At The Zoo by Simon & Garfunkel

At The Zoo by Simon & Garfunkel
Hear it here!

Ornament Reflection

Ornament Reflections: Photos and Illustrations of Distorted Proportions
Designs We've Seen (a lot) Series

Randy Marsh (South Park) Ornament

Beware of the Cat: On My Porch

Beware of the Cat: On My Porch

Yes, I adopted a stray cat that appeared on my porch. I had never been a fan of cats, but she has made me look at them in a different light. She's a sweet animal that needed a loving home. She must have chose the right porch...

Happy Weekend!

Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs & Apple & Pixar

I've been on a bit of a Pixar craze lately with all the announcements of new movies. So, Tuesday night I watched "The Pixar Story," a 2007 documentary on the origins of Pixar, their struggles, and triumphs. A key player in the success of Pixar is Steve Jobs. He saw potential in the company and took a risk by investing in them. He initially lost millions, but stuck with Pixar to see them grow into the animation giant they are now.

He weathered the storm as he had done with Apple, and his foresight and determination paid off. He's a revolutionary innovator, and technical interface design and product marketing genius. Apple will miss him as the CEO, but he'll still be an integral part of their success as a Chairman.

Job well done.

Cheez Balls

Cheez Balls

This looks like an accident waiting to happen. I've been using this generic Cheez Balls' container for over 5 years to collect dull x-acto and utility blades. My question: What exactly were in these Cheez Balls to have to make the packaging so resilient?

Google Doodle - Jorge Luis Borges

Google Doodle Honoring 112th Birthday of Author Jorge Luis Borges 8.24.11

My December (Live) by Linkin Park

My December (Live) by Linkin Park
Hear it here!

Imaginary Places I'd Like To Visit

Imaginary Places I'd Like To Visit
William D. SIEMER II


Here are a few of the imaginary places I always wished I could go to. There are numerous others (Avatar's Pandora, the planets of Star Wars, The Truman Show's Seahaven (not Seaside, Florida) etc.)

Wonderland from Alice in Wonderland (Fantastical)

The Keebler Elf Tree (Yummy Cooking)

Mister Roger's Neighborhood of Make-Believe (Nostalgia)

Sesame Street (Just one of the Muppets)

Smurf Village (Community)

Emerald City / The Wizard of Oz (Mystery)

The World of David The Gnome (Homely)

 Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory (Adventure)

Recent News (Pixar / Burger King)

RECENT NEWS:

Disney - Pixar Logo

Pixar's Brave Looks to Hit the Target

Disney-Pixar Brave Logo

Pixar Announces Two New Movies, Including Dinosaur Project

Logo from "The Untitled Pixar Movie About Dinosaurs"

Burger King mascot out, California Whopper in: Fast food company to focus more on menu items in ads

Burger King King eliminated

 

 

Optical Illusion

Amazing shade illusion will make you see the light

 

Fortune Cookie Fortune

Fortune Cookie Fortune
Lucky me.

Fortune Cookie Fortune wdsiemer ii

Goosepimples

One of my favorite words is "Goosepimples." Love the flow of it...

Goose Pimples (Goose Bumps) wdsiemer ii

FREE Cincinnati Bengals Vector Logo

Introducing your 2011:
Cincinnati Pussy Cats

2011 Cincinnati Bengals

Cincinnati Bengals Logo

It's not a great translation, but it works. I have a better file, but make due with this for now...
FREE Cincinnati Bengals Vector Logo (ZIPPED EPS)

Follow-up to New Cigarette Warning Labels

Follow-up to New Cigarette Warning Labels

Tobacco companies file lawsuit over warning labels
Associated Press

Matilde Campodonico, file - FILE - In this Nov. 19, 2010 file photo, a man shows his cigarette package covered by a warning that reads in Spanish "Smoking, you stink," top, and "Smoking causes bad breath" in …more  Montevideo, Uruguay. The. U.S. isn’t the first country to require graphic cigarette labels on packs. We look around the world at what over countries are doing. In recent years, 30 countries or jurisdictions have introduced similar labels.(AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico, file)

Porn Star Academy?

Porn Star Academy Font

Porn Star Academy in Cincinnati?
William D. SIEMER II

The NAME of a font doesn't really matter for the design. However, recently I found a situation kind of funny when a designer sent me a logo she created for a local school district in Cincinnati and the font was named "PORN STAR ACADEMY" in association with Pornstar Clothing. What is going on at this school?

