HMIRC Concept – Ryan/Smith Creative

This is a concept I did for Hazardous Materials Information Review Commission's 25th Anniversary Annual Report under the art direction of Charlie Smith, Art Director/Owner.

This is one of my absolute favourite designs. The concept was a timeline with 25 years of accomplishments, events, and successes starting with WHMIS. The flowing water symbolizes constant movement forward into the future. I also like how the 4/4 cover switches to a 2 colour interior. This concept was never chosen. Bits and pieces of it were merged with bits and pieces of other competing concepts. Clients will be clients.

My first project of 2010 and me, a total fish out of water.

Diamond Development Initiative, a company dedicated to improving the work conditions and lives of artisanal diamond miners in Africa, approached me at the beginning of January with an inquiry. They needed 20 illustrations portraying 20 different scenes, and they needed them "yesterday". They asked if I could help them find an illustrator. Knowing very few people that would be kind to a client in their circumstances I offered to undertake the project myself. I sent them some samples of pencil sketches from my sketchbooks. They liked my style, we agreed on a price and I was off to the races.

Given more time I think it's fair to say that there would have been noticeable improvements to line quality and I would have shaded the colour. However, 20 illustrations completed in 60 hours is no small feat.

Best job of 2009.

Sometimes family and business don't mix. I'd argue that that depends on your family.

This project was a common-look-and-feel for a suite of parts for my brother, Mike Sutton, to brand himself as a Kingston-area realtor.

Being brothers you might think that it was hard for us to keep our opinions to ourselves and that this might disrupt the creative process, but you would be wrong. I was determined to give him exactly what he wanted and he was determined to give me absolute creative license. Our only hindrance was the confines of the real-estate industry's legal necessities when it comes to marketing.

Thanks Mike for a fun project and a great end-product.

Every journey starts with a first step.

I am hoping to post all the work I do that I'm proud of here.

I think it will work well because some pieces I do for Ryan/Smith Creative on Bank Street or iBrand Promotions on Cooper, while others, I do for myself through g33k. I think it's important to be up front about these things because clients and creative directors influence heavily what a piece of work ends up looking like. :)

This is also the beginning of a re-branding. As I do not believe that I can sum up my creative style or personality with a single word, however candid, like KaBoom, Xquisit, Fuel, or Xactly, I've opted to use my initials. The business name I will register will be ADS Creative.