Eye to eye

Just published “Eye to Eye”, a 30 year-retrospective of posters designed by the Lidji Design Office. Over the next few days, I will post some of the pieces from the book.

While I was working on a poster for a joint meeting of the Dallas Society of Visual Communications and the American Society of Magazine Photographers, photographer Steven Wilkes sent me this remarkable image looking down into the mouth of an angry volcano. The volcano is amazing, but more interesting to me was the secondary image of a fiery eye peering out from inside the earth. Dividing the poster in half and echoing that image in the text below revealed how the two clubs, one for photographers and the other for designers, were inherently interdependant and now coming together as one.

Hoping to uncover unintended connections, I ordered this book at random. But I couldn’t resist consciously placing this poster first. After all, the book is called “Eye to Eye.”

ArtHouse homes, Best builder in Dallas

My friend Mark Albert designs and builds modern homes on spec. Courageous? I’d say so. And after only a few years in the business his homes have garnered D magazines “Best builder in Dallas” award. ArtHouse homes are lovingly crafted and meticulously detailed and really make the neighborhoods look great. Here’s the ad we did for him.

Bat guana and beautiful women

Just completed the photo shoot for the Fall 2010 Collection for Double D Ranch. My rule of thumb is, give me beautiful women, great clothes and a great photographer and we can shoot it in the city dump and it will look great. In this case, we shot in a 100 year-old bat infested abandoned opera house in Yoakum, Texas. My rule holds. Alan Foreman was the photographer and did a great job under miserable conditions.

Should grown men draw silly pictures?

In my college life drawing classes, my instructors favorite assignment was draw against the clock. “You have three minutes to complete this drawing. Go!”

When my brother-in-law, an accomplished musician and singer, created a new stage persona, I thought this might be a good time to do a poster, old school, with a pen and ink and a stopwatch.

Introducing Shay Thibideaux, a.k.a. Chaya Tinterow. Time from concept to pdf: 1 hour 24 minutes. Still a little rusty, I think.

Max Levy’s architecture speaks volumes with less

Max Levy’s first website went live on July 4th, 2009. It is a site that demonstrates the power of less. Max’s determination to achieve clarity through simplicity is evident in everything he does. This site is no exception. Please take a moment and look through this amazing collection of architecture.

Bernbaum Magadini sounds the design alarm

Our office created this logo as part of a program to leverage and expand the experience of Dallas architects Bernbaum Magadini into Fire Station Architecture. The program included micro website, trade show video and brand identity materials. Inspiration for the logo came from the rich history of fire house and fire engine graphics.

Synergy from Syniverse Technologies

Our office has designed and produced Synergy for Syniverse Technologies in Tampa Florida for a number of years. Here are a few spreads from this elegant mini-magazine designed to inform clients and employees around the world of the technology innovations that Syniverse provides to the telecommunications industry.

Special thanks to Diane Rose, Cissy Wong and Bobby Eagle for their efforts in gathering, editing and producing this neat publication.

If you could live in art, why not?

It takes courage to build spec modern homes in Dallas in this economy. But Mark Albert succeeds where other would fail. His company, ArtHouse Homes debuted a beautiful new home by Domiteaux Architects recently. The logo and yard sign we created for him, gave a unique opportunity for the open house invitation (shown in the center).

Follow the money

Financial benchmarking for the healthcare industry is not the most fascinating subject one could imagine. These Intellimarker book covers turned a dry and lifeless subject into intelligent word /picture puzzles. Chad Coben’s InforMed Healthcare Media company always let a good idea live.

Hot Dog!

Our office just completed this identity for El Cayote Rojo, a new Mexican Cantina and Grill coming soon to the Dallas area. Program includes logo, menu, website, and promotional materials. Expected opening September 2009.