Just the Facts, Ma'am
Fun Facts about Brenda
Let's have a little fun, shall we? You've seen my work and my bio, but what does Brenda run on...besides caffeine? However, this is still a portfolio site, so, let's learn not only what my favorite things are, but how I, as a designer, approached the composition of each card below.
Just the Facts, Ma'am...
Many people associate this phrase with jack webb as Sgt. Joe Friday, from the popular 1950's television show "Dragnet." However, Jack Webb's Character never said these exact words (See Link). OK, yes, Joe Friday did say "Just the facts, ma'am,"...just not by Jack Webb's...and not in the 1950's, as many are led to believe.
Summary:
"If your an Elvis fan, no explanation is necessary. If you're not, no explanation is possible." -An Elvis fan's motto. It's hard to convey how deep our love for Elvis is, but if you know, you know! Whether you've just met, or have know each other a long time, when we share a love of Elvis, we are family...always!
Mindset:
It's one of the first things people learn about me, so it's only appropriate it be first on this list. However, knowing how protected Elvis' image is...and rightly so...I wasn't sure if I could use "the obvious," so it became of game of "Tell Me/Without Telling Me." After a lot of brainstorming and a painful step outside of the fan role, it hit me...The TCB lightning bolt! It's universal enough for many to recognize, but it's also something very specific to Elvis. But now I need a backup singer. Eureka!...a note written by Elvis, regarding his karate patch, which include the TCB lightning bolt! Everyone will understand the TCB logo. Fans will recognize the handwriting and may even recognize the correlation between the two...a perfect match!
Dean Martin
Summary:
Like Elvis, I can tell you exactly where I was, the day I became a fan. His cool, smooth style in...everything...defines "crooner." His comedic ability and timing could rival the greatest comic. The passion he put into everything he did, his down-to-earth nature, his pure, natural talent...is what made him so incredible!
Mindset:
Dean was, quite literally, an entertainer-of-all-trades. How do you sum up an immensely diversified, 49-year career? I concluded that a few things define Dean, universally. A tux with a red pocket square, a cigarette in his hand (to detract from an old boxing injury), a stage, and a microphone. But, these symbols could describe anyone. So...with a lot of Illustrator magic, I created the first ever, Dean Martin vector! I then finished it off with his signature and created a simple, custom pattern swatch of some some retro/sparkling stage lights, because Dean was never about big productions, on or off stage.
Summary:
I love everything about the 1950s! - the cars, the music, the colors, the style, the overall aesthetics...just ...everything!! So, you might think my love of the 50's is a result of being an Elvis fan. Actually, believe it or not, it was my love of the 50's that introduced me to Elvis.
Mindset:
This one came easy. The 1950s were an iconic era, with equally iconic and universal symbols. Not every decade has the privilege to be defined so clearly...so perfectly....by so many factors. The 1950s did have that privilege. Poodle skirts, saddle shoes, jukeboxes, unique, colorful cars, diners, drive-in movies, rock n' roll...all define the 1950s. To tailor that to me, I always loved the poodle skirt image and always wanted/still want a Wurlitzer jukebox. Plus music is everything to me, so it seemed only natural to pair the two.
Summary:
I grew up watching reruns of Bonanza (still a favorite), The Rifleman, Big Valley, Gunsmoke...I love those shows. Today, I still watch and love these shows, I play an old west themed video game, I own a cowboy hat, a pair of cowboy boots and my dream vacation is to take part in a working cattle ranch. Adulthood has not changed my love for this era! It was a time before technology, skyscrapers and overcrowded cities. It was a time of connecting with nature, at it's best! The beautiful, red rock scenery, incredible, obstruction-free sunsets, pollution-free night skies with millions upon millions of stars...It was a time of appreciating what you have and not taking anything for granted! It ties as my #1 favorite era!...Someone...please...invent a time-traveling DeLorean!!!
Mindset:
This one was challenging. Not only did I have to differentiate it from horseback riding (below), but I also had to find a way to convey old west not country western. My first thought was to not show a person at all, but with every iteration, I couldn't escape modern country western vibes. So, I made a list of commonalities in western TV and film. The two most common - cowboys and desert landscapes. Sorry to say, in the 1950s, unless you were Dale Evans, COWGIRLS were not common in TV and film. Of course, there are tons of cowboy and horse vectors out there, but none matched the style or image I had in my head. I wanted to reflect a 1950s style of illustration, as well as an "action shot," the kind you would see in comic books. Once again, I took to Illustrator, created a vector that matched my vision, drew on a saddle horn and Hi Yo Silver!
