Sometimes I receive pitches which include themes that seem impossible to tie together. Take this new release "Pursuit of Anything" from Vacations. When @NettwerkMusic originally reached out about the project, they mentioned the guys really liked early iOS runner games and figured that could fit the "pursuit" theme nicely. Easy enough. Then, we discussed the themes of past/future selves and self reflection. Wait a minute. That sounds deep! How could these themes possibly come together in a way that would prove useful for the band's campaign? Sounds like a problem only design can solve. Inspired by Abaigh Casey's beautiful work on the album aesthetic, James Meadowcroft's excellent work on the band's official site, and the general direction of a medieval quest for the holy grail, I got to work. I thought it was interesting that the band specifically called out early iOS games and in particular, games they would be playing on their 3GS. I wouldn't call 2009 medieval, but it was certainly a different time. I instantly had this vision of an iPhone 3GS lying in the mud of an English countryside, after a clashing of knights. That's when the heraldic imagery and patterns flooded in. What if I designed an old iPhone which incorporated a knight's shield paint job and a set of medieval inspired icons? And what if this themed homescreen acted as both a link tree to the band's properties on the web but also a home for interactive features? With that past/future foundation in place, the pursuit of apps began. First, we developed a built-in camera which allows fans to take photos using the green halftone aesthetic of the album and share them, wrapped in the album lockup. Then we integrated the band's @laylodotcom number so fans could leave actual voicemails on the phone. Finally, I cut my teeth in @aseprite and turned their Fool character into a simple runner game, complete with 8-bit music and an arcade style leaderboard. It's addictive. pursuit.vacationsband.com Give 1-346-PURSUIT a call and let us know what you’re in search of.

New work for some guy named Tom nosleeptilla.tompetty.com/?x

In 1966, @zappa and the Mothers of Invention released their debut album, Freak Out! Included in early US pressings of the album was a small advertisement which said to send $1.00 to MGM Records to receive a special map which highlighted interesting places but also provided safety tips in regards to the police-terror situation of the era. Apparently, the map is a super rare collectible because no one cared to mail in the dollar. This Freak Out! Hot Spots map was gloriously designed using Letraset dry transfer. A sheet of clear plastic film carrying a letter, texture, or icon was positioned over paper and then the top was rubbed with a blunt stylus. This pressure released the element from the film and transferred the ink directly to the paper. It was time consuming work and not something which you could easily fix if you made errors. The incredible team @UMGCatalog asked if I would help create a digital version of this map and I immediately purchased the original Letraset catalog on eBay. I approached the map like any sort of modern map. It should have all of the intuitive actions a user expects: pan, zoom, and tapping features. We also used a tile based visual system so the map quickly loads lower res files upon initial load and higher fidelity tiles as you zoom in, allowing you to really appreciate the Letraset work. Tap on any spot to read its original description but also how it related to the band’s history. There’s a ton of interesting photos and videos courtesy of the band’s archivist. freakoutmap.com It is such a timeless artifact. Naturally, having lived in Los Angeles, I find the history fascinating. However, it’s the government violence piece I find most relevant for our times. Frank knew that sharing info about problematic areas of town was important. And, while it might read as parody, it was very much a public service. Come to L.A. and enjoy these spots but be wary around others. You’ll find similar solutions like Antifreeze, ICEbreaker, ICE Tea Watch which allows you to report sightings of ICE officers in your area. Stay safe out there.

I have no words. 🤯