ZDCA strategized a marketing approach that included a new book cover design, logo, and matching website for a complete package.

Like most restaurants, the menu changes often. The owners needed a simple CMS (Content Management System) website for easy and frequent access to content without the time and expense in hiring help each time.

Additionally, Jade Turgel was contracted for fine food photography and easy publishing of high resolution gallery images was integrated to best display the amazing dishes Goji Kitchen produces.

ZDCA designed a custom logo and skinned an events-optimized theme to capture both the look and feel of the double D style and keep content entry as simple as possible.

In addition to simplified events entry, the system manages large-scale image galleries and video archives with ease. Most importantly, ticket sales are handled quickly through the service they’ve been using so little changes for them and their established past workflow.

Of course, social network integration is essential for events promoters and their many social destinations are easily accessible from any page on a left side sliding tab that hides until the viewer needs it.

This adds up to one all-important feature: keeping the DJs and promoters doing what they do best which is staying on the dance floor meeting the people they love to connect and party with.

]]> http://www.zackdarling.com/2011/10/double-d-bass-generation-logo-website-launch/feed/ 0 http://www.zackdarling.com/2011/10/sea-of-dreams-2012-prophesea-poster-flyer/ http://www.zackdarling.com/2011/10/sea-of-dreams-2012-prophesea-poster-flyer/#comments Fri, 07 Oct 2011 21:00:48 +0000 Zack http://www.zackdarling.com/?p=2743 San Francisco event producers AnonEvents, Sunset Promotions and An-Ten-Nae came to ZDCA for original design of the renowned Sea of Dreams event poster and flyer. Titled “Prophesea” for 2012, Zack Darling’s established aesthetic of refined collage and dynamic layered effects, combined with a grounding in Burning Man, alt Cirque and cabaret graphic styles, is a perfect fit for the Mayan Calendar imagery and prophesy theme.

ZDCA is honored to be included among a group of highly respected artists from past years’ designs, including Andrew Gonzales, Andrew Jones and The Firm.

Of special note is that the imagery shows the ocean goddess above water for the first time in the event’s history. The concept of the mermaid goddess leaping above the surface and toward the sacred Mayan symbols in the heavens is a perfect opportunity for merging a variety of styles and layered imagery that ZDCA is known for in the alternative performance and events community.

Zack Darling also the Sea Of Dreams promotions in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 & 2010. You find previous Sea Of Dreams designs in our gallery.

You can view (or even buy prints) the 2012 background artwork on ZDCA’s Deviant Art profile by clicking here.

Keep your eyes peeled for their new website which we’re feverishly working on here at the ZDCA offices – it’s going to be a good one!

With two booming locations, it was time to re-vamp their online presence. Time to bring on ZDCA for a complete makeover of the site! Although a beer tavern may seem like a light-weight project, Hopmonk is a huge cultural force in Sonoma County, featuring:

• One website for two distinct locations
• Daily and nightly live music with internationally known performers in multiple stages at each location
• Rapid ticket sales
• Large events for hundreds of guests
• Spacious and unique indoor / outdoor facilities
• Extensive beer, wine, and spirits menu
• Excellent food and desserts beyond mere “pub fare”
• Fine catering

The list goes on! To accommodate, a large-scale website was built with much graphic and interactive customization that included collapsible navigation menus for both locations, multiple galleries in two dramatic formats, performer information feeds directly from the ticketing service to display on the website so the client does not enter info twice, food and drink menus that can be updated easily without resorting to PDFs, and so much more.

We look forward to a custom iPhone app integration and a shopping cart for T-shirts, band posters and more.

The talented illustrator Max May worked closely with Jade to bright color and vision to her lovely children’s poetry. The collaboration of these two brilliant minds resulted in a team with a wide array of influences by highly creative people. Once the artwork was brought to ZDCA, we already had a beautiful story underway.

ZDCA worked on digital imagery and color adjustment with all the illustrations. They were scanned, touched-up, re-painted in PhotoShop and had various graphical elements integrated with the pen-and-ink artwork. Once completed, we layed-out the book in InDesign and pre-pressed it for perfect-binding hard copy publishing and production.

The result is a unique book that stands above many in crowded market, depicting large, full page color, hand-drawn pages with urban and fantasy references for young and older children alike. Look for it in your local children’s book store in the “awesome” section.

WaccoBB directors came to ZDCA with a forum theme update project to bring the popular site into today’s design sensibility and functionality.

The project scope was broad at three complete and unique theme designs including custom logos, interface graphics, icons, global color schemes and more, all to be easily selectable by users on this massive forum website.

We also worked closely with the client to take their long-standing rising sun logo and re-develop the brand with a new iconic image. We successfully brought their visual look to a new level, yet still spoke to their audience with the same familiar voice of the previous design.

Additionally, informal user testing was conducted to better determine a final result that both accommodated the technical needs of the forum and the aesthetic needs of the long-term users who are passionate and outspoken about their WaccoBB experience.

After completion of the Wacco theme designs, we implemented the same look & feel to their digest email templates as well as their new Business Directory (currently still in development).

We really enjoyed the opportunity to work with such a powerful tool for the North Bay community.

The magazine directors came to ZDCA with a tall order: layout an entire magazine on a tight deadline and budget in a fresh style while maintaining the visual language of past issues for the existing audience. ZDCA delivered that and more by finishing the project early and within budget while surpassing the design expectations of the magazine directors.

Additionally, Mosaic Art Now required a simple online purchasing solution for audience members who do not subscribe. In similar fashion, ZDCA quickly published a secure website in a style matching the magazine and other online assets for a consistent and solid product that exceeded hopes.

We were twelve days out from a printing deadline when we brought a half-done publication to ZDCA for emergency triage. Their team flew into motion and worked with us to create a beautiful magazine that stunningly presents the magic of contemporary mosaics. This was especially important as this edition was also a memorial to our founder, Bill Buckingham. Zack, Kate and crew were professional, personal, and committed to our success. Who could ask for more?

Nancie Mills Pipgras – Editor & Michael Welch – Publisher Mosaic Art NOW

ZDCA was contracted to reboot the company logo and associated marketing materials for their entire line of products, including the complete catalog and posters.

In contrast to the “high-tech” style of the chrome logo, our illustrator, Jimmy Hits, brought to life a series of unique drawings in colored smoke that tricks the eye and stands out in a market of crowded with similar companies and their utilitarian designs.

In addition to re-branding the HBG logo, we were also asked to create a new logo for their sister company, Facility Scientific. After a few logo concepts, they picked the new brand and are thrilled with it. To show our logo process, we’ve included the final logo choice with the 4 runners up below.

Not only did we create the promotional artwork, but we’re also creating most of the other assets to the festival such as the program guide, apparel, the new site map illustration, advertisements, banners and the skin for their new website at www.earthdancelive.com . It’s a full marketing package that we truly enjoy the chance to create.

If you’re looking for a magical weekend of music, art, community, activism, spirituality, DJs, performance art… all centered around the global Prayer for Peace, we highly recommend you check out Earthdance Northern California 2011.