We are drawn to things that we know have been handled and shaped by human hands. We sense that those things have taken time to craft, and they feel more valuable. “That human quality is what attracts me to it. Those imperfections, mistakes–that’s interesting.” Even if there are imperfections, we prefer our mom’s lumpy chocolate chip cookies […]

This article is in: Creativity, Design, Illustration

MJM logo woodcut As a Christmas present to the MJM team, I made a woodcut based on the MJM logo and hand-printed a copy for each team member. It’s a good change to leave the computer and work on a physical project–sometimes it’s refreshing to make a huge mess and get wood shavings all over your kitchen […]

This article is in: Creativity, Illustration

Hard-to-read headlines in a brochure are obnoxious, but hard-to-read highway signs can be a hazard. For decades the typography used on US Highway signs was a patchwork, each sign maker creating letterforms according to his or her style.  Most of the early signs were hand-painted, and painted in uppercase letters because the lowercase is more […]

This article is in: Design, Illustration, Type Design, Typography

Years ago I read in the preface of a collection of a photographer’s work about a book that was impossible to make.  The book he was describing would never exist because it was a collection of  images that had never been created.  This photographer (whose name I’ve forgotten) was referring to the missed images–the moment […]

This article is in: Creativity, Design, Ideas, Illustration, Logo Design

Our good friend Laura Brown is nearing the end of a Kickstarter campaign, FLY OVER: new prints about the places in between. She is offering friends and family the chance to support her work at several different levels, and each level is rewarded with some of the beautiful works she has created. Take a look at […]

This article is in: Community, Design, Ideas, Illustration

The new Sanford Fieldhouse will officially open later this week.  According to the Sioux Falls Business Journal article, The 85,000-square-foot building will support local, regional and national athletic training, co-ed sports leagues and Sanford’s Power programs. The Fieldhouse will offer athletic performance development; comprehensive functional, physiological and biomechanical evaluations; and rehabilitation and nutritional consultation services. […]

This article is in: Community, Design, Ideas, Illustration