working class designer

Prize Fight

noreply@blogger.com (denherder) — Wed, 30 May 2012 20:27:00 +0000

Over the past year I've had the sincere pleasure of working with one of my childhood heros, pro skater and serial entrepreneur
Tony Magnusson. Tony and his wife Monica own a San Diego based Toy & Game company called Mindtwister USA which was started after Tony and his partner Mathias Ringstrom discovered a Swedish game called Pentago. Today MTUSA has grown into a unique and prolific Toy & Game company with over 1 million copies of Pentago sold as of 2011.

Last year was the debut of the Annual Pentago Tourney at Gen Con in Indianapolis. I had the opportunity to design the branding for this epic event.

All Images ©MindtwisterUSA

Socially responsible toys designed by you...

noreply@blogger.com (denherder) — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 09:15:00 +0000

My two young boys love heirloom toys and puzzles… Finding open-ended educational toys that nurture their creativity is important to us as young parents. Over the past year I have had the pleasure of working with Barbera Aimes, founder and president of ImagiPLAY Toys of Boulder, CO. ImagiPLAY was first in the toy industry to launch an eco-friendly line. Her mission was to create a company that would inspire children's imaginations while staying socially responsible in all aspects of the business...

Once in awhile a company will come up with a great idea that brings together strong entrepreneurial vision, social responsibility and product innovation all wrapped up in well defined business model. For a great idea to take shape it usually needs to consist of a team who's whole is greater than the sum of all their talents. The leader of this team will see all of the players as key contributors not just dispensable employees. ImagiPLAY is a progressive company that is about to put product design and creation back into the hands of the consumers themselves.
Imagiplay believes in the power of parents, grandparents, student, old and young using their creativity to help children develop (not just the toy executives in a board room).... so keep your eyes peeled for the launch of their new progressive community.

About ImagiPLAY
ImagiPLAY products have been recognized by the media, children’s advocacy groups, and parents’ organizations for their outstanding quality, design and ability to inspire imagination. It has received awards from Parenting Magazine, Creative Child Magazine, Dr. Toy, Parents’ Choice Foundation and many other well-respected groups. But most importantly, ImagiPLAY’s products have helped thousands of children worldwide to discover themselves and their world as they navigate the waters of the human Age of Exploration.
So allow us to inspire YOUR creativity and we’ll produce YOUR toys!

For more info more info on the upcoming launch, check out:
Facebook/Imagiplay
Twitter @Imagipla y
Blog/ImagiplayToys.com

DHD in Novum Magazine

noreply@blogger.com (denherder) — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 03:10:00 +0000

The July issue of Novum Magazine arrived this week and there is a 4 page showroom of DHD! I'm so honored to have my work in this incredible publication. A big thanks to Lanny Sommese and Betina Schultz for making it happen. Novum has been winning awards in Europe for it's beautiful print production techniques for years... get your hands on an issue, it's a true work of art. You can also download archives at No vumnet.de.

Download a pdf of the full DHD article he re .

The History of Novum

We would like to invite you to take a jouney through time. Into an era when toasters, steam irons, electric shavers and sellotape had not yet been invited. There were no antibiotics , no quartz watches, no autobahns and no biros. That year was 1924, and Germany still had not a single traffic light (that came later, in 1926 in Berlin). It was the year of the first flight around the world – even though it was in 57 stages! And it was the year Gebrauchsgrafik was founded, the year today's novum World of Graphic Design was born.

Eighty five years are for novum much more than a long period of ups and downs, they are eightyfive years of outstanding design services and life stories. A look into the novum archive reveals a broad swathe of contemporary and design history, a collection of well researched articles on people who have had a common goal – to design their invironment, to give it form, to shape the zeitgeist, and thus perhaps to make their mark on history.

