striking look book for the launch of a red hot, inaugural fashion line by AndrŽe Benjamin (of Outkast fame).

Annual Report. 

What'd I do? Designed an annual report to tell an engaging story about a seemingly unengaging subject matter: rocks, i.e. aggregates. In addition, for this I also arranged photo shoots at quarries, at shipyards, at locks in the Mississippi River, along highways in Georgia and on the not-yet-opened fifth runway at Atlanta's Hartfield-Jackson International Airport.  

Brochure

What’d I do? Designed two simple, lovely brochures for forestry company F&W—one company overview and one investor-focused. Ah print, I've missed you.

At Soloflight.