It's time to turn in the final concept of the Troika boot for Merrell. These last few web pages demonstrate how the product will be showcased on the existing Merrell website. We've kept the voice and tone of the brand, worked with the photos and introduced new product to make a seamless update. All in all, I'm pretty proud of the project and can't wait to add it to my portfolio. I had a great time working with Ellen and it solidifies my belief that working with people as passionate as you are is always a good decision.

This is the last week of class and I'd like to say I've had a great run with my college career. It may have taken me seven years but I've found the thing(s) I was meant to do and couldn't be happier. CCAD is a great school and I'm fortunate to have the connection. Also, I'd like to give a huge thank you to our instructor Mr. Fisher for guiding us through his experience and excitement for our ideas and the project. Have a happy night, it's time for bed.

I had the wonderful opportunity to present a project at CSCA last night. The basis of the project was to create a compelling printed piece for non-profit Local-Matters, that can either be left behind or mailed, to solicit funding from business.

I had 5 minutes in front of an audience of about 100 and 4 judges to present my ideas. I had to practice quite a bit in order to be concise and clear about my ideas. Although I did not win, I had excellent feedback and wanted to post a few spreads from the book.

Finally Finals

Well, you don't need much introduction... So, here they are!

Just checking in

One of our extensions for the project, as I mentioned in an earlier post, is a QR tag system for trailheads. I've mocked it up for visualization. Also, we've decided to go with Troika logo I posted, just flipping the "A" on the end. I'm really excited about this whole Merrell project is going and I'll post the final print ads tomorrow.

Collage it up 2.0

As always, slaving away on the Merrell project. Here's the second ad comp. The three part series is due Thursday at 8am. Hope the rest comes together smoothly.

Collage it up

Today I took a break on the Troika boot logo and went to work on the first ad. The idea for the series is to have three different hiking journals by three different people hiking different terrain. We pulled topographic maps of specific trails and parks and researched wildlife and climate for accuracy. It's an assemblage of a hiker's memory on the trail. The hike was made easily and comfortable with their Troika boot and as the viewer scans the page they're tempted to find their own trail.

An extension of the project could be a website with QR tags on trail heads. A hiker simply takes a photo of the tag and their GPS coordinates are posted to an online trail journal. This can actually serve another purpose; safety. Imagine a hiker going in for a hike and not reappearing. If they post their coordinates they'll be easier to locate if missing.

Logo rough

I've just completed the first draft of the Troika boot's logo. It's still not what I'm looking for, but it's closer than I've gotten previously. The problem is mixing the technical aspects of the shoe with the natural elements it will be encountering. Here I am trying to use the type to show technicality and the color to show the nature. I'm not quite sure where to go from this so I think I'll sleep on it tonight and try again tomorrow.

Recyclable Saturday

Heating my score line

Sanding the rim

Finished projects

This Saturday I welcomed the weekend with an awesome recycling project. I've seen glass bottles converted into drinking glasses before but I wasn't sure of the process. My friend's mom answered the question for me when she bought a bottle cutter. Basically, you grab a wine bottle and score the circumference of it. Once you have a solid line you can hold the bottle over a candle flame to stress the glass. Once the bottle has heated for a few minutes the bottle "magically" separates at the score you made. To get the cup portion into drinking order (because let's face it, no one wants to cut their lips with glass while taking a swig of OJ) you sand the top. This glass took about 20 minutes of solid pressure. When it looks right, run your fingers over the rim just to make sure you won't get surprised.

If you're looking for something more than a plain glass you can buy etching cream and use stencil, handmade or pre-cut, to decorate the surface. Just brush a thick layer of the cream on and let it sit for a minute. Rinse it off and you've got one fancy glass. If you're like me, you also like mushroom decals from 1983. That little glass is my new pencil holder at work. This was a very fun project and I'm glad I got to recycle some bottles I had lying around the kitchen. I recommend it to all adults. And remember: WEAR THOSE SAFETY GOGGLES!

Mechanic Wanted

We're working on the schematics of the hiking boot right now. Primarily, the retractable 1" spikes are controlled through an air bellows system. We've referenced patent number 5,588,227 for the project, invented by Mark R. Goldston, Jon L. Bemis, Daniel M. Wickemeyer and David Potter. I want to be clear that we're not stealing this patent from 1992. We're referencing and modifying it to fit our specific needs and changing materials used in hopes of making it as light as possible. The structure is arranged differently in the shoe and the overall functionality in completely different. With that said, I'd like to introduce our first sketch, courtesy of Ellen. We've outlined the main parts and noted their purposes.

Setting the mood 2.0

After meeting with our instructor this morning we decided to conquer another mood board focusing on the socio-economics. This board shows the products our audience would choose to have in their home, what phone they use, where and what they eat, etc.

Logo mania

I'd like to share with you my beginning sketches for our boot's logo. They're not much, of course, but they demonstrate my thinking of what it should and should not be. While I was working on these and the mood board, Ellen was sketching away what the boot will actually look like. She also found some great resources on boot and shoe technology, which sounds odd, but is very beneficial. Looks like we're not going to be in the dark as much as we thought we were.

Setting the mood

I've been working on logo and layout sketches for the project tonight, but felt it was important to show my mood board. From here you'll see the feeling of triumph, multiple terrains and and colors involved with the thinking. From here on out all executions should follow this set of colors, moods and images.

And so it begins...

This last month of school I'm delving into a new project. It's entrepreneurial meets marketed meets designed. The assignment: create a new product and market it.

I am working with my friend Ellen on the project and after some brainstorming and coffee we decided to create an all-terrain, all-weather boot for Merrell outdoor company. First off, we need to decide what the boot has to be specifically. For example, we need to name it, have it appeal to multiple genders/audiences and design it realistically i.e. it needs to actually be a possibility and grounded in reality.

Here's our list of goals for the boot. Tonight we're sharing our sketches on the boot diagram and where we see the print and web ads going.

OPERATION: leave-behinds

As a designer looking for jobs and internships after graduation, I'm going to need an arsenal of leave-behinds for interviews. My idea for the project was to take my branding and make a mini portfolio with it, but include a fun element. I needed something to make people want to interact with my piece and I think I found the perfect way; Laurie Libs!

Essentially, my future employer opens this 5" x 7" tri-fold envelope and fills out a Mad Lib-like form, lifts up the sheet and then the phrase is revealed. In the pocket beneath the LaurieLib panel there are double sided cards with photos of my work and a mini resume. To tie it all in with my contact info I included my business card.