-Novum Magazine

The Mysterious Creatures Project :: A Multi-Cultural Adventure

noreply@blogger.com (denherder) — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 13:57:00 +0000

When I was a young boy, (before my interest in skateboards or girls) I liked to collect insects, play with Legos, and draw pictures of dinosaurs. When I went to school my very first book report was on the “Loch Ness” monster. I was so intrigued by this mysterious creature, and would spend hours in the library looking for info on its possible existence. After that report I wanted more than anything, for Nessie to be real, and wondered what other mysteries of nature existed in other parts of the world. What became so exciting for me wasn’t just the elusive creature, but the search itself...

When my wife and I found out we were having our first son Jonah, I was inspired to do something with some old sketches I had of Bigfoot, the Loch-Ness monster, and giant squids. I wanted to create a unique brand that would nurture his curiosity in other cultures and embrace his creativity. The sketchpad concept shortly evolved into a new collection of multi-cultural, iconic, graphical characters from 16 different countries. What’s so fascinating about these 16 creatures is that fact that some are scientifically proven and some are yet to be discovered, but all of them are iconic to their country or region and have fascinating stories behind them.

I also wanted to create a hip kid’s brand that was socially responsible and could help support some worthy causes like CommonThreadz.org… We’re currently working on a program that will truly engage both the consumer and the retailer in making a difference in the lives of impoverished children globally.

Stay tuned for some great new products from the Mysterious Creatures™ project, including coloring books, a travel game, organic wood puzzle sets, kids clothing and some custom graphic textiles… (Travel game set to debut this summer, and be available in specialty boutiques by Christmas)… Check out MysteriousCreaturesPlay.com for more info and project updates….

Mysterious Creatures™ and all associated logos and illustrations are trademarks of DenHerder Design. ©2010 DenHerder Design LLC

The DFG Project :: ActionProfiles.com

noreply@blogger.com (denherder) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 02:04:00 +0000

Thanks to everyone who helped get the Design for Good project off the ground. We have been getting submissions from all over the world. It's great to see the youth stepping up to support a good cause. A big thanks to Zac Folk and Monica Staniec for the extra PR muscle. Check out the press from Transworld and WIAS.

Design For Good – Get Creative for African Orphans

Common Threadz a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, has partnered with Action Profiles to create the Design For Good campaign to benefit orphans and vulnerable children in South Africa. Action Profiles will be hosting a design contest with its action sports community to create a new shirt design for Common Threadz’s line of stylish, eco-friendly apparel. The theme of the contest is “hope”. Common Threadz will sell the winning designs, with 100% of funds raised going to the orphans; no funds will be diverted for administration.

“Common Threadz is one of those rare non-profits that is extremely effective in their mission while staying relevant to youth culture,” explains AP Co-Owner Jesse DenHerder. “Action sports athletes are creative by nature and ActionProfiles is a perfect venue to harness it.” Zac Folk, founder of CommonThreadz added, “It’s great to be working with Action Profiles on this project and to witness how the nonprofit and private sector can work together in a win-win fashion. We’re excited to see the designs and hope to make this an annual contest.” AP has also put together an elite team of judges who will be announcing the winning design including:

Monica Staniec - Board member of WIAS (Women in Action Sports) and VP of Marketing at iMa, a marketing and PR agency that targets the actions sports, art, music and fashion markets. Monica is also an active Snowboarder and enjoys surfing.

Luiz Calado – Photographer, writer and award winning editor, Luiz’s work has been published in many US and Brazilian publications including Thrasher, Tribo, SKT, Veja, and Yeah! Magazine. With degrees in Communications and Photojournalism, Luiz blends insight and ingenuity in his reporting, while remaining true to his skateboarding roots.

Wendy Burkman – Co-Founder/producer of the Wanda Show and media personality for ActionProfiles.com. Wendy is also a talented singer/songwriter and model.

The Design For Good T-shirt design competition kicks off on Nov. 1st. Submissions are welcome from November through January 20th, 2009 and we encourage artists from all over the world to submit their entries. The winner will receive national exposure as an artist/humanitarian, and a generous prize package from our sponsors, including watches, headphones, apparel and much more. Presentations to the winner and commercialization of the T-shirt designs will take place in January. For more info go to: www.actionprofiles.com/designforgood or www.commonthreadz.org

There's still time to submit some artwork... for more info check out: ActionProfiles.com/DesignForGood or CommonThreadz.org/DesignForGood.

