17 October 2008

Matt Rubin used to publish a popular photo website called The Paper Brigade. In 2002 he invited me to design pages on his site featuring work by other photographers (the ‘features’ section). Back then I wasn’t hip to web interface standards, nor were there as many solid conventions as we have today. So, each feature that Matt asked me to design was another opportunity to reinvent the web page, and he encouraged the creativity.

I had done some prior design for my brother’s record company, but I consider the work I did for Matt my first real steps in graphic design. I have no doubt he was taking advantage of a kid willing to do free work, but I enjoyed every moment of it. If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t be doing what I am today. (Thanks Matt!) 

The designs aren’t all great, but it’s fun and sometimes important to remember the past. I can remember nearly every step of the way and every person who gave me their vote of confidence, all of which lead to where I am now. What’s also interesting to think about is the blurry, mysterious, unknown future. I have no idea what’s ahead of me.

So, with that, here following are most of, if not all, the designs I did for TPB in 2002 and 2003 (as of this writing, they are still online — click the images to go the sites). 

One for words:

One for me:

The photos in this one are set to align="absmiddle". It must have worked in IE 5.5 or 6.

I even got to design Matt’s homepage once:

This is the very last one I did, while I was still in school. The opening page:

Inside:

The end.