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.
Friday, October 07, 2011
Typographical Maps
Jeesh, it’s been a while since we’ve posted anything to this poor neglected blog. For those of you who come here to keep tabs on what’s going on at Angel Bomb, we apologize, the presses have been humming and work has been flying out the door! A little while back we printed up some amazing typographical maps for the fine folks at Axis Maps down in Texas. They create these insanely detailed maps that use typography instead of lines to dictate streets and roads. It’s a perfect application for letterpress since all these details get pressed into the paper giving the maps a gorgeous texture. If you know anyone living in New York or San Francisco these would make a great gift!
Monday, August 22, 2011
Fusepilot
We just printed up some süper-sweet business cards for Michael Delaney of Fusepilot, an excellent motion graphics and web design firm. He recently created a new identity and wanted it to look sharp. We worked his designer to figure out how best to get the effect he was looking for. We printed silver ink on 4-ply matte board and put down some acid green foil for his name along with matching edge painting. Against the stark black, the green really pops, giving these understated cards a heavy dose of cool. The sheer thickness of the cards are impressive and anyone who receives one of these should feel honored enough to hang it above their fireplace. Seriously, they are that cool and I think he’s bound to impress with them. If you’re thinking of business cards; remember, they’re an integral part of your first impression and you shouldn’t cut corners. Give Angel Bomb a call and we can help you as your plan your design or do all the heavy lifting for you.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Design United
This Spring, Angel Bomb was invited to participate in Target Corporation’s Design United project. Local artists of all ages were asked to interpret the bullseye logo for a series of window displays in downtown Minneapolis. The display is a huge collage of bullseye logos, some small and some quite large. I’ve got four letterpress design pieces in the mix, including one huge one. Check ‘em out.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Official Business
I write notes to myself; copious amounts of notes. From ‘get milk’ to ideas for projects that I’m currently working. Sure, I could put all these into my iPhone, of course, but there’s something nice about having a record of what I’ve written in an analog format. I still have sketchbooks that date back to college allowing me to go back and look at logo ideas or plotlines that I developed years ago. That’s why I recently added a journal to the Official Business line of products! It’s pocket sized and just like your favorite jeans, these babies soften with age. I’ve currently got at least five of them going, all for different purposes. I’ve got one for Astronomical Observations, one for Clients, one for General, etc. Not only can you put things in your head down on paper, like the cover proclaims, but you can also write a couple notes to other people on the included Official Communication cards that are included! So when that jerk-off steals your parking space, go ahead and write them a very official looking note and put it on their windshield. They are letterpress printed in glorious black and white and include all the humourous little details you come to expect from Angel Bomb. Check out the store and buy one, you’ll be glad you did!
Tuesday, June 07, 2011
2011 Artcrank Poster Show
This year’s Artcrank bicycle themed poster show has come and gone already, but since I didn’t write about it previously, it’s high time I do it now! As a former competitive cyclist, I’ve logged a lot of miles on my bikes; enough to go around the world and then some more. I’ve had more than my share of run-ins with idiot drivers who think that cyclists don’t belong on the road. They’ve yelled at me, they’ve thrown stuff, and they’ve driven right into me, wrecking both bikes and bones. This poster is a pretty good visualization of how I feel about those people when I ride. It’s a good thing I’m not armed as this would be the outcome; I’d probably get locked up and then who’d entertain you with design and letterpress stories? Share the road, people.
Tuesday, June 07, 2011
AIGA Award Winner
Worker B has consistently garnered praise about the design so this year I felt obliged to enter into some design competitions. Lo and behold, Angel Bomb brought home an award at the 2011 AIGA MN Design Awards for the packaging for Worker B. Huzzah! I have mixed feelings about the award scene as they should be promoting the value of good design to the public rather than to the designers themselves. We as creatives know good design pays, why not show the people we’re trying to convince that it’s worth spending money on good design to heighten your brand and get noticed? Show them what’s possible with a little effort. Anyway, it feels good to have this award sitting on my shelf. Now all I need is an Oscar. Another project for Hello the House, designed by Christiansen Creative and printed by Angel Bomb received an award as well. It’s gonna be a banner year!
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Trainspotting
Here’s a project that’s been a long time coming in making it to the light of day! Book projects can be quite lengthy, especially when the author isn’t done with the manuscript when you get the call to start designing. Even so, this has turned into a fantastic display piece that you can flip through when you’re in the studio. I worked with my old friend Judy, a world-class typesetter, who put the guts of the book together and asked for my help with the cover and graphic elements on the interior. Vintage trains were pretty easy to wrap my head around and come up with a visual language for. In some ways, these locomotives remind me of the old presses I print with: same era, similar heavy, clunky, metal design, and they’re relics of days gone by appreciated by fewer and fewer people. There’s a lot to be said about learning from the past and I think there’s a lot to be gained from appreciating it as well: looking back and seeing where we came from and how we got to be where we are today. We may not ride trains as much as our ancestors did, but they’re a part of our history and I’m honored to help bring this fine book together to show some of that.
Wednesday, March 02, 2011
Heimies New Website
There’s no getting around the fact that I love print; I have three printing presses straining the floor joists behind me. But I do work in the realm of the internets as well. I used to be an Art Director at a local web firm and though it’s been a few years, I still have some web skills up my sleeve. My most dapper of clients, Heimie’s Haberdashery, badly needed a new website. Their old site did nothing for promoting their brand as a premium clothier and maker of fine luggage but the new site shows off some of the sumptuousness of the store and is a great resource for style tips on looking your best. Even when I spiff myself up a bit to pay them a visit, I feel a little like the kid wearing hand-me-downs to school. If you want to look gooooood, I’d highly recommend paying them a visit. And make sure to tell Anthony how much you like the new site!
