After lots of hard work and dedication by all that were involved, The Fell’s Point Building History, Heritage Trail Map & Guide has finally been printed.

The guide was printed by Chroma Graphics who was involved from the beginning and was a critical partner throughout the whole project. I went to Chroma Graphics for the press check to oversee the final touches.

Since the design of the guide included many textures, details and rich colors it was important to have everything pop and stay consistent throughout the whole document.

The 4″ by 9″ guide is set up as a self-guided walking tour of  historically significant buildings throughout Fell’s Point. It is packed full of amazing historical information,  photos and illustrations including a fold out map that was hand illustrated by local artist and architectural historian Bob Eney.

To pick up a guide contact Fell’s Point Main Street, Preservation Society or Baltimore National Heritage Area.

I recently submitted a design option to their BNote design contest. The contest called for local artists to design their version of either or both denominations of the BNote, the BN1 or BN5. Above is my design for the BN1.

The criteria called for a framework of specific items to be met, such as the motif of “Be More Free” for the BN1 and “Be More Literary” for the BN5. I chose to showcase Frederick Douglass as the prominent Baltimorean on the face of the BN1. The image behind Douglass is a photograph of a wall mural in Fell’s Point by Nelson Rivas, aka Cekis, that depicts scenes specific to Fell’s Point. Douglass lived and worked in Fell’s Point during the late 1800s.

For the back of the BN1 I chose to use the Bromo Seltzer Tower as a recognizable Baltimore landmark. Not only is it recognizable but, random and quirky much like Baltimore itself. The tower was inspired by the Palazzo Vecchio, in Florence, Italy, which was seen by the owner of Bromo Seltzer during a tour of Europe in 1900.

In addition my BN1 has images of Maryland’s state flower, the Black Eyed Susan and the state bird, the Oriole. Behind the Bromo Seltzer Tower is a pattern I created that was inspired by the Baltimore City flag.

Of general design note, I chose to use a vertical orientation for the BNote for two reasons, one because it is “different” and two, because it is the primary way we interact with paper money – counting and handing to others.

And finally, the color. Well, you can probably guess the inspiration for that. Any idea on what color I would use for the BN5?

The winner will be announced before the end of December, at a special BNote event. You can read more about the contest and criteria.

Below is an overview of the Baltimore Green Currency Association:

“Baltimore Green Currency Association was founded in the Spring of 2010. We are working to help create an alternative economy that will strengthen local business, create jobs, encourage the formation of local supply chains, and ultimately provide economic opportunity and increased resilience to communities underserved by traditional economic structures.

Our mission: to foster economic opportunity through the establishment of an alternative currency for the communities of Baltimore.”

Web 3.0 from Kate Ray on Vimeo.

Here are some nice specimens from Klim Type Foundry and typographer Kris Sowersby of New Zealand.

National, a retail typeface:

Methven identity, designworks
National, customized by Kris Sowersby

Serrano, a custom typeface:

Sold exclusively through Village.

A super cool installation by Strukt studio of Vienna, Austria for Büro Hirzberger. Their interpretation of “Digital Wallpaper” utilizes the horizontal lines on an unassuming white wall to create a visually stimulating environment with static colors and moving graphics. Great for your next private party.
via Ricardo Hernandez via Yatzer

Hirzberger Events – Digital Wallpaper from Strukt Studio on Vimeo.

COLOURlovers is a great resource for a quick hit of color inspiration. I came across the site while searching for 1940s era color palettes (not the one shown).

Described as a creative community where people from around the world create and share colors, palettes and patterns, discuss the latest trends and explore colorful articles.

Another nice resource I found on my IPhone is the free Sherwin Williams ColorSnap iPhone App.

I love the feature of snapping a photo of a something and creating a custom palette of complementary Sherwin Williams colors.

In our possession we had various tools from our recent Black & Decker design project including an 18V cordless Porter Cable circular saw and drill and a found laminate table top. All we needed were some 2x4x8 boards and screws.

In order to determine the total number of boards and work out the design, I created a quick model in SketchUp. A shelf was added at the bottom for extra stability and storage and was inset to allow room for scooting in a chair. A total of 10 2x4s were needed.

It only took a few hours since all the dimensions were already figured out.

Let us know if you want us to build you a table too.