I should start off with the fact that my bus is still down and out. I initially had the ambition to get a beater motor out of some derelict junkyard, but was talked out of that idea by a number of people. So now I am saving up for a nice rebuilt motor from a reputable local vw guy. If only all these unexpected expenses would quit sucking my motor fund away, I would be making good progress! In the mean time, my poor bus is living in my friend Tracy's backyard. I am going to investigate having it towed over to my parents house in the adjacent town if I can't get to it before winter.
In terms of artwork, this time without blog updates hasn't been unproductive. I have been busy working on a number of logo designs, preparing for halloween and sending out t-shirts.
My friend Jorge of Miami is opening an online paddle board shop and wanted me to come up with a unique logo. I was asked to include a paddle board, a paddle and a wave. In terms of a color palette, my first run was too New England for a Miami based business. I used black outlines, ivory white, sea-foam green, and a pale cerulean blue. It was cohesive, but not exactly what Jorge had in mind. He told me to think more tropical, so I organized a color palette based off of images of Hawaii, the South pacific region, and Cuba. Hopefully the color palette will get his approval and a design can be picked. I am excited to get some feedback!
This is essentially the same as before, but with the new color palette:
I used the new colors, but also simplified the logo to make it more of a silhouette and gave it more of a bold graphic outline:
This final logo is new, no surfer this time... but it might be too complicated for what you are looking for. I can simplify the waves if all those bubbles look too busy. My wife likes this one the best!:
In a totally different direction, I was asked to design a logo for the Commack Volunteer Ambulance Corps of Long Island. Assistant Chief Mike had seen some of my work on the Granny Grose camp out t-shirts and also (without knowing it) on my friend Tracy's bus at various vw shows in the area. Its funny how far reaching the VW community is. Anyway, this project was not vw related, but instead is for "Operation Frosty" ...a charity event that provides food and toys for the less fortunate over the holidays.
Mike asked me to come up with a design that was both festive and holiday themed, but also recognized the 10th anniversary of Sept 11th. In my internet browsing, I also found out that their fleet also included "#16" a coach-built Sayers and Scovill Ambulance... very similar to the Miller-Meteor "Ectomobile" of Ghostbuster fame. So of course that had to go in too!
My first idea was more of a euro oval:
and my second was after I incorporated some requests from Mike:
Mike was so happy with my design, that it looks like I will be designing his Christmas cards this year... VW content this time, lol!
I also spent a good portion of last week preparing for Halloween. This year I was a Plague Doctor! In the 17th and 18th century, the bubonic plague swept through Europe and killed off a large chunk of society. Unfortunately, the science of the time did not include an understanding of how disease spread, so it was thought that bad spirits or bad air was the cause. So in order to care for the stricken and examine those who had died, new or under worked doctors made frightening masks that were stuffed with herbs and incense. They kept their distance by examining patients by poking them with a stick. Fun!
Anyway, after an exhaustive amount of researching, I made this mask (also hat, cloak and stick) out of wire, poly-fill, a WWII Belgian gas mask, cardboard, felt, glue, thread, leather, sandpaper, a xylene based marker, a stick, hand dyed cotton gauze and corduroy. Jessica made her costume too (Red riding hood)... but she just used fabric.
And finally (I told you this was a big giant post) I sent out my first shipment of t-shirts to Dean in New South Wales, Australia! Now I have shirts in the US, Canada, Japan and Australia! Unfortunately, they still seem to be in transit over a week later, so hopefully I will hear from Dean soon! Australia is a LONG way away. :)
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