360 Performance Driving

Most days, being a graphic designer is fairly mundane. Long hours in front of a computer. Searching for just the right Pantone color. Deciding between 6pt. or 7pt. type. But every once in a while…if you’re lucky…you get to do 360′s in a Lamborghini at 200mph.

A while back I designed the brand identity for 360 Performance Driving Academy, an elite training program where pros teach clients high-speed driving techniques. The logo was a simple, type-based solution, but the applications were very cool.

I designed a metal business card, similar to mine – which is two color (black & white) printed on die-cut aluminum, with embossed elements. I wanted the visual system to convey speed and motion but also the idea of control. So I tried to balance these dynamic, diagonal shapes with very structured type encasements and containers.

The same visual language was applied to a simple website concept, as well as vehicles and merchandise below.



I had the opportunity to actually go to one of the 360 programs, where world-class drifting champion, Samuel Hubinette was instructing. Here are a couple pictures and videos from the academy.


Samuel is known as “The Crazy Swede”. Which makes sense after you watch the videos above. Here is a logo I designed for his brand, Toxic Drift. I loved how this little mascot turned out.

- Ty + 8.27.10 | 5:00 pm

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[...] 360 Perfomance Driving Identity Design via Ty [...]

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Discovery Kids Rebrand

Discovery Kids started in 1996 as an extension of Discovery Channel but has since grown into an international retail and entertainment brand. We worked closely with Discovery Kids to align its new look with the Discovery Communications parent brand while still reflecting its unique character. The new identity encompasses a new logo, a packaging system, and a comprehensive style guide.

- Ty + 8.23.10 | 9:26 pm

8 Comments view all

Great job guys, loving the energy!
With branding like this and products such as a tornado maker they are certainly onto a winner!

- David Sweeney + 8.24.10 | 12:39 am

Fantastic work! Awesome packaging – and it works! My 7 year old was looking over my shoulder and excitedly asked for the night vision goggles and tornado lab!

- jarhead + 8.24.10 | 5:09 am

Like always! Amazing work Ty!

- jovenville + 8.24.10 | 7:28 am

ridic.

- josh elliott + 8.24.10 | 11:34 am

Great stuff as always Matt. Congratulations.

- Nick Weinberg + 8.24.10 | 2:26 pm

Really nice work. Clean and fun at the same time!

- eric|von|leckband + 8.24.10 | 2:48 pm

Great design mate, right on target with the “Discovery channels” branding.

- Fabian + 8.24.10 | 2:56 pm

Beautiful work!

- Eric + 9.1.10 | 3:04 pm
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New Client: Mattel

Mattel has been making some of America’s most beloved toys and games for over 50 years. You can imagine how excited we are to collaborate with the world’s largest toy company.

- Ty + 8.22.10 | 7:45 pm

1 Comment view all

Shut up! Really looking forward to seeing all that you come up with… especially if you work on the Barbie line.

- teresa + 8.23.10 | 2:40 pm
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C.S. Lewis College Logo

A little while back I had the opportunity to work on brand identity concepts for C.S. Lewis College, which is currently scheduled to commence instruction in Fall 2012 in Northfield, Massachusetts. I’m a big C.S. Lewis fan so this was a fun project. Ultimately they went with a typographic solution, but here are some studies that I thought were interesting.

I collaborated with my good friend and illustrator, Luke Daab, on these last two concepts. As a reference to Aslan from The Chronicles of Narnia books, we incorporated a secret lion into the illustration. Can you see it?

- Ty + 8.10.10 | 1:45 pm

9 Comments view all

nice. i really like the top one a lot. and i see asian!

- James Martin + 8.10.10 | 2:00 pm

I’m a big fan of the crest – clean, delicate lines that read well at this size, anyway. But, I have to admit that the hidden lion in the portrait of Lewis is really creative, too. Nice work!

- Patricia + 8.10.10 | 2:01 pm

found it. great work as usual ty!

- Matthew Spiel + 8.10.10 | 2:07 pm

Ty, thanks for your work on this project. Really great stuff!

- Mike B + 8.10.10 | 2:29 pm

the crest is my favorite too! It took a while for me to find the lion but that’s awesome!

