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A talented designer
May 21, 2009
filed in News
Some of you know that I am getting married this October and am OBVIOUSLY overly excited about it! I have had so much fun planning the big day and all the tiny details are finally pulling together. One important detail I was excited to work on was the save the date and invitation design. I really wanted to find the perfect designer to help me combine all my floating ideas together. After doing some research, stumbling upon many different blogs, I finally found the one I liked the best. Steve and I really want our wedding to be really vintage and I LOVE the look of anything "anthropologie". I googled something along the lines, "vintage, anthropologie save the dates" and Daniel's website displayed just what I was looking for. I loved all the corky, simple and creative designs Dan has done and I knew he would have some great ideas. I really want to spotlight Dan this week because he has done such a wonderful job on the card and has been so easy to work with. He worked on a few different designs and I loved them all. The postcard seems to fit our personality the best and I am very pleased with the outcome!!! Be sure to check out the interview I had with Dan. He is not only super talented but also extremely nice. If any of you guys are looking for some help with save the dates, invitations or simply a design, be sure to check him out.
Q : What got you interested in graphic design? (How did you get stared?)
A : The first time I remember making a connection to art was in the second grade. My teacher asked our class to draw a picture of what we wanted to be when we grew up, and i spent the whole day making an illustration of myself as a scientist in a lab mixing up concoctions with chemicals in various beakers, and bunson burners... I spent so long on this drawing I completely neglected all of my other subjects...including science. Something clicked and everything else fell away... (Side note : I ended up completely failing 2nd grade that year with only one decent grade on my report card, an A+ in art) should have known then that i was destined, if not by talent, by sheer default to have an artistic career.
As a teenager I discovered comic books, and spent countless hours drawing my favorite super heros. My supportive and sympathetic parents could see that I was obsessed and consigned themselves to the fact that I was not law school bound, and enrolled me in an amazing art school called Barnstone Studios. this school and its amazing (and extremely disciplined) instructor, Myron Barnstone changed my life. It was there that I realized a career in visual art was even possible.
Q : How long have you been doing graphic design?
A: I studied graphic design at Philadelphia University and graduated in 2001. While in school, I worked for two fanitastic small design firms in Philadelphia. (Baseman Design and Flux Labs) I made some great connections and long lasting friendships there.
Q: What artist inspires you the most?
A: I can find graphic inspiration in anything from a bowl of potatoes, to the music and lyrics of artists like Bob Dylan and Townes Van Zandt. I try to stay tuned in to these things as much as possible so I can pull inspiration from my life.
Q: What do you enjoy most about your line of work?
A: I have always loved to doodle, which is the first stage of designing anything... I really enjoy being able to satirize my life through design, doodling silly things on bar coasters until i can make myself and my friends laugh. It's nice to have a useful skill in this world.
Q: What do you feel sets you apart from other designers?
A: There are so many amazing designers working today, it is difficult to stand out. what i hope my work says to people is I'm having fun making it.
After graduating, I joined a then small brand of Urban Outfitters called Anthropologie in their brand new graphic design department, which consisted of just me. One of my first projects was to redesign the brand logo, a pretty intimidating task for my first project at my first full time job, but somehow the president of the company liked my design and the rest is history .. Ive been with the company every since.
In 2008, I joined the Urban Outfitters graphic design division and have been working on in house apparel branding, mens and womens tee shirts graphics and packaging since then.
Q: What has been your favorite project?
A: At the moment my favorite project is a set of wood burned alphabet blocks I am making for my newborn daughter Charley Mae. Each letter is part of a custom designed front made especially for her. I am hoping this block set becomes a family heirloom someday.
Q: What are your future goals for your business?
A: At the moment I am happy to be employed doing something that I would be doing anyways, something I truly enjoy. Ultimately, I would like my business Grayhood, to become its own design/illustration studio.
Q: What's an interesting or funny fact about you that you'd like to share?
A: The name grayhood designs come from my personal attachment to my grey hooded sweatshirt, my daily uniform since early childhood. Much like Linus and his security blanket, my trusty hoodie has seen me through most all my life.
