ALEX CLARK DESIGNS

January Newsletter

2012-01-16T16:39:00.000-08:00

I'm back to what I do best

2012-01-16T10:18:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone,
Started my new job at Blue Laser Design a few weeks ago and I'm learning so much and so excited to be with an actual Marketing and Design Firm. I've cranked out about 6 web designs and worked on some new company logos....awesome.

But I'm really posting to show you the new artwork I've put off for far too long. It's been hard to get motivated to get back into the Children's Book, but I'm finally back and more motivated than ever.

I hope you enjoy the latest round of artwork.

alex

Mural Project - 2/3 Done!

2011-12-12T11:51:00.000-08:00

I'm finally 2/3 done with the mural project I'm working on. One more panel to go and the whole thing was due about a week ago, but the client is in no hurry. I have assured her and myself I'll have it done before Christmas so there is a little fire under my butt. Also, my friend and new author, David Hammer, is fine with extending the deadline on the book so I can finish this.

Below is where I'm at. Finished the second panel today and it was a b@#$% Lots of lines, but the tree looks amazing!! Hope you all like it and hopefully so does the client. Remember these panels are 4 feet tall and heavy canvas...Only one more 6 foot section and the 18 foot tryptich will be done!!

Where I stand with the eBook

2011-12-08T06:59:00.000-08:00

I have some good news and bad news..... Let's go with the bad news first.

I'm NOT going to have the book done by the end of the year. Just not going to happen...sorry. With the Holidays quickly approaching and starting a new job I just don't have enough hours in the day. Sorry.

Good news time!
I have half of the pages 95% completed. I would say 100%, but I will be fussing with the art and color up until the end on every single page. I can never leave well enough alone. Also, last night I composed a new song in Garageband for the Book Trailer I'll be putting together to promote the book upon completion. These days you can't think of only the artwork, but all the marketing that is involved as well...especially with self publishing and self promoting your work.

So take a look at the image of all the completed pages and let me know what you think. Enjoy!

Things are looking up!!

2011-11-29T10:20:00.000-08:00

Life sure does know how to throw us all a curve ball every now and then. Last year, my youngest son Kyan almost died from a rare disease he picked up somewhere. My oldest son Chasen was diagnosed with Autism this past Spring. My wife, Amy, is opening her own photography studio in the Short North Arts District this weekend. And about 2 months ago, I lost my job.

Nothing malicious or anything you see in movies or television, but something that happens daily these days...you're no longer needed. We're headed in a different direction. Your position has been eliminated. Out with the old (i'm only 33) and in with the new. Whatever the case, A&F let me go and many others, and I have spent the past 2 months on severance pay and benefits, but that all runs out this Friday and I have to say the future is uncertain.

But on the bright side of things I've had some great projects along the way that have kept me busy creatively as well as financially. Logos, Murals, Brand Identity, my Children's Book. I have had many interviews with some great places, but I keep hearing the same thing, "We love your mgmt and leadership skills, but your design work isn't where it needs to be." Guess doing T-Shirts for the better part of 10 years doesn't count in the design world! Well, I finally got my foot in the door.

In a few weeks I'll be starting work with Blue Laser Design, a small web design firm in downtown Columbus in the Arena District. They're looking to grow and hopefully I can help them in their long term goals. Also, and this is huge, they see potential in me and are willing to train me in web design and allow me to grow as a graphic designer in the industry I went to school for. The pay is well below what I was making at A&F, but we'll make it work. They seem like a great group of people and hopefully I'll fit in and be a valued part of the team. They're also allowing me to do freelance on the side so if anyone still needs design or illustration work, call me!!

As for A&F, I see my "mutual leave" as a blessing. My friends who are still there sound miserable and I hated all the backstabbing and questionable work ethics. I'll always treasure my time there as I never have regrets and see every step of my life as something to learn and grow from. But I'm glad to put that place in my rear view and never look back. I'm a happier person now.

Thanks for all the love and support to me and my family. If you ever wanna get a cup of coffee and talk about life or whatever, give me a shout.

Alex

Christmas eCard Design - First Frame

2011-11-21T10:02:00.000-08:00

Here's another project I'm working on....an animated gif eCard for a local Business. The image is the first frame of the animation and I love these ornaments. Hope you do to!

Church - Where everybody knows....

2011-11-20T11:42:00.000-08:00

Hello out there on this dreary Sunday afternoon,
I just realized I never posted this t-shirt design I did a few weeks ago. Love this and the message it brings with it. Hope you enjoy.

"Your Time Will Come" Children's Book Pages

2011-11-16T06:54:00.000-08:00

Hello y'all,
Before I take a week off from the book to finish (ahem...start) other projects with actual deadlines, I wanted to post a few pieces of nearly finished artwork from the up coming book. I still have to letter the pages, but I hit a few breakthroughs this week in the style and I wanted to share.

So...enjoy

Favorite New Design Blog - TheDieline.com

2011-11-07T12:22:00.000-08:00

As someone who is looking to switch up his career in his early 30's, I'm in love with site. So inspiring and also has a great little community. Enjoy.

http://www.thedieline.com/

EVC - New Message Series Graphic

2011-11-07T08:33:00.001-08:00

Amy Clark Studios - Design Work

2011-11-07T08:32:00.001-08:00

New Design Work

2011-11-04T18:19:00.000-07:00

Here are some pics of stuff I've been working on lately:

"Your Time Will Come" Children's Book Sketches

2011-10-20T12:44:00.000-07:00

I recently sent all of my Tight Sketches off to my author, the illustrious David Hammer, and he loved them! Small tweaks here and there, but they were just the page sketches so I'll make adjustments on the final art. I wanted to show you what I've been up to without giving away the Goat so to speak. I've cropped all the pages to just give you a taste without spoiling it. Enjoy.

Color Study for "Your Time Will Come"

2011-10-20T10:11:00.000-07:00

Ola!!

I posted a sketch a few weeks ago of one of the pages from my upcoming book and I've been toying around with the coloring style of the book. I want to color it in an animation style, but also lots of texture and depth. Hope you all enjoy it.

