MCM Numbers

Creative Musing

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MCM Numbers
Illustration of simple concentric MCM numbers. The numbers are a custom typeface designed for this exercise.

 

Putting Your Brand To Use

Article

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Putting Your Brand To Use
Lucy Engleman and I spoke at the Kendall College of Art and Design Career Symposium on building your brand as a freelancer. This event was  held at Fountain Street Church. The talk focused on the importance of building a brand (or ego), either as an freelancer or in search of full-time employment.


Presentation Key Takeaways
• Looking at the current freelance landscape⁠—market, location, competition, potential clients.
• Professional practices presenting yourself via social media and a personal website.
• The importance in expressing your personality, identity, style.
• Professionally curating yourself via social media, personal website, networking and joining organizations.

 

Woosah & The Illustration League Workshop

Article

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Woosah & The Illustration League Workshop
A small group of ambitious individuals attended our lino-cut print workshop yesterday at Woosah Outfitters⁠—lots of good discussion and great prints. Thank you to Woosah's, Erica Lang for helping put this event on with TIL and her time with educating us on lino cutting and printing. A special thanks to Molly Singleterry of Spectacle Design Studio for coming and taking photos of the event. Also, thanks to Central Michigan Paper for providing us paper.

House Industries Studio

Article

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House Industries Studio
I had a great Creative Mornings event this morning with David Dodde on work ethic. He is a self-taught, award winning artist, designer, and print maker and his body of work is meticulous beautiful. Love his silkscreen Home Sweet Home doormat he created for his studio.

 

  • Learn more about David Dodde via his website.

Unify

Creative Musing

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Unify
Created these after hearing the constant barrage from media outlets on talk about tensions between minorities and police, republican vs. democrat this past year. Unify is a verb, meaning to make or become united. In the image on the right the letterforms are a custom typeface designed specifically to for this mark, Try to locate the 'F' and a representation of the US flag.

 

Good To The Bone

Client Project

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Good to the Bone
Invited by AIGA, West Michigan to design a fun graphic for Design For Good participants. I came up with this quirky illustration, Good to the Bone. The Design For Good is a three-day event for dedicated to helping non-profits in creating design assets that align with their business and mission.

 

  • AIGA, Grand Rapids
    Professional Design Organization

  • + Concept Development
    + Illustration
    + Sketching & Ideation

  • MKN Design Team:
    + Michael Nÿkamp, Design Director

    Stakeholder:
    + AIGA, Design for Good

Steelcase – Showroom Illustrations

Client Project

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Steelcase – Showroom Illustrations
We produced a series of 23 environment illustrations for Steelcase’s showroom in Los Angeles. Each illustration originated from an interior scene within the showroom and was divided into three distinct layers to emphasize its significance within the space. These layers were comprised of the primary products rendered in full color, the background environment delineated with gray lines, and the showroom's architectural framework presented in gray.

 

  • Steelcase via Jody Williams Design
    Furniture Design & Manufacturing

  • + Technical Illustration

  • MKN Design Team:
    + Michael Nÿkamp, Illustrator

    Stakeholder:
    + Jody Williams, Art Director

Case Study No.8 – Architectural Illustration

Client Project

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Case Study No.8 – Architectural Illustration
Thesis is a small and experianced design agency nestled in St. Joseph, Michigan, their process is embodied in their name and distinctive approach. Thesis approached me with a request to acquire a license for the Eames House illustration I had created several years ago.

Thesis utilized the Eames House illustration I created by having it letterpressed and using it as a gift for their clients.

 

  • Thesis
    Branding Agency

  • + Architectural Illustration
    + Sketching & Ideation
    + Qualitative Research

  • MKN Design Team:
    + Michael Nÿkamp, Illustrator

    Thesis Stakeholders:
    + Brian Edlefson, Founding Principal & Creative Director
    + Mark Cook, Founding Principal, Strategist

  • Explore additional illustrations from my collection of Mid Century Modern homes.

E-Spring – Infographic Illustration

Client Project

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E-Spring – Infographic Illustration
Collaborated with the Amway eSpring and Detergent Design to develop a collection of illustrative materials. These visuals were designed to assist the sales team to effectively communicate the water journey—from water sources to household water taps. Furthermore, the illustration was repurposed into a video articulating the significance of eSpring’s pivotal role at the end of the water journey. This project received an AAF Addy award.

 

  • E-Spring via Detergent Design

  • + Concept Development
    + Design Direction
    + Infographic Illustration
    + Qualitative Research
    + Sketching & Ideation

  • MKN Design Team:
    + Michael Nÿkamp, Illustrator

    Detergent Design Stakeholder:
    + Damion Van Slyke, Art Director

Intricacies

Article

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Intricacies
Just got my hands on a signed copy of Intricacies⁠—incredibly stunning body of work! This book features collaborative drawings by artists Christina Mrozik and Zoe Keller. Produced in the summer of 2014, it presents a range of intricate graphite illustrations capturing the intertwining of nature with animals, insects, and humans.