Hi Yo?...
Contrary to popular belief, The Lone Ranger did...NOT...say "Hi-Ho Silver!" No, it's not a mandela effect. It's merely a case of misunderstanding...or should I say...a case of Buck Jones (See Link). The original (Golden Era) Lone Ranger himself, Clayton Moore, tells us it's “Hi Yo, Silver” and not “Hi Ho, Silver.”...and Who are we to argue with a texas ranger and his native american sidekick! There was even a 1938 episode titled "Hi Yo Silver."
Summary:
Music has been my heart and soul for as long as I can remember. As a little kid, I would sing....well, we won't go there...but music has always been my entertainment, my stress reliever, my therapist, my motivator, my sidekick...and so much more!
Mindset:
This was another challenging one. I had to think of a way to make an auditory medium, visual. Additionally, I wanted to keep with the theme of the website. A jukebox and music notes were already taken with another card, plus the music notes were a little too universal and the jukebox a little to specific for my liking. I decided to call on Google for inspiration...they delivered! Up until 1960, the only form of music you could buy, was vinyl. Record players were made to play regular LPs, but 1949 saw a new form, a 45 RPM , with a much larger hole. To play this, you needed an adapter, called a "spider," which was perfect to represent music and stay within the them. That said, the music notes and jukebox idea was abandoned. I created another custom pattern for the background, featuring jukeboxes, music notes, transistor radios, retro microphones, records and retro shapes.
Summary:
Nothing compares to a live concert. The energy, the production, song versions that can't be heard anywhere else, seeing the performer's genuine personality...getting called on by the performer and being too awestruck and shy to engage (yes, this happened to me), or possibly getting to speak to your idol after. These are all memories that don't fade. Memories you look back on and treasure forever.
Mindset:
Live music isn't so much about the auditory or visual component, but rather the feeling one gets. I need to somehow convey feeling through design. After some brainstorming, I realized that all live concerts require a ticket (I miss the days when you would get a physical ticket sent to you). OK, but now I need a background. Many ideas came to mind, but when put behind another image, their effect was quickly lost. I thought back to all the concerts I've been to and how the stages looked. As I carded through my past experiences, it started coming together as to how I can work around the main image and still convey that feeling. I raised the drum set since they are often raised, added pyrotechnics, stage lights and a spot light (complete with a beam of light), because production is a big part of live music. I also added a couple picture taking phones to the audience because whether it's a film camera, digital camera or phone, people aways want to capture the event through pictures.
Summary:
My first exposure to horseback riding (western pleasure) was as a kid, every summer, in Florida, on a white pony, named Rosey-Rosey. As I got older, my fondness only grew stronger for these majestic animals. They are beautiful and gentle, yet powerful, creatures. Sitting atop one forces you to be present and allows you to enjoy all the beauty nature has to offer.
Mindset:
The initial idea was obvious...but it needed more. A lot of imagery portrayed a horseback rider with a helmet and while I completely support safety on a horse (a helmet has saved my hide a time or two), helmets are more associated with English discipline not Western riding. Then I saw a picture of a cowgirl...perfect...but I wanted her to look more like me! I found a horse vector I liked, but it carried a man. So, many vectors later, a lot of reworking and compositing in Illustrator and I had...myself riding a horse! For the background, I wanted something simple, yet traditional, so a farm/ranch (with open land) came to mind, with the iconic red barn.
Summary:
I don't remember a time when there hasn't been an animal of some sort, in my life. As a matter of fact, I love animals so much, that my first-ever career choice, was to be a veterinarian. What changed? I worked at one. While I loved working at one, there were a few aspects that made me realize this was a career choice I was not cut out for. However, that did not change how I feel about animals.
Mindset:
This card was probably the most challenging. Trying to use imagery to convey...again...a feeling and in such a small space, when a single animal image can quickly fill said space. In terms of feeling, conveying a feeling of energy is somewhat universal, but conveying a feeling of love can be so subjective and I had to make it universal. After many variations and much trial and error, I found a Westie vector that looked almost exactly like my dog (No, not all Westie's look alike and many dog owners will tell you the same). I simplified the vector and made a few changes to better match my dogs features. Next was the background. After more trial and error, inspiration finally clicked when I saw a pair of hearts! To keep with the retro theme, I simplified the Dean Martin background pattern I had made, added the hearts and saved this new pattern. I adjusted the pattern behind the dog vector and....perfect!
