My naMe is Mel.

i subscribe to the philosophy of eclecticism. i am

not only a designer, but a swing dancer, a coffee

geek, an avid jazz appreciator, an improvisational

cook, a vintage dress reproducer, and a very

sarcastic individual.

it isn’t the design world that shapes how we

design. it’s everything around us. Who we are,

where we’re from, our crazy families, our odd

habits, our offbeat interests and passing fancies.

We’re all part of this expansive network of

individuals, no two of us alike. it’s called earth.

so, how do i approach design? i design for those

people i share earth with. i want to improve how

you can use a package. i want to engage you to

read. i want to peak your interest in something

new. Design isn’t great because of any aesthetic

properties or trendy qualities, but because it is

accessible by everyone.

MoDern Heritage

the Modern Heritage brand is a series of kits

aimed at reintroducing the art of film pho-

tography to the general public. although film

has been experiencing a resurgence in recent

years, it has mostly been restricted to a niche

market, leaving little accessibility to those with

little or no prior knowledge of photography.

the goal is to show the user not just how to

use the camera, but give them an understand-

ing of how photography works.

the first kit in this series, the Friedlander, is a basic 35mm slr system that includes a camera,

external flash, two rolls of B&W film, two mailers to send in film for processing, and an instructional

booklet. the series could potentially be extended to include kits for a tlr camera, medium format,

polaroid, pinhole and more, offering the chance to dabble in more experimental photography.

CHuí Mate

not to be confused with your average earl

grey, mate (MaH-tay) is a traditional brewed

drink originating in south america. Chuí Mate

aims to set itself above the growing sea of

mate brands not only by avoiding stereotypi-

cal “south american” imagery, but also by

improving the usability of its packaging. With a

sliding door and the mate packets on a perfo-

rated roll, the package allows the user to eas-

ily remove one packet without disturbing the

rest, as is often the case with your traditional

tea packaging design.

(aBoVe leFt) Play-by-play of opening the mate container’s sliding door, retrieving the brew bag

from the perforated roll. the jaguar spans 3 panels before repeating

(aBoVe rigHt) the brew bag, ready to be steeped. the string on the tag is pulled to cinch the bag,

and the reverse side of the jaguar is shown above.

PuBliCity Center

the associated students Publicity Center at

Western Washington university provides ser-

vices to the campus community to publicize

student organizations and events, from con-

certs to lectures to art gallery shows. this has

included such work as posters, handbills, digi-

tal signage, banners, and publication design.

laByrintH

labyrinth is a woman-themed literary and arts journal published annually by the WWu associated students Women’s

Center. the theme for this year, intersections of identity, was played out in a visual vernacular recalling flight paths

and inspired by the clean, minimalist design of airport wayfinding. the journal also

had an accompanying gallery show and reception for the artwork.

tHe Hourglass

offering the complete experience from day

till night, the Hourglass Cafe & Bar is a place

where time moves slowly. By day, the space is

a sit-down coffee shop, where customers can

come to enjoy a peaceful cup of single origin

direct-trade coffee and a fresh pastry from

each day’s unique menu. By night, the cafe

is transformed into a bar, serving fine coffee

liqueurs, wines, beers, and a selection of arti-

san desserts from the nightly menu.

tHe Menu

the essence of the Hourglass is portrayed in the frosted plexiglass beverage menu, which displays

the daytime menu on one side and the nighttime menu on the other, with nothing but the hazy,

slow passage of time separating them. With this feature, customers can see what kinds of offerings

are available at both times of day, unlike restaurants with totally separate day and night menus.

WeBsite Design

this is a resource for people to learn about the Hourglass and see the permanent menu selection

(daily rotating menus are only available in the cafe)

Visitors can also find out about upcoming live music, new coffee arrivals, and purchase single-origin

coffee beans by the pound online.

sounD CoMMons

sound Commons is a week-long world music

festival held in the heart of Bellingham, Wa. in

order to engage people and develop interest

in the event, this environmental experience

causes pedestrians to interact with it and with

each other, as they eventually reach a com-

mon destination.

three paths, each following the history of a world instrument, lead to a booth at the famous Bell-

ingham Farmer’s Market, where participants can listen to the instrument they learned about, as well

as those of the other two paths. Here they can also learn about featured acts involving these three

instruments, pick up a complete festival schedule, and take home a card for mp3 downloads.

glanz

glanz is a small line of luxury car care prod-

ucts aimed at the classic automobile enthusi-

ast. the difference with glanz, however, is the

distinction toward the classic european car

market rather than the overused and slightly

cheapened american muscle car imagery.

the brand identifies with being clean and

modern, while emphasizing the heritage be-

hind the brand and adopting the joy of driving

philosophy. it is influenced by the refined de-

sign aesthetic of classic european automobiles

such as the BMW 2002 and Volvo P1800. the

project involved development of an identity,

business collateral, website design, packaging,

and creation of a custom typeface.

Business Collateral Car WaX anD sHaMPoo PaCKaging

WeBsite

Crinoline

Crinoline is a personal project, and my alter-

nate reality if i chose to be more fashion de-

signer than graphic designer. it’s a concept for

a small boutique selling my own handmade

dresses, using original sewing patterns from

the 40s-60s with modern materials. Basically,

the philosophy of the brand blends mid-cen-

tury design influence with modern tastes.

all dressmaking, photography, design and

copywriting were done by yours truly.

WeBsite

the web presence is meant as a tool to understand the brand and everything connected to it. the

blog, which is the main feature of the website, would serve as a platform to talk about what i’m

doing in the shop and in my community, as well as educate people about historical styles of the

mid-century era and modern reinterpretations similar to what i’m doing.

so WHat Do you tHinK?

Do you like what you see? i hope you do, because

i’m passionate about design and proud of my

work, and i would love to learn and experience

more by working with you. With the advent of

social networking, there are about a million ways

to get a hold of me, but here are the best:

eMail mel.woodard@gmail.com

Cell 425.281.1675

WeB melwoodard.com