Calyx Design

When a charming, potty-mouthed marketing genius sends me an email with the subject “Make me into a sexy logo, please”, I pay attention. And get busy. »

The “Town Crush” is a fundraiser for the Old Town School for Boys, an independent K-8 school in San Francisco. this year, it’s being held at the fabulously gangster-swanky Bimbo’s 365 Club in North Beach, and thus — when the red Emergency Logo Phone started ringin’ off the hook — themes of “Old Las Vegas” and Frank Sinatra came wafting through our heads. »

The “Dissolve-O-Matic” is the latest in the series of illustrations created for Havi Brooks’ self-work products, in the quirky style semi-officially dubbed “Steampunk meets Yellow Submarine”… »

My client calls me from the road, suddenly struck by a marketing vision. “Richard, I know what our next ad’s gotta be!” As he describes this revelation, I see that he’s on to something … »

Steve and his partner Dan are both musicians and artisans, so their brand was constructed to evoke reassuringly been-there-forever master craftsmanship — and a sense of authentic conection with this century’s working musicians … »

“Simmer Down Sprinter” is a fabulous hand-built high-tech art project developed by my old friend and collaborator Steve Lambert. The visual style of the cabinet (like the game itself) casts a knowing backwards wink towards classically tacky ’80s arcade video games … »

I ran across this half-forgotten postcard in my files today, and liked it so much I just thought I’d share. Truth be told it’s been so long that I’ve forgotten what this job was actually about, though the name does evoke an interesting image or three. »

The website’s name translates as “Movies and Stuff”, and that’s what this German-language podcast and blog is all about. It features movie reviews liberally interspersed with thoughts on pop music, Macintosh hardware, and other necessaries of modern life. »

This CD package and illustration of an irritated rhino was created for a sprawling and powerful 12-piece ensemble from California’s East Bay Area. »

… the podcast has made Annik famous; she’s one of the best known internet personalities in the German-speaking world. And the graphic I created — featuring her beloved cat “Tiger” and Munich’s famous Frauenkirche — still sits atop her blog … »

Presenting “Nellie”, pinup girl #3 in the Spicy SinSations brand mascots series. This irreverently good-natured purveyor of adult toys is located in Portland, Oregon, center of a recent explosion of music, arts, and eco-positive hipster street culture. It’s a young and vibrant scene … »

Presenting “Candace”, pinup girl #2 in the series of brand mascots created for Spicy SinSations. I created each of the girls to speak to a different demographic sector, and “Candace “speaks to a suburbanite woman — the mother next door with a bit of sexy flair … »

Presenting the first of the “Spicy Pinup Girls”, a series of mascots created especially for Spicy SinSations “naughty+fun” brand. This first pinup was created especially for use on a sponsorship banner at Portland’s hip new roller derby league, the Rose City Rollers … »

Spicy SinSations is a Portland, Oregon-based business specializing in — how shall I put this — “marital aids”. The existing logo was an undistinguished script typeface, and the owner realized that she needed something that said fun, friendly, and just a little bit naughty. »

The sagging wine-coloured satin of a long-decayed palace, baroquely patterned with foliage, flowers and populated with tiny medieval demons. Suitable for guitar or heavy metal electric lute. »

This acoustic guitar case is inspired by the gorgeous look of a well-loved and much battered vintage guitar, rich flamed maple and varnish darkened by age and scarred by countless belt buckles. As we all know, guitars like this just sound the best. »

It was a long, hard gig, not that you remember a thing about it. Your eyes flutter open as a cold wind blasts down the alley. It’s dark-thirty, your ears still ringing and as you raise your face from the stained asphalt in front of the club. Oh yeah, living the rock and roll dream… »

This guitar case design was inspired by World War II armored aircraft. Though it looks like the side of a bomber, it’s actually not a photo at all, but purely a Photoshop creation. The number 42 is an inside joke… get it? Get it? »

The Santa Cruz Harley-Davidson dealership expanded into a second home near Watsonville in 2001. The demographics of this region called for a different look, somewhat heavier and more “Harley” than the parent store. The Green Valley logo features the eagle wings necessary to communicate… »

In honor of their name, Roshambo Winery hosts a “Rock Paper Scissors” Tournament every year. This year’s poster theme was swiped from the stylish “Flamingo Resort” in which the showdown was held. »