As you can probably imagine we go through a lot of notebooks around here, and because of this we’ve taken to binding our own. One day we got to thinking – why not create our own book design? Like any project we touch, we had to go all out, and made an entire series of Splinter notebooks. Using common “note” phrases, we created this environmentally friendly set that has everyone in the studio happily taking notes.
The American Advertising Federation (AAF) also took note of our book design project. Read more.
Take Notes and Mental NotesShare Notes and Swap Notes Compare Notes and MF’er Take Note
The whole series of notebooks are printed on recycled FSC certified paper that is made from responsible sources and is elemental chlorine free.
We do a lot of sketching. And even more taking notes. Why not enjoy it? Next time you’re in the studio, ask about them and you’ll likely leave with one or two of them.
From time to time we have the itch to create something custom, from scratch, to keep our skills and spirits sharp. It’s a particularly nice break from the monitor. Making things with our hands is a nice itch to scratch at times, especially when it has a great end result – a custom design that’s a perfect hideaway for your wine.
Queue the power tools, tunes, paint booth and aerator.
After several coats of custom-mixed, Splinter PMS matched paint, came the laquer. Lots of it. They turned out so great, our clients were asking for more. Hopefully that was the custom design boxed, not the cabernet.
Our clients and colleagues have become familiar with our team making custom things, so there’s always fun things kicking around our studio.
At Splinter we love checking out local art, and on a recent trip to downtown Phoenix we saw some street art that we fell in love with. If you look on the corner of Calle 16, next to Barrio Cafe, you’ll see the work that caught our attention. The goal then became how to add a custom mural to our studios, and who would be the artist.
No detail was spared, even the hardware was used
We’ve been itching to get some new art here for a while, so we tracked down local artist Angel Diaz and told him we wanted him to go big on a custom mural. Angel was happy to oblige. After a quick chat about the piece that first inspired us, we set him loose with our only direction being to do something kick-ass that we’ll love to look at everyday. He delivered.
One artist, one ladder and a milk crate of spray paint cansCompleted Olmec mural
Watch this time lapse video of his graffiti work, creating a larger than life Olmec-inspired scene.
Last year we had our work cut out for us with our rebrand project. For several months we poured ourselves into updating Splinter’s brand assets. It was a big undertaking but the rewards – or in this case, award – have made it all worth it!
We entered the ADDY Awards for the self-promotion category with our
freshly designed collateral package. The AAF is a national organization
with a mission to better the advertising industry, recognize the best in
advertising, and inform and educate advertising professionals. The 2014
Phoenix ADDY Award Gala was held downtown at The Duce – a very
appropriate venue. If you haven’t been, we highly recommend visiting
this place.
Everyone here is constantly challenging ourselves to go further and do better than ever before. These types of accolades keep our creativity sharp and skills honed; ever ready to accept the next challenge.
What’s more fun than a dog, beer and a video camera? Not much, at least for when staff is need of an outlet. Creative drinking at lunch will do that.
Brandon was nominated online to participate in the trending 24 Hour Beer Challenge. It consists of drinking a beer on camera. You have one day to tape it and post it to social media, calling out others to do the same within 24 hours. We’ve seen this spread all over the US and internationally. The videos have been increasingly good as friends try to out-do their buddy’s previous.
The above video was shot in one take. No joke. Shout out the the talented hands man, Joseph Weber. He straight nailed it. GG the office Staffordshire terrier handled her own pretty well too.
Here’s a couple other great 24 Hour Beer Challenge videos people participating in some creative drinking for your viewing pleasure.
Halloween and the Mexican holiday Día de los Muertos share ghoulish qualities, but the two are distinctly different. Unlike Halloween, Day of the Dead centers around celebrating the lives of those who have passed, and the belief that death is just a natural transition in life. Festivities include elaborate face paintings that resemble skulls and showing respect for their deceased loved ones. We were inspired to create a modern interpretation of the time-honored, colorful holiday through a fashion photoshoot. We wanted the look to be soft and ethereal; a multi-ethnic re-imagining of the traditional for audiences who haven’t had the opportunity to experience Mexican culture, but can identify with its message and relevancy in their own lives.
