Idaho’s oldest continually operating architecture firm was in desperate need of a new look. CSHQA, founded in 1889 by William Campbell (the “C” in CSHQA), is responsible for many of Idaho’s most iconic buildings. But its website was not living up to the firm’s stellar reputation and did not reflect the company’s nationwide growth and…
Posts Categorized: Work
New Work: Cinder Wine Bottles
We’re very proud of the bottle designs for Cinder — and now have some professional photos to share (photography by Welsh Studios). The minimal design and silkscreened application were two creative solutions to standing out at point of purchase (and support the sophisticated nature of the brand). We’re very excited by the final results.View the…
New Work: The Cabin
I was flattered when Russ Stoddard (my former boss at Oliver Russell) sent The Cabin my way for help with a website redesign. During my tenure at Oliver Russell, I had the fine experience of helping to rename/rebrand The Cabin (formerly known as the “Log Cabin Literary Center”). I was very pleased to cross paths…
New Work: WolfWare TableWare Website
We’re proud to report that the WolfWare TableWare website launched on the first of this week. We looked to the logo we designed and artist’s work for inspiration. The site needed to look artistic, sophisticated, and “high-end.” The design is simple, user-friendly, and allows the artwork to take the main stage.There are many plans for…
New Work: M2E Power Website
Working with start-ups is a very rewarding opportuniy — it’s an honor to be involved at the ground floor (especially with a groundbreaking new, green technology). Boise-based M2E Power, leverages science based on the “Faraday Principle” to turn kinetic energy into power (to charge batteries and eventually mobile devices).After learning more about the physics associated…
New Work: WolfWare TableWare
It was a flattering experience when fine artist and illustrator Elizabeth Wolf asked for help with a new business idea. I’ve always been a huge fan of her illustration work (“Zooman and the Sign” is one of my favorites).Liz has taken her artwork to a new canvas — tableware. Every piece is custom, hand-painted, one-of-a-kind…
New Work: Cinder Wines Website
When winemaker Melanie Krause called me to help out with Cinder, I almost fell out of my chair. Working on a wine brand is every graphic designer’s dream job.The name “Cinder” hints at the volcanic soil of the Snake River Valley AVA where vineyards are located (learn more on the “Wines” page of the website)….
Speculative Work Vs. Pro Bono
I’ve had a couple recent conversations with local organizations about the difference between spec and pro bono. My point in blogging about it is not to bring attention to those situations, but to help clarify the difference. I do a ton of low- and pro-bono design work — I believe it’s a designer’s responsibility to…
Encourage Dissent in Decision-Making
A recent article from the Harvard Business School titled, “Encouraging Dissent in Decision-Making,” points out the value of speaking up (and leaders being able to listen up). I agree with much of what the article states — I can’t count how many times the loudest opinion can squash a great idea. The best ideas can…
E for Effective
A good email marketing strategy can lead to major success. It’s possible for email to look good AND be extremely effective. To get started, look into your customer database. Is your list “legal?” Have they double-opted in? How will you deal with opt-outs (note: this can be an automated process)? The implications are an important…