Chicago Graphic Design Club
I've been involved with Chicago Graphic Design Club as a volunteer one way or another since 2021. The Club is very community based and provides opportunities for creatives to contribute work to programing, events, music, and other calls to designers to submit work.
Online Event — Hot Design Manifesto Summer
This online event was part conversation and part interactive workshop as we explored a collection of manifestos and how they impact our industry. Although it would be ridiculous to see this type of enthusiasm about manifestos, I thought captured my enthusiasm about the topic. We used this image in social media and other channels to promote the event.
The lead up to Lollapalooza in Chicago is a non-stop promotional cycle. The festival poster seems to be everywhere you look from street posts and social media. As a visual language people associate with large events we thought it would be fun to parody the look as our event also showcased a long list of designers that rock.
I worked with club Founder, Christian Solorzano to produce and promote the event. I also designed various presentation graphics for the event including this manifesto timeline.
Call to Designers — What does Chicago mean to you?
The call to entries asked "What does Chicago mean to you?" Chicago is a lot of things to me. On one level it is a machine that runs 24/7/365. The rumbling of the CTA, and the speeding cars buzzing out of Hubbards Cave. The early morning cyclists hustling down Milwaukee, and the late night metal polishers sparkling up the Loop buildings. It never stops.
It's on a grid of neighborhoods connected by asphalt and concrete. The streets cut under rusted out railroad bridges and crumbling concrete structures. Chain link fences collect debris and weeds break through the abandoned concrete slabs. There's a lot of wear and tear, but it keeps running.
If you're in the right place when Chicago skies are gray and the lake is a green you can smell industrial chocolate baking in the air. When the wind changes directions the smell of garbage from the sewers sweeps in.
It's not perfect. It's not cutting edge. But it shows up everyday like old reliable. It’s A Beautiful Machine.
Part of the requirements were to use the official Chicago typeface, Big Shoulders design by Patric King. Yes, Patric is spelled correctly in this instance.
You can find the typeface at https://fonts.google.com/?query=Patric+King
Call to Designers — What does the Future of Chicago Look Like For You?
This is my photograph but I didn’t design the poster. The poster above is promoting a two part event. The first being a tour of the cross-disciplinary design studio, MNML. The second being an art exhibition entitled “Chicago’s Tomorrow, Today,” which explored perspectives on what’s possible for the future of our city.
The call to entries asked "What’s Possible for the Future of Chicago?" The future success of cities is tied to sustainability goals. Chicago is ambitious: to be the U.S.’s most sustainable city. A sustainable Chicago will provide economic development, job creation, clean and efficiency energy, transportation options, improved water quality, parks, open space and healthy neighborhoods. As we move forward as a city, we need to reclaim this idea from our 1837 founding motto: "City in a Garden.”
The event had amazing turnout. MNML showcased their incredible work, there was lots of mingling, and dozens of entries on display. This photo is of the pop-up gallery inside MNML.
CGDC Swag
If your organization has a budget for a button, I want to design it. I promise you'll like it.
Call to Designers — Chicago Designer T-Shirt Series
The club was nice enough to let me submit a t-shirt design for their shop. This design was produced and you can buy your very own here: https://chicagographicdesign.shop/
This was an alternative submission. It was much more subtle with shapes becoming textures as a backdrop to the "25" signifying the year it was made.
Additional t-shirt design concept. 26-26-13, or 65 is the total number of characters the human eye is comfortable reading on one line.
Call to Designers — Faculty Magazine Submission
This call for entry is for the club's second annual publication—Faculty. While I'm not a big poet, or even a small one, I wrote something about Chicago on a whim and thought it turned out pretty nice so I turned it into a poster. The club was nice enough to publish it.
I specialize in design and creative marketing campaigns for brands at all stages of their lifecycle. On many projects I work solo, but I also have a network of very talented people I partner with when the need arises. We work with clients around the US and often abroad. For client inquiries or anything else, email me.