Happy Anniversary To My Favorite Flyboys (and Gals!)

In 2007, I decided to attend a kite festival in Wildwood, NJ and had my mind blown! I met the founding four members of iQuad and saw my first ever precision kite flying team! On FOUR lines no less!!! Little did I know that it was also a premier event for them as a team! I went home from that festival and immediately invested in a Revolution kite! I had dismal luck with 2 line sport kites in the past. Little did I know what I was getting myself into, but I HAD to try this! It was exactly the kiting zen I had been searching for!



Five years later, iQuad is celebrating their 5th Anniversary and 100th festival at the Borneo International Kite Festival in Bintulu, Malaysia! They have built their team up into a very well oiled machine consisting of 8 talented men and women with additional alternate members throughout the United States and Canada. Some of those amazing folk have gone on to form their own uniquely wonderful flying teams!



Five years later, I am obcessed with this sport and am a halfway decent "Rev" flier. I have met wonderfully creative people and made friends with fliers all over the globe who either already flew or had experienced The iQuad Effect themselves. I'd be insanely curious to know just how many people have picked up quad kite flying because they saw the magic of an iQuad performance.

I was quite honored when iQuad approached me to design their 5th Anniversary Logo! :D I wanted to create something appropriate that conveyed the fun and complexity of what they do. In my mind it also had to be as colorful as the individual personalities of it's team members.

I would like to wish the team a Very Happy Anniversary and most of all say THANK YOU for getting me off the ground!

Happy March!

http://www.zazzle.com/leshockarts/gifts?cg=196576609638505094

In honor of my birth month, I'm happy to announce that I've added iPhone cases to my Zazzle site! There are more designs coming in the days ahead. In the meantime please feel free to peruse the selection and add some awesome custom art to protect your phone! You might even find some cool apparel to match! iPad cases coming soon...

Small Business Saturday!

In honor of Small Business Saturday I've added quite a few new products to my online Zazzle shop! I have quite a variety of t-shirt designs, men's ties, mugs and drink ware available. I am particularly thrilled with the line of custom sneakers produced by Keds! I will be adding even more products in the next few days, both to my Zazzle shop and photography site so please stay tuned! Perhaps you'll find something cool for your loved ones this holiday season!


http://www.zazzle.com/leshockarts
Please note Zazzle's online coupon codes which appear at the top of the page!

Needless to say that I hope you all get out and patronize your local small businesses whether they be brick and mortar storefronts, independently owned restaurants, your local artisans or those with online shops and services like myself. There's nothing like giving back to your community businesses. Who understands your needs and gives you personal service better then they? As someone who has worked for small businesses all of my life I can tell you what a vital part of the economy they represent. Go save a local business today!

The Finished Product

When I worked for a printing company for many years, I was responsible not only for creating designs for our clients, but also the printing of those pieces as well. I literally took my design from concept to final product. It is an ability I sorely miss now that I have gone freelance. In today's global community, I can submit the final designs to my clients electronically across the globe. For as miraculous as that is, I rarely get to see the design in it's finished form. Furthermore I no longer have control over the print and color quality of my work and it frustrates me at times.

It is a thrill to me now when I get to see photos of my completed work. I am particularly pleased with the wind banners I have been designing lately. I created these personal banners for Ben Dantonio of Revolution Kites. These are successful designs on several levels. Not only do they convey Ben's personality, but they are also very easy to read from a distance. Case in point is this image from The Kite Loft's webcam during the Maryland International Kite Exposition. I cannot tell you how happy I was to see them in their intended environment! It was a double bonus for me as I had also spied the banners I had done for Team iQuad as well!

The Art of Logo Design

Logo creation has got to be one of the most esoteric forms of graphic design, I think. How to encapsulate the essence of someone's business and personality into one attractive and easy to read design? One of the most effective logos in history (in my opinion) is that of FedEx. Their fun colors contain a hidden arrow that suggests movement. The logo that I had created for myself is an amalgam of my personal interests into one symbol. I had wanted something creative and universal to cover the many aspects of my art and design.

Meaghan has started up a website for her business Ilus Elu (Estonian for Beautiful Life). She produces earth friendly spa and beauty products made with organic materials and green packaging. With her logo, I brought in graphic elements to represent the clean beautiful aspects of nature present in her line of products. I had also wanted to convey a sense of personal luxury. Which design did she choose? You'll have to visit her site to find out! http://www.iluselu.ca/

Happy Chinese New Year!

I am always inspired by holidays and traditions which allow you to reset yourself and start over. Life is a constant cycle always in motion. Nature reminds us of this on a daily basis.

Today's photography and graphic design work features a haiku from my long time friend, Jason Michael. Most people may be familiar with his theatrical and vocal work, but I'm hoping that you'll discover his writing in the near future as well. I highly encourage you to visit and attend his productions through the Shangri-La Theatre Company in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania.

First Order of Business: Cosmic Playground

It is entirely appropriate that my first real entry on this blog should be about Rod. Rod DeGeorge is an amazing guitarist who has been my mentor and friend over the years. When he approached me to design the package for his first solo Cd, needless to say I was thrilled!!! :D

These are selected images from that package.* The original photography, done by Rick Sweitzer, I had altered to suit this project. Repeated images and subtle colors from the front cover are woven in.

As a designer, one of the things highly important to me is matching my client's personal style and vision for their projects. I can create images that are colorful and complex, that are clean classic and simple, or subtly in between. Rod is also a part of the band Burnt Sienna*. Where their poster design is fun and playful, Rod's is more rich and I hope conveys a sense of the joyful spirituality in his playing.

Check out Rod's new Cd, Cosmic Playground on the web!:
http://www.degeorgemusic.com/
http://www.myspace.com/roddegeorge

There is more on my website.*