Chronicles is a repository of articles, client projects, creative musings and products.

 

All content is copyrighted by MKN Design. Reproduction without express written consent is prohibited. To license a specific illustration or design, please contact me via email.

Googly Eyed Philosophers

Creative Musing + Product
December 2024

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Googly Eyed Philosophers
Some design fun with old lithographs, goggly eyes, and 3 philosophers.


Quotes from Aristotle, Plato, and Socrates.
“Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.” – Aristotle
“When men speak ill of thee, live so as nobody may believe them.” – Plato
“All I Know Is That I Know Nothing.” – Socrates

  • Aristotle, Plato, and Socrates graphic tees are available for purchase on Cotton Bureau. Check out more graphic tees on my Cotton Bureau profile page.

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    Note:     All Cotton Bureau apparel comes in a variety of clothing types, styles, fits, sizes, materials, and colors.

Chronicles is a repository of articles, client projects, creative musings and products.

 

All content is copyrighted by MKN Design. Reproduction without express written consent is prohibited. To license a specific illustration or design, please contact me via email.

Multiplayer Tetris & Game Over

Creative Musing + Product
August 2024

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Multiplayer Tetris & Game Over
Created these for the love of 1980’s arcade graphics. Tetris was created by Soviet software engineer Alexey Pajitnov in 1984 and was released in the United States by Atari Games in 1988.

  • Multiplayer Tetris & Game Over graphic tees are available for purchase on Cotton Bureau. Check out more graphic tees on my Cotton Bureau profile page.

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    Note:     All Cotton Bureau apparel comes in a variety of clothing types, styles, fits, sizes, materials, and colors.

Orb

Creative Musing + Product
June 2024

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Orb
Creating a celestial feeling through experimentation with shapes, blurs, and textures.

  • Orb graphic tee is available for purchase on Cotton Bureau. Check out more graphic tees on my Cotton Bureau profile page.

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    Note:     All Cotton Bureau apparel comes in a variety of clothing types, styles, fits, sizes, materials, and colors.

Anatomy of Twitter

Creative Musing + Product
June 2024

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Anatomy of Twitter
I pulled this illustration from my archives (originally created in 2010). When Twitter existed before becoming 'X', the internet dubbed my illustration "The Anatomy of a Tweet." My original aim was to depict the thinking (brain) and feeling (heart) of users, highlighting the struggle to balance logic and emotion tweets.

  • Anatomy of Twitter graphic tee is available for purchase on Cotton Bureau. Check out more graphic tees on my Cotton Bureau profile page.

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    Note:     All Cotton Bureau apparel comes in a variety of clothing types, styles, fits, sizes, materials, and colors.

Zero/One & Ninety-Nine

Creative Musing + Product
April 2024

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Zero/One & Ninety-Nine
These numbers were my favorites growing up. Zero/One (or 10) is from the Dodge Charger that Bo and Luke drove on, Dukes of Hazzard. Ninety-nine of course came from my favorite hockey player, Wayne Gretzky who played for the Edmonton Oilers from 1979–1988.

  • Zero/One & Ninety-Nine graphic tees shown in this post are available for purchase on Cotton Bureau. Check out more graphic tees on my Cotton Bureau profile page.

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    Note:     All Cotton Bureau apparel comes in a variety of clothing types, styles, fits, sizes, materials, and colors.

  • The numbers featured on these tee graphics come from a display typeface I designed. It’s available for purchase, view Sum here.

Super Phat

Creative Musing + Product
April 2024

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Super Phat
A design exploration to find a typeface that embodies “Super Phat”. I believe I choose right. The typeface I used is Sutturah designed by Octavio Pardo from Rosetta Type Foundry.

Mellow Yellow

Creative Musing + Product
March 2024

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Mellow Yellow
Inspiration for this type treatment from the song Mellow Yellow by Donovan. The typeface is Lust Script designed by Neil Summerour from Positype.

Earth Killer

Creative Musing + Product
March 2024

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Earth Killer
The oil and manufacturing industries are significant contributors to environmental pollution, earning them the label "Earth Killer." These industries release vast amounts of greenhouse gases, toxic chemicals, and particulate matter into the atmosphere, leading to severe air and water pollution.

Out of Order

Creative Musing + Product
March 2024

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Out of Order
This country, known to the world as a shining light of democracy, is quickly becoming very polarized in every aspect of our lives, from divisions in politics, policies and greed.

  • Out of Order graphic tee is available for purchase. Check out more graphic tees on my Cotton Bureau profile page.

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    Note:     All Cotton Bureau apparel comes in a variety of clothing types, styles, fits, sizes, materials, and colors.

America’s Obsession

Article + Creative Musing + Product
February 2024

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America’s Obsession
I often explore national and political perspectives through iconic symbolism. The diptych, titled "America's Obsession," delves into the complex and often contentious relationship between firearms and the American flag.

This diptych highlights the historical ties and ongoing debates surrounding firearms in the U.S., emphasizing how deeply entrenched this issue is in the nation's identity. The title hints at a critical viewpoint, suggesting that the country's focus on guns has surpassed mere heritage or rights, evolving into an obsession. Though the two panels are physically separated, the symbolic reach of the bullet extends to the flag, that have replaced the stars with bullet holes.

