Fowled Up Logo

A friend of mine who creates logo's and occasionally sends graphic work my way asked for assistance with a logo. A client of his has an organization that is involved with ducks and duck callers and requested for a logo to be made. My friend created the duck in the logo but said the clients didn't want the font he had selected. They asked him to go crazy with the font. So being a busy man my friend sent the project my way with permission to go crazy.
I decided that since the organization was linked to duck hunting that I should include a font that appeared to be the result of someone target shooting with a shotgun. I found a font that I thought was appropriate. But needed some tweaking to meet the vision I had.
I rastorized the font so that I could manipulate it and warp it into it's current shape. I then added several items that my friend had suggested (he is a duck hunter so he had a good idea regarding duck hunting paraphernalia). Those items were: a lanyard, some duck callers (which is the purpose of the lanyard...to hold the hunters duck callers) and some duck bands (duck bands are the metal bands that various conservation agencies tag ducks with to track their migratory routes. When a duck hunter bags a duck with a band they place the band on their lanyard as a trophy of sorts.)
To finish off the graphic I included a shot pattern from a shotgun. Thus incorporated the shotgun motif as well as balancing out the logo. So I submitted my work and needless to say the clients loved it.
This version is a low rez 72 dpi version of the final graphic. The final version was a 300 dpi,, vector image. I used Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator for this project.

Tintype Effect

Tintype is a photograph made by creating a direct positive on a sheet of iron metal that is blackened by painting, lacquering or enameling and is used as a support for a collodion photographic emulsion. An interesting trivial aspect is that tin wasn't used.
psd.tutsplus.com has a tutorial to mimic this photography style. Rather than utilize the photograph they had I used one of my own. It's a fairly easy effect to apply. Also the tutorial utilized some concrete texture for effect. I decided to use a metal texture as it is more in keeping with the actual Tintype effect.

April 2012

Need a calendar for April 2012? Here you go. This graphic is 1366 x 768 pixels. We all know that April showers bring May flowers. I'm sure you know what's coming for May's calendar.

Urban Hunter

I came up with this concept when I saw a new tutorial on psd.tuts. I like the look of their project but I always try to make it a little different when I'm designing it, as it helps me better learn the tips and techniques they are teaching. In several states they actually allow urban hunting, although generally you have to use a bow. So I played off of that theme and had some fun with it.

Time To Hunt

Are you the hunter or the hunted? Time to get prepared.

A Royal Text Effect

I came across this text effect at psd.tutsplus.com. I thought it presented as very regal. I was reminded of the various techniques available to achieve a certain look. The name of the font is Xenippa which they obtained from dafont.com. In the tutorial they also had a link to a website that provides a variety of useful patterns. That blog is called webtreats ETC. The blog also has links to other PhotoShop resources, Icon's, Textures.

At any rate I am always pleased when a tutorial works as intended. I only found one error and it may have been due to a difference in PhotoShop versions.

Confederate Skull with crossed pistols

A client saw a graphic that was similar but preferred crossed .45 Colt's to crossed bones. So I created this graphic in Photoshop for him. I obtained the wings from all-silhouettes.com. I drew the skull myself. And I obtained the colt's from a photograph and posterized them. I also had to elongate the pistol barrels on the colts to make them more visible.

SFN Welcome Video

I created this video to serve as a transition to start the worship services at SFN Church. You can also view it on youtube here. I had fun creating this video I created all the artwork myself, using my Wacom pad to draw the images in PhotoShop. For some objects I google a picture and then used them as an inspiration to draw from. I'll be tweaking this video somewhat but this is close to being finished.

In Like a Lion

Coal Energy Facts

I created this spec ad for coal to highlight the benefits the USA receives from coal. Many people don't realize how much energy we obtain from coal. Not to mention the variety of other products that coal is to to create. And yet the EPA is trying to limit the use of coal by adding burdensome regulations to it's use and transportation. The USA has so much coal it is consider the Saudi Arabia of coal. Coal is one of the cheapest forms of energy available. The price does not fluctuate like oil does. And with the new technology available the use of coal is getting cleaner and cleaner.

Leave it to the monkeys

As I read this Psalm today I had this image of the mechanical monkey come to my mind. As well as this variations to the statement that Jesus made in Luke 19:40 regarding the rocks crying out, if we failed to praise God.

Back to School Bash Event

SFN Church held a "Back to School Bash" event as a means of ministering to it's community. The event was open to anyone in the community with school age children. The event provided free backpacks and school supplies, as well as a free children's haircut that was donated onsite by a local salon. Everyone who came was fed a meal and drink. Games were provided for the children. I shot footage of the event with my  Canon GL2 from which I compiled this video of the event. And edited it on Adobe Premiere Pro. I produced the work in 4:3 aspect since the churches presentation system uses this aspect.

SFN Video Brand

I created this video brand to use in all the video's I created for SFN Church. It highlights the core values of SFN Church. Reach. Connect. Grow. And then the SFN logo rotates in through it's cross, which provides the churches focuses. Ultimately finishing with the entire logo being seen.

31 Years

Thirty One Years of Marriage. And the dance goes on!

Portrait of my Wife

31 years of marriage to a lovely lady.

Portrait of a dog

Here is a Photoshop portrait of my pet, Lita. No filters used. Just pen, paint brush.

Below is the original photograph. As a model.

Mexico Mission Trip 2011

Title mock up graphic for a video to be shown at SFN church highlighting all that went on during the Mexico Mission trip this summer.
Here is a link to the video I created for this trip and is posted on Youtube. Click here. to watch it.

Rows of people in chairs

Drew this graphic to be used in a video I am working on. These are people sitting in chairs.

Cultivator

Developing some concept art to go along with a theme of cultivating yourself spiritually. Some of these will be incorporated into a video I am developing.

Four Friends

A drawing of four Spanish friends hanging out. Once again I utilized my Wacom pad to draw this picture. As I drew this in Photoshop based on a photo I found on the internet, I enjoyed choosing colors to keep the Spanish feel of the people in the photo. I wanted to insure my work was true to the warmth I felt in the picture.