Thought Preserver

Hidden Faces

2012-02-05T12:59:00.000-08:00

Economic Outlook

2011-11-23T10:23:00.001-08:00

Icons By Jason Lee

Market Crash

2011-10-26T13:22:00.000-07:00

EXPN Spring 2010

2011-09-28T21:37:00.000-07:00

Photographs by Carlos Serrao

My Last ESPN Layout

2011-09-28T21:21:00.001-07:00

City Spokesman

2010-07-11T20:38:00.001-07:00

Teen Heat

2010-07-11T20:26:00.000-07:00

Layout Breakdown 12

2008-03-24T11:49:00.001-07:00

Headline: Jimmy Swagger
Deck: Most people think Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen is one cocky freshman. Of course, he didn't pick their school
Photographs by Chris McPherson
Typeface Dysopia

serendipitous experiment

2008-02-12T11:12:00.001-08:00

This is not design.
This is non designed design. A serendipitous experiment.
Resulting from placing undesigned graphic elements arbitrarily on the Quark pasteboard while designing features. After the feature was designed, I was left with multiple variations of a design with all the various graphic elements I experimented with discarded over multiple pages on the pasteboard. When all the pages are deleted all the elements on the multiple pasteboards collapse onto themselves to form random collage designs on a single page.

No parts were "designed" or moved for composition effect. The idea was that all elements had to remain as is wherever they fell.

layout breakdown 11: doron

2007-03-03T19:01:00.001-08:00

Headline: A Heart Divided
Deck: Shay Doron has reached every goal she set when she moved here from Isreal: make Terps fans care about women's hoops? Check. Win a national title? Check. Earn a shot at the WNBA? Check. So why is she still playing like she's got something to prove?
photographs by Alessandra Petlin
illustration by Jason Lee

layout breakdown 10: arenas

2007-03-03T18:58:00.000-08:00

Headline: The Wizard of It
Deck: Man-of-the-moment Gilbert Arenas leads the rest of the best into Vegas for a glitzy all-star weekend. But he isn't all that lights up this league.
photo illustration by Olugbenro Ogunsemore

Intended to be neon tubes

layout breakdown 9: superbowl

2007-02-05T18:27:00.000-08:00

Headline: Real World Miami
Deck: All you "experts" think you know what it takes to win the big game. Well, not to throw sand in your face, but we've got a few questions that will wreck some very popular theories. Hey, life's a beach. Luckily, we've got some answers.
photo illustration by Michael Elins

layout breakdown 8: keane

2007-02-05T18:22:00.000-08:00

Headline: The man who can't stop skating
Deck: After along NHL career, Mike Keane hhas the cash, cred and cups to retire with a smile. So why in the world is he playing minor league hockey in Winnipeg?

layout breakdown 7: enhancements

2007-02-05T18:13:00.001-08:00

Headline: The Case for HGH
Deck: Clean players and a level playing field are the NFL ideal. But maybe the league's priorities are out of whack. With reported injuries on the rise, it's time to make a choice: do we want healthy players or a "pure" game?
illustrations by Alex Nabaum

new magazine, same idea

2007-02-05T10:04:00.000-08:00

IF: sprout

2007-02-05T09:52:00.000-08:00

Inc. magazine leftovers

2007-02-02T07:11:00.000-08:00

The last days of Inc. Magazine

2007-02-01T18:10:00.000-08:00

Second Life
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Partnership sketches.
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Gift Guide sketches.
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Where are they now? sketches.
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Multiple Lamp idea. Plus, What's you company worth now? sketches.
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Vegas Guide Sketches

layout breakdown 6

2006-11-29T12:52:00.000-08:00

Headline: Go Ahead, Make a Mess
Deck: Don’t let the neat freaks push you around. Chaos, clutter, disorganization, and on-the-fly decision-making actually are good for your company—and for you.
Ilustration by Jason Lee

Headline sketches below:
Layout sketches below:
Sketches below:

IF: clear

2006-11-13T13:57:00.000-08:00

Clear intentions

IF: phobias

2006-09-25T14:19:00.000-07:00

Thantophobia- Fear of death or dying. Or, Thalassophobia- Fear of the sea.

layout breakdown 5

2006-09-12T09:04:00.000-07:00

Headline: The Squash Blossom Solution
Deck: At the high, high end of the market, the Jones family of Huron, Ohio, outruns the economics of modern farming
photographs by Alison Rosa and Victoria Rich
Final layout above and interior spreads. Sketches below.

layout breakdown 4

2006-09-08T14:24:00.000-07:00

Headline: Life Lessons
Deck: The simple, sincere, and unwavering approach that turned the T-shirt company Life Is Good into an $80 million cultural phenomenon or, How I learned to stifle my inner pessimist and appreciate a fine small business that only wants me to be happy
photographs by Naomi Harris

Final layout and interor spreads above. The small smiley face is the companys logo. The photograph is of the two company owners.