New Logo Design - McGee Family Farm

2011-10-20T10:07:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,
I've been super busy lately, which is fantastic, and I wanted to show you my latest logo design for McGee Family Farm in Rockbridge, OH. This was something completely new for me, but I just did a little research and channeled my farmboy upbringing to create something really cool for the McGee's. They actually couldn't decide on which logo they liked better so they're going with both and using them in different applications. These aren't officially signed off on, but really close. I hope you all enjoy this and tell your friends if they're looking for any Design work.

Logo Bonanza!!

2011-10-12T13:56:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to share with you a few new projects I'm working on now that I'm a full time Freelancer and Illustrator. I have a few small business logo's in the works as you can see from the images below. Great small companies and great people make for a fun time helping them re-brand their identity. I also just today signed on to create a 18 foot triptych mural for a local Photographer!! More on that later. I'm still working on the children's book and I'm getting to the very technical portion of the book involving a lot of actual baseball imagery. Let's hope I can pull memories from my youth in Little League!! Again, thanks to everyone for the support and help in my transition to an independent artist. I love you all more than you know.

Your Time Will Come - Just a Taste

2011-10-05T18:25:00.000-07:00

Hey guys,
I'm well into the Thumbnail and Sketching process for the new book called Your Time Will Come and I wanted to give you a little taste of what's to come. Hope you enjoy.

New 60's Inspired Xmas Photo Cards

2011-09-23T12:29:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,
One of the new projects I'm working on is collections of Photography Cards for photographers to purchase and use with their clients for this upcoming 2011 Holiday Season. I'm really loving my first collection which I'm saying is inspired by the 1960's and has a really fun retro feel. I hope you like them and I'll have them up for sale either tonight or early next week. I'll be selling the complete collection for $40 or individualy for $10 and in a multi layered Photoshop file. I'll also be posting these on my Etsy shop.

Hope you like them and tell your friends.

Alex

Finally Free from A&F!!

2011-09-19T07:02:00.000-07:00

I can finally say without a doubt that I am no longer employed by Abercrombie & Fitch.

My departure and reasoning are still unclear to many, but the main point is that I am now on my own for the time being and I can't be more excited. Don't get me wrong, as my time with A&F was a great experience and I wouldn't trade it for the world, but my time there was over and my heart had lost it's beat for the company. I will be taking a month or two off to finish my second Children's Book which will be an eBook only (for the time being) and work on various other projects that I have been putting off for far too long. Am I actively seeking work and possible new employment? Yes...I do have a family to take care of you know, but I do not want to limit myself to Apparel and/or Retail. I'm still young and I'm seeing what God has in store for me and my career and even though I can not see the future, I know that it will be secure and there is a greater purpose for me out there.

So if anyone wants to hang out, get coffee, or discuss possible projects, please feel free to drop me a line or give me a call. I have my new studio set up and after this post, I'm back to work on the new book "Your Time Will Come".

Thanks to everyone for all the love and support.

Alex

kids......

2011-09-13T14:16:00.000-07:00

Color Test!! Introducing Chad!

2011-09-08T18:30:00.000-07:00

Just working on some color tests for the new book. Meet Chad below and his Dad. Enjoy!

2011-09-07T13:08:00.000-07:00

This is for everyone out there who needs a smile today!

alex

PUNISHER!!!

2011-08-23T12:25:00.000-07:00

It's Frank Castle in all his Butt Kicking Glory!!

Coach - Sketchbook

2011-08-17T11:49:00.000-07:00

Still working through character sketches for new children's book. Remember, it's baseball themed. Loving the main character boy and thinking this guy would be great for the coach of the ball team. Kind of a "Casey Jones" old, retired pro ball player. Let me know what you think!!

later
Alex

2011-08-11T14:08:00.001-07:00

I think I may have found my newest fave character!! Love the 80's Don Bluth Animation style.

Sketchbook - Prelim. ideas for new Book

2011-08-11T13:06:00.000-07:00

My next Children's book is about a Dad and his son, but the overall theme is about never giving up and in this case...in Baseball! I haven't played Baseball since I was a kid, but I do miss the sport. Hate watching it, but loved playing it.

These are just a few preliminary sketches to get my head in the right place. Hope you likey!

Mike Mains & the Branches Gig Poster

2011-07-15T17:20:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,
EVC is hosting Mike Mains and the Branches this Wednesday night and I thought I would whip up a Gig Poster for the event. Hope you like it. Going to go around tmrw and put them up around Picktown and the local area. RadioU will have a crew at the show and I'll be making Peet's Coffee for the intimate event in our Cafe.

Hope you all can make it.

alex

EVC Summer Slam Outreach

2011-07-14T06:01:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,
I also wanted to post this flyer I did for our church right before we left for our vacation/conference. The event is happening this Sunday and should a great time. Hope you can come out and help out the community.

Robin Commission at CASANA Conf

2011-07-14T05:58:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to post this commission I did for a great Apraxic kid named Max. He made my day and I made his. Sorry for the bad quality, but it's from my phone.

Wolverine Sketchbook Doodle

2011-06-28T14:21:00.000-07:00

The Book is finally Here (and online)

2011-06-28T10:00:00.000-07:00

Well ladies and gentlemen, the book Captain Hammer & Super Sean: The Case of the missing 'G', is finally available to purchase online!!

It's done, printed, and ready to be enjoyed by one and all. Sharon Gretz from CASANA sent me 2 copies for my reference and it looks fantastic!! The kids love it and I've had so many friends and family either go online and buy one or ask me where they can get one. So many great comments and well wishes from everyone on Facebook and Twitter. You guys are all so sweet.

Now being an artist and designer, all I see when I open up the book are the errors and places I wish I had fixed before I sent it to the printer, but with the time constraints I had, this is as good as she gets. Now don't get me wrong, I'm very proud of the book and all the time and effort involved, but I am and will always be my worst critic. Just wait until the next project and/or book. Gonna blow your socks off.

