Fly in under the radar for a sneak peek at the latest goings-on here at Angel Bomb and inside my crowded cranium. You might find photos of a killer project about to hit the press, a rant about the state of design in the digital age, the inside scoop on an upcoming art opening, a recipe for succulent beef tenderloin in port-rosemary sauce, or something completely different.
The Blog is updated on a predictably unpredictable basis, so check back often to see what’s bubbling up to the surface.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
A Reception with King Kong
A couple recently came to me looking to have King Kong on their wedding reception invites and that part of the invite would punch out to become a coaster. These were people with vision! None of those stuffy store-bought invites for them; not this happy couple. They wanted something fun to celebrate their day and something fun is what they got. They were looking for a bit of a re-enactment of the original King Kong poster complete with diamond ring. What a great way to commemorate their day, by giving their friends and family something they could set a drink on and remember the occasion. Your invites don’t need to be stuffy and if you need help making them fun, drop us a line. By printing this on coaster stock we could get a really nice impression as well. Just check ‘em out.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Insuring your Table-top’s Finish
Right before the holidays, Beganik Design + Strategy came to me to print some coasters for one of their clients. A whole lotta coasters. They designed a set of four, vintage beer label-inspired coasters that had me hoppin’ on press for a few days. Two colors on the front, three on the back plus a die cut thrown in for good measure. Why don’t more insurance companies give out coasters for their clients? Now that’s a good question.
At the expense of embarrassing myself, I share the following in case you’ve ever wondered just how dedicated Angel Bomb is?” During a press check by my client, the little finger on my right hand happened to get caught in the press and was, as my doctor said, “pulverized.” The client got queazy at my forlorn digit, but I endured and the job was completed without further mishap. So be assured, when you hire Angel Bomb, neither rain, nor sleet, nor disfiguring injury will keep me from meeting your deadline.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Mind your own beeswax.
So here’s a project that was a blast to work on; start to finish. Often you get a project that has already been started and have to work with a bad name or bad design, and rarely do you get to build the whole kit and kaboodle, but not this time. Angel Bomb came up with the name of Worker B since these products are for us: the hard working peeps who work with our hands and occasionally need to give them a little relief. After the name was decided upon, next came the design and using an image of a bee was required by the client for obvious reasons. The design had to work across several different packages and we chose to use color to differentiate between the different products. The wanted the labels to emphasize the letterpress process they’d be printed with and so we used a honeycomb pattern that would give the products a nice tactile feel when you’re holding them. They also had to be not too girly, not too manly…just right. And I think we succeeded quite well, but check out the photos for yourself. They’re launching the products at the State Fair this year, so go hunt them down in the Agriculture/Horticulture Rotunda (section T 29 on the State Fair map) and treat your hands and body to something nice. The products are natural, local, and hand made. All in all, pretty damned sweet.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Hmmm, where can I set my beer?
It’s nearly quittin’ time in the studio and about time to crack a beer. It’s a good thing I printed up a whole heapin’ slew of these Letterpress Union Local 271 coasters! Following fast in the wake of the t-shirts come matching coasters. They possess the same cool illustration of a Chandler and Price 8×12 so detailed you can almost hear it clinking and clanking away. Letterpress Union members in good standing always set their beers on an appropriate coaster. We can’t have any condensation rings forming on the workbench, dontcha know. They’re also suitable for glasses containing rye, vodka, and even kool-aid. Stop on by during Art A Whirl in May and pick some up.
Friday, April 02, 2010
Promotional Folder
Recently, Stephanie Hynes, a great young fashion photographer, came to me with a desire to recreate the mood of vintage photo folders to use as promotional pieces. I followed the general shape and style of vintage folders but sized them up so she could fit 4×6 images in them. Her photography has a timeless elegance to it so I tried to maintain that with the design of the piece.
Using a large texture plate, I printed a light background color that would age the piece and give is some depth, helping it look worn from years of use. Then I designed and printed a great cameo on the front flap along with Stephanie’s contact information on the back. All this then got die cut and scored. Not only can you get beautiful pristine results with letterpress, but with using layers of ink you can also create a worn or aged look as well. The results are really only limited by your imagination.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Just in time for the weekend!
Ahhhh, it’s Saturday; time to crack open a cold one and take a long drink of hoppy goodness. But where o where shall I set it? How about right here on these nappy letterpress coasters designed by those creative kids at Thorn Creative! Printed on some hefty 35pt blotter paper, these die cut beauties will take all the abuse a weekend of drinking can dish out.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Thank you thank you thank you.
It’s that time of year again. The holidays have past and a new year is well underway. Time to send out a thank you to all the clients who helped make Angel Bomb a success and remind potential clients that there’s more than one letterpress joint in this town. If you’ve been a proud supporter, watch your mailbox for these nifty cards. Official Business is a new line launched by Angel Bomb and these cards give you a taste of what’s to come. We’re all busy and don’t have time to sit and write soliloquies to friends, loved ones, clients. Use these handy cards to share your thoughts in less time than it takes to send an email with a lot more personality.
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
New Year Good Fortune
Every year, the fantastic jeweler Karin Jacobson sends out cards to her clients and friends wishing them New Year Good Fortune. She used to send out actual charms that she’d make, but since she’s gotten so popular and making charms for that many people gets expensive, she’s had to settle for just sending cards. Or did she? This year’s holiday treat is a letterpress printed diamond you can pop out, put together and hang somewhere. That’s right, there’s no settling when you use Angel Bomb. Here I designed a paper construction that was a cinch to put together and looks good both when it’s put together and when it’s still in the card. Biodegradable and recyclable jewelry….sweeet!