Tighter layout sketches above.

sketches above.

safe

2006-09-05T09:47:00.000-07:00

two chefs: layout breakdown

2006-08-31T12:07:00.000-07:00

Headline: Take two company founders.
Add 10 years of 80-hour workweeks. Fold in a formidable outside CEO. Mix carefully. Very carefully
Deck: How the food company Two Chefs on a Roll grew up, and really started growing

This is a story about a husband and wife team of chefs that started Two Chefs a company that grew beyond their wildest dreams and that would eventually turn their lives upside. Two Chefs produces a million pounds of private label food products a month and develops and sells to more than 250 restaurants. The story deals with their growing pain dramas which include handing their company over to a new CEO, all while dealing with their own problems that would eventually lead to their marital seperation while still trying to grow their company more.

Sketch 1: I initially wanted to do something elaborate with the headline and try to make it look like a piece of cake being picked up by a big fork. Nick Ruechel is photographing this story and Bryan Christie is providing illustrations.

Sketch 2: (counter clockwise) In discussing this story more with the creative director, we tried to convey a feeling of scale. We explored the idea of Bryan Christie illustrating something that would compliment the opening portrait of the two chefs that was photographed by Nick Ruechel as well as add to the sense of scale this company operates in. The portrait is a full body shot of the two chefs that dominates the page. So, my initial idea was to have a photo-realistic illustration of the two chefs standing down a long corridor looking really small with food stuffs piled along the walls to convey the sheer volume of their operation. Like a close-up view on page 1 and a long distance view on page 2. Some other ideas involved scale. Such as the chefs floating on a boat inside a mixing bowl. (Weird, I know!)

Sketch 3: (counter clockwise) Ideas using receipe cards, cracked eggs, mixers, and more pie shaped typography.

Sketch 4: (counter clockwise) This idea I was excited about because it had “movement” and i felt was dynamic, but unfortunately, didn’t convey the idea of size. And more ideas with measureing cups.

Layout mock-up 1 Tighter versions of sketches above. Using measuring cups and and idea from Bryan Christie of a flatbed truck with a giant cupcake and portraits by Nick Ruechel.

Layout mock-up 2 Just in case I explored more ideas with measuring cup and headline being poured out.

Layout mock-up 3 I was really excited about using this idea. I would have made the headline look like it was being mixed. When I got the headline I dropped this idea, but I still like how it looks graphic and abstract at the same time.

Layout mock-up 4 Again, this idea I was to be the dynamic layout, but unfortunately, it didn’t say much about the company.

Final Layout Opening spread features the Nick Ruechel portrait , alongside a photo illustration by Bryan Christie. I used the graphics of the a measuring cup to convey the cooking angle, and I got to keep the measuring cup and drops on the inside spreads.

bar codes

2006-08-27T16:25:00.000-07:00

I must look like a troubled man with a lot on his mind, because as I walk to work my eyes are locked straight down on the sidewalk. Constantly scanning the streets for tiny scraps of paper with barcodes and almost nonsensical numerical information. Unfortunately, my obsession has almost caused countless pedestrian accidents.

match

2006-08-22T12:29:00.000-07:00

It's almost impossible to read, but I assure you it spells match.

freedom fighter

2006-07-26T11:21:00.000-07:00

A few sketches and a final for an idea I had to create an illustration in the spirit of Northwest coast mask similar to the image above, but without the subject matter being all about nature. Instead, I chose the theme of war and opposing forces.
The top image is the final.

original sketch.The inspiration.

bella's bday

2006-07-12T15:13:00.000-07:00

Invite for Isabella's 2nd birthday party. (back and front cover shown)

layout breakdown II

2006-06-20T09:30:00.000-07:00

Headline: Wifi For the Masses
Deck: Tropos Networks aims to bring the high speed internet to everyone. Here’s how the company is doing it – one city at a time.

The story is about how Tropos is bringing Wifi to cities using routers suspended from municpal poles. Without having to dig a single fiberoptic into the ground.

