Small Business

Healdsburg — “The Map”

Healdsburg Map

In Healdsburg, you can’t walk into a shop or hotel without bumping into a stack of brochures offering maps of the Northern California wine country — but there’s a fundamental problem with this. Those ubiquitous maps all direct tourists out of town. »

Light Beckons: blog header (and renovation)

Light Beckons blog header

It had become obvious to Irene that even though her generic blog looked nice, it didn’t really reflect her personality or that of her business. She was ready to take steps to remodel her digital digs — and that’s where I came in. »

Joe Dragony Guitars: Website + blog

Joe Dragony Guitars

A fantastic and quirky guitar maker tucked into an unassuming Sacramento Valley town — to connect with the world of potential customers, Joe Dragony needed a website. »

Itty Biz: “sexy logo, please”

Itty Biz logo

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. »

Fluent Self: “the Dissolve-O-Matic”

Fluent Self Dissolve-O-Matic

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”… »

Santa Cruz Harley-Davidson: God of Oil

CSanta Cruz Harley Oil God

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 … »

Chicago Fret Works: Brand Identity + website

Chicago Fret Works

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 connection with this century’s working musicians … »

Spicy SinSations: Spicy Pinup Girl #3

Spicy SinSations Pinup

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 … »

Spicy SinSations: Spicy Pinup Girl #2

Spicy SinSations Pinup

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 … »

Spicy SinSations: Spicy Pinup Girl #1

Spicy SinSations Pinup

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: Logo

Spicy SinSations

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. »

Green Valley Harley-Davidson: Logo

Green Valley Harley-Davidson: Logo

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… »

Roshambo Winery: RPS Poster ’07

RPS Poster 07

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. »

Roshambo Winery: the Roshambus

roshambus.jpg

It was practically an absurdist concept — a winery goes on the road? After parting ways with an outdated property, Roshambo Winery needed a temporary home while their new digs were under construction. Voila, the “Roshambus”, Batmobile to Roshambo’s “Party Army”. »

Roshambo Winery: Press Kit

roshambo_presskit.jpg

Another example of extending the Roshambo Winery brand. This marketing piece is designed to communicate the unique brand values, display and sell the wines, and tell the story of the small winery’s history. »

Fluent Self: “the Destuckification Station”

Fluent Self Destuckification Station

Havi Brooks will inform you that she’s not at all a visual person, but when digging for ways to describe her series of self-work programs, eBooks and audio products, the images that popped up were “big, crazy, friendly machines”. … »

Santa Cruz Harley-Davidson: Business Papers

Santa Cruz Harley-Davidson: Business papers

Nothing says Harley-Davidson more than the eagle which has graced its corporate logo since the turn of the century. I borrowed that eagle’s wing, a stylized verson thereof, for the Santa Cruz dealership’s logo and business papers. »

Santa Cruz Harley-Davidson: Print Ad

Thunder Press ad 11/06

Another full page ad developed for Santa Cruz Harley-Davidson’s prized inside-front-cover spot in Thunder Press, a position occupied since the turn of the most recent century. »

Roshambo Winery: Rock Paper Scissors Wine Labels

Roshambo Rock Paper Scissors labels

The graphic hands that grace these bottles are familiar to any child who know’s the right way to settle the problem of “who gets the front seat”: Rock, Paper, Scissors. »

Roshambo Winery: RPS Wine Labels

Roshambo

The illustrations stamped into this series of wine labels feature the combatants in an ancient child’s game: Rock, Paper, Scissors. As the source of Roshambo Winery’s playful name, these three elemental icons have been pressed into service to distinguish their line of higher-end wines. »

I work with the smart & quirky to help them express the essence of what they do.