gr :: graphic designer
Here’s Why
I started making music back in 1974. When the AppleTM revolution really started heating up I was lucky enough to have a friend with an AppleTM computer. Borrowing that launched me from Musician to Musician by Design.
(SM)
As you probably already know, it’s a new day for musicians.
It simply isn’t enough to sing a good song, you have to promote.
Yep. Musicians need things…
And I don’t just mean strings, reeds, sticks, instruments, cool outfits, amps, stompboxes, mics, stands, lights & smoke, roadies and fans – we have to promote ourselves, establish our brands, exploit our copyrights, license our songs, write-record-package-and-manufacture product… It’s a daunting list, but here we are. So when I borrowed that first computer and designed my first logo, flyer, poster and postcard mailer – well, I knew I was on-track. It was a tiny AppleTM.
That animation is showing seven different AppleTM computers – I’ve used them all, and owned many of them. Even the iPadTM and iPhoneTM are part of my design and marketing toolkit now. As a bonus, the skills I developed parlayed into a parallel career as Creative Director for a new marketing firm (PriMedia, Inc.) and a freelance artist for Progressive Marketing Group, Inc., a company rich in extraordinarily talent. Between the two, I was able to expand the marketing power of many great companies and new ventures – some crafted of my own design. For example:
- American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) – first color edition of national newsletter,
- MetroDoor (metrodoor.com) – marketing concepts, web business creation,
- Coach Realtors – beautiful print brochures to market stunning properties,
- Canon Color Connection – award-winning designs / magazine, including framed car cover to right,
- nora-oilheat.org and oilheatamerica.com – web domain / marketing materials,
- The Inn at Fox Hollow – concepts and marketing materials,
- …and many more.
Not to overlook my own clients which include:
- Pam Rose – YouTube video premiere album release series, website repair & maintenance, promo sheets, logo file generation, Social Media Marketing and Graphics, tech,
- Sloan Wainwright – CD packaging, T-Shirts, posters, Social Media Marketing, video, and graphics,
- Sue Riley – Multiple CD packages, songbook covers, tech,
- mondays at racine – multiple poster designs and layouts,
- Mack Sails – website, multiple full-page print ads, banners, signs…,
- AccuDial Pharmaceutical, Inc. & Spinformation / spinlabels.com – product design, display, marketing,
- ShipShop – website,
- Folk Music Society of Huntington, NY (fmsh.org) – Hard Luck Cafe’ logo, many ads, flyers, movie screen ads, photoshop templates,
- Dr. Dawn Ravella – websites, logos, presentations, videos, tech,
- Reformed Church of Bronxville – documentary fundraising videos,
- SummerSongs.com – brochures; website re-think, creation and continuing management,
- Michael Kornfeld – PR website creation (michaelkornfeld.com), management,
- AcousticMusicScene.com – creation, design, business cards, posters/flyers,
- emPower Music & Arts – re-image, logo designs, marketing materials, web graphics, conference banners, photo wall, multiple CD covers and package designs,
- Aztec Two-Step – onesheet, custom mailing label,
- Inspireline Records – logos, marketing materials, website,
- Musician by Design – logo, website, marketing,
- Gathering Time – websites, concert banner, CD designs & packaging, business cards/letterhead, onesheets, video creation & editing, record production, ads for print & web…,
- MediaRecording & PLP Music – web work, scores of CD packaging designs..and many, many more.
So yes, I do design my own CD packaging…and then some 😉
That said…
Is your dream about to become a reality? Are you finally going to produce that CD you’ve been talking about for years? Congratulations! I’ve been focused on music for some time, and I’ve made lots of mistakes along the way, but I know that I did do one thing right: I learned about design and how to create products for marketing and promotion.
For more information, and for help getting your projects off the ground, click here.