Flourish Magazine • Community Service

The content of this article made it quite a challenge. The goal was to convey to readers the reasons behind the community service projects for each grade level at Trinity School, how each project directly correlates to curriculum objectives.

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I made the decision to incorporate the use of graphics (puzzle pieces) to convey the idea that it’s all connected: the community service program and the academic curriculum. The final piece somewhat went in the direction of this idea, and although it’s visually a little more streamlined, some of the content has a different message. Upon review, I didn’t feel it necessary to submit additional revisions, as I understood the intention (visually). But I would have preferred, for example, for “Values” and “Character Education” to stand out as they do in my original piece, as they encompass all of the projects.

writing_flourish_magazine_spring_2015_final

Flourish Magazine • Employee Dedication

I always find it interesting to see the final product of my material, what designers end up doing with submitted pieces for publications. Below is my original submission for an article honoring Trinity’s most recent retirees for an issue of Flourish magazine.

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The final piece (below) is strikingly similar to my original submission!

writing_flourish_magazine_fall_2014

Flourish Magazine • Extra-Curricular Programs

I was asked to write an article for the spring issue of Flourish magazine, highlighting Extended Programs at Trinity. The intention was not for the article to be copy heavy at all, just the highlights–“stats'” if you will–of the program. Below is what I submitted to the Director of Marketing & Communications, which she submitted to the designer.

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The image below is the article that was published. While this image is more in line with the design of the overall publication, I like the “excitement” generated from the look and feel of the original layout.

writing_flourish_magazine_spring_2014

 

Publication Credits
img_flourish_magazine_credits1

Know When

I ran an article in yesterday’s issue of Trinity This Week about an upcoming Diversity Coffee Chat, which has been renamed and is now “Java with Joe.” Clever. Of course, the name screams that it wants a graphic, so I created one. I attempted to create a vector-based graphic (“from scratch”) in Illustrator. It wasn’t going the way I’d hoped…at all. It was looking more like cheap clip art than anything (and I would personally like to see clip art die a slow and painful death). After spending more time on it than I care to admit, I decided to use a stock photo and filter it to death in Photoshop. Much better choice, I think. You can’t win them all. Sometimes you have to know when to quit!

Vector-based Attempt Final Design
coffee-cup diversity-coffee-chat-mug

Detroit Mutant Radio

The rock/fusion band, Detroit Mutant Radio, solicited my help when they wanted to “spruce up” their press kit with some simple adjustments. A new press release was “designed”, based on edits provided by the band members, and from flat images, I gave the CD label and cover a cleaner look with different font.

DMR CD
Detroit Mutant Radio CD
Former Press ReleaseFormer press release New Press ReleaseNew press release
Former CD backFormer CD case back New CD backNew CD case back
fistsOriginal “fists” image DMR_NEW_BLACK_resize_webAlternate “fists” image, inverted

Buttons & Headers

I designed this button in Photoshop. I just removed it from Trinity’s Spotlight on Art website, since the auction has ended. The actual logo (“Spotlight on Art 30”) was not designed by me, but I did manipulate it, to remove the background, so that I could place it against whatever background I wanted, like I did with the site’s header for this year (30th Anniversary).

I’m looking forward to seeing what site changes will be requested for next year! Things move fast at Trinity, so although Spotlight on Art just ended with the Gala last Saturday  night, I’m expecting to begin meetings in the next few weeks to discuss next year.