I'm also very honored to have the original DFG logo used for one of CommonThreadz new line of African inspired shirts. With every Africa Series T-Shirt you purchase, Commonthreadz is able To feed an orphan for 1 month. An awesome gift idea this Holiday season!

Jeremy Mason

noreply@blogger.com (denherder) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:39:00 +0000

As an overprotective big brother, I've been very blessed to have cool brother in-laws. My younger sister Kristen married a pretty neat guy named Jeremy Mason. Jeremy's a great catch, he has everything I could want in a brother-in-law: he's funny, in a band, likes handcrafted beer, has awesome taste in music & films, good fashion sense, etc... oh yeah and most importantly, he's really good to my little sis.
Jeremy also happens to be a very talented up & coming artist. I love the rawness of his work, and his use of graphical elements. I was lucky enough to get a piece of his work for our living room, and I'm hoping to get my hands on some more at his upcoming show...

Jeremy will be having his first solo show in Nov. at the Creole Gallery in Lansing , MI

Event: Creole Opening Show
Start Time: Sunday, November 1 at 1:00pm
End Time: Sunday, November 1 at 4:00pm
Where: 1218 Turner St, Lansing, MI, 48906

Check out his Blog or Facebook/JeremyMasonGallery

Cover Illustration :: Brain, Child Magazine

noreply@blogger.com (denherder) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 16:42:00 +0000

I was recently asked to illustrate the cover for the upcoming Fall issue of Brain, Child Magazine. I pulled my inspiration from a recent situation that revealed the true vulnerability of our son Jonah. The Illustration was created with pencil, acrylic ink, scanned images and Photoshop. A big thanks the the talented staff at Brain, Child for consistently creating such an honest and relevant publication for Moms and Dads. Not many Family magazines have the courage to write about real-life parenting issues. Brain, Child is distributed in independent bookstores, Barnes & Noble superstores and Borders, with subscribers from every state and as far away as Sweden, Egypt, and Hong Kong.

Give a Dam :: Updates

noreply@blogger.com (denherder) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 00:54:00 +0000

Thanks to everyone who has stepped up to support the Give a Dam project. The response from the AP community has been tremendous, and we're happy to finally have some images up from Shawn's trip: ActionProfiles.com/GiveaDam. It's inspiring to see so many youth get behind this effort. In less than 1 month the first fresh water reservoir dam will be in full production. The 4 acre dam will feed newly engineered irrigation lines and sustain over 8,500 men, women, and children. Stay tuned for more info on the progression of the campaign, including availability of the limited edition T-shirts, and wakeboards.

Its $10 a year to rent space on the side of a building in Kebweze, Kenya, that includes the paint and labor. Our team paid more because they did such a great job... I love this image!

For more info check out: InOurOwnQuietWay.org
Be sure to follow the GAD project on Twitter: @SupportGiveaDam

Give a Dam :: Kenya, Africa 2009

noreply@blogger.com (denherder) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 02:46:00 +0000

Here's a sneak peak at ActionProfiles.com humanitarian campaign for InOurOwnQuietWay.org. Building reservoir dams in Kenya and filming an action sports film to promote the cause. What an honor to be part of this....

ActionProfiles.com along with Quiet Way will be raising money and awareness to the drought problem in Kenya. Every day young Kenyan people (mostly female) have to travel up to 10 miles each way to retrieve water for cooking and drinking. (Which is where the silhouette of the Kenyan women with the water jug on her head become so recognizable.) QW is working to build dams that would take water from the streams a create a reservoir in the dry season to eliminate the need for leaving children behind most of the time unattended for hours to fetch more water, not to mention the sickness and exhaustion experienced by these women during the trek. These reservoirs would keep fresh water during the drought season to make life for Kenyans healthier, more convenient, and most importantly eliminate the need for leaving children unattended unnecessarily. The quality of the water in our dam's will be 200 times more sanitary as well.
For more info check out: InOurOwnQuietway.org

Editorial Illustration :: No-Fly List

noreply@blogger.com (denherder) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:45:00 +0000

I recently had the pleasure of illustrating an essay for Brain, Child Magazine's summer issue. The essay was called "Baby Grounded" written by Sarah Zapolsky, who tells the story of her innocent, 11 month old son who gets put on the TSA No-Fly list. Unreal...