I also want to say that during the later stages of the book, it occurred to me just how special this book is and what a fantastic learning tool it will be for kids with Apraxia all over the globe. Not only because my son, Kyan, was diagnosed at 2 years of age, but because I know of so many kids who struggle with Apraxia daily and will do so for many years. Kyan was a special circumstance and exceeded everyone's expectations with his speech therapy and we as a family couldn't have done it without his SLP's, Katy & Maryann, but this book is for those that will be dealing with Apraxia for many years well into their teens and even beyond. I hope that with Sue's words, my art, and the Hammer's guidance, this book will help garner awareness for this Disorder as well as be an educational tool for SLP's everywhere.

It's all for the kids!!

I hope you enjoy the book even if your kids don't have Apraxia or a speech disorder. I hope the book is a success for CASANA and we can do many more of these and really explore the world of Captain Hammer & Super Sean. I can't wait to launch the book officially in San Diego next week and see the outpouring of support for the book and CASANA.

But if we can help only one child learn to speak effectively, then we've done our job.

Alex

Art Page Process - Captain Hammer Book

2011-06-13T15:29:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!
Other than a few copy tweaks and other random type-o's, the Captain Hammer book is officially done!! I'll be sending out the finalized artwork either Wed or Thurs. to the printer and in a week or so we'll have a book!! Amy and I will be flying to San Diego for the Apraxia Org. Conference and the crew at CASANA are really making a big deal about the book and putting a lot of support behind it and my art. Should be a good time and a great 11 year Anniversary trip for us as well. Once I find out more info, I'll post some link on where to get the book. Be Patient!!

What I wanted to do on this post was quickly show you the process for a single page of artwork, but also talk you through how we got there.

First and foremost was the characters. Captain Hammer is actually based off of the real life Super Hero, David Hammer, a fantastic Speech Pathologist who helped start CASANA and has been working with kids for a long time. He always dresses up at the Apraxia Walks as Captain Hammer, so I had a little to go on with the costume.

Our biggest goal with Cap was getting the fun and kind personality of David through a Silly Superhero Cartoon Illustration. We wanted to keep the color scheme he had going above and the mask, but also keep his smile, mustache, and hair. Not an easy task as I was basically doing a caricature of someone who I get to meet in a month!

I started out with the costume:

Just a basic idea for his outfit, not for style. Then I did a pose for style and color based off the little thumbnail at the bottom of the previous sketch page.

Sue, my author, and friend of David, thought he didn't look silly and/or kind enough. Biggest comment here was, "A children's book, not a comic book." I really took that to heart and kept going. But, she liked the color scheme and the costume.

This is generally where we landed for Captain Hammer's face. His hair, mustache, smile, mask...the whole package. He became even more cartoony in the book, but this was a great start.

For Super Sean, it wasn't too much of a stretch because I wasn't doing a caricature of the real Sean, who is also my author's son (!). Just going for a cute kid with lots of personality who looks between 6 and 10 yrs old. More on Sean later.

Then we moved onto the initial Thumbnail Sketches. I had the script and that was about it, so I jumped in and started doing very small rough layouts for each page. These are just to show the general layout of the page before moving onto tight pencils.

Again, once I received sign off, I moved onto the next stage....Tight Pencils.

As you can see, this was a penciled in version of the finished artwork. All the details and laying down a basic guideline for the color which went right over the top of the pencils. Not sure if that was the best way to do it, but it worked for me. Always a learning curve on new projects and finding what suits my style. Anyhoo...Color!!!

This was the interesting phase and also the most time consuming. I decided early on that I wanted to color the art using Dr. Marten's Inks rather than Watercolor, Acrylic, or digital coloring. The problem was....I had never really used them before so I didn't know how they would move and lay down the color. I found ways that worked along the process and they work very similar to watercolors, but dry much, much faster which helped with my timing. The other issue I had that you won't see here is that my reds were all very pinky and I switched up all the reds half way through then had to go back and color adjust all the reds in Photoshop. I actually spent many late nights and hours reworking the color in Photoshop because the inks are very bright and saturated and I wanted a more watercolor look. I'm doing watercolor next time for sure.

Anyway, once I had sign off then it was adding in all the copy for the entire book. Copy Edits Suck!! As an artist and designer I never deal with soooo much copy and so many edits. It's all worth it in the end, but the lettering stage almost pushed me to my limit.

Again, Thanks for following me and my blog and I'll let you know where you can get the book if interested. This is a labor of love not only as the artist, but also as the father of child who had Speech Apraxia. I only hope that this book can become an educational tool and help other families just like mine.

Alex

Great Vintage Inspiration

2011-06-07T13:07:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,
I know I've been MIA lately, but the deadline on the book is next week so....Cut me some slack!

Kidding obviously, but I did find some great inspo that hopefully I can use for my next book. Let me know what you think. I love the style of the illustrations and especially love the color and color combos.

Enjoy

Life In Progress

2011-05-19T12:47:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,
It's been some time since I've posted anything, but work has been really busy (finally) and I've been going home every day and painting til the wee hours of the night on the book. I thought it only fair that I post a few pics from my phone for you all to see where I'm at in the grand scheme of things. I'm about .....eh....85% done with the actual inking/coloring and have already received some fantastic feedback from my author and the organization she works with (http://www.apraxia-kids.org/). It's getting down to the wire and I have less than a month to get the whole thing done and I see some very late nights in my future, but I wanted to say thanks to CASANA and all the support from my family and friends.

I'll be wrapping the whole thing up in June so please feel free to contact me with any other freelance or contract work you may have. Got some really exciting leads and a few potential projects lined up in mid-late 2011. Will keep you posted.

Thx guys
Alex

SICK by Brett Battles Review

2011-05-03T14:43:00.000-07:00

I've been a fan of Brett Battles for some time and his character Quinn is one of my all time faves so I didn't really know what to expect when I started SICK.