- Michelle McCoy + 8.10.10 | 2:31 pm

I am a fan of the crest as well although the illustration does add some personality to the college brand… we have actually done some design work for them as well.

- Sam Allen + 8.10.10 | 3:58 pm

Like the crest, the ones with his mug are kind of creepy.

- Cameron Jackson + 8.10.10 | 8:39 pm

I love the first one.. Very elegant! The one on their website doesn’t look good :|

- Saawan + 8.10.10 | 11:34 pm

As the resident artist for The C.S. Lewis Festival (cslewisfestival.org) I love this! Especially the hidden Aslan. Love the crest as well.

- Michael + 8.16.10 | 12:21 pm
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It’s Shark Week!

Shark Week is in full swing on Discovery Channel! Here are some graphics I created for them. You can see these designs and other products in the Discovery Store. Happy Shark Week!

- Ty + 8.3.10 | 3:46 pm

12 Comments view all

You’re awesome.

- Aaron + 8.3.10 | 4:08 pm

Frenzy. Yes.

- Treavor + 8.3.10 | 5:07 pm

Love these!

- Lisa + 8.3.10 | 5:08 pm

loving the middle one!

- Matthew Spiel + 8.3.10 | 6:47 pm

nice!

- Justin Bernard + 8.3.10 | 7:02 pm

Dude, it’s about time someone did this right. Nice work Ty!

- Flyergoodness + 8.3.10 | 7:59 pm

I think you should make Shark Week temporary tatoos…people are REALLY mad for SW!
nice work!

- leigh + 8.4.10 | 7:25 am

Great work, as always! If it’s not giving away state secrets, what are the two fonts you used for the middle graphic? I fell in love with them on the invitation but I’m too lazy to search for them on my own. Thanks!

- teresa + 8.4.10 | 9:21 am

Love how diversified your talents are. These are all so different and so awesome.

- Sam Allen + 8.4.10 | 9:31 am

The Frenzy design is awesome! I love this!

- Carrie Raffaelli + 8.4.10 | 9:39 am

FRENZY! Love it…

- Brian Somers + 8.4.10 | 10:51 am

Ahhh Shark Week on Discovery is the best. Love the retro style of the graphics!

- Leah + 8.13.10 | 3:22 pm
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Shepard’s Birth Announcement

When I found out that we were going to have a boy, I started to think about my own childhood and all of the things I loved when I was a kid. So I wanted to design an announcement that celebrated those things and captured that particular idea of boyhood wonder and adventure. I created this illustration and worked with the incredible team at Studio on Fire to have it letterpressed on 220lb. Lettra paper. They did a fantastic job on the printing. It really turned out great. I think it’s safe to say that this is my favorite project of all time. And definitely my favorite client.

This my original rough sketch of the idea.


And this was the actual illustration. I couldn’t be happier with the way it turned out.


- Ty + 7.22.10 | 4:00 pm

47 Comments view all

Ty, this is wonderful.

- Skylar Hartman + 7.22.10 | 4:24 pm

Gawd, letterpress artifacts are so sexy. This is awesome, Ty.

- Treavor + 7.22.10 | 4:27 pm

dude, this looks great! and the letterpress makes it classic! awesome job!

- Matt Roeser + 7.22.10 | 4:28 pm

Utterly Gorgeous!

- Jeff Andrews + 7.22.10 | 4:28 pm

Congratulations sir, this looks outstanding!!. love the colors and the pressing! amazing work for an amazing dad!.

- Chris Leskovsek + 7.22.10 | 4:40 pm

Stellar, dude!

- rob schwager + 7.22.10 | 4:40 pm

This is such a beautiful piece, well done!

- Nick Fracture + 7.22.10 | 4:44 pm

This is gorgeous Ty. The most beautiful and unique birth announcement I’ve ever seen.

- Weylon Smith + 7.22.10 | 5:01 pm

I want one just to look at… looovvee that its letter pressed!

- Jen Miramontes (Goodman) + 7.22.10 | 5:40 pm

Phenomenal!!

