Alphabet Arm Design News

From time to time we get the opportunity to design event posters for The Boston Conservatory student performances. In this case, Machinal is the story of a woman driven to murder. We intended for the poster to reflect the tension and paranoia of the main character — who is essentially drowning in the dark urban landscape of society. We spent a lot of time away from the computer on this one. One of our favorite tools, the photocopier, was used to create texture. We also cut up the type by hand and then pasted it all back together for the title treatment.

Check out the 2 color linocut print Ryan recently cranked out of a familiar face at Alphabet Arm. This piece attempts to answer the age old question: what would you see if you looked at a robot while wearing a pair of x-ray glasses? It’s proof, once again that there is still something very gratifying about getting ink under his fingernails and making artwork that is tactile and smells like solvents.

The greatest challenge we encountered when developing the visual identity for the Ferree Group, Inc. was the being constantly aware of the two distinct demographics that the company is balanced between: new clients and trade professionals. The Principal of the Boston based general construction company was very conscious of the importance of having a strong, professional brand he would present to new and potential clients. At the same time, he was also very concerned about the trade professionals and B2B vendors he worked with on daily basis and didn’t want his company’s new identity to feel too “design-y.” Taking this into account, we developed a classically simple, bold type treatment to complement the “F column” icon. The column itself was born from the group’s dependability and commitment to quality work.

Typically, we are hired to design business cards once a logo project is completed. This is ideal for us as it’s typically our first opportunity to take a logo and start crafting a bit of a brand around it. Here are the Ferree Group business cards.

Teenage Bottlerocket – They Came From the Shadows

Hot Water Music – Caution

Murder by Death – Red of Tooth and Claw

Banner Pilot – Collapser

Pinhead Gunpowder – Kick Over the Traces

• The XX “Self Titled”

• Noah and the Whale “The First Days of Spring”

• The Swell Season “Strict Joy”

• Raekwon “Only Built 4 Cuban Linx PT II”

• The Grates “Teeth Lost, Hearts Won”

• Blitzen Trapper “Black River Killer” EP

• Lee Morgan “lee-way”

• John Vanderslice “Romanian Names”

• The Raveonettes “Pretty in Black”

• Sunset Rubdown “Dragonslayer”

• The Little Ones “Morning Tide” EP

• Wire “Pink Flag”

• Pissed Jeans “King of Jeans”

• Angry Samoans “Back from Samoa”

• Psyclones “4″

• Naked Rayguns “Basement Screams”

If you’re an O.G.A.B.C.B.R (Original Gangster Alphabet Arm Blog Reader) you might remember that Chris competed in the Boston, Cut & Paste Digital Design Tournament. Tomorrow evening Chris will be competing in the Cut & Paste Global Championships in New York City. For those of you that aren’t “in the know,” the Cut & Paste competition consists of designers going head to head in a battle royal. The concept is simple, though ridiculous, design something from scratch, based on a theme, within fifteen minutes. Oh, and do it in front of a huge crowd of people. The Global Championship consists of the winners from each of the 16 cities (LOS ANGELES, SAN FRANCISCO, PORTLAND, BOSTON, NEW YORK, TORONTO, CHICAGO, AMSTERDAM, LONDON, BERLIN, BARCELONA, MILAN, SHANGHAI, TOKYO, SYDNEY) coming together to determine who is the champion of the universe (not to be confused with He-Man, he’s the MASTER of the universe you turkey).

Here’s the details:
Date: Friday October 16th, doors open at 7pm
Where: Hammerstein Ballroom, NYC

Well now you know. We’ve posted a pretty substantial update to the portfolio site, including new featured projects for the fall. As always, exceptional photography by Tony Luong.

Not too long ago, the manager the Boston-based band Clarias got in touch with us. She was shepherding the band—who have opened for names such as Bon Jovi, Barenaked Ladies, and Kanye West—in a new, more focused direction. With her help, they would put out a new release, fine-tune their image and organize an ambitious tour. As part of this new momentum, we were pulled in to create a logo for the band. Given only four days from concept to completion, this was no small challenge.

The band was presented with several directions, but final decision was made to go with a design that would act as a neutral canvas of sorts. Providing a solid back-bone with which to begin, the logo could be adapted and expanded upon through the course of multiple releases or different styles of merch pieces. It is an example of the type of logo which has a character all its own, but with the flexibility to work in a wide range of contexts.