Leave it to Battles to suck me right into the story and tug at my heartstrings (Hey, I've got kids too!). I really related to the angst and determination of Ash on his journey to find his children and could not wait to see where the story took him. Many other characters were introduced along the way...some of which I hope to see again and some I couldn't care less about, but every new character was introduced for a reason and helped show a different side of the Epidemic. I've never been a huge fan of stories or movies about Viruses and Epiedemic's but I knew Brett wouldn't let me down.

I hope to see much more of Captain Ash and his family and new network of friends as I feel that I'm now personally and emotionally invested in their well being and future journey. Also intriquing to me is this new global organization bent on a devastating change to our world and the flip side organization that has established itself to stopping them. We only get a glimpse into what I can only imagine will be a huge story coming our way some day.

SICK is a fast paced Thriller with great twists around every corner that's built on the love between a father and his children. I can not recommend this story enough and I hope to see more of this Universe unfold one day.

Go buy this!!!

Wish I could show you more!!

2011-05-03T06:17:00.000-07:00

Due to contractual obligations, I can't really show you much, but here is where I'm at currently with the book. Playing around with Dr. Marten's Inks for the first time (stupid me!) and it's going a bit slower than anticipated. Fingers crossed I make my deadline!!

Wish me luck and hopefully I'll be able to post a lot more in June.

Alex

Nightcrawler's got the BAMF's!!!

2011-04-20T14:32:00.000-07:00

Another X-man for my Sketchbook Series

Keep those ideas coming!!

Alex

DANGEROUS FAITH - Series Graphic

2011-04-20T07:35:00.000-07:00

Get ready to question your faith and your preconceived notion of what "faith" means. Hard questions and even tougher answers! No comfort zones allowed at EVC over the next Month or so.

Let me know what you think.

alex

Sketchbook

2011-04-19T08:30:00.001-07:00

Cyclops Commission

2011-04-18T14:19:00.000-07:00

Here's something I've worked up for a friend. Cyclops!! Always one of my favorite characters visually, but never a big fan of his character in Comics or Cartoons.

Let me know if you're interested in some work drawn just for you.

Later
Alex

EASTER SUNDAY - REDISCOVER LIFE GRAPHIC

2011-04-18T08:03:00.000-07:00

Everyone know where they'll be next Sunday morning?! If not, you really should check out Eastside Vineyard Church for an amazing group of contemporary believers and true Followers of Jesus Christ. Sunrise Service at 8 or the regular one at 10. Hope you can make it.

Also, hope you like the graphic.

AC

Vintage Sheet Music

2011-04-15T11:08:00.000-07:00

Some Amazing Sheet Music Covers I found while doing research for a project. The typography, the imagery, the color. Great stuff.

HAWKMAN!!!

2011-04-07T12:43:00.000-07:00

I LOVE HAWKMAN!!!

I'm a huge DC Comics nerd and I love Batman and Hawkman probably most of all.
I love Hawkman's look, his attitude, his weapons and his convoluted History.

I can't post work from my upcoming Children's Book so I thought I would post a WIP Hawkman pic I've been toying around with for a few months off and on. Let me know what you think and remember, I do commissions so email me if interested.

Thx.
Alex

SHOULD SECULAR MUSIC MAKE US FEEL GUILTY??

2011-04-05T14:05:00.000-07:00

As you may or may not know, I'm a graphic designer and most of my day is spent behind a computer screen working away the hours listening to music. I love almost all types and genre's of music and my iPod's artist list is enough to prove that. My wife always laughs at me when I break out my iPod during long car rides because you never know what you're going to find, but guaranteed, you won't find anything she likes. Most of my music she can't stand!!

I was in High School in small town Indiana during the early 90's so my music selection started out being mostly radio friendly music that everyone and they're brother listened to. My older brother, Neal's music ranged from Petra to Air Supply! I went through my Hip Hop stage, my Grunge stage, my Ska stage, and even my Industrial stage. I grew up in a very Christian household and the music never really did much for me....Michael W. Smith, Amy Grant, Sandy Patty.....ugh!

Then Tooth and Nail Records Happened

Blew My Mind! How could music that is based in Christianity sound like all the stuff I listen to anyways. Suddenly I could get my metal or punk fix. My Ska or Industrial fix. Great stuff and I swear I bought everything they had no matter if I had heard them before or not. Did. Not. Matter.

But....through the years, I still sway back and forth between Secular and Christian based music. Most of my coworkers introduce me to new secular music all the time. And it's great! I like to put my iPod on shuffle and have my own "Alex Radio Station" playing at all times. Supertones, MXPX, Anberlin, Emery then suddenly Nirvana, System of a Down, Metallica, or Beastie Boys will come on. But when I suddenly hit a song with "F-Bombs" or other vulgar lyrics, I get a little sense of guilt and unease that I associate with my conscience or Holy Spirit or something.

Should I feel guilty for not going full "Christian" in my music selections?

Should I just listen to what moves me, but stay true in my walk with God?

Is it okay to throw the Devil Horns at a show, then go to Church the very next Morning?

Well.....How about you??

Showbread = RawRock (Show Wrap Up)

2011-03-26T18:23:00.000-07:00

These are some absolutely terrible pics I took with my phone on the side of the stage at our EVC FREE Showbread show last night!! Great guys! Great Music! Great Show!

Pickerington, OH is not exactly known for having a lot of shows come through but this was a good one to start with! Showbread put on a killer show complete with mesmerizing visuals, some pounding music, and a great message at the end. I think everyone had a great time and there were no issues or injuries at all.

Showbread played songs from all of their albums, but mainly focused on their latest FREE album "WHO CAN KNOW IT?" which is, in my opinion, a more personal and artistic departure for the guys. The show started out with a 30 minute countdown with MLK Jr.'s famous speech in complete and utter darkness. The band came out and played for an hour in front of a projector screen displaying images, movies, and videos of everything from Bats, to Alligators, to Trippy Concentric Circles, all brilliantly blended with the music and cued perfectly. The show was strangely Theatrical and Artistic all together.

If you missed this show, you missed something special!

Special thanks to Pastor Adam for letting us put on this show, and our sound and tech guys Tim, Russ, and Wayne. The Youth Group for helping out with set up and tear down. And other great EVC'ers like the Marquez's who stuck around til the very end.

This might have been the first show for EVC, but won't be the last. Let us know if you know of any great bands that can rock and has strong roots with our one true God.

Later.
Alex

CHRISTMAS IN MARCH?!?

2011-03-22T08:39:00.000-07:00

I groggily went up to the counter in our cafe today with my eggs & coffee only to hear the most bizarre greeting from the girls who work the register. "MERRY CHRISTMAS!" Needless to say this shocked me out of my stupor enough to ask what in the world they were talking about. They pointed to the ceiling and said, "Listen!"

A little backstory, I work at A&F in New Albany, OH and they always pump the store soundtrack through all the buildings here on Campus. Yup! Constant techno dance music.....24/7. Anyhoo, we always have a Xmas soundtrack for the Holidays and this week we're showing our CEO and all the Big Wigs Xmas 2011 Direction and Concepts. So therefore, we all get to listen to Christmas Techno Dance music remixes all week long. Get Mike in the spirit, if you will.

I'll be perfectly honest....I LOVE CHRISTMAS MUSIC!!!

Classic Bing Crosby stuff all the way to Punk Covers and Boy Band remixes. Love. It. It reminds of my childhood, my family, my kids, and most importantly my God!

Most of the stuff they're playing here is the Secular stuff and not very religious in content, but Christmas music makes me think of a manger and a brand new baby crying in it surrounded by straw and his two proud parents who can only imagine the amazing things he will do with his life. Little did they realize, right!?! I love the way the music makes me think about the most important thing in my life....a tiny helpless baby who would grow up to die a horrific death on the cross for my sins.

What do you think of when you hear Christmas Music?
Do you ever secretly listen to it during Off Season?
What's your favorite Song?

Great vintage type layouts!!

2011-03-18T12:11:00.000-07:00

Here's a few pics I took on our weekend in Hocking Hills.

I LOVE TYPOGRAPHY

"CHURCHY" WORDS/CHRISTIAN-ESE

2011-03-18T06:17:00.000-07:00

I'm just going to come out and say it, I'm not a huge fan of "Churchy" words. You know....those words that people say a lot in church or pause while praying, looking for the words that will sound "holier". Not a fan, but as I said last time, I talk to God or about God the same way I speak in every day conversation. When I hear my friends at church, other than my Pastor Adam, use these terms, it almost always sends a red flag off in my head and makes me smirk just a small bit. I understand coming to God in reverence, but I base most of my beliefs upon what I learned as a child and therefore come before him as such. Aware of his Awesomeness, but also humble and inquisitive with lots of questions and innocent thoughts.

BUT...You still need to know what they mean because they are so important and mind blowing!

So, I've decided to make a Glossary Blog post about a few such words in no particular order:

GRACE: the freely given, unmerited favor and love of god. (Basically, unlimited Second Chances)

MERCY: compassionate or kindly forbearance shown toward an offender, an enemy, or other person in one's power; compassion, pity, or benevolence

SALVATION: deliverance from the power and penalty of sin; redemption. (Jesus dying on the cross and wiping out our sins)

THE GOSPEL: Basically, when someone says "The Gospel", they just mean...."The Bible".

ANOINTED: Old Testament..."To apply oil onto someone."

New Testament..."given special power/authority by the Holy Spirit to work with the Spirit in accomplishing the task at hand"

BLASPHEMY: Speaking about God with contempt, hatred or disdain. (Naughty....)

REPENTANCE: A change of mind, a reorientation of one's thought and action away from what it was before (Coming before God and asking for forgiveness)

COVENANT: It is a contract between God and a specific people. The covenant includes promises and responsibilities.

These are just a few of the ones that always get me and constantly confuse my wife when they're used in Church, or Group, or whenever. It amazes me that the people who use them necessarily shouldn't and the people who have the theological background don't use them as much as you'd think.

Do I use them...no.

Do I understand them....yes.

And you should too.

Thoughts?

WEEKEND IN HOCKING HILLS

2011-03-15T08:02:00.000-07:00

I actually have some new art to post, but after an email conversation, it would appear that me posting updates on the childrens book violates my contract. So....if you want some updates on the Children's Book, email me or ask me next time I see you. I'm still on target to have it done by June, and then you can see it in all its glory! Maybe even buy it...wink wink

For the mean time, here are a few pictures I took of our cabin in Hocking Hills this past weekend. Our amazing friend and nanny, Jackie, watched the boys while Amy and I enjoyed a relaxing time antique-ing (sp?), hot tubbing, and just enjoying time with no kids. I highly suggest if you're a couple with or without kids, rent a cabin and spend a weekend up in the mountain....hills....whatever. Your marriage/relationship will thank you.

Later
Alex

Would you Fist Bump Jesus if you met him?

2011-03-09T06:57:00.000-08:00

I've never been what you would call a "Normal" Christian by any standard and I've never tried to be anybody but myself especially in Church or around my "Churchy" friends. I grew up in a very liberal church for small town Indiana and had some great Youth Group Leaders (thx Mike Baer and David Wheeler) who taught me at an early age about what being a Christian is and not trying too hard to look or sound "Religious".

My Small Group...Life Group....Whatever we call it these days, from EVC did an exercise the other night where we had to close our eyes and visualize ourselves in a safe place, then have Jesus come in and give us something or tell us something that God had laid upon our heart. I'm not going to tell you what he tossed my way as that's personal and for another time, but as Jesus and I stood up and said our goodbyes I FIST BUMPED JESUS! Remember this is in my head, but it just seemed completely natural and happened if I was saying goodbye to my best friend.

Now once again, this was supposed to be a very serious exercise and everyone was quiet and in deep spiritual thought, but I blurted out that I just fist bumped Jesus and left the room to get some coffee. I'm not abrasive by any means, but I am very blunt and speak my mind and I think I may have offended a few of the group, but it got me thinking a lot about our relationship with God.

Do you see God as this almighty Deity that you have to go up into a mountain to speak to and then use big "Churchy" words, or do you see Jesus as your friend, mentor, and companion that you can tell anything too and feel like you won't be judged or criticized?

Isaiah 55:6 says, "Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near." and I really think that we have to go to God and let him know our daily struggles and trials. Our Success and our Failures. And I think the only way to do this is to Humble ourselves in front of God and be real and honest with him. Talk to him like you would if you poured out your heart to a friend over coffee or a beer. Don't try and use big churchy words when God really just wants to hear what is in your heart.

How do you see God. How do you talk to Him?

Strange but Awesome Pulp Covers

2011-03-08T11:21:00.000-08:00

I found these earlier while poking around flickr. Great stuff, but very very strange.

Thumbnails signed off on by Author!!

2011-03-08T06:43:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone,
Just to keep you up to date on the progress on the book. I recently had the author take a look at the thumbnails for layouts, poses, and flow of the story. She loved it and had a few minor revisions, but I can get started on the tight pencils which will probably be one of the longest portions of the process. I'm still deliberating about the color between watercolor and Dr. Marten Inks, but I'll start playing around with some tests soon. I also have to start thinking about the front and back cover layouts. That will be huge too!

I also finally got a deadline and its.....MID JUNE!! Time to get drawing! But......if I can pull this off, the book will be available at the CASANA natl conference in San Diego and could be a huge success. Fingers Crossed, but wish me luck everyone.

Below are a few snapshots of some of the very rough thumbnails just to give you an idea of my process:

Thanks for following along and stay tuned for more.

Alex

JP Jumbler Character design

2011-02-14T10:19:00.000-08:00

YO YO,
Just wanted to drop you all a little art piece today as the CASANA peeps are pretty stoked about the books as am I. This guy is our Bad Boy. His name's JP Jumbler and he's a sneaky lil punk who screws with little kids' speech and letters.....jerk

Love him and can't wait to put him in jail with Cap. Hammer and Super Sean.

N.O.W. February Poster

2011-02-13T17:42:00.000-08:00

Hey everybody,
New Poster for the EVC youth!! Love this one. Quick. Dirty. Fun

Time to set some priorities

2011-02-12T11:51:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone,
I just wanted to let you all know that with the Childrens's Book taking up so much of my time that I'm going to have to stop doing so much free work for EVC and other organizations. I've been very appreciative for all the opportunities and creative outlets, but I need to reprioritize my life and my work/life balance. If you need any posters or design work done please feel free to call me but I will have to start charging. This is a next big step in my life towards my dream of being a self employed artist & designer. I hope you all understand and thanks again for all the love and support.

Alex

Showbread = RawRock

2011-02-06T11:18:00.000-08:00

Come one...Come all!! It's free and you have no reason not to be in Picktown on the 25th.

Character Development-ness

2011-02-04T13:17:00.000-08:00

Still working through the characters for the book. Getting close on Captain Hammer, but still working through Super Sean. Also, read through the story last night and apparently need to work on the villain/antagonist which I have no reference for at all. Hmmm....

Well....I'm Back

2011-02-04T11:52:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone,
today has been a very interesting day to say the least. My boss Craig and I broke the news yesterday that I would be leaving the Gilly Hicks team for undisclosed reasons (if you don't already know, call me :) and moving back to Hollister Graphics in a less important capacity. Good? Bad? Who's to say, but I can assure you that I know I will be a happier camper in the long run as I'm back with long time friends and back on a part of our company that I truly understand like the back of my hand. I've had a rough time in Gilly, but hopefully made an impact for the better and I will miss that team of talented designers.

Anyhoo, hopefully this will also leave me a happier stress free person who can love his family and his God in a better and more productive manner. Also, with the Children's book off and running I need to re-schedule out my time and balance out work and family much better in 2011. I have too much going on in my personal life to let the paying job get me down.

My new position is a bit of a demotion, but I know in the long run, it will be good for me and my career. So back to So Cal if you will and go shopping, people. Need to get that stock back up!

Peace
AC

Captain Hammer & Super Sean

2011-02-01T11:02:00.000-08:00

Hey peeps!
So I've officially started the initial character designs for the Childrens Book i'm doing with Casana (organization for Childhood Apraxia of Speech). Just a few sketches of the main characters as I'm working through their style, outfitting, and distinct facial features. Nothing set in stone yet, but thought i would share.

Enjoy
Alex

PPD-NOS?!? ADHD?!? ODD?!? Huh?

2011-01-29T07:09:00.000-08:00

What in the world does the title of this blog mean?! Well, it is apparently what my oldest son, Chasen was diagnosed with this past week. Let me be clear, Chasen is a fantastic kid but has always been a bit.....quirky. After years of saying he was just really gifted and intelligent, we finally had him tested by a Psychologist and he has some serious issues that we need to start working through.

He has been diagnosed with a Non-Describable form of Autism that is high functioning, but not quite Aspergers like we thought. Here's the Wiki:

Pervasive Developmental Disorder - Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) is a pervasive developmental disorder (PDD)/autism spectrum disorder (ASD). PDD-NOS is one of three forms of Autism Spectrum Disorders. PDD-NOS is often referred to as atypical autism. It lies in between the less severe Asperger’s syndrome, and more severe, typical Autism on the Autism Spectrum. ^[1]

^{He also has ADHD and ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder) but these should resolve themselves with a few years of Therapy and Behavior Modification. Now we can get him into a special school that will help him out.}

^{I'm not really sure why I'm blogging this, but I guess I just wanted the world to know that we finally have an explanation for our son's outbursts and violent mood swings and we can now get him the help he deserves. Everyone has been very understanding, but I just wanted you to know that we really appreciate all the thoughts and prayers. It will be a long road ahead, but we're committed to helping Chasen so he can have the most normal life possible.}

^{On a lighter note, Kyan, our youngest son, was released from Speech Therapy this week and seems to have done a great job overcoming his Speech Apraxia. He rocks! Here's the link if interested.}

^{http://www.apraxia-kids.org/}

^{Which takes me onto my exciting news that I just agreed this week to Illustrate a Children's Book for CASANA which is a Non Profit Org for Speech Apraxia. It's going to be a ton of work, but hopefully it will open up many more doors for me in the future. Fingers Crossed. Life long dream and all that.}

^{Talk to you all later with sketches and art......hopefully}

^Alex

The Core Series

2011-01-02T17:02:00.000-08:00

Just a little Photo Manipulation for all y'all. New Sermon Series that should be amazing, but I will never see due to the fact that I'm signed up to help out the Kids Church for the next 10 weeks. Oh well.....All for the greater good, right.