My first sketches was a typographic approach with radiating circles.In sketch 2, I was intending to use an illustrtor to illustrate a realistic SimCity like town and combing it with the radiating circles. Although it doesn’t make sense to me now, I was thinking of the tiny town as a self Wifi sufficient town. Without having to jump on to a major provider like Verizon.Sketch 3. I was concentrating on the taking Wifi outdoors. I thoght it would be cool to show a diptych of a guy walking with a wireless device on page 1 and then being hit with a bolt of wireless Wifi glory. Also, I had the idea of showing a picnic setting and and the word WIFI embedded in the grass, as if it was mowed. Lastly, in the story the router was compared to a strofoam take-out container. So, I thought another diptych, page 1 is the container (representing the cheap cost of installation) and page 2 is the router. Sketch 4,5. The word Wifi written as building rooftops. and some headline type sketches.
Sketch 6. I thought the bottom sketch on the left page was the one. In the sketch, there was a router hanging on a telephone wire, and some birds on page 2 startled by the router. I loved it.Sketch 7,8. Wifi in the big city.exploring more bird ideas
Sketch 9,10. More radiating waves showering down on people. and type sketches.

These mock layouts below are a tighter translation of the scribbled sketches.

I had this image from Peter bialobrzeski bookmarked and I always wanted to use his work. Unfortunately, it wasn't commissioned for us. >>> http://www.bialobrzeski.de/

...and, the final layout, with some embedded photoshopped typography. The image looks much better here now that it has been color corrected.

s.p.d. spots

2006-06-15T11:25:00.000-07:00

Inc. Magazine has been recognized in a big way in this year's SPD (Society of Publication Designers) 19th Annual SPOTS competition. I received word yesterday that the jury has selected seven(!) pieces of ours as winners. Just about every major magazine participates, and it's my understanding that we won more than any other title out there.

"This juried competition celebrates those small but powerful gems called spot illustrations... often-overlooked, often difficult solutions to editorial challenges."

The Survey Says...
by Roderick Mills
Want to know what consumers think? Put down the
comment cards and poll them online instead

Going Medium Tech
by Joel Holland
Falling behind in technology is a bad idea.
But getting out in front isn’t always so smart either

Somebody’s Watching You
by Sam Weber

Googled yourself lately? Then you know it’s nearly
impossible to keep anything hidden anymore

Security Lapse
by Aude Van Ryn
Or, how I stopped worrying and learned to
love hackers, bugs, and other high-tech miscreants

Ask Inc.
by Eric Palma
Question: The union in my manufacturing company has
made it incredibly hard to terminate workers.
Do I have any options?

Custom-Made for All
by Brett Ryder
No two clients are the same. Your services shouldn’t be either

Building a Better Search Engine
by John Hersey
New start-ups are changing the way people search the web–
and the way advertisers reach them

type test

2006-05-19T16:11:00.000-07:00

Type treatment test for feature layout about Wifi, and how a company named Tropos is bring Wifi to the masses.

head shot

2006-05-12T09:34:00.000-07:00

layout breakdown

2006-05-04T13:08:00.000-07:00

Here are some sketches and rough layouts for a feature profile story about two guys who took an energy bar that was created by the US Army and then branded it for the general public. The name of the energy bar is "Hooah"

The working headline and deck:
It’s not just an energy bar, it’s an adventure
Is this anytime to tie a consumer brand to the U.S. Army? The brains behind the HOOAH! bar think so

I was thinking conceptual, photo-illustration, like Zachary Scott (view his work at http://sharpeonline.com/)

Since the story is about to guys going to the military, getting the recepie, which is public domain information, and making it their own by packaging it and naming it. I had the idea to merge the military aspect of the story with the civilian, such as a supermarket. So I thought it be funny to see two soldiers gaurding a supermarket aisle. The 2nd sketch was a portrait based opener and dressing the 2 owners in camo. The last was a juxtoposition of a soldier on base and the 2 owners standing in the same position in the supermarket More military/supermarket ideas. (my personal favorite)

I asked the photographer to embed the 2 guys in a line of soldiers working out. The 2 guys are indicated below in pink. (I also kept pushing for the 2 guys standing while a carpet of soldiers crawled underfoot and the supermarket idea)
First stab. The concept on the top layout was making the headline look like a nutrition info found on packaging. The photos were shot by chris mcpherson http://www.chrismcpherson.com

phantom limb

2006-05-02T09:06:00.000-07:00

eagle chair

2006-04-28T08:11:00.000-07:00

More furniture doodles. Obsessed with dual functioning furniture, this chair, is meant to be used primarily chair with hinged/ pivoting work surfaces. The side wings can also be pivoted up for privacy. Lastly the bottom half of chair can be removed flipped upside down and converted to a small table or ottoman. The bottom sketch is for a table with built in dishwasher.

