Al et al

Words, etc.

Signs of Life

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I’ve set up a new website for my verbal art …

signs-of-life.com.au

Written by aletal

August 12th, 2010 at 6:38 pm

Posted in Verbal art

Next Gen branding

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Name & tagline for a new division of Connolly Suthers Lawyers, specialising in estate planning and succession law.

Client: Connolly Suthers Lawyers. Design: Entica.

Written by aletal

July 29th, 2010 at 10:04 am

Posted in Branding,Copy

Next Gen ad

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Magazine ad for a new division of Connolly Suthers Lawyers, specialising in estate planning and succession law.

Client: Connolly Suthers Lawyers. Design: Entica.

Written by aletal

July 29th, 2010 at 9:00 am

Posted in Advertising,Copy

Connolly Suthers Lawyers “Saint” TVC

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Back in the 60s, a bunch of daredevil engineering students abseiled off the side of Townsville’s Castle Hill, and painted a figure of the Saint on the cliff face (inspired by the popular Simon Templar TV series of the day and same name).

The Castle Hill Saint has become something of an icon in Townsville, watching over the town. When council planned to remove the “graffiti”, public outcry saved the Saint.

A few years back, we enlisted the Castle Hill Saint as a mascot for Townsville law firm, Connolly Suthers.

This little animated TVC is the latest incarnation.

Client: Connolly Suthers Lawyers. Animation: Bloc Media.

Written by aletal

June 11th, 2010 at 11:42 am

Police Creek interpretive signage

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Police Creek node 1

An important part of Gladstone’s natural environment, local history and cultural heritage.

This series of signs along a popular walking trail in Gladstone details the historical, environmental and cultural significance of the local watercourse.

The project was an initiative of Gladstone Regional Council, and funded by the Rio Tinto Alcan Community Fund. Content was developed in consultation with numerous representatives from Council, industry, local Indigenous communities, and environment and community groups.

Police Creek node 4

Police Creek node 5

The signage details the life and history of the creek, including some somewhat controversial, previously undocumented local history.

Client: Gladstone Regional Council. Design: See-Saw.

Police Creek node 6

Police Creek node 7


Written by aletal

May 24th, 2010 at 7:20 pm

Posted in Copy,Interpretive

Tagged with , ,

The Not Sign—the sequel to the Love Sign—out now!

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Photo: Michael Zavros

Six years after the best-selling Love Sign first hit the wall, comes a sequel …

Not that the Love Sign thing was ever intended to be a franchise. It was a one-off art-whim. But then it took on this life of its own.

People bought it. Shops stocked it. Galleries hung it.

It made people smile. It took pride of place in homes. It was given with heartfelt feeling and carefully considered thought.

It travelled to more places than the person who created it. It went to lots of weddings and parties. It rubbed shoulders with real artworks in real exhibitions. It hung out in the homes of the famous and fabulous.

People sent glowing emails and gorgeous photos from faraway places. One man wrote to say he had to take it down as his partner was suddenly “with child”. Ah, Love.

It was stolen, plucked from a wall in Acland Street, fleeing and dissolving into the melting pot of St Kilda. Such bad karma, stealing Love.

It was similarly misappropriated, bastardised by a magazine—inspiring a little artwork to take legal action against a major publisher. And Love, though somewhat drained, did triumph.

Yes, it became quite the labour of Love. Suddenly there were 300andsomething of them in 40something cities and towns in adozenorsomething countries.

And still people persisted …

PEOPLE
(admiringly)

We love the Love Sign.

AL
(appreciatively)

Cheers love, ta.

PEOPLE
(inquisitively)

What other art/signs/things do you do?

AL
(matter-of-factly)

Well, nothing … I’m not an artist … It’s just this thing I do.

PEOPLE
(encouragingly)

Oh love, you should do more. The Love Sign’s great. It looks so good in the garage with my Ducati.

AL
(distractedly)

Yes, but, you see … Ducati? Which one?

PEOPLE
(proudly)

916.

AL
(respectfully)

Oh, 916, nice.

PEOPLE
(boldly)

Instant classic.

AL
(concededly)

Indeed.

PEOPLE
(suggestively)

What about something in yellow? The 916 looked hot in yellow.

AL
(philosophically)

It did, yes, but, no, look, to be honest, nothing else I’ve come up with quite lives up to the Love Sign. I just took the most recognised secular symbol and replaced its host word with the most evocative non-expletive. Where am I supposed to go from there? I’ve kind of painted myself into a corner. What’s more, the Love Sign is labour-of-love enough.

PEOPLE
(wryly)

Yeah right, that’s what I thought about my first Duc. What about Ducati model numbers on speed signs?

AL
(politely)

Umm, yes, but it may have, well, limited appeal. And 1098 could look a bit, well, cramped.

PEOPLE
(insistently)

Yeah well try owning/riding a 916.

And so on, and so on, and so …

In the grand tradition of sequels, we seek to continue the story and take our character into exciting and challenging new territory. And see what happens.

See where they’ll go. See what they’ll do. See if our followers continue to follow us. See if some new ones will join us. So here’s something in yellow.

Photo: Erik Williamson

This is not a sign

The Not Sign story

Where to buy or see

Buy online

Written by aletal

March 22nd, 2010 at 10:46 pm

Posted in Verbal art

Tagged with

Fulton Trotter Architects website

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Schools to hospitals. Mona Vale to Mt Isa. 1946 to now.

Web content for an architectural practice with offices in Brisbane, Tweed and Sydney.

Design/development: Designfront

Written by aletal

February 28th, 2010 at 12:34 pm

Posted in Copy,Web/digital

Tagged with

GreenHats brochure

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GreenHats brochure

It isn’t easy being green. Unless you talk to GreenHats …

A brochure promoting sustainability assessments and building energy ratings and retrofits—and the newly formed GreenHats—to the general public.

Design: The Letter D

Written by aletal

November 26th, 2009 at 9:52 pm

Posted in Copy,Print

Tagged with ,

GreenHats ID

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GRE_Logo_RGB

A better built environment

Sustainable Property Development Services (via The Letter D) sought some assistance sustainably developing their website.

“Absolutely!” we chirruped. “But can we do something about the name?”

GreenHats was an instant hit with the client and the public.

We’ll get around to the website one of these days …

Design: The Letter D

Written by aletal

November 25th, 2009 at 7:07 pm

Posted in Branding,Copy

Tagged with ,

Seybienne multimedia

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More than 90% of us use less than 10% of our software

A 2ish minute kinetic typography presentation for the launch of Seybienne online software tutes.

Animation by Bloc Media.

Logo design by Creative Plantation.

Music by Scott Coulthart—the client’s husband and my lawyer. Who says blokes can’t multitask?

legalit.com.au

Written by aletal

November 24th, 2009 at 11:20 am