Enjoy

Alex

FAVES OF 2010

2010-12-30T11:59:00.000-08:00

Everyone seems to be doing all these end of the year lists so I thought I would do my version...Short, Sweet, and to the Point! Away we go:

BEST ALBUM:
- HOUSE OF HEROES: SUBURBA

BEST MOVIE
- INCEPTION

BEST TV SHOW
-TIE
      - FRINGE
      - BIG BANG THEORY

BEST COFFEE
- STARBUCKS VERONA

BEST VACATION
- WEEKEND IN HOCKING HILLS WITH WIFE

BEST SHOW/CONCERT
- HOUSE OF HEROES @ SKULLY'S

FAVE NEW FRIENDS
- TIE BETWEEN
         - NEW GILLY HICKS TEAM
         - JAMES AND CBUS BEER GUYS CREW
   - WES MOLEBASH (WEB COMIC CREATOR)

BEST BOOK
- BRETT BATTLES: SHADOW OF BETRAYAL (JONATHAN QUINN NOVELS)

BEST GUY TIME
- TIE AGAIN
       ROCK CLIMBING GYM W/ TIM & ADAM OR TIM TEACHING ME SOME GUITAR

BEST COMIC
- BATMAN AND ROBIN (GRANT MORRISON IS A GENIUS)

BEST NEW WEBSITE
- COLLIDER (GREAT MOVIE NEWS)

BEST NEW GADGET
- SEAGATE EXTERNAL (SAVED MY LIFE THIS YEAR!)

BEST PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT
- DOING PERSONAL WORK FOR EVC - GREAT CREATIVE OUTLET!!

BEST COUPLE MOMENT
- CELEBRATING 10 YEARS(!) OF MARRIAGE TO THE PERFECT WOMAN

BEST KID MOMENT
- KYAN NOT HAVING TO TAKE SPEECH THERAPY ANYMORE!!

WORST KIDS MOMENT
- KYAN ALMOST DYING FROM RARE DISEASE & PNEUMONIA

That's pretty much all I can think of in a short time. Hope you all have a killer New Year and hopefully we can all get together more often in 2011. The future is what you make it, so let's make is worthwhile.

Alex

REDISCOVER CHURCH

2010-10-28T09:38:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,
EVC is starting a new message series in a few weeks and it's sure to be a doozy and ruffle a few feathers. How do we as a community of Jesus Freaks get Non Believers or Past Believers back into the church? How do we break down the stereotypes and let people know that we're all damaged goods, but God love us anyway? How do we as Christians love everyone and judge no one when our society dictates that we should? Come see and hear some pretty heavy stuff from Nov - Dec in Picktown.

N.O.W. October Poster

2010-10-21T09:40:00.000-07:00

So my pal, Rob, had asked me to do another poster for his Night of Worship youth concert series and told me the Message was called "Will You Be Here Tomorrow?" and having just watched Back to the Future recently, I couldn't get the idea of time travel out of my head. I kept dwelling on sci fi themes and started picturing in my head, old sci fi movie posters and how retro and great they look. It also occured to me that this was all going down around Halloween and the pieces just fell into place.

I started doodling on my wacom at home watching HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER (great show), and next thing I knew I had spent an hour and came up with the artwork for the poster without ever leaving my computer. Weird, right? A little coloring in Illustrator and the type and Voila!!

I hope you like this as much as I did creating it.

alex

also, go check out my facebook fan page I made. Lots of great stuff there too.
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Alex-M-Clark-Designs/159565000741902

STRONG ROOTS LOGO

2010-10-11T06:12:00.000-07:00

Hey...What's going on out there? Nothing much here, just another fun filled Monday morning at A&F. Just wanted to share real quick a really simple, but nice logo I did for a friend's new band he's starting. Rob's a great guy and has done so much with himself in such a small span of time. His new band is a praise/worship band coming straight outta EVC and should be awesome to see up on stage real soon. Can't wait! Good luck Rob and friends.

AC

WHAT IF LOVE COMES TO TOWN?

2010-09-08T20:03:00.000-07:00

Hey all,

New sermon series from our Illustrious leader Mr. Babcock at Eastside Vineyard. I missed the first message of the series but heard it was great! Need to catch it online before this Sunday!

Anyway, here's the latest graphic for it. We were going to do something more illustrated, but went a different route last minute. Went for a more "book cover" inspired look than originally planned.

Hope you all like it.

Alex

Supes/Batman Illustration - In Progress 3

2010-08-12T07:06:00.000-07:00

I know it's not as far along as I'd like, but...you know...starting a new position and everything takes a lot out of a guy!! BTW go check out www.gillyhicks.com to see what I'll be working on.

Anyhoo...enjoy the tight pencils on batman

Supes/Batman Illustration - In Progress 2

2010-08-10T05:15:00.000-07:00

Here's where I'm at so far with my Supes/Batman "Cover". I'm still loving the Superman even after I've redrawn his face about 4 times. Gonna pencil it all in then ink a scan with brush. Will keep the pencils untouched in case I decided to paint it up...which of course is about 10 times the work.

Little Something I'm working on

2010-08-06T09:37:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,
Haven't posted for some time after all the stuff we've been dealing with. As most of you know, Kyan, our 3 year old came down with Pneumonia as well as Kawasaki disease last week and we were in the hospital for 4 days!! Crazy times, but everyone is home and doing well.

Anyway, I wanted to get back into an at home work routine so I thought I would start with something fun! I haven't drawn Supes in a looong time and wanted to take another crack at him. I'll post more pics as I progress.