branding muhammad

2006-04-27T15:32:00.000-07:00

While I usually am not in the habit of illustrating anything for our own magazine, I usually commission that to kick ass illustrators. Like jasonlee.com. Unfortunately, there was no time to commission. So, I had to create these icons for a story on the re-branding of the Ali name. Several CEO opine on how to best capitalize on his name.

pulling typography

2006-04-27T15:21:00.000-07:00

The birds are an idea for my daughters next birthday party invite.

kabuki circuitry

2006-04-17T14:58:00.000-07:00

No matter where I am, I aways stop to pick up certain scraps of paper (more on that later,) and various objects that look like small masks. For example this circuit I found today in front of Bryant Park.

I then added the mask to a sketched body.

floating alphabet II

2006-04-14T08:34:00.000-07:00

More sketches for a series based on floating letters coming to life.

modular limbs

2006-04-12T10:36:00.000-07:00

Sketches of figure using modular like limbs. Almost looks like duct work. Note: you cant bite into a raw plantain as illustrated below.

takeover layout

2006-04-11T14:06:00.000-07:00

A sketch and final layout from our magazine. This was an odd layout to art because it was a story about ourselves. It dealt with the process we went through during the sale of our magazine and detailed the uncertainty of (my job) this magazines future. Luckily, we didn't fold, and the layout was awarded a merit for design by the Society of Publication Designer.

spherical cranium

2006-03-29T14:12:00.000-08:00

I know skulls are everywhere nowadays, but they sure are fun to work with! So, here's more sketches with spheres.

terror forming

2006-03-24T11:42:00.000-08:00

Political commentary on environmental issues? Perhaps a statement against todays violence and terrorism. Or could it be a left over info-graphic I was working on and that I then decided to re-purpose for another less prosaic idea while commuting home.

aurea mediocritas

2006-03-24T10:29:00.000-08:00

aurea mediocritas - Latin for the golden mean. (an ethical goal; truth and goodness are generally to be found in the middle.) I'm not sure if this phrase tells us to not look at things as black and white, that the grey areas are the golden means. So, that between war and peace, life and death, there is goodness? This is a revise sketch on the levitating warriors idea I was toying with.

dangerous occupation

2006-03-17T20:05:00.000-08:00

It took a while for me to find the exact job title for the guys who handle the planes. But, after a few google searches I found it. They're called Aircraft carrier deck hands, and it's the sixth most dangerous job. Alaskan king crab fisherman was number one.

sarcophaga carnaria

2006-03-15T14:52:00.000-08:00

When technology and entomology collide. This is actually a sketch from some left over illustrator file I had. I added wings and legs to make it look like a bug. Finished version to come. Sarcophaga Carnaria is Latin for the common house fly. My sworn enemy!

extra terrestrials

2006-03-15T09:12:00.000-08:00

Who doesn't love a death spewing menace from the outer reaches of the universe. I wonder if anyone has a blog dedicated to robot drawings. If they have let me know!

alphabetic tentacles

2006-03-10T13:59:00.000-08:00

Being consumed by everything type, I thought it would be interesting to see a series of letter floating, and coming alive.

las tres reinas

2006-03-08T12:36:00.000-08:00

amorous robotics

2006-03-07T15:04:00.000-08:00

While sketching ideas for an idea I had about a line of plush robotic toys I sketched this other idea.

skeleton chair

2006-03-07T10:11:00.000-08:00

I usually get 30 minutes to daydream during my morning bus and subway commute, hence the shaky lines on most sketches. Today I was imaging a proto-type for a new chair that would function like a typical chair, but also can be "folded" to create a secondary object. Something one can hang on a wall if one was so inclined.

traveling light

2006-03-02T12:31:00.000-08:00

A sketch for story on traveling light. My idea was to make everything look like it was hovering. So the opener is a woman floating on her suitcase, and the 2nd spread is an exploded view of the "light" suitcase. The final images were shot by C.J. Burton. (http://www.cjburton.com)

Here is the final layout with CJ Burton's final photos in place.

levitating warrior

2006-03-02T11:47:00.000-08:00

An idea I had for a series of combatants throughout history. I was considering adding Samurais, Aztec warriors, 1800's Mexican soldier etc.

elitist

2006-03-02T11:39:00.000-08:00

A variation on the tuxedo by adding an element to elevate it to something more graphic

tuxedo

2006-03-01T18:31:00.000-08:00