*discovered this post via @papercrave

- Lauren + 7.22.10 | 6:07 pm

Studio on Fire – Repping Minnesota, AWESOME work. This piece is beastly. Very nice!

- Anthony Lane + 7.22.10 | 6:15 pm

Awesome awesome work. Love it.

- Owen + 7.22.10 | 11:52 pm

You can check with Rhea for my whole, long thesis on why I adore the announcement, but basically I said that all I know to say about it is how utterly astonishing it is. Every inch of it. You have outdone yourself. (And you and Rhea outdid yourselves with the son you created this for.) It weighed so much that for a minute I honestly thought you put the announcement on a c.d.

- Michelle Doerr + 7.23.10 | 12:06 am

You rule.

- Aaron + 7.23.10 | 6:09 am

Wow. This is beautiful….in a boy-sort-of-way…
:)

- Megan Clark + 7.23.10 | 9:08 am

Killer illustration work!

- Ty Wilkins + 7.23.10 | 9:55 am

WIthout doubt the greatest
announcement for this lovely and
lucky little baby boy. My
goodness you are talented Ty.

- Ann Griffith + 7.23.10 | 10:00 am

absolutely perfect! i love it!

- stacy + 7.23.10 | 11:00 am

Seriously, Ty. All other graphic designers should just throw up their hands and quit. They can’t compete with your stuff. Beautiful, as always!

- Leslie Bonifay + 7.23.10 | 11:40 am

Um……..amazing. I agree with Leslie!

- Tanya + 7.23.10 | 1:36 pm

shepard is one lucky little boy!

- rachel thomas + 7.23.10 | 1:57 pm

Just adore the spaceships. Brilliant colour scheme too

- Anthea + 7.23.10 | 3:43 pm

This is absolutely gorgeous! Lucky him! And lucky you.

- Hannah + 7.24.10 | 12:05 pm

Stunningly beautiful card. Great combination of illustration and tactile texture. I’d love to touch this card!

- Albert Kiefer + 7.25.10 | 2:33 am

Wow, incredible! Great work!

- jpk + 7.25.10 | 3:00 am

One of the best Letter pressed pieces I’ve seen out there… congrats on all levels… being a dad rocks…

- Jeremy + 7.25.10 | 4:51 pm

would you list all fonts you used? would love to know! Amazing job!!!!!

- Olive + 7.26.10 | 1:17 pm

Thanks for all the compliments! I’ve received a few questions about type, so here are the technical specs: This is a 2 color piece, printed on 220lb Lettra. Primary type: Cyclone, Secondary type: Hellenic Wide & Futura

- Ty + 7.26.10 | 1:36 pm

hellenic wide… that’s the ticket!

thanks!

- Olive + 7.26.10 | 1:46 pm

Awesome work — I’m glad I got to see how cool the letterpressing looks in person

- Erik + 7.26.10 | 2:16 pm

Wow. This is an incredible piece. The letterpressing really pushes it over the edge, I just wish I could touch it!

- Jason + 7.29.10 | 9:43 am

Fan-friggin-tastic! Truly!

- Jacqui Garcia + 8.2.10 | 3:35 pm

I don’t know what more more can be said: CONGRATULATIONS! B-B-BEAUTIFUL!

- Roger + 8.3.10 | 6:10 am

you made me back to childhood
Awesome work!! Congrarulations!!

- Xavier A. + 8.3.10 | 6:18 am

Absolutely beautiful!

- Cheryl Savala + 8.3.10 | 9:22 am

this is amazing. truly :)

- Michael + 8.3.10 | 6:21 pm

Genious. Great parenting

- JB + 8.4.10 | 1:58 am

wow.

- Hans + 8.4.10 | 4:07 am

Great stuff!

- Brandon Bennett + 8.4.10 | 5:49 am

Absolutely gorgeous piece! Amazing work of art.

- Eric Washburn + 8.4.10 | 10:43 am

Absolutely awesome piece of work. I hope you don’t mind I posted it up on my blog! http://blog.benpurkiss.com

- Ben + 8.5.10 | 6:40 am

We always create the best stuff when it’s the most dear to our heart! Nice Job.

