creating vibrant artwork to brighten your brand or product
Why So Many Brands Look the Same Right Now Open Instagram or scroll through a few websites, and you’ll start to notice something: many brands are beginning to look surprisingly similar. Very little stands out. So many designs are using trendy fonts and similar motifs and color palettes. Let’s face it, AI-powered design tools have …
Why AI-Generated Branding Is Making Brands Look the SameRead More
In a world of quick texts and last-minute online orders, a truly personal greeting card stands out because it feels intentional. The best cards don’t just say something nice — they make someone feel seen. Here are the elements that make a greeting card feel meaningful rather than generic. 1. Specific Emotion Instead of Generic …
Over the past few weeks, I’ve run into the same issue with two different clients. Both had logo files with the “right” extensions—one was an .EPS and the other an AI—which usually signals that the artwork should be vector and editable. After opening the files, it turned out neither logo was actually built as a …
Happy 2026! We are already half way through the month of January so I thought it’s beyond time I shared my 2025 highlights: 50+ invitation designs 6 new greeting card designs 4 branding projects for clients 4 new client website designs (plus 2 underway) 3 local stores picking up my Buffalo mugs 3 pattern design …
Sometimes businesses just need a landing page or a one-page website. This was the case for Lisa Dugan, owner of Truetally Bookkeeping. Lisa launched her bookkeeping business just this past year, and it’s already thriving! She came to me looking for a professional web presence that she could easily update and expand as her business …
I recently wrapped up a branding project for Swiech Consulting LLC, a financial advisory firm based in Lockport, just outside Buffalo, NY. Founder James Swiech brings decades of experience as a CPA, and together with his wife, Donna, they’ve built a firm centered on helping clients feel confident and secure about their financial future. When …
New logo design for a Buffalo, NY Financial Consulting FirmRead More
If you’re a business owner or designer, chances are you have a website! I first began designing websites way back in 1998. I’ve worked on sites for large Fortune 500 clients such as Whirlpool, HP, and art directed Experian’s first site. Now I design websites for small businesses. I used to design exclusively in WordPress, …
In my creative world, AI used to mean Adobe Illustrator. But lately, those two little letters have taken on a much bigger—and more complex—meaning. Artificial Intelligence is everywhere. It’s creeping into every part of business, design, and marketing. So I wanted to take a moment to share my perspective. Yes, AI is changing the landscape. …
Recently, I had the fortunate opportunity to speak to a group of over 100 people at my Quality Contacts networking group at Riverworks in downtown Buffalo. I was invited to showcase my portfolio and, more importantly, talk about a topic I care deeply about: branding. One of the first things I shared with the group …
Recently, I’ve come across many entrepreneurs who are just starting out and need a business card. Some go with digital cards, but if you are printing cards and you’re doing it yourself, here are a few important considerations to keep in mind: 1. Correct color formatting Please make sure all of your files are in …
Many might not realize that I first started in the website world back in 1998. I designed many websites while working at a small agency in Chicago, including the site for The Alzheimer’s Association (they are headquartered in Chicago) as well as Experian’s first site (they used to be headquartered in Chicago before moving to …
From HTML to Showit: My 25-Year Journey in Web DesignRead More
Kicking off your branding project with a mood board is an absolute game-changer. It saves a lot of time and drives the creative direction for a project. What is a mood board? The dictionary defines it as: “an arrangement of images, materials, pieces of text, etc. intended to evoke or project a particular style or …
Why Starting with Moodboards is Essential for Your Branding ProjectRead More
I am thrilled to announce my latest Editor’s pick with Minted. This card was hand lettered and illustrated in Procreate. I used Minted’s “create a concept” where the copy is provided for the artist. I found out this card also won a special prize in that category. This card works well for any gender and …
My latest win with Minted — in time for Grad season!Read More
It’s hard for me to believe it’s the end of April. Q1 flew by and we are already a good month into Q2. I never got a chance to get my goals up online for the year, as I dove into 2024 headfirst with a slew of new projects. To recap what I’ve done so …
I submitted more patterns to SheinX late last year and this one was accepted. Getting to see your work on products never gets old! I never would have pictured this on a bikini but I think it works. Check it out on their site, it keeps selling out which is a great sign that others …
With the rush of Christmas behind us, I wanted to take a moment’s pause and recap on my successes of 2023 — and in the spirit of transparency — my failures. Or better called, learning opportunities! Success in my business I FINALLY started sending out a newsletter, I sent 17 newsletters in 2023. My goal …
In the world of branding, a logo is the visual cornerstone of your business identity. It’s the emblem that encapsulates your values, tells your story, and distinguishes you from the competition. When embarking on the journey of logo design, one crucial decision can significantly impact the quality and versatility of your final product: starting in …
The Power of Precision: Why Your Logo Design Should be Delivered in Vector FormatRead More
It’s always so interesting to see what clients will put your artwork on. I never pictured this print on swimwear, but SheinX recently printed my art and printed it on this bikini. The photo has a blue tint to it but the original print is attached. I wish I could see it without the blue …
Have you ever been stuck in a rut? You know, that feeling when your creative endeavors seem to be running in circles, stuck in a never-ending loop of the same old thing? I’ve been there too, and recently I realized I needed to step up my surface pattern designs. For a while, I found myself …
I recently created this hand lettering piece because these words kept ringing in my head: “Bet on Yourself.” It’s the message my son heard in high school from the JUCO (Junior College) coach where he ended up playing baseball this past year. He played three sports in high school and enjoyed them all, but we …
