AMMO + Alternative ABCs Book
2011
Copywriting, Illustration, Writing
This book is like a jump-start for little hipsters. As parents who see the world in a different light, we realize with this book, either you “get it” or you don’t! Oh well if you don’t- there will always be a place for “A is for APPLE,” but, c’mon, you KNOW your cool kid will make a place for “S is for SKULL! We’re super-stoked to have the opportunity to create an ABCs book that “talks the talk” and if you “walk the walk” we know you’re down with it too.
- AMMO BOOKS
ALTERNATIVE ABCs
Book + Author & Illustration
13THFLOOR - FOR "ROCKER" MOