Mike Ramsey | Graphic Design Portfolio by Mike Ramsey

MIKE RAMSEY GRAPHIC DESIGN PORTFOLIO

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MIKE RAMSEY GRAPHIC DESIGN PORTFOLIO

ARTIST’S

STATEMENT

PHILOSOPHY OF DESIGN I h a ve a passion f or design. Like t he clot hes we wear, t h e design c hoices an or ganizat ion m ake s speak t o t he c har act er and ident it y of t hat or gani zati on. Go o d, t hought f ul design s t r engt hens any mes sage, i d e a , or br and, pr oviding a sense of com p l e t eness a n d conf idence t hat r esonat es w it h cus t omer s . U n f o r t unat ely, t he wor ld is f illed wit h carel ess , i n c o her ent design t hat can cause people t o tune o u t a m essage bef or e it ’ s e ven deliver ed. I cons i der i t my per sonal m ission t o help or ganizat i ons and i n d i viduals com m unicat e t o t heir cons t it ue nts i n a s t r o nger, m or e pur posef ul way. BRINGING STORIES TO LIFE L o n g bef or e discover ing t he pleasur e of good des i gn, I h a v e had a lif elong love af f air wit h car t ooni ng and i l l u s t r at ion. Ther e is a cer t ain m agical qua l i ty t o a p r o c ess t hat begins w it h a blank w hit e page and ends w i t h a vivid wor ld f illed wit h int er es t ing sit uat i ons and c h a r act er s. B r eat hing lif e int o s t or ies – t o capture t h e essence of a per sonalit y in a f ew bold s tr okes, t o e s t ablish a m ood wit h t he judicious applicati on of c o l o r – br ings m e gr eat joy t hat I am eager t o share w i t h or ganizat ions, publicat ions, and aut hor s .

MIKE RAMSEY GRAPHIC DESIGN PORTFOLIO

CONTENTS

BRANDING Autumn Leaf Festival

Clarion Research Group

BKRS Associates, Inc.

The Clarion Call

P U B L I C AT I O N D E S I G N The Clarion Call, Magazine Style

The Clarion Call Autumn Leaf Festival Guide

The Clarion Call Throwback Edition

POSTERS Clarion University Athletics

Freshman Advising Workshop

The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Kick It for the 'O'

Mike Manning

Holocaust Remembrance

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

Imagine

I L L U S T R AT I O N The Ownership Society

The Arsenal of Democracy

'J' is for Jihad

The Spirit of Humanity

Shrug

MIKE RAMSEY GRAPHIC DESIGN PORTFOLIO

BRANDING

Autumn Leaf Festival "Clarion River's Show of Leaves." 2009. Layout in Adobe Photoshop. 1200 x 1027 pixels. "A Celebration of Nature." 2010. Layout in Adobe Photoshop. 1563 x 995 pixels.

Logo design concepts for the 56th and 57th annual Autumn Leaf Festival, Clarion County's premier civic event. Incorporating bold autumnal colors and solid shapes, these logos seek to be modern and memorable. The 2009 design features the Clarion County courthouse and fireworks in the shape of maple leaves, putting a different twist on that year's "show of leaves" theme. The 2010 design is a simple wordmark with a stylized leaf forming the number one. The mark is set in lowercase Futura, a typeface whose round geometric shapes suggest friendliness.

MIKE RAMSEY GRAPHIC DESIGN PORTFOLIO

BRANDING

Clarion Research Group 2010. Layout in Adobe Photoshop. 620 x 497 pixels.

Logo design concept for Clarion Research Group. CRG is a local medical firm specializing in laboratory and clinical research. The logo utilizes a Swiss cross, the universal symbol for all things medical, bisected by a zig-zag line that represents the readout of a heart monitor. The cross is paired with the words "Clarion Research Group" set in Franklin Gothic Heavy. Used frequently in newspaper headlines (and this portfolio), this bold typeface suggests trust and authority. The capital letters at the beginning of each line spell out the firm's acronym, and could be used alone with the Swiss cross mark for an alternate design.

MIKE RAMSEY GRAPHIC DESIGN PORTFOLIO

BRANDING

BKRS Associates, Inc. 2011. Layout in Adobe Photoshop. 2112 x 1075 pixels.

Logo design concept for BKRS Associates, Inc., a firm specializing in designing traffic signal control systems. The mark is set in Gotham, a modern geometric/humanist hybrid that has increasingly come to replace Helvetica as the typeface of choice for designers looking to convey a clean, neutral, and modern look. The initial "B" is overlaid with three colored circles representing a traffic light; the way the circles are connected by the thin white strokes also suggest intersections on a map.

MIKE RAMSEY GRAPHIC DESIGN PORTFOLIO

BRANDING

The Clarion Call "Masthead." 2010. Layout in Adobe InDesign and Adobe Photoshop. 9.4"x 2" (23.88 cm x 5.08 cm). "iPhone App Splash Screen." 2011. Layout in Adobe Photoshop. 320 x 480 pixels. "Twitter Icons." 2011." Layout in Adobe Photoshop. 88 x 88 pixels.

Branding concept for The Clarion Call, Clarion University's weekly student newspaper. In the fall of 2010, a design overhaul of the newspaper was undertaken, centered around a stylized eagle mark, a deep royal blue, and the monoweight slab-serif typeface Rockwell. This typeface serves as the "voice" of the newspaper, unifying the aesthetics of Clarion Call-branded content across multiple media platforms. Artist's note: Part of this entry, the website design for The Call, can be viewed online at www.clarioncallnews.com.

MIKE RAMSEY GRAPHIC DESIGN PORTFOLIO

PUBLICATION

DESIGN

The Clarion Call, Magazine Style 2012. Layout in Adobe InDesign. 11"x 17" (27.94 cm x 43.18 cm).

The front page of the April 5, 2012 edition of The Clarion Call. This layout utilizes a magazine-style approach to displaying content (a departure from the more traditional broadsheet newspaper design The Call usually employs) featuring a "cover page" design above the fold that directs readers to articles in the interior of the paper. Artist's note: I laid out the entire April 5 edition, not just the cover page. Please find the whole issue included in this portfolio, or view it online at www.clarioncallnews.com/misc/digital-print-edition-for-april-5-2012/.

MIKE RAMSEY GRAPHIC DESIGN PORTFOLIO

PUBLICATION

DESIGN

The Clarion Call Autumn Leaf Festival Guide 2011. Layout in Adobe InDesign (three pages). 11"x 17" (27.94 cm x 43.18 cm).

A special section in the October 6, 2011 edition of The Clarion Call. The October 6 edition was handed out at Clarion University Media Day in Memorial Park (across from the Clarion County courthouse) and includes a map of the festivities along with a schedule of events. Artist's note: The fourth page of this section was laid out by someone else, so I have omitted it from this portfolio. You can view the complete issue at www.clarioncallnews.com/misc/digital-print-edition-foroctober-6-2011/.

MIKE RAMSEY GRAPHIC DESIGN PORTFOLIO

PUBLICATION

DESIGN

The Clarion Call Throwback Edition 2011. Layout in Adobe InDesign. 11"x 17" (27.94 cm x 43.18 cm).

Front page of the March 3, 2011 edition of The Clarion Call. The front page of this issue was designed to have the same typography and layout that The Call had in 1972, using a framed issue from that year as a guide. The throwback issue was created for the Spring 2011 College Media Advisors convention in New York City.

MIKE RAMSEY GRAPHIC DESIGN PORTFOLIO

POSTERS

Clarion University Athletics 2011. Pen drawing and Layout in Adobe Photoshop. 11"x 17" (27.94 cm x 43.18 cm).

Poster design for a contest held by Clarion University's athletics program. Done in the style of Art Noveau, the poster employs period-appropriate typefaces and ornamental elements. Though laid out digitally, the poster is made to look like a lithographic print, with a simplified color scheme, a simplified figure with bold outlines, and a texture effect mimicking the appearance of stone-block printing on paper.

MIKE RAMSEY GRAPHIC DESIGN PORTFOLIO

POSTERS

Freshman Advising Workshop 2011. Layout in Adobe InDesign. 11"x 17" (27.94 cm x 43.18 cm).

Poster design for the Clarion University Communication department's Fall 2011 freshman advising workshop. This poster uses the university's style guidelines for promotional materials, including the use of the official color scheme and typefaces (Bell Gothic and Filosofia Grand). The stock photo was chosen for its gender diversity and the welcoming smiles on the models' faces.

MIKE RAMSEY GRAPHIC DESIGN PORTFOLIO

POSTERS

The Rocky Horror Picture Show 2010. Layout in Adobe InDesign. 11"x17" (27.94 cm x 43.18 cm).

Poster design for Alpha Psi Omega's presentation of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. The generous use of white space emphasizes the 11-inch-long fishnet-clad leg, creating an eye-catching image that stands out on a bulletin board cluttered with posters. The poster also utilizes the "dripping blood" typeface used in the film, combined with a fancy script face that suggests class and sophistication.

MIKE RAMSEY GRAPHIC DESIGN PORTFOLIO

POSTERS

Kick It for the 'O' 2010. Layout in Adobe Photoshop and Adobe InDesign. 11"x 17" (27.94 cm x 43.18 cm).

Poster design for a kickball tournament benefitting ovarian cancer research. The poster's color scheme is dominated by teal, the color symbolizing ovarian cancer awareness, and flowers that symbolize femininity and fertility. The poster is set in Futura, a clean, modern typeface chosen for its geometric forms and completely circular 'O'.

MIKE RAMSEY GRAPHIC DESIGN PORTFOLIO

POSTERS

Mike Manning 2010. Layout in Adobe InDesign. 11"x 17" (27.94 cm x 43.18 cm).

Poster design for a university event featuring Mike Manning, a political activist and cast member of MTV's "The Real World". The poster is dominated by Manning's head shot, framed by red, white, and blue elements that bring to mind American politics. The poster is set in Helvetica and Book Antiqua, two typefaces that balance each other (one being sans-serif and modern, the other being serif and traditional) and are commonly used on campaign posters.

MIKE RAMSEY GRAPHIC DESIGN PORTFOLIO

POSTERS

Holocaust Remembrance 2009. Pen and layout in Adobe Photoshop and Adobe InDesign. 17"x 11" (43.18 cm x 27.94 cm).

Poster design for Clarion University's annual Holocaust Remembrance event, the winning entry in a contest. The poster features an illustration of a Holocaust survivor's crossed arms bearing the tattoo issued to inhabitants of the camps. The muted, earthy color scheme establishes an appropriately somber tone for the poster.

MIKE RAMSEY GRAPHIC DESIGN PORTFOLIO

POSTERS

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren 2009. Layout in Adobe Photoshop and Adobe InDesign. 11"x 17" (27.94 cm x 43.18 cm).

Poster design for the monthly Grandparents Raising Grandchildren gathering at the Clarion Free Library, the winning entry in a contest. The poster is dominated by an image of a grandfather caressing his grandson, which has been desaturated except for the child's bright blue eyes. The color of the child's eyes is used as an accent color throughout the design, providing aesthetic unity.

MIKE RAMSEY GRAPHIC DESIGN PORTFOLIO

POSTERS

Imagine 2009. Photo illustration in Adobe Photoshop, layout in Adobe InDesign. 8.5"x 11" (27.94 cm x 43.18 cm).

Poster design for the Third International Congress on Critical Perspectives on Energy, Environment, Technology, Water Development and Protection Wordwide. The poster employs a photo illustration showing a rusty oil pipeline winding its way through a field of sunflowers before fading away into nothingness. The illustration is paired with the tagline "we can imagine a better world," set in green to suggest the environmentalist theme.

MIKE RAMSEY GRAPHIC DESIGN PORTFOLIO

ILLUSTRATION

The Ownership Society 2011. Pen and Adobe Photoshop. 11"x 17" (27.94 cm x 43.18 cm).

Illustration commenting on some of my thoughts about modern society and the way we are plugged in from birth to a system consumerism, materialism, and nationalism mediated by an all-pervasive media. The title of the piece comes from a model of society enunciated by President George W. Bush in 2003 characterized by the ownership of property by individuals not tied to one another by bonds of mutual interdependence.

MIKE RAMSEY GRAPHIC DESIGN PORTFOLIO

ILLUSTRATION

The Arsenal of Democracy 2011. Pen and Adobe Photoshop. 8.5"x 11" (27.94 cm x 43.18 cm).

Illustration for a class project asking us to describe our thoughts on the Iraq war. For this piece I chose to depict the American soldier as a representative of the powerful corporate interests that influence and control the nation's foreign policy. The solider's uniform, like that of a NASCAR driver, is studded with patches bearing the logos of investment banks, military contractors, and oil companies. The title comes from Franklin D. Roosevelt's famous phrase describing the United States in the Second World War.

MIKE RAMSEY GRAPHIC DESIGN PORTFOLIO

ILLUSTRATION

'J' is for Jihad 2011. Pen and Adobe Photoshop. 11"x 4.67" (27.94 cm x 11.85 cm).

Illustration for a project about the use of language in politics. For this project, I chose to juxtapose the familiar Sesame Street formula of teaching letters (complete with Muppets) with the dominant political doctrines of the modern world: Islamism, Communism, and Capitalism. Bright colors and cartoonish figures combined with controversial subjects create thematic dissonance that draws the viewer in.

MIKE RAMSEY GRAPHIC DESIGN PORTFOLIO

ILLUSTRATION

The Spirit of Humanity 2011. Pen and Adobe Photoshop. 8.5"x 11" (27.94 cm x 43.18 cm).

Illustration for a project about the intersection of spirituality and science. This illustration reflects my own sense of spirituality, a robust faith in the capabilities of mankind to overcome any obstacle using practical reason. The glowing figure, astride the world and surrounded by symbols of mankind's scientific achievement, recall's Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man and symbolizes our species' growing power over the world around us and our destiny within it.

MIKE RAMSEY GRAPHIC DESIGN PORTFOLIO

ILLUSTRATION

Shrug 2011. Pen and Adobe Photoshop. 11"x 17" (27.94 cm x 43.18 cm).

Poster design for the Occupy Wall Street movement, done in the style of Art Deco. The composition is a parody of the famous Art Deco cover illustration of Ayn Rand's landmark novel Atlas Shrugged, with a worker (representing "the 99%") as Atlas and the rotund body of a wealthy man (representing "the 1%") standing in for the globe.