500 x 2

A material difference: I'm having fun swapping out materials and textures to create different looks with my 3D design work. I do lots of work with numbers, so this experimental image takes my regular work to a whole new "dimension"

Ride

Always trying something new. I have been working on the design and rendering of logos in 3D space to round out my studio's offering in the typographic arena. There are times when the design has to take on a lifelike appearance. Suitable for print and animation. Here are a couple of examples showing the design and rendering using different finishes. Of course that's one of the great things about 3D - the ability to edit, change texture, and rotate the view.

New York Times

Art Director Minh Uong at the New York Times commissioned 9 surf to create a cover for the Sunday Education Life section. The visual challenge was to come up with a solution which presented the university genre, but emphasized the "you" part of "U" since the feature was a series of essays written by students about their experiences in college.

Hasbro Trivial Pursuit DVD game

One of a series of images created for Hasbro's Trivial Pursuit Pop Culture DVD game. This is a more developed version of the original art which was produced in red monochrome to match the color of one of the six gameboard pie colors.

DBRS

Lynn Chin of Vector 7 in Toronto, Canada asked us to create an overarching image for collateral for their client DBRS, an international ratings firm. It's horizontal format lends itself to a mural-like display. The image was created in very high resolution to be suitable for all possible size applications. Click on the image to see it larger.

Accounting Technology

Jeff Cuyubama, art director of Accounting Technology magazine at Source Communications, commissioned 9 Surf Studios to design and illustrate a special issue typographic headline treatment.

CMP Media - Business

Another one from the e-commerce archives - a fun take on business

Oracle

When computers were a new thing, Tom was illustrating the concepts, technology, and business of the emerging markets. Here's an image that was done for a magazine feature about Oracle.

On Wall Street Magazine cover

Mike Vella, art director of On Wall Street magazine asked Tom to create an unusual hybrid of the dollar sign and question mark symbols for their annual salary compensation issue. Intersecting the two symbols on separate 3d planes added to the idea that there is more to the story than what's on the surface, i.e., the salaries in different segments in the financial industry, and the supporting theme of how they are effected by the current economy.

Syngenta illustration

This image was commissioned by art director Shay Sprinkles of Pace Communications for their client Syngenta for a feature article about profitable practices in agriculture in our current economy. The completed image is shown with the initial rough sketch.

Medicus Life Brands

Tom created this concept image for Nick Manganiello, Creative Director for Medicus Life Brands. Their client, Auxilium, needed to show how their medication Xiaflex works. It's made to treat a rare disease called Dupuytrens which restricts finger flexibility by contracting the tendons and muscle fibers, mainly in the last two fingers

Conceive Magazine cover

Art Director Patrick Greenish of Conceive Magazine commissioned 9 Surf for a cover of one of their flagship issues. The challenge was to make a bold iconic cover with the right sensibility and appeal to an audience in infant and conception mode. Some of the simplest things are the most challenging - the "50" had to be just right

Smithfield Meats packaging labels

Pat Powell of Lawler Ballard Van Durand needed new label designs for two of Smithfield Meats' products. They wanted a classic design look with a contemporary feeling, a look that brings lasting value to their packaging.

The Female Patient

Pat Fopma, Art Director of The Female Patient commissioned Tom for a conceptual cover image about healthcare and risks during pregnancy

Spectrocast 961, synchronizing print, animation, and motion graphics through design

Tom has teamed up with Doug Johnson, animator extraordinaire, to create a studio whose specialty is working with clients to concept and develop graphics for print and animation at the same time. Tom says, "I'm excited about this. It's clear that as more and more campaigns cross-pollinate over media boarders, it's a real need to have a studio who can produce high quality graphics for both print and motion to maintain consistence across all media venues." Cool stuff at http://www.spectrocast961.com

Pearson CME Project math textbook cover series

Tom was commissioned by Carolyn Lock and Hope Morley of Pearson to develop a logo identity and design and illustrate the covers to a series of math textbooks for middle and high school called the CME Project. The series won two awards at the 2009 New York Book Expo: first place in the Middle/High School Series Books category and second place in the Middle/High School Series Cover category.

PaneBelle Pizza & Bread Dough Co. logo and package design

9 Surf worked with Creative Director Marty Lapham of Fin Brand Positioning to create a retail package for PaneBelle Pizza and Bread Dough Company. He wanted a natural, established look to reflect the quality of their product which is available in organic White, Whole Wheat, and Multigrain. Fin Brand Positioning is an innovative and creative company which works with a range of clients within the retail, business, educational, cultural, medical industries. See their work at http://www.fingenuity.com

State Farm wordmark

You've probably seen it around town on signage, or on TV during an NFL game. Tom was commissioned by Creative Director Gary Alfredson of DDB Chicago to design a new typeface for the State Farm brand identity. The mandate was to create an open, friendly, contemporary and progressive look. Tom's feedback on the design since being in the field is that it has helped infuse new life into the venerable company.

NYTTF League logo

An avid tournament table tennis player, Tom was right at home creating this illustrated logo to promote a league tournament for New York Table Tennis Foundation director Robert Chen. Robert is a professional coach trained by coaches from the Chinese National Team, the best in the world. NYTTF is a large club in Manhattan's Chinatown featuring play levels from beginner to world class. So, if you are in New York and are looking to play table tennis, check out http://www.nyttf.com

Time Magazine illustration

Creating images for healthcare clients is an integral part of Tom's work. He is commissioned by pharmaceutical and biotech companies, healthcare organizations, and magazines. This piece was done for Time Magazine as one of a series of images on women's health issues