Seeing as how I love French cheese… I was wondering what my packaging would look like if I made my own handmade cheese. I put together a few labels of some of my favorite cheeses to date. This is an on-going project. I’ll keep working on it and we’ll see where it takes me. One thing I have already noticed is that I need to explore a round lay-out for the cheeses like Camembert. I think it would be a good idea to get my hands on a couple of cheeses. I just need to keep from eating it long enough to test out my lay-outs.

I love to design and I love to paint. It is more of a “have” to rather than a “love” to when talking about design and painting. When I’m painting and drawing my design work improves. In painting I get to explore without negative consequences. The fact that I am solving problems in a different manner recharges me and allows me to be more productive in my design solutions. The ability to “take a chance” creatively in my paintings migrates over into my design. I am able to explore different more creative ideas that wouldn’t come to me if I were sitting in front of a computer all the time.

Here is one of my more recent paintings titled “Cotton”.

Click image to enlarge and view in another window.

After our civil wedding in America, my wife and I wanted to send out thank you cards to the people who took the time to grace us with their presence and the people who offered us presents. We were kind of tight on money, and we really didn’t like the prepackaged store bought options anyway. So I decided to design my own.

Simple, to the point and the best part…. half the cost of store bought thank you cards.

The only downfall was cutting 150 of these things. After about the 50th one I started to wonder, “What was I thinking with the tab closing system”? (the part that says “to open pull here”)

I think in the future I might leave the die-cutting to the print houses.

I’m launching my new site this week. I’ve decided that I’m ready to target ad agencies in Paris for a full-time art direction position. I’m mainly targeting agencies in Paris who handle or who have a need for international marketing. The main niche I’m using is the U.S. Presidential Election. After speaking with a director of a French agency we decided that the best message to send to my target group was that I’m a native english speaker and that I understand the American (anglo) culture.

At first glance I’m sure the site looks a little nationalistic, and the verbiage comes off as “America is the only way to go”. While I don’t believe it is the only way to go… sometimes it might be the best way to go to reach a wide international market. The American MTV culture has taken over the cultures of many countries. The youth around the world recognizes words like “hip-hop” and “Diet Coke”. On one hand I’m disappointed that America is hijacking the cultures of nations. On the other that means job security for me.