Remember, I'm always available to do comissions and I've lowered my Design Fees to get some new clients.

NEW DETROIT AREA GOLF PRO LOGO

2010-07-21T19:30:00.000-07:00

I'm really excited to have done a logo for my cousin Kristen's boyfriend Joseph who is a Golf Pro that caters to the Detroit, Michigan area. I haven't seen Kristen in some time and I regret to say I've never actually met Joseph, but I wish him the best and hopefully his business grows and grows.

AMAZING HAWAIIAN ADVERTISING ILLUSTRATIONS

2010-07-13T10:49:00.000-07:00

I love this stuff. The type and illustrations are amazing and I really want to do a poster that is a throwback to these. Can't wait to start researching for new work role....shhhhh. Can't say anymore.

NOW Concert Poster

2010-07-03T18:31:00.000-07:00

This stuff just rocks. Great high school bands concert coming up!! Everyone should check it out. Gonna be at EVC. Great group of kids!!

IMAGO DEI sermon series graphic

2010-07-03T18:14:00.000-07:00

New Graphic for the EVC website. Love this guy!! Hope you do as well.

FINAL OCC JULY CONCERT POSTER

2010-06-29T09:25:00.000-07:00

I feel horrible!!! I forgot to post the official/final version of the OCC Benefit Concert Poster!! How careless of me. My dearest apologies. Enjoy.

New Concert Poster Design!!

2010-06-29T05:50:00.000-07:00

Hey all,
I worked on this bad boy last night hoping to just get a healthy start, but after 2 hours I was, in my mind, 90% done and really stinkin' happy with how it turned out. This is for an upcoming Concert event being hosted by my church, Eastside Vineyard, and has about 5 high school bands and sign teams. My bud Mike Erickson is also giving a message sometime in the middle.

Hope you all like the poster and can make it out!

alex

WhoHub Creative Interview

2010-06-22T19:40:00.001-07:00

Batman Commission

2010-06-21T10:52:00.000-07:00

Too much fun doodling this out today!!!

Makin' the Doughnuts since 14 yrs old.....

2010-06-14T11:29:00.000-07:00

I was thinking earlier about my current job and all the many titles I've had over the years at A&F which in turn started a wave of employment nostalgia that took me back to my very first job as a part time Janitor at Converse Church of Christ in Converse, IN. I began to mentally list my past jobs and I figured I would share whether you care or not. For your enjoyment:

- Church Janitor @ CCC (been working since 14!!)
- Burger Flipper to the stars at Wendy's in Marion, IN
- Part time lawn mover - 3-4 yards during the summers
- Ball State U Librarian Aid - Government Periodicals (soooo boring)
- Hollywood Video - best job ever; worked with now wife for some time
- Toy Dept. at Meijer - close to best job ever
- Linens N Things in Cincy after graduation and couldn't find a job
- WAL-MART as Illustrator, CAD designer, you name it (first full time graphic job!!)
- Abercrombie & Fitch (for over 7 years!!)

And the most challenging, terrifying, rewarding, and emotional job is a close tie between Father and Husband. Still trying to get the hang of both of those two. If there was a Human Resources department, I know I would've been let go years ago.

How about you? What is your employment history and what has it meant to you?

Alex

OCC benefit poster.....in progress

2010-06-08T19:29:00.000-07:00

Here's where I'm at. Adding in more type into the black barn area then, adding watercolor washes for some awesome energy.

OCC Xmas in July Benefit Concert Poster - rough sketch

2010-06-02T05:44:00.000-07:00

I am loving where this is going. Hopefully I'll be posting some more progress later this week! Go check out the site and get involved

alex

PEARSON DOES MCCARTHY

2010-03-05T09:38:00.000-08:00

These posters are amazing and I can't wait to do some like this for EVC!

Awesome Poster - Justin Perricone

2010-02-22T05:34:00.000-08:00

EVC - sweetness

2010-01-27T19:04:00.000-08:00

GROW - EVC

2010-01-21T06:18:00.001-08:00

2010-01-14T10:28:00.001-08:00

2010-01-14T10:27:00.002-08:00

2010-01-14T10:27:00.000-08:00

MORE RUEHL ARTWORK

2010-01-14T10:24:00.002-08:00

Old Ruehl Artwork

2010-01-14T10:24:00.000-08:00

BELONG ART - EVC JANUARY 2010

2010-01-12T05:08:00.000-08:00

Church Doodle

2010-01-12T05:06:00.001-08:00

No real reason for this.

EVC - CONNECT GRAPHIC

2010-01-12T05:05:00.000-08:00

Latest and Greatest. Really like this one.

Also, a little doodle I did during Church last week.....shhhh!

EVC JANUARY 2010 SERIES - LIFE IS A HIGHWAY

2010-01-04T10:00:00.001-08:00

2009 XMAS SERIES LOGO

2009-11-30T20:32:00.000-08:00

IT'S COMING.....

2009-11-18T14:39:00.001-08:00

whatareyouwaitingfor.com/0bbf2

YSC shirt

2009-11-04T06:09:00.000-08:00

NEW SHIRT FOR YSC! GO CHECK THEM OUT AND DO WHAT YOU CAN TO HELP THE FIGHT AGAINST CANCER.

EVC FALL FEST OUT WEST POSTER

2009-10-06T13:18:00.001-07:00

OCT. 31st! EVC Fall Festival! Be there!

Page 5 - LOST IN THE SHUFFLE

2009-10-01T08:22:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,
Here is the last page before the Con. Jeff Smith will be there and he's a huge inspiration to me. Hopefully I can get some feedback! Let me know what you all think.

Page 4 of Lost in the Shuffle done

2009-09-29T05:36:00.000-07:00

I'm really loving this page and the next one so keep watch here for more goodness.

Thanks for everyone's supportive words and encouragement. I'm going to need it. MidOhioCon this weekend. I'll be there with Chase if anyone wants to come out and join us.

2009-09-24T13:56:00.003-07:00