Design It, Bruh #1: Killing Industry Demo Cover

I'm in a band. Let's just get that white elephant out the way, ok?

We've been around for a little while and flirted with a show here and there, but we now finally have some recordings to stand on so we're gearing up for a DIY media campaign, small-potatoes and all. I love this shit.

Our name in-and-of-itself, Killing Industry, evokes an air of irony in the triple-layered connotation therein (Is it KILLing Industry? Or Killing INdustry? Or maybe KILLing INdustry? Collect 'em all!). It's a verbal I had been looking forward to playing around with earlier. The image that immediately to me in a vision from the heavens was a "gotcha scenario" wherein our featured character (see: splatter-headed gent) points his gun at an unseen opponent. His posture is that of the antagonist but his weapon is that of the snookered and his smile that of a sneer.

Oh, and it's also whatever you see in there as well. Don't listen to me.

Killing Industry's erstwhile drummer, Chad Gowan, mentioned the aesthetic of the design for the demo, specifically the focus on negative space and the inclusion of the suit and tie, harkened to the work of Rob Dobi, the superb designer responsible some of the most beautiful imagery on American Apparel schwag. I think this is an astute observation and we should hold my subconcious directly responsible. To atone for this sin I shall now further pimp Mr. Dobi's work. It deserves it.

(Click the image to visit his site)
A coveter of the colorwheel myself and abundant detail, the challenge here was keeping the design minimal. My previous work with pen and ink (examples should be coming soon) taught me a lot about the ultimate in contrast- black and white color schemes- and how by using the intrinsic white space (no pun intended) in the palette you can create depth and imply form with simple lines.

Fun with simplicity and ambiguity. I hope you enjoy.

P.S. I hope your are thus rocked by the music for which our splatter-headed friend is campaigning. Good rock and good design are good for you. I'll be doing my damnedest to bring you both.

DrinkingtheInk Helps Bring Mud Bugs to Aggie Land

And the Aggies rejoiced and it was so...

I got contracted in February to design an event poster for an upcoming Crawfish Festival to be held on Northgate the last weekend in March. I've done quite a bit of event promotion in the Bryan/College Station area. This event is to be put on by Maroon Weekly, the local non-university affiliated student rag, whose owner, Mick Maynard, has done an excellent job of bringing real student-oriented entertainment events to College Station (see Lonestar Beatdown, aforementioned student rag) by using the many arms of his Legacy Media flagship, and this broo-ha-ha should prove no different. Word is they're even shedding enough penny to bring in some legitimate musical acts. Hopefully that doesn't mean another College Station appearance by Sister Hazel (thanks for shit, Northgate Music Festival 2007!).

I liked this job because I got to have fun with some roots of mine, being that I'm from Loo-zee-anner. I've always loved the visual ambiance of Acadiana thanks in large part to the artistic leavings of the French. If you live in College Station you should be seeing these start to show up on board around town, in print, and being advertised on local radio. I'll hopefully be playing the spoils system by having my band show up as well.

Anyway, here's for your eyeballs: (click for larger image)