May 21, 2009
filed in News
S
ome of you know that I am getting married this October and am OBVIOUSLY overly excited about it! I have had so much fun planning the big day and all the tiny details are finally pulling together. One important detail I was excited to work on was the save the date and invitation design. I really wanted to find the perfect designer to help me combine all my floating ideas together. After doing some research, stumbling upon many different blogs, I finally found the one I liked the best. Steve and I really want our wedding to be really vintage and I LOVE the look of anything "anthropologie". I googled something along the lines, "vintage, anthropologie save the dates" and Daniel's website displayed just what I was looking for. I loved all the corky, simple and creative designs Dan has done and I knew he would have some great ideas. I really want to spotlight Dan this week because he has done such a wonderful job on the card and has been so easy to work with. He worked on a few different designs and I loved them all. The postcard seems to fit our personality the best and I am very pleased with the outcome!!! Be sure to check out the interview I had with Dan. He is not only super talented but also extremely nice. If any of you guys are looking for some help with save the dates, invitations or simply a design, be sure to check him out. A : The first time I remember making a connection to art was in the second grade. My teacher asked our class to draw a picture of what we wanted to be when we grew up, and i spent the whole day making an illustration of myself as a scientist in a lab mixing up concoctions with chemicals in various beakers, and bunson burners... I spent so long on this drawing I completely neglected all of my other subjects...including science. Something clicked and everything else fell away... (Side note : I ended up completely failing 2nd grade that year with only one decent grade on my report card, an A+ in art) should have known then that i was destined, if not by talent, by sheer default to have an artistic career.
As a teenager I discovered comic books, and spent countless hours drawing my favorite super heros. My supportive and sympathetic parents could see that I was obsessed and consigned themselves to the fact that I was not law school bound, and enrolled me in an amazing art school called Barnstone Studios. this school and its amazing (and extremely disciplined) instructor, Myron Barnstone changed my life. It was there that I realized a career in visual art was even possible.
A: I studied graphic design at Philadelphia University and graduated in 2001. While in school, I worked for two fanitastic small design firms in Philadelphia. (Baseman Design and Flux Labs) I made some great connections and long lasting friendships there.
Q: What artist inspires you the most?
A: I can find graphic inspiration in anything from a bowl of potatoes, to the music and lyrics of artists like Bob Dylan and Townes Van Zandt. I try to stay tuned in to these things as much as possible so I can pull inspiration from my life.
Q: What do you enjoy most about your line of work?
A: I have always loved to doodle, which is the first stage of designing anything... I really enjoy being able to satirize my life through design, doodling silly things on bar coasters until i can make myself and my friends laugh. It's nice to have a useful skill in this world.
Q: What do you feel sets you apart from other designers?
A: There are so many amazing designers working today, it is difficult to stand out. what i hope my work says to people is I'm having fun making it.
After graduating, I joined a then small brand of Urban Outfitters called Anthropologie in their brand new graphic design department, which consisted of just me. One of my first projects was to redesign the brand logo, a pretty intimidating task for my first project at my first full time job, but somehow the president of the company liked my design and the rest is history .. Ive been with the company every since.
In 2008, I joined the Urban Outfitters graphic design division and have been working on in house apparel branding, mens and womens tee shirts graphics and packaging since then.
Q: What has been your favorite project?
A: At the moment my favorite project is a set of wood burned alphabet blocks I am making for my newborn daughter Charley Mae. Each letter is part of a custom designed front made especially for her. I am hoping this block set becomes a family heirloom someday.
A: At the moment I am happy to be employed doing something that I would be doing anyways, something I truly enjoy. Ultimately, I would like my business Grayhood, to become its own design/illustration studio.
Q: What's an interesting or funny fact about you that you'd like to share?
A: The name grayhood designs come from my personal attachment to my grey hooded sweatshirt, my daily uniform since early childhood. Much like Linus and his security blanket, my trusty hoodie has seen me through most all my life.