- Marek Hosek + 8.6.10 | 8:17 am

Gorgeous and Sentimentally beautiful. Congrats on becoming a father too!

- Doug Human + 8.6.10 | 9:45 am

A beautiful announcement for a beautiful boy!

- David Tolleson + 8.24.10 | 6:25 am

fabulous work Ty! congratulations on your son…Love the “rough sketch”… it celebrates the process.

- jeffrey DeMure + 8.24.10 | 10:49 am

Very cool Ty – congratulations! And what a lucky little guy to have such a beautiful piece of art to announce him to the world. I’m sure he’ll treasure that piece of his baby book.

- Chelsea Morris + 8.25.10 | 10:36 am

Greatings from Eastern Europe! You make a great design, like it a lot!!!

PS: I would be very greatfull if you can share with me this font, with witch “carlyle” is written:)

- Dewinn + 8.29.10 | 7:41 pm
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BNL, Dashboard & The Wallflowers

Here are some recently completed apparel designs we created for Barenaked Ladies, Dashboard Confessional and The Wallflowers.

- Ty + 7.7.10 | 9:15 pm

10 Comments view all

awesome work as usual! really like the last dashboard confessional piece.

- Justin Bernard + 7.7.10 | 10:21 pm

I’m a big fan of both Wallflowers tees. Great work!

- Chris + 7.8.10 | 4:53 am

Love the wallflowers 60′s shirt!

- Marek Hosek + 7.8.10 | 3:12 pm

My favorite out of the lot would have to be the BNL shirt design.

- Skylar Hartman + 7.16.10 | 1:12 pm

Nice tees! I really dig the BNL control dials.

- Ty Wilkins + 7.19.10 | 1:52 pm

They did pretty good work there on the card.

- Brian + 7.28.10 | 8:16 am

Very cool site. Bookmarked for inspiration. Thanks!

- Dougieladd + 8.4.10 | 6:11 am

sooo amazing! may I ask you what typefaces you used?

- Vanessa + 8.5.10 | 11:26 am

Lots of different ones. Cyclone, Mojo, Futura Display, Grand Canyon, Platon. Some custom and handlettered too.

- Ty + 8.5.10 | 11:45 am

Great work Ty!
The collection definately has a bit of “something vintage, something blue…” :-) The BNL Designs is my favorite, also like the last Dashboard one.

- Cameron Jackson + 8.24.10 | 7:55 am
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Michael Emerson with Mattson LOST Prints

This is just incredible. Some friends of mine wound up getting to meet Michael Emerson (aka Benjamin Linus) and watched the LOST series finale at his home! They presented him with a signed set of my posters as a gift. And here they are. Wow.

These prints are available on abc.com

- Ty + 6.10.10 | 10:41 am

3 Comments view all

What a cool thing to see!

- Steven + 6.10.10 | 10:56 am

Pretty cool Ty! You are kicking ass!! Will you be at the Business design conference this year?

- Marek Hosek + 6.17.10 | 7:43 am

dude, those LOST prints are sick…met you a few years back at HOW in Vegas.

- Joe O'Hehir + 6.23.10 | 12:26 pm
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LOST Live

As luck would have it, last week I had the unbelievable opportunity to fill in for DocArzt and TVOvermind on the Red Carpet at the LOST Live Event at UCLA! I got a chance to meet the cast and the producers of the show and  was lucky enough to have them sign some of the Lost prints I designed. Needless to say, the whole thing was an incredible experience. You can hear more about it on DocArtz’s podcast and on TVOvermind.com. Below are some of the pictures I took.

All of the Lost prints I designed and other merchandise are available at ABC.com…but I’m keeping this one.

- Ty + 5.20.10 | 10:27 pm

9 Comments view all

The WOW factor of this has made me speechless. Congrats on your good fortune!!

- teresa + 5.21.10 | 9:11 am

so awesome. i wish i could have seen them all. did you keep the one that the cast signed too? or is that combined w/ the damon and carlton one?