Rucksack Films LLC :: ICO MEISHI Books

noreply@blogger.com (denherder) — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 01:14:00 +0000

A DHD business card design for Rucksack Films LLC, was chosen for the artistic business card book MEISHI, "Little Graphic Art Gallery Of The World".
This 272 page hard cover book, with jacket, is printed in full color.
MEISHI is overflowing with hundreds of examples of artistic business cards, from 28 countries around the world. For a preview of MEISHI please visit www.1worl dart.com

Thanks Coroflot!

noreply@blogger.com (denherder) — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 23:36:00 +0000

One of my favorite design sites, Coroflot.com has featured one of DHD's latest promotional pieces! When it comes to design/portfolio sites, Coroflot has one of the most respected in the industry. With a clean user interface, insightful blog, and amazing global talent, Coroflot is a must for any designer's self-promotion strategy.

New Projects....

noreply@blogger.com (denherder) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 23:51:00 +0000

I recently took on a cool new venture/side project by acquiring an online action sports community called ActionProfiles.com. I've thoroughly enjoyed skateboarding & snowboarding for years, and always admired the "community" vibe that riders embrace. Our vision for AP is to rebuild a more core environment for the riders as well as the brands that advertise with us.

Since we weren't immediately re-branding the website, we wanted to add our thumbprint to any new material we sent out. So I came up with an idea for a business card, using the scratched underside of a skateboard; one of the rawest elements I could think of. The final card was a unique example of a riders experience but also effective visually.

Zeixs Design Books :: Germany

noreply@blogger.com (denherder) — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 17:53:00 +0000

I recently had some work published in "Best of Poster Design" and "Letterhead & Business Cards", by German publisher Zeixs Books. Check them out for some inspiring work from across the globe.

Zeixs – the portal for interactive books for designers – founded by the publishing house Feierabend Unique Books and the design agency 12ender. What is zeixs about? It’s about the fusion of online and printed media. Both forms complement each other. Zeixs is about all forms and fields of graphic design – from typography, illustration and photography to animation and industrial design.

zeixs.com

Thanks Mr. Harper

noreply@blogger.com (denherder) — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 04:36:00 +0000

As a new Father, there are many rewards. Watching Jonah go from a swaddling infant to a rambunctious, curious toddler, has been one of the greatest joys in our lives. As a big fan of children's literature, I have thoroughly enjoyed buying Jonah hip, quality board books. So you can imagine my excitement when I came across CHARLEY HARPER ABC'S by Ammo Books.

The late Charley Harper (1922-2007), is one of my favorite illustrators of all time. His geometric, graphical depictions of nature were clean and vibrant. He often described his work as "minimal realism", a style emulated by many artists of today. In 2001 Designer Todd Oldham collaborated with Mr. Harper to create "An Illustrated Life" a complete retrospective of his career. Get the limited edition set through Ammo Books... it's a must have for any design, art or children's book collection.

Dil's Home Foundation

noreply@blogger.com (denherder) — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 05:29:00 +0000

I recently had the honor of working on an identity for Dil's Home Foundation, a brand new non-profit organization benefiting impoverished families and children in the rural village of Bandipur, Nepal.

We wanted to incorporate some elements of Nepali culture with a symbol for hope.... The lamp turned out to be the favorite mark. Please give DHF your support by checking out their online presence: Facebook or Myspace, new website coming soon...

