Blog

Calling all future superdesigners

Super! That’s the title of our sixth issue of the Monthly Mixtape. This collection of interesting tidbits ranges from supersonic aircraft to real-life superheroes. I considered many different topics for the accompanying blog post—super brands, Super Bowl advertising and super designers were just a few. The idea of super designers stuck with me. What would ... more

Ugly colors on the horizon

Every year, a bevy of designers and fashion influencers predict the colors that they feel will be in vogue in the coming seasons. As far as we can tell, the formula basically involves reminiscing about colors from their childhoods. This year, the Pantone Color Institute somehow settled on Tangerine Tango—a “spirited reddish-orange”—as the color of ... more

Make it smaller

There is one piece of advice I constantly give to students and new designers: always start with thumbnails (miniature drawings of a project). For one thing, many people find writing or drawing with a pencil to be mentally stimulating. But beyond that, this exercise forces the designer to look at the very basics of design—shape, ... more

Something old, something new

Ah, weddings. A time for love. A time for celebration. A time to figure out exactly which wedding traditions to uphold and which ones you’d rather just scatter into the wind and leave to the brides and grooms of yesteryear. Choke Design Company, having had a flurry of nuptial celebrations of our own in the ... more

Covert Cassettes and a New Mixed-up Publication

Back in the 1980s, the small paper town of Spring Grove wasn’t exactly a hub of musical culture. But (largely thanks to skateboard video soundtracks) my own musical world was rapidly expanding, and I was eager to share these new sounds with my friends. So, armed with my first Panasonic tape recorder (similar to the ... more

Choke Design Company is rebranding.

After nearly three years in business, Choke Design Company is rebranding. A small business’ first few years are important in its development (much like a child, though Choke was already potty trained). We’ve seen profits and losses, made some mistakes, celebrated wins, and even stared down (and overcome) the worst recession this country has seen since the Great Depression. more...