Posts archived in Fun Stuff
It’s time to unveil the Signal staff’s latest Creative Challenge! In our continuing efforts to brush up our aesthetic chops while having fun, this time we decided to step away from our computers and typefaces to create a message using anything non-digital. Any type of real-world materials and found objects could be arranged to spell out words to be photographed, with no digital manipulation allowed.
To add an extra twist, copy director Donald Trull secretly chose the overall phrase and distributed the words randomly to eight teams. No one else knew the complete phrase they were assembling, which is now revealed to be a relevant quotation from Pablo Picasso on the artistic transfiguration of the commonplace.
We’ve edited together the photos into a short video showing the complete phrase. Take a look at how cool it turned out and let us know what you think!
by Greg Galloway, Art Director
As a designer, you find that every job presents a unique challenge and goal. There is always an opportunity to exercise creativity and bring something new to the table. Then in those cases when you have a personal connection to a job, that takes things to another level.
This past year Signal was asked to design a new athletic logo system for my former high school, Cardinal Gibbons High School in Raleigh, NC. My eyes lit up at the chance to work on this project as a Gibbons alumnus. Along with a team of fellow designers from Signal, I went to work brainstorming, sketching and collaborating with the staff at Gibbons.
After the new Gibbons Crusaders logo was complete, it was quickly implemented all over the school and on athletic uniforms to roll out for the 2011 seasons. The identity system was equally embraced by both students and faculty.
Last month I had the opportunity to take part in a career day at Gibbons and talk to students about Signal and what it was like to be a designer. Armed with sketchbooks, a laptop and printed samples, I walked into the gymnasium and found our new logo everywhere I looked. I can’t express how rewarding it felt to see that huge logo painted on the gymnasium wall, on shirts and sweatshirts worn by students, and even the chairs we sat in for the event carried the mark.
I left the school 15 years ago as a teenager entering a world of uncertainty, and revisited the school to be warmly welcomed by both teachers and students in appreciation of my new contribution. What a great experience it is to leave your mark on a meaningful part of your past.
Attention, Triangle design community: Signal is participating in the AIGA Raleigh Studio Open House on Thursday, March 10. Sixteen of the Triangle’s leading Graphic Design, Web Design and Advertising Agencies in Raleigh and Cary will be opening their doors to the public for this free event running from 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM.
Signal is happy to be taking part in this great networking event for the local design community. Local design students, professional designers, commercial photographers, videographers, copywriters, creative directors, printer reps, paper reps, web developers, illustrators, businessowners, marketing directors, and all friends of Signal are invited to join in the fun.
While Signal’s Brier Creek location may seem a bit out of the way compared to the cluster of “inside the Beltline” agencies participating, please bear in mind that we’ll make a convenient first stop or last stop for those coming from Durham or Chapel Hill. And we’re just a quick hop down I-540 from all the Six Forks Road firms. So don’t be shy, stop by for some light hors d’oeuvres, grab some beer or wine, and enjoy a friendly round of ping pong here at the House of Creative Power.
Visit the Studio Open House Eventbrite page to register and see a full list of participating agencies and a Google Map of their locations, plus carpoolinginfo and an attendee list of all the cool folks coming. We hope to see you Thursday!
Robin Vuchnich, Creative Director at Signal’s Raleigh studio, was recently selected to serve as a judge in AIGA Alaska’s First Annual Design Show. AIGA Alaska was founded in 2010 by a group of 20 local designers as the 65th affiliated chapter of AIGA, the professional association for design. The organization assembled a group of outside design experts as the judging panel for their inaugural design competition, “The BIG One,” and Robin was honored to take part.
At the awards reception held November 12 in Anchorage, the Best in Show Award went to Jontue Hollingsworth of Headron Collider for a poster on the BP oil spill disaster entitled MADNESS! Winners were selected from a total of 66 entries which were received from 20 different parties including agencies, small firms, independent designers and photographers.
Robin gave her vote to the Jontue Hollingsworth poster as the Best in Show, though she says the decision was tough to make. “Alaska had some really great work in the promotion design category,” Robin noted. “A few super outstanding designs were in that mix competing for best of show.” She cited the Anchorage International Film Festival poster, the Go-Go’s tour art, the Screamin’ Yeti Designs logo and the Alaska Distillery Smoked Salmon Vodka campaign as particular standouts.
“Overall the work of the competition had a thread running through,” Robin said. “It was distinctly reflecting back all things Alaska — which is pretty neat.”
We are proud to announce the outcome of another spirited Signal creative challenge. This time, the Signalites tackled the task of creating a mock album cover. We split into teams and each came up with an original band concept and album cover artwork across a full spectrum of musical genres. No songwriting or recording was required, though with the talented musicians among our staff, that may not be out of the question for a future challenge. Fans voted for their favorites on Signal’s Facebook page and a winner has been chosen!
Congratulations to The Howe Creek Family Gospel Singers (otherwise known as Adam, Leisha, Ginger, Chris and Hannah) who took the top honors for the album Softly & Tenderly. The Skrunchies came in a close second place with Bad Reputation, followed by Sombrero Diablo’s ¡Viva Nada!
To view all of the album cover entries, visit Signal’s Facebook Fan Page.
Back in April, Signalites in both our Wilmington and Raleigh, NC studios were divided into 6 teams and given the challenge of creating an original “Signal Trophy.” Photos and descriptions of each entry were posted to Signal’s fan page on Facebook, giving fans the opportunity to vote for their favorite and decide the winner.
The votes have now been tallied, and Signal is pleased to announce that the winner is Team 3 with their Master’s-inspired Signal Jacket!
The Top Three Entries
Check out the winning entries here:
1st Place
2nd Place
3rd Place
View all 6 Signal trophies and visit Signal’s Facebook page!