Contact:

Nichole Myer
Dil's Home Foundation, Inc.
9449 S. Kedzie Ave., #318
Evergreen Park, IL 60805
nichole.myer@dilshomefoundation.com
info@dilshomefoundation.com

Don Pendleton Documentary

noreply@blogger.com (denherder) — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 22:25:00 +0000

I recently picked up the fascinating new documentary about designer/illustrator Don Pendleton. Don was the graphical genius behind one of the most respected brands in skateboarding, Alien Workshop. Over the past 10 years skateboarding has grown into a multi-million dollar industry, which skeptics say has turned a once trendsetting counter-culture into a trend-chaser. Through these changes and into the present, Don's clean lines and un-compromised work remains some of the best to ever grace skateboarding. Don Pendleton works from his home near Dayton Ohio, far from the California hustle. Check out some of his work at elephont.com

Whether you love skateboarding or just good design, go pick up a copy of Little Giants/Don Pendleton for some serious inspiration. (Also has a great soundtrack, check out the trailer.)

so sweet...

noreply@blogger.com (denherder) — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 04:51:00 +0000

Sweet Dreams is world class specialty bakery headquartered in Colma, California headed by Executive Pastry Chef, Rebecca Lugtu. Last year Rebecca contacted me about the opportunity to help re-brand her company. I was so honored, especially considering all the amazing west coast studios that were right at her fingertips!
So after a few phone calls and emails we embarked on a remote working relationship. Rebecca's amazing work ethic and creative input made this a dream project. The outcome was a new clean identity that reflected Sweet Dream's mission to create memorable, delicious, and stylish desserts.

Not only is Rebecca a talented business woman, she's devoted to the social issues effecting her community in greater San Francisco. Sweet Dreams has volunteered and donated to many local non-profits including homeless shelters school fundraisers and various healthcare foundations to help service the sick and poor. Check out Sweet Dreams Shop.

La Femme Monkita

noreply@blogger.com (denherder) — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 00:26:00 +0000

My good friend Kirsten Buys is beyond cool. Not only did she introduce me to my awesome wife Tara... but she is an incredible photographer, writer, journalist and creative entrepreneur. Her new company La Femme Monkita is a myriad of her stylish handmade knit goods. Beautiful hand dyed scarves, neck warmers, wraps, shawls, and blankets are just a few of her incredible creations. Brooke Vanderbaan and myself had the pleasure of creating the La Femme branding, identity and hang tags. The result was a great compliment to Kirsten's unique style.

Be sure to check out La Femme Monkita at the up and coming Detroit Urban Craft Fair which hosts 50+ of the most talented DIY artists and crafters in the Midwest. Saturday Nov. 15, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Fillmore Detroit (formerly The State Theatre.)

LaFemmeMonkita.etsy.com

Business Facilitation...

noreply@blogger.com (denherder) — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 13:57:00 +0000

New client the Vill age Circle Company is taking business facilitation to a whole new level. I have had a blast working with Cary Paul and his dynamic team on creating a brand/web presence that encapsulates their unique vision for effect change management, corporate training and facilitation. Check out their site for more info: villagecirclecompany.com

Welcome to your new skateshop....

noreply@blogger.com (denherder) — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 14:45:00 +0000

Whether it's checking out the newest video, stopping in to replace a kingpin, gripping a new deck or just to grab a handful of stickers, there's nothing like a local core skateshop.

Unfortunately due to the internet and discount sporting good outlets, these shops are struggling to stay in business. I am definitely all for change and progression, but there is a type of experience that comes with having a community skate shop, (or any type of specialty shop, record store, or boutique) that cannot be emulated with a computer screen or a big box discount store.

My friend Jeremy who owns Downtown Skateshop (one of the last skater owned and operated shops in Northwestern Michigan), wanted to create a tongue-in-cheek
board graphic as a statement to the "fast & cheap" image of the industry.

"Welcome to your new skateshop" limited edition run on 7-ply maple, available at:

Downtown Skateshop
102 S. Union St.
Traverse City, MI 49684
phone: 231.995.down (3696)
DowntownSkateMI.com

Buy Local

noreply@blogger.com (denherder) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 01:39:00 +0000

Rodger Dewey is a farmer and business man who lives on 350 acres with his family in northwestern lower Michigan. I recently had the pleasure of designing a new identity and product packaging for his Antrim County farm specializing in Grass Fed Beef. When I first started this project we would often meet at Short's Brewery for beers and to discuss his mission behind raising animals the way Mother Nature intended.
His story is a labor of love and his beef is the result of forty years of trying to produce slow, natural food with true integrity. Rodger's cattle receive no hormones, no grain, and are never confined to feed lots.