- James Martin + 5.21.10 | 9:47 am

Ty, I was one of the fortunate group that you were so generous with in the parking garage after Lost Live. I just had to say thank you again! I was a fan of your work, but to meet you and find out what a nice guy you are was wonderful! :)

- Cheri + 5.21.10 | 11:08 am

How cool. Your work is so fantastic, I’m so glad you were able to get it signed by some of the cast and Darlton. I look forward to seeing what you come up with for your finale design for the series finale. Great work.

- Tara + 5.21.10 | 11:57 am

Very cool Ty. So awesome that you got to meet some of the creative people behind the show. Excellent photography as well.

- Duane Kinsey + 5.21.10 | 5:11 pm

That is amazing! You are my newest hero … graphic designer, illustrator, lost fan, AND you got to meet/talk to the cast!

- Veronica + 5.24.10 | 9:47 pm

DUDE. I can’t believe this! So lucky, well played my friend, well played…

- Brent + 5.24.10 | 10:54 pm

Wow, I really wish I could have gone to that. So jealous!

- Matt + 5.26.10 | 9:58 am

Nice Ty!

- Brian + 7.23.10 | 2:46 pm
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LOST Merchandise is Available!

I am so excited to announce that ALL of the LOST merchandise I designed is now available for purchase! Below are some images of the artwork.

YOU CAN BUY THEM HERE.


“Smoke Monster”
3-color silk-screen on 18×24 100lb. white cover.
BUY PRINT NOW



“Dual-Locke”
2-color silk-screen on 18×24 100lb. white cover.
BUY PRINT NOW


“The Eye”
2-color silk-screen on 18×24 100lb. white cover.
BUY PRINT NOW


“LA X”
2-color silk-screen on 18×24 100lb. white cover.
BUY PRINT NOW

“The Numbers”
3-color silk-screen on 18×24 100lb. white cover.
BUY PRINT NOW


“Montand’s Arm”
3-color silk-screen on 18×24 100lb. white cover.
BUY PRINT NOW


“Bunny”
2-color silk-screen on 18×24 100lb. white cover.
BUY PRINT NOW


“Dharma Vans”
2-color silk-screen on 18×24 100lb. white cover.
AVAILABLE SOON HERE

- Ty + 5.11.10 | 12:40 pm

15 Comments view all

Holy shit!

- Chris + 5.11.10 | 1:43 pm

This is so awesome. You’re own header and category on abc.com!

- josh elliott + 5.11.10 | 1:56 pm

Congrats dude…way cool!

- Micah Smith + 5.11.10 | 1:57 pm

Hey, awesome prints. Are they all open editions? Did you sign and number any of them? Thanks. Hoping to add a few to my walls.

- John + 5.11.10 | 2:14 pm

Is this signed or numbered?

- Rob + 5.11.10 | 3:09 pm

That is just seriously so awesome. What a great connection Lost and it’s creators have with their fan base to recognize this amazing work you did and make it part of the official Lost world!! I am so stoked for these! Congratulations!!

- Jonna Isaac + 5.11.10 | 3:15 pm

Congratulations Ty. You really deserve all the recognition you are getting for these. Awesome work! Thanks again, for doing the interview with us.

- Duane Kinsey + 5.11.10 | 3:20 pm

congrats TY…so cool that they gave you your own section…and titled it your name!

- Brad + 5.11.10 | 8:15 pm

I just bought this, I can’t wait to have them all! Congrats!

- Marjorie + 5.12.10 | 6:05 am

These are awesome™! Can’t wait to buy one. :)

- kym + 5.12.10 | 6:06 am

Congrats on these. All of them are fantastic. Headed over to the ABC store right now . . .

- Steven + 5.12.10 | 6:54 am

i want the three “yellow” ones NOW! i’m normally patient, but these are remarkable!

- bunny + 5.12.10 | 1:10 pm

You had me right up until the last one. That’s the wrong VW bus. The production used second generation Type II’s (1968-1972) for the Dharma vans. You’ve used a first generation. I get the artistic license thing, but this is missing the point. The van you’ve used was never on the show.

- Rob + 5.12.10 | 9:50 pm

I am curious as to what paper these are printed on?

- josh k + 5.13.10 | 10:08 am

wow! can’t wait until all are available! love them! great job!!

- tina + 5.15.10 | 11:32 am
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