Deans Painting Completed!

I finally finished Dean's painting for his living room. Over a year ago when he moved into his new house, he handed me a blank canvas and said "This is my house warming gift... can you paint me a picture to hang up." A year later, this is what I came up with.

I have been studying up on brand identity for the last year and have found there is still a difficulty clarifying the difference between a brand and logo for some people. What is the difference between the two? and does it really make a difference when the idea of growing or marketing your company comes into play? The answer is yes! There is a difference!


Brand
Definition from www.businessdictionary.com
Unique design, sign, symbol, words or a combinations of these, emplyed in creating an image that identifies a product and differentiates it from its competitors. Over time, this image becomes associated with a level of credibility, quality, and satisfaction in the consumer’s mind. Thus brands help harried consumers in crowded and complex marketplace by standing for certain benefits and value. Legal name for a brand is trademark and when it identifies or represents a firm, it is called a brand name.

Logo
Definition from www.businessdictionary.com

Recognizable and distinctive graphic design, stylized name, unique symbol, or other device identifying a business or organization. Also called logotype, it is affixed, included or printed on all advertising, buildings, communications, literature, products, stationery, and vehicles. Not to be confused with a brand, which identifies a product or family of products.

Creating just a logo is not sufficient anymore for a company or organization to get the image of their product or service out there. It's all about creating a Brand Identity now. It's about creating more than a design, a sign or symbol. It's about creating a lasting image, thought and emotion in our customers and future customers eyes.

All in All...

Brand Identity is the perceived emotional image of a company as a while and the guidelines a company follows to accomplish it.

Logos identifies a business or organization in its simplest form via the use of a symbol or mark.

Block Printing

Back in high school we got to do a block printing project in art class. Lately I have been wanting to try it again. This time though I wanted to start printing on clothes. I didn't get the right ink for clothes yet, so I stuck with just doing prints on paper. (I will be printing on clothes soon) After doing some reading, I thought acrylic paints would be the best choice since I was only doing a few prints with each block... and I already had them. Acrylic paints dry quicker than block printing inks, so when doing larger prints you may end up with partial prints. But to be honest I kind of like the look of the partial print.

Block printing takes a few steps. First step is to choose your type of block you want to use. There are several different options. I have seen anything from the traditional linoleum block to blocks of soap (kids), speedballs speedy stamp carving block to blocks of wood. I decided on trying both the speedy stamp and the traditional linoleum block. I recommend if you are a first timer to use the speedy stamp, I found it to be a lot easier to carve into. Next choose a design, use transfer paper to trace the image onto the block and then start carving. I used a speedball Linoleum cutter assortment which i purchased at Michaels for around $15.oo. And well, i am sure you can figure out the rest. This is what I came up with. Enjoy!

Traditional Linoleum Block and Cutting Assortment

Speedballs Speedy Stamp Carving Block

New Joy In An Old Passion

Over the last few weeks I have felt inspired to start painting again. Something I haven't done since before my brother passed away. The first painting I did was one of him. The picture was of him on Christmas day laying on the couch and I had just gotten a new camera and snapped a quick shot. The second painting was a self portrait. I am having a lot of fun getting back into it. My next painting, which I am looking forward too, it will be a surprise:) It is for the living room of one of my good friends.

Updated Website

I have been going over and over with designing a new website for Graphic Nineteen and every time I seem to have something I kind of like, I keep coming back to my original design. What I like about my site is the cleanness and simplicity of it. So what I decided to do instead of create a whole new site. I decided just to update my current one. Use the same layout and change some images, add in a new page "Services". I haven't updated my portfolio yet.. the last time was October so bear with me.