CURV (or Cars Under Retail Value) is an agency that helps consumers negotiate with dealers in order to save the consumer as much as possible. The owners of this startup are experienced (former) car salesmen. They bring their experience to the other side of the table.

Efficiency was a huge goal for this project. The logo needed to communicate freedom and the open road and have a connection with the automobile. The curved portion not only represents the road but the simplified shape of a car from the side. The colors chosen not only tie the logo to the color of the open road, but give an inviting warmth.

Joshua Balleza worked on this project throughout the exploration stages.

Completed September 2009

One of the goals of this project was to interpret some data and make a piece that was positive in nature. That is a little vague, but I really enjoyed working to find all kinds of information about postcards and how they affect people.

The layout has a handful of charts and graphs that support the idea that one postcard can make someones day better. In the back, the reader finds a number of tear-out postcards.

One of the challenges I faced was making a mock perfect bind. I wasn’t able to find any information on how to do it, so I had to invent my own little system. The short of it is that I used a hot glue gun and some clamps. It is surprisingly sturdy!

Completed June 2009

The assignment was to create a package design for Urban Farming. They are an organization that turns vacant lots into gardens and gives the food to the community (link). This included redesigning the logo and coming up with a product to package.

The product I chose was a window garden. This product includes a bag of soil and some packs of seeds.

In order to follow the model that U.F. is built upon, I decided to make the box so that it would actually work as the ‘planter box’. The package is built like a milk carton with a square top. The welded bottom and the waxy material allow the box to hold soil and water. It also acts to inspire the consumer to plan other things in recycled objects such as yogurt cartons and coffee cans, thus being a small scale version of the gardens planted by Urban Farming.

The box is a cube and is designed to work as a billboard when stacked. The boxes can be arranged showing different sides to create a display using nothing more than the product package itself (see the bottom image). In order to achieve this, I worked to turn the bar code into an image as well (a watering can pouring water).

Completed June 2009

This project was done for an information design class. We were not allowed to use any type. I really enjoyed working with the self-made textures and brushes that made this style work. The poster was printed digitally and mounted to foam core. Size is 18 by 24 inches.

project completed April 2009

This project was one of those fly-out-the-door projects. The client needed something quickly that would give potential clients a broad overview of who SustainaBuild is and what they do.

Due to budget constraints, the design had to follow a simple and over-used format: the tri-fold brochure. You will notice that the brochure works a bit like a two-page book. The two headlines read “Building green is simply better” and “Building green is a commitment to best practices” and you can see how the two headlines share “Building green is…”

This project represents both layout and typography skills.

Other SustainaBuild Projects: Logo and Website Design

This was a semester long project. We were given an object, chalk in my case, and were to take 100 photographs of it over the course of three months. We then were to find some text and create a book using 15-30 of the photos.

I chose to make something that means something to me. With chalk, I focused on literacy in developing nations. Two articles from the Economist are featured along side the photos I took. I put a lot of focus into the treatment of type and the layout of the book overall. I have just a few of the spreads pictured.

The chalk used in the photographs (about 20 boxes of chalk, with about 15 that weren’t destroyed) was given to the a worldwide humanitarian cause.

Completed December 2008

This was an enjoyable undertaking to say the least. SustainaBuild is one of those companies that has plenty of that not-so-common sense. They also understand the importance of design.

Sustainabuild was looking for a logo that represented their company as one that values the environment as much as excellent building and craftsmanship. By combining two simple, yet iconic symbols into the company’s initial, the logo presents a bold and pleasing look that has absolutely everything to do with SustainaBuild’s purpose. The website works to drive that message home (hah, get it?).

Completed February 2009

This was done in an effort to refine the logo and brand the site for FamilyLink’s daughter company, GenSeek.com. This site design wasn’t implemented, unfortunately, due to some structural changes in the company.

Completed February 2009

The client, an LA based denim company, was looking to revamp their web site. Tarrant Apparel Group wanted a web site to display their clothing to both consumers and retail chains, hoping to land their lines in more stores. Since their clothing was already sold at Macy’s, JCPenny’s and more, it was important that the new web site spoke to the fashion community.

Completed May 2008

Bio-Medics is a plasma collection company based out of LA. They have a hand full of plasma facilities around the nation.

I was asked by Bio-Medics to bring their brand up to date and build the a site that would be appealing to a younger crowd.

Design completed January 2009