FREE Porn Star Academy Font (Zipped)

Ernie Loves Bert: As friends for now

Bert and Ernie from Sesame Street. wdsiemer ii

Ernie Loves Bert: As friends for now
William D. SIEMER II 08.17.11

It wouldn't concern me if Bert and Ernie were to get married, but I don't necessarily believe it needed to be suggested. We aren't quite to a place where a conservative kid's television show (who cut Katy Perry for being to provocative) are going to make their two iconic best friends decidedly homosexual. The comments created a media uproar on both sides of the issue, and initiated the show's producers to make a response that would only put a hinder on gay relations.

I suggest Bert and Ernie continue to do whatever it is they do when the camera turns off, and ignore the media's push for them to come out on national television. It isn't right when a human's privacy is violated, and the same goes for Muppets.


In response to:
Sesame Street: Bert and Ernie are best friends, not gays and will never be married

Pierre de Fermat Google Doodle

Google Doodle in dedication to Pierre de Fermat

Equations are great complements to design.

Google Doodles You'll Never See Gallery

Artworks Cincinnati

Check out Artworks mural outside Jean-Robert's Table from Visualingual's Blog.

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/dining/2011/08/01/one-year-anniversary-for-jean-roberts-table

Sandblasted Golf Hole/Par Signs

Golf Signs

I've only been out golfing once this year and it didn't go so hot. Par 3? I'd probably shoot a 6.

Sandblasted Golf Hole/Par Signs. wdsiemer ii

You Can't Spell "DESIGNER" Without "IT"

You Can't Spell "DESIGNER" Without "IT"

Twice in the past week I have had clients give me unacceptable files. When I told them that they were too low-res (how does an 18kb JPEG sound?), they responded that their IT guy said they had no problem with them and they worked well.

I assume people believe the Information Technology and Design professions are one in the same. This could be true, but it's often a misconception. Often times we are experts in one field, and know enough to be dangerous in the other. I know enough about computers and networking to perform most home and small business operations, but I won't pretend I am an IT expert by any means.

No hard feelings! :)


Note:
I love when I receive small files titled something like "companylogo-vector-eps.jpg." I tell the client that the file is a low-res JPEG, and I need a vector EPS. They proceed in telling me they don't have one, but usually that file is a proof of the vector so they can see it on their computer.

Sun Down by Nik Freitas

Sun Down by Nik Freitas
Hear it here!

McDonald's Happy Meal Toys

McDonald's Happy Meal (Smurfs) wdsiemer ii

McDonald's Happy Meal Toys

I have been to McDonald's a very limited number of times in the past decade, mainly for others' enjoyment. Their food does not appeal to me. There is something about the pale and processed look of the hamburgers that leads me to believe they are not made from cows at all. I must be immune/tolerant to the drug they mix in their food. Billions served, so my opinion must not be universal.

But those Happy Meals! I remember the excitement I'd receive in collecting my Happy Meal toys when I was a kid. My favorite series had to have been the McDonald products (like fries/cheeseburgers) that would transform into robot figures. I remember wanting to go to McDonald's just to complete the series. They currently sit packaged in a storage box in my basement. They'll probably never have any worth beyond the flashbacks of childhood nostalgia.

On my most recent visit, we took my niece and nephew. Their Happy Meal toys were Smurfs (I think I still have vintage glass Smurfs cups from McDonald's). I was jealous, and contemplated buying myself a Happy Meal to relive the golden days. However, that would have meant eating more McDonald's food, so I decided it was best to put my Happy Meal toy days behind me.

McDonald's Happy Meal (Transformable Robots)

Journal: Running Water 5k

Running Water 5k logo

Journal: Running Water 5k
08/15/11

Over the weekend I participated in my first 5k road race in a good 7 years. Actually, it may have been longer, since my last race was a Thanksgiving Day 10k. Currently I jog as a hobby to keep in shape. Therefore, I wasn't entirely disappointed with my performance, but it was more about the charitable event than it was about my time.

The Running Water 5k was organized by Preston Goodie, a junior at New Philadelphia High School in Ohio, at the First United Methodist Church. The fundraising event raised a more-than-expected $10,000 for charity: water, a nonprofit organization bringing clean water to developing nations. If all goes according to plan, the money will build two water wells to serve communities of 250+ people.

Participants were given a t-shirt for registering early, water glasses were handed out to the top 3 finishers in each age group, and were treated to a community breakfast at the church for a small donation. Suprisingly, I received a glass for the old man category.

I was amazed at the care and dedication that went into this project by such a young member of the community. It is great to see an individual strive to make the world a better place for all. This was a true inspiration.

http://www.charitywater.org

Photo Restoration

Some personal photographs I retouched a bit. Before and After. Scanned in high-res/shown in low-res.

