Umpqua Fox Tower Mural

My latest collaboration with Umpqua Bank was to create artwork for their new Fox Tower store windows while construction was taking place. Eschewing the standard construction site graphics of some big type declaring “coming soon”, we opted for a truly Portland vignette by putting a bird on it.

Helping customers attain their goals and dreams and tending to their finances as a part of that was visualized through a bird finding home to its nest, which was carefully being watched. A hand drawn script reinforced Umpqua’s friendly and conversational message: what’s your dream? here to help…

Mural and hand drawn type for Umpqua Bank's new Fox Tower store.
Mural and hand drawn type for Umpqua Bank’s new Fox Tower store.

Capturing large scale work is a feat when competing with construction, Max lines running by, the strange appearance of Portland sun glancing off the glass clad building, and crowds constantly walking by. But I did get this shot of a hungry luncher walking by one of the window sections.

Somebody is eating for two. Director Park side of the facade, featuring the nest egg.
Somebody is eating for two. Director Park side of the facade, featuring the nest egg.

Much of my work is smallish – books, shoeboxes, beer bottles, iPhone covers, t-shirts. Even vending machines are kind of person-sized. But a 50 foot wide illustration is…big. Creating a piece that was both complex enough to be interesting but simple enough to read well was a good challenge, and reinforced the sage advice applicable for anybody working in making real things: measure twice, cut once.

Building mock-up of the mural artwork.
Building mock-up of the mural artwork.

The new store opens March 9th (today!) and will soon host its first event featuring small Portland businesses and their founders speaking on how they got their start. Find the Fox Tower bank online at: umpquabank.com/foxtower, or come to their first event…

Don’t Quit Your Daydream
Portland Entrepreneurs Overcome Their Doubts
Visit the new store for inspiring start-up stories and exceptionally tasty Breakside brews and Cheese & Crack snacks. The event is on Thursday, March 19 from 6:00-7:00pm at 750 SW Yamhill Street. Get tickets online.

Well Vegan Illustrations + Site Update

I’ve enjoyed working on the Well Vegan brand over the years, starting with their initial logo and branding and continuing with an eBook cover, promo materials, and a series of DIY postcards (here, here, here, and here).

Our latest collaboration was to update their website based on user analysis to increase sign-up and promote their new eBook Starter Guide. To do this we streamlined the front page with a large either/or graphic focusing on the plan and the book.

New Well Vegan header graphics focus on the meal plan and the e-book.
New Well Vegan header graphics focus on the meal plan and the e-book.

The Plan and The Starter Guide got their own secondary pages that had more in-depth information that was previously outlined on the homepage. And all that new content was a great excuse to create more small plates!

Small plates, plan icons and testimonial fruit & veggie characters.
Small plates, plan icons and testimonial fruit & veggie characters.

The homepage was also adjusted below the fold to highlight the resources section and recipes section, and make the all of the content more scannable. Four resource icons were made for this.

Four resource icons for the Well Vegan homepage.
Four resource icons for the Well Vegan homepage.

Even though I’m not a vegan, vegetarian, or any other label of imbiber other than equal opportunist, I enjoy getting their weekly newsletter of recipes – always handy when veggie-only friends visit. If you need a hit of cooking inspiration, just visit their extensive library of home-tested recipes.

Umpqua Home Lending Video Illustrations

Here are four illustration panels I had fun creating for a little holiday video for Umpqua Bank’s home lending team in Bellingham. Who are a crack team at making your financing and savings dreams come true, even if it’s a duplex space station. I worked with Juliet Zulu who put together the video which was sent out privately to the Bellingham team’s clients.

A levitating tudor above Bellingham bay.
A levitating tudor above Bellingham bay.
A space station duplex.
A space station duplex.
A home on the north pole.
A home on the north pole.
A new stable for your private unicorn collection.
A new stable for your private unicorn collection.

Well Vegan Breakfast Bowl

Fall is here and that means layering…your breakfast bowl. There’s nothing better than sitting down to a steaming dish of gruel, Oliver, than feeling like it was put together by the best bed and breakfast in town. While it might not quite trump Sweedeedee’s breakfast bowls, following these instructions will get you mighty close.

Breakfast Bowl: 1. FRUIT: blueberry, banana, strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, raisins, figs, apple slices, dried cherry, dates, pear, currants, dried cranberry, dried apricot, peaches. 2. NUTS: almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, hazelnuts, pecans. 3. EXTRAS: hemp seeds, flax meal, chia seeds, dried coconut, lemon zest, oat bran, coconut oil, vanilla, flax, nutmeg, syrup oil, brown sugar, dairy-free yogur. 4. GRAINS: quinoa, rolled oats, buckwheat, wheatberries, groat, farina, muesli, amaranth, millet, kasha, farro, couscous, pearled barley, brown rice.

For more details on how to make a perfect morning meal, check out Well Vegan’s breakfast bowl post. Or see others in this series, including how to make a salad in a jar, mix and match ingredients for a perfect smoothie or expertly stack a sandwich.

Even More Icebreakers Illustrations

Here is the final batch of illustrations for the Icebreakers book I’ve posted about previously here and here and here. This set includes more examples of creating vocal symbols for a global audience that aren’t language specific. The entire book is focused on using collaboration, games, movement and music to aid in icebreaker activities for groups. To learn more about the book directly from the authors, check it out at www.breaktheice.dk.

Rap battle of voices and sounds until the best team wins.
Rap battle of voices and sounds until the best team wins.
School games use rhythm and sound to create a "composition".
School games use rhythm and sound to create a “composition”.
The pirate ship, where the captain decides what the rules are and any naysayers must walk the plank.
The pirate ship, where the captain decides what the rules are and any naysayers must walk the plank.