St. Paddy's Day Color Inspiration

I am LOVING the retro cereal boxes by General Mills. I know they're totally marketing to my age group, and you know what? I don't mind one bit! I almost, almost, bought a box of Lucky Charms last week just because the retro design took me back to my grade school years at first glance. Good job, marketeers! You got my attention by bringing back cherished memories of the days when I had no cares in the world. My only worries were wondering what mom was going to make for dinner that night. Those were the days...

Which box design do you like best?
I was roaming the Target aisles with my daughter when I first spotted the retro cereal boxes, and being the observant person that she is, she immediately noticed my excitement as I held these two boxes in my hands. "Which one do you like best?" she asked. Without hesitation, I told her I preferred the retro design. She disagreed and voted for the other. I do realize I am biased, but trust me, as a designer, there are definitely other factors influencing my preference.

• Cuteness: If you follow me on my Paisley In Paris blog or Instagram, you know I'm an avid doodler and I enjoy creating cute illustrations that are suitable for kid parties and just about anything else baby/toddler/child related. I am naturally drawn to anything cute and cutesie, and in my opinion, the retro leprechaun dude is way, waaaay cuter than the creepy 3D guy on the current box design. 

• Simplicity: I also prefer the simplicity of the retro or "throwback" design as they call it. It's almost minimalistic, compared to the current one. The latter is just so busy, my eyes feel like they're going to explode. There are tons of colors in a variety of shades, big marshmallows, sparkles, tons of text and a 3D creepy looking dude...which you already knew about...because I mentioned him and his creepiness in the above paragraph. 

• Type: There is so much more type in the current design and not only is there a lot of it, but it is also warped and outlined, and shadowed, AND to make things worse, there are so many fonts in so many different sizes. Again, waaay too much going on. So much, I'm feeling a bit of  anxiety just writing about it. No, I'm not crazy, just overwhelmed. 

So there you have it! Today's Monday Hues and graphic design tips were inspired by cereal boxes found and photographed by me, in the Target aisles. I'd also like to note that I picked today's inspiration source and color scheme in honor of St. Patricks Day, so enjoy your greens and golds and remember, inspiration is everywhere.

Happy Monday!

~ Dio

Custom Map Illustrations

As part of my wedding stationery design services, I often design custom maps for guests to find their way around on the big day.

I recently took on a different kind of custom map project. This was for the Villa Royale Inn. It's a beautiful inn, tucked in a residential area right across the street from the new Ace Hotel in Palm Springs.

The inn has been operating since since 1947, as soon as you walk in, you feel like you're in a different country, somewhere in Europe. Then, you walk into their four-diamond restaurant, Europa, or any of their uniquely decorated suites, and you'll see a bit of an Asian flair. It's a rather eclectic yet charming place.

Well, the property map wasn't quite as charming, until now. =)
Ready for the before and after images? Here we go...

BEFORE:

AFTER: Closer view of details:
Of course everything on here is my original artwork, from the water fountains to the fireplace and the little fish in the pond!

Tom Lang, Logo & Business Card Redesign

Just wanted to share a couple of logo and business card design options that I have out for proof right now.

Option 1:
Combines elegance with a modern touch. The "G" in "wedding" is made up of two wedding rings. The cover of the card is kept clean, while the back side includes all the contact information.


Option 2:
I feel the logo has a bit more of a feminine touch, so I neutralized it with shades of brown. Has more of a vintage flair with a modern touch.

Please feel free to vote - post a comment and let us know which one you like most!

Kudos

It really touches my heart when people go out of their way to pass along some positive energy - especially when they send it my way. =)

Below is a short e-mail I received last month (Sep. 24, 2008) from a college student majoring in Mass Communications, focusing on Photography.

"Hi Dio,
I just wanted to let you know that you're in my top inspiration sites list. I always feel good and inspired after leaving your site. I am a TA for a Graphic Design class at Southern Adventist University, just outside of Chattanooga, TN. And I am always looking for more inspiration. My boss and I sat there going through every page of your site and were really impressed and excited at seeing your work. We are telling our students to check it out. I just wanted to pass along some affirmation.

Thank you."

- C. H.