Photograph Restoration 1. wdsiemer ii

Photo Restoration 2. wdsiemer ii

Buffalo Wings & Rings

New Buffalo Wings & Rings Brand

Production doesn't always get the same glorious treatment as design, but it is equally important. Although these Buffalo Wings & Rings' files came to us as a finalized design from Interbrand, we realized their vision through materials, color matching and production quality.

There are a lot of ways a good design can be ruined, and sloppy production would be one of them. Keep that in mind every time you present a final project at school, hold a gallery showing, or present to a client. Show you care for your work!

Facebook Outage

I imagine Facebook is experiencing an outage right now? Sign of things to come?
Anonymous Vow to Take Facebook Down: But Why?

Teddy Bear

Bailey the Dog's (who comes to work with us everyday) favorite teddy bear.

Teddy Bear. wdsiemer ii

The Way I Am by Ingrid Michaelson

The Way I Am by Ingrid Michaelson
Hear it here!

Simon the Chipmunk RIP: On My Porch

WARNING!!! Not for those with weak stomachs...

This isn't a case of necrophilia. This gruesome, decapitated chipmunk arrived on my doorstep today. It's disgusting, and not something you come home to everyday. It could have been a horse's head all the same. This photograph is completely unaltered (well accept for the fact I added Simon the Chipmunk's glasses, Blue Hoodie, and the Alvin and the Chipmunks logo).


It appears there will not be another Squeakquel...

Gross Alert! Simon the Chipmunk decapitated on my porch. -wdsiemer ii

Antonelli College Logo

Previous Antonelli College Logo

New Antonelli College Logo

Antonelli College Logo

For no apparent reason or trigger, I was thinking of my distaste for the Antonelli College logo for most of the day. I had a piece written up in my head about how there was too much going on in the logo and type. It never came across as professionally designed for a school that charges premium rates. It appeared a mess to me, from the curly "A" with a drop shadow to the multiple-shaded dots and triangles.

I was thinking of ways to modernize and minimalize the design... However, I must have been out of the loop because when I visited their site they had a completely new look. They now have a very sterile logo that identifies Antonelli's as being one in the same as all those trade colleges with multiple degrees popping up in bulk to make a quick profit. I assume this must have been their brand all along.

I don't like to be insulting towards other designer's and/or marketer's visions, but this one seems to be lacking a strong foundation. Am I wrong?

Skydiving Journal

Skydiving Journal. wdsiemer ii

Journal: Skydiving
William D. SIEMER II

Went skydiving yesterday for the first time. Left home around 11:30AM to pick up Shannon and Aaron. Arrived at Hook Field Municipal Airport in Middletown around 1:00pm. Due to earlier weather conditions and later thunderstorms, our plane didn't take off until around 7:00pm.

The ascension of the aircraft built anticipation. Standing at the door at 12,000 feet was exhilirating. The moments of freefall were breathtaking. The views spectacular. The parachute cruise relaxing.

The only hiccup was when the parachute opened and my jumping partner said, "Oh crap! We have a twisted line." I looked up as he unraveled the parachute line. I wasn't too nervous knowing that I was with a professional.

I highly recommend going. It's an incredible adrenaline rush. The added energy carried itself into my jog the next day, and hopefully remains an inspiration.

08.08.11

startskydiving.com

George Harrison Print

Shepard Fairey's "Friendship and Support" (George Harrison)

The Beatles

Shepard Fairey has announced a limited-edition art print celebrating the 40th anniversary of George Harrison's Concert for Bangladesh. The work, titled "Friendship and Support," will be available on August 8, and supports the George Harrison Fund for UNICEF's work with children affected by the famine in Africa. http://www.obeygiant.com/

Lucille Ball

Lucille Ball Google Doodle

Currently, our DVR is full of "I Love Lucy" episodes. Google Doodle is honoring Lucille Ball's 100th Birthday on their homepage today with short video clips.

Potato-Flavored Gum

Grape, Cherry, Orange? French Fries, Mashed Potatoes, Baked Potatoes, Hash Browns, Potato Cakes? It's about time there's an affordable potato-flavored gum!

Potato-Flavored Gum

DSD Displays

Journal: Some of the fun stuff me and Brent did at DSD today. Shaping up to be a very nice place.

DSD Window Graphics

DSD Miscellaneous Interior Displays

The Universe as Seen from a Park Bench

The Universe as Seen from a Park Bench. wdsiemer ii

Superhuman Touch by Athlete

Superhuman Touch by Athlete
Hear it here!

R Logo

Enjoyed working on this logo for a steel company a couple years ago.

wdsiemer ii

Coffee and Cabbage

Yes, I drank coffee earlier in the day and had cabbage around lunch time. Weird combination, and this is the art that resulted. You would think my teeth were grossly stained.

"Cabbage and Coffee" wdsiemer ii