The artwork invites viewers to contemplate the implications of this obsession and its effect on the nation's identity.

  • America’s Obsession pocket tee (flag & bullet holes) is available for purchase on Cotton Bureau. Check out more graphic tees on my Cotton Bureau profile page.

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    Note:     All Cotton Bureau apparel comes in a variety of clothing types, styles, fits, sizes, materials, and colors.

Holiday Stroll

Creative Musing + Product
October 2023

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Holiday Stroll
Happy Holidays! Wishing you all a wonderful holiday season.

  • Holiday Stroll is currently unavailable for purchase. Please check back after Thanksgiving 2024. Check out more graphic tees on my Cotton Bureau profile page.

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    Note:     All Cotton Bureau apparel comes in a variety of clothing types, styles, fits, sizes, materials, and colors.

Skull & Bones

Creative Musing + Product
September 2023

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Skull & Bones
For a limited time some of the icons I created for Halloween will be available on graphic tees at Cotton Bureau. I’ve paired the icons with the typeface Metalista designed by Tomáš Brousil from Suitcase Type Foundry.

  • Skull & Bones (top right tee) is the only available tee in this series to purchase (check back in early October 2024 to purchase the others). Peruse more graphic tees on my Cotton Bureau profile page.

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    Note:     All Cotton Bureau apparel comes in a variety of clothing types, styles, fits, sizes, materials, and colors.

Notcha Tacos

Creative Musing + Product
June 2023

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Notcha Tacos
Pronounced, Not-Cha-Tacos. Utilizing some past work I illustrated this fun tacos restaurant logo. The mark is paired with the typeface, CC Sign Language designed by John Roshell and Richard Starkings from Comicraft.

Sum

Creative Musing + Product
February 2023

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Sum
While I am not a professional type designer, I have a passion for creating custom typefaces. I just finished this display numerical typeface, called Sum. This font comprises six sizes: Light, Regular, Semibold, Bold, Black, and Heavy. Engaging in studies like this is beneficial for graphic designers., as it enables them to comprehend the intricacies of typeface formation. This knowledge is particularly valuable when crafting a bespoke typeface for a brand.
 

  • Sum is available for purchase. Email me for licensing and cost.

MKN Design Reel

Article + Product
February 2023

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MKN Design Reel
Do you like what you see? Well, I’d like to work with you. If you're looking for an experienced independent (freelance) Art Director, Designer, and Illustrator, or if you know of any companies seeking short or long-term project contracts or retainers, feel free to contact me via email.

  • The design and illustrative projects within this reel are a combination of strategic branding, environmental design, iconography, illustration, graphic design, and packaging.

The Midwest Coast

Creative Musing + Product
August 2022

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The Midwest Coast
A badge-inspired design from my home state of Michigan and its pristine coastline. The inspiration came from our family trip to Sleeping Bear Dunes, National Park—it’s just one of the many places to experience Michigan’s wonderful coast.

  • The Midwest Coast is currently not available. Check back in early June 2024. View additional graphic tee’s on my Cotton Bureau profile page. 

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    Note:     All Cotton Bureau apparel comes in a variety of clothing types, styles, fits, sizes, materials, and colors.

Lady of Guadalupe

Creative Musing + Product
August 2022

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Lady of Guadalupe
A modern Illustrative take on the Our Lady of Guadalupe painting found in Tepeyac Hill, Mexico City.

  • Lady of Guadalupe graphic tee is available for purchase. Check out more graphic tees on my Cotton Bureau profile page.

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    Note:     All Cotton Bureau apparel comes in a variety of clothing types, styles, fits, sizes, materials, and colors.

Alfred & Mickey Mashup

Creative Musing
June 2022

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Alfred & Mickey Mashup
A mad mashup of Mickey Mouse & Alfred E. Neuman from Mad Magazine flashing a peace sign and waving the stars and stripes. The title takes from Mickey's favorite word, "Gosh" and merging it with Alfred's, "Me Worry?" Even Mad Magazine saw it on Instagram and ❤️ it.

Graphis, Designers for Peace

Creative Musing + Product
June 2022

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Graphis, Designers for Peace
I submitted a "Designers for Peace" poster series (A.K.A. Ukraine War Series) for the Graphis poster competition. It received an Honorable Mention. This series began as a personal project sparked by Russia's unprovoked war on Ukraine. My aim with this project was to capture a powerful, somber, and raw portrayal of the global emotional response to the conflict.

  • All four posters are available for purchase in my shop.

  • Wage Peace & No War graphics are available for purchase on tees at Cotton Bureau. Check out more graphic tees on my Cotton Bureau profile page.

  • Congratulations! Your excellent poster design has been chosen as an Honorable Mention in our international Designers for Peace competition.

    — B. Martin Pedersen, Creative Director & Publisher

ReVox

Creative Musing + Product
April 2022

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ReVox
I’ve always had an affinity for vintage electronics, especially buttons, knobs, and sliders. The illustration is a ReVox Studer 700 Reel-To-Reel Tape Recorder⁠, designed, engineered, and manufactured in Switzerland in 1973.