I grew up eating grocery beef but never really tasted red meat until I tried Rodger's grass fed beef. Check out his blog: Buy Local Beef.

Tributaries

noreply@blogger.com (denherder) — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 21:01:00 +0000

Please join us for the opening of Tributaries Contemporary Gallery located in Central Lake, Michigan, about 3o minutes northeast of Traverse City. Representing working contemporary artists from the midwest.

Showing a wide range of mediums including: Mixed Media, Sculpture, Ceramics, Fine Jewelry, Paintings and Limited Edition Prints. Artist include: Jeff Krino, Kim Hergert, Scott Nelles, Jesse Riesmeyer, Andrew Krino, John Miller, Steve Toornman, Meredith Krell, Jesse DenHerder, and many more.

Tributaries prides themselves in quality and thought provoking artwork.

Grand Opening Reception
on April 26, 2008
from 4-7pm.

2134 South Main St. - Central Lake, MI
(one block south of downtown on M-88)
Light refreshments served.

About The Founder

Rachel Krino, 29, is currently a graphic designer with Northbound Publications & Graphics in Central Lake. Rachel is a trained videographer and photographer, who carries a Master of Arts degree in Media Management from Ohio University. Her thesis entitled, “Digitizing Grassroots: How to start a non-profit media arts center in rural America,” is aimed at bringing arts education to underserved populations.

She has been highly active with local arts programming and development over the last 5 years. Before moving to Michigan, she was the Director of Foothills School of American Crafts in Nelsonville, Ohio. There she coordinated all efforts of the non-profit organization to achieve its mission of “Economic development through quality arts education and marketing.” While at Foothills School, she facilitated the development of a two-year associates degree in American Craft Design and Marketing with Hocking College (http://www.hocking.edu).

During her time in Nelsonville, she worked with local organizers to revitalize the downtown area through a collaborative arts initiative. The group created a monthly gallery walk called “Final Fridays” (www.finalfridays.com). Other projects include the development of Majestic Galleries (a contemporary arts gallery), Athens Area Arts Alliance (board member), and Team Nelsonville (a community group designated by the Appalachian Regional Commission).

Rachel believes strongly in the arts as a way of educating and developing a community both culturally and economically. She hopes to bring her knowledge and enthusiasm through continued advocacy in northern Michigan.

Jeff Krino's Artist Statement

My work is a combination of acrylic and enamel paints, spray paint, and found objects. The assembled sculptures are born through the integration of these materials with one another onto a wood panel. I utilize bone, rubber, wood, sinew, and various types of metal. All of the objects are recycled.

I aim to reveal the unseen beauty within these otherwise everyday objects, and to bring to attention the undeniable human impact on our natural surroundings. I question what is natural.

Each piece is an attempt to answer this, and in the end, becomes anything but natural. This work is a fabrication of my surrounding environment. It is an illusion that visually redefines an animal bone, a slab of rubber, or an old rusty piece of metal. It is an ode to all objects.

Brain, Child Magazine

noreply@blogger.com (denherder) — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 02:54:00 +0000

New editorial illustration for the Spring '08 issue of
Brain, Child: The Magazine for Thinking Mothers
(& Fathers). Brain, Child is not your typical "parenting"
magazine. The content is clever, insightful and very
relevant; I highly recommend this magazine to
any future, new, or veteran parents.

Self Promotion

noreply@blogger.com (denherder) — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 03:02:00 +0000

I Recently had one of my business cards published
in the 8th installment of Rockport's renowned series
"Best of Business Card Design 8". 240 pages of some of
the best business card designs from over 25 countries.
I'm honored to have my work displayed with these
heavy hitters. Pick up a copy for some serious
inspiration.