Rate My Bottle Designs

Ah Tequila. You love it and hate it (the day after). Essential 1800 is having a pretty cool contest, where designers can submit bottle design entries. The most popular submissions will be selected and actually produced. If you like what you see, do me a favor and rate the designs five stars. If I get selected, I will personally buy cases of the product and send you a bottle. (No Bullshit). 

Don't blame me for the hangover, however. 

From São Paulo to... the São Paulo Cafe?

Themed hotels in Vegas are nothing new. In fact, Las Vegas has been trying to import worldly experiences on to the Las Vegas strip for years. I once read that Venetian owner Sheldon Adelson spent untold millions repainting the inside of the property's canals until it matched a 'realistic' Venice afternoon "perfectly." It's rare to be able to compare real thing to the themed version - and even more rare to do so in a matter of just 5 days.

This past November was a whirlwind that saw Eyenovation go from São Paulo Brasil, to the famous Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino. The latter does its best to mimic the real thing, albeit in a generic 'please gamble your kid's college fund,' way. With two massive projects literally falling just days apart, it was an exhausting 10 days of travel and working from the trusty Macbook Pro.

Each November marks one of our biggest projects annually in the SKUSA SuperNationals. This year saw a partnership with the Army National Guard, Oakley, and the Rio Hotel which helped create the largest ever professional karting event in North America. We were asked to create all of the event collateral which was a tremendous honor. Check out the results.

While in Brasil, I couldn't help but notice some clever design work in one of their local malls. It wasn't until I looked closer that I realized it was a promotion to armor your car for just R$15,999.00 (a paltry $7,000 USD). A small price to pay to have a bulletproof vehicle. Yah - and you thought Los Angeles was bad?

The Octagon... Online

Although motorsport is near and dear to my heart, it's hard to argue when other trends come into the spotlight. Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is the fastest growing sport in the country - make no mistake about it. The UFC organization has revolutionized prize fighting and taken it from relative obscurity to mainstream recognition. Naturally with anything that popular, you'll have 3rd party companies looking to capitalize on the momentum, and with that said enter: One More Round.

One More Round is an upscale fashion line spawned by the same minds who founded BC Ethic. The brand aims to align with the warrior spirit and is adorned by top fighters who compete in the organization. Eyenovation was asked yet again to deliver the knockout punch for the company's online component and we worked closely with the One More Round brass to develop an immersive experience for fighters and fans alike.

Working in unfamiliar territory is usually pretty interesting. You always want to approach it (or at least I do) asking tons and tons of questions. I feel it's also really important to check your ego at the door. Coming into any situation with pre-conceived notions can be dangerous. It's always been very important to me that the work our studio delivers has an authenticity to it. The culture of MMA is very tight knit and anything 'fake' would be embarrassingly obvious. Now that's not to say we laced up gloves and sparred, but we were fortunate to be able to work directly with the athletes and capture their input in the design. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive and yet again, it's been a tremendous opportunity for Eyenovation to delve into another lifestyle.

The Clients Align

I've said it before, and I'll say it again - I'm very lucky to be one of the few who actually get paid to do what they enjoy. Sometimes I still shake my head while thinking I make a living being creative, which is likely something I'd otherwise do in my leisure time.  With that said, there are moments where any creative realizes the footprint they've left behind. One such moment came on a recent visit to the Hard Rock Hotel, in Las Vegas.

While standing in the gift shop, I happened to notice a strange anomaly. I was looking at three, completely unrelated things - and all three things, Eyenovation happened to develop a web site for. Very strange, indeed. The jackets for sale are made by BC Ethic - an upscale men's fashion label based in Vernon, CA. Not too far from them in Orange County is the shop for legendary bike builder - Jesse Rooke. And way in the background is a guitar played by none other than the Goo Goo Dolls. It's a small world, but even smaller when you see something like this.

Going Global

They say that no other thing has made the world a smaller place than the internet. Technology has bridged the gap between countries and cultures faster than ever before. If there was ever one thing to look back on for 2007, it would be the expansion of Eyenovation to a much larger scale. This once 'experiment' has been called upon not only nationally, but globally, to do exciting work for a myriad of clients.

In 2007, I was fortunate enough to be able to visit 8 different countries, on a handful of different continents... and 2008 doesn't look to be any different. It's a very rewarding experience to say the least, because I can honestly say we learn just as much from our clients as they perhaps learn from us. Culture is a huge part in how design is interpreted, and I've found it incredibly helpful to simply take in the surroundings and learn more about what will resonate with a local audience.

Of course with travel comes the "oh so pleasurable" airport experience. I've spent more time in airport executive lounges and security check points than I care to admit. And I guess in the blur of one city to another, you realize one fundamental thing: the more things change, the more they stay the same. The languages may be different, but good design is still... good design.

Czech Yourself

Call me crazy, but there's something amazingly cool about former communist countries. Whether it's the sense of burgeoning capitalism, the birth of democracy, or just the influx of western culture - it's awesome. The Czech Republic is a majestic place and one country that should be on everyone's "to do" list when they visit Europe. Prague in particular is amazingly cool and embodies old and new like nothing I've ever seen before.

The city of Prague is situated on the Vltava river in central Bohemia and is considered to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The architecture, the buildings, the vibe, the nightlife, and the culture are all top notch.

The design scene in the Czech Republic is incredible too. Any kind of blossoming economy is bound to create tremendous opportunities for the creative industry. The talent is vast in the country and it's always exciting to see what others are doing abroad. One firm I found to be incredibly prominent is: Toman Graphic Design. Their work is top notch and I fell in love with the site. Definitely inspiring.

The Soundtrack to Design

Graphic design can be a lonely job, especially in the wee hours of the morning when everyone's gone to sleep. Sometimes it requires burning the midnight oil and working long hours, especially in a crunch for a sensitive deadline. Thankfully for us, there's Red Bull and guys like DJ Tiesto. Now I'm not a huge trance or techno guy, (alternative rock is more my flavor.) But I will say for those late night grinds, there's no better vibe to work to than the euphoric sounds of electronic music.

Tiesto's "Elements of Life" tour rolled through Los Angeles and I was fortunate enough to score a pass. I wasn't sure how the live experience of electronic music would shape up, especially with all of the stereotypes from the 1990's rave scene... but I was definitely impressed.

Being graphically minded, I always find it fascinating to see how musical artists marry their sound with visuals and Tiesto's production scale was massive. Whether trance is your flavor or not, it's almost impossible for any creative person not to be amazed by the sheer scale. For a small taste of the vibe, check out this video.