Cover
Working with Phoenix Fashion Week, we were able to cultivate a Vogue-inspired “Day of the Dead” fashion photoshoot with their team of talented wardrobe stylists, makeup artists and hair stylists. Special thanks to Dynelle Rodriguez, Vanessa Gonzalez, Jessica Fiero, Ivonne Bran and Laura Dickerson for helping bring the vision to life!
Interior spread
The photos feature Phoenix Fashion Week’s Emerging Models Eddene, Sydney, and Maureen – not to mention a hand-glittered skull – to complete the tone.
Back inside cover
As November nears each year, Phoenix becomes glutted with decorations and costumes centered around the holiday. Corresponding celebrations and expressions often look eccentric, if not a bit startling, to the uninitiated.
Here’s a sneak peek of some behind the scenes shots.
In 2020, this project received an Honorable Mention from the Indigo Awards in the Magazine & Newspaper design category. View the story here.
Upon the arrival of our new in-house photographer, it was time to resurrect the photo studio. After a little TLC – okay, a lot of TLC – we’ve finally finished renovating the photography cove.
The new photo studio allows Splinter to provide clients with impressive materials created in-house. Clients will be able to utilize our own staff photographer. Specializing in product and lifestyle shoots, the photography services are available for location or assignment as needed.
By launching a new photo studio, we’ve expanded our capabilities and service offerings to clients. It increases our ability to produce both commercial and editorial shoots for a wide range of clients, but also our ability to produce striking, thought-provoking images for them.
With the addition of the photo studio, the visual material from Splinter will have a greater continuity with the design process and will reinforce their reputation as an industry forerunner.
It’s also the ideal place to hook up the Wii or a film to project on the 18-foot wall when we’re done.
Fully equipped boasting climate-controlled conditions, a stocked half-kitchen and private entrance, it’s an ideal comfortable working environment. The workspace is home to an infinity wall creating a versatile backdrop to shoot products, people, or anything else clients desire. The large studio space measures roughly 750 square feet with a 300 square foot photo cove and 18 foot ceiling.
Another special feature of the studio is the unlimited access clients can have. The 24-hour accessibility of the ensures faster production times. With the private entrance, clients can work with photographers on their own schedule.
Each year around Phoenix Design Week, designers from around the valley compete in a friendly design competition called PhoenixLayers. It’s basically a collaborative design contest or exercise, but add in a stopwatch and it get’s interesting. You’re randomly paired up with another designer, and volley back and forth a layered Photoshop file. Each volley is timed, and each designer only has a few minutes. Make your edits and additions quickly and pass off. After 6 rounds the final designs are submitted to be judged.
Here’s a look at our layers from several years back. Remember, the
designers start with a blank slate. There’s no direction given and no
parameters. It was fun to witness the stress while on the clock and the
intrigue upon receiving it back from the other participant.
Here is a look at the evolution of the collaborative design. Rounds 1 through 5:
Water For People is a global non-profit that helps people in developing countries improve quality of life by supporting the development of locally sustainable drinking water resources, sanitation facilities, and hygiene education programs. Our support came in the form of a charity design package for the event.
The local charter, AZ Water, is a 501(c)(3)nonprofit educational organization founded in 1928 with a membership of 2,700 water/wastewater professionals dedicated to preserving and enhancing Arizona’s water environment.
How we help:
Each year we work with a few key organizers to get all the details and change up the materials for a fresh look. We create the program and sponsor package, design the event t-shirt, and create the event signage. It’s a very smooth process working with them. That’s because they’re a great group and very passionate about what they do.
Most are volunteers that have full time jobs, so it’s motivating to see them donate so much personal time.
It only makes us want to help in the best way we possibly can – by providing some great charity design work and bringing some proper branding to their cause.
A Great Organization to Support
We try to step up our game each year with the creative and event materials for the charity design package. That’s because they’ve really stepped up the tournament. It’s now being held at Troon North, which is incredible. It’s a very well-organized outing, and loads of fun. And, we get to do some enjoyable non profit design work.
If you enjoy being outdoors, playing golf, and supporting a great cause, you should definitely round up a group. Come out and see why we look forward to this each and every year. The Splinter team does have a few trophies from years past, but none yet that say 1st place.
Working on that.
News from a design studio, always from scratch
Wine me & Pine me – Custom Design
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