September '23
Monthly design roundup for September 2023.
Another monthhhh another design roundup! Been cooking up some special stuff to share with you
DESIGN
A couple weeks ago I was asked to create a poster for the wonderful Built To Spill, and of course I said yes! This wasn’t shared online but I actually started off with an alternative poster than what ended up being the final. I still like this version (below) and may repurpose it in the future, I just didn’t feel like it matched the energy of the band and felt a little safe for me. Channeling acid house/Factory posters for this one clearly (also printed and scanned it for extra flyer feel)
Before I even sat down to make the version above I had an idea in my head to make a still life poster, combining elements of digital typography with 3D objects. I’ve been holding onto these jars of assorted trinkets for years that I actually used for a separate project before, but wanted to get more out of them. Partially because this single cover for Wire was stuck in my head and I wanted to make my version of it:
I made the show info part in Photoshop, printed it out and started laying the objects out to resemble a cluttered I-Spy composition. My partner then photographed it from above with hard flash to give some illusion that everything exists on one flat surface. I really love how this one turned out and the process I went through to get there!
For the past few months I’ve been working on this vinyl album packaging for the band Tennis Courts, which we decided was going to have an almost completely handmade feel to it. Although everything looks hand drawn, all of the colorized photos, patterned borders, and handwritten text were created using watercolor and paint brushes in Fresco. Incorporating an iPad into my practice has been a challenge and I’m still learning how to seamlessly add it to my workflow, but this was a great time to make steps towards that!
Got to make a special long sleeve tee for my friends in Thank You, I’m Sorry for their new album Growing In Strange Places. Used some construction paper pieces I cut out and scanned to create these deconstructed tulips and TV, paired with some sriracha typography
And finally some very special liner notes credits that are serious milestones for me… first we’ll start with Slowdive’s new album ‘everything is alive’. Getting to play any part in a Slowdive release feels monumental to me, and it feels unbelievably special to be part of this. I helped a bit with the layout on the CDs/cassettes and put together a ton of physical marketing material that exists all around the world. Such an incredible team behind this campaign and it’s rewarding to see it out in stores!
(left photo by Anna Powell Denton, art direction by Nick Scott)
Last year before my time at Vinyl Me, Please was up, I had the pleasure of doing some design work/helping out with the new Miles Davis: The Electric Years boxset. Getting to work on photo treatments for such a legendary artist feels unreal and having my name associated with a part of Miles Davis history is UNREALLLL. Unboxing below!
MOVIES
I’ve watched SO many movies this month I’m not even doing a long recap, it’s seriously a new record for me I think. Just look at my letterboxd
THE MOST important thing is that Stop Making Sense was re-released in it’s 4k glory and I went to a screening at BAM, with all original members in the audience doing a Q&A after. I transcended
MUSIC
Albums I’ve had on repeat:
Push — Sextile
Strange Disciple — Nation of Language
Super Snooper — Snooper
Forever Breathes the Lonely Word — Felt
New Naked Technology — Pink Industry
Tim (Let It Bleed Edition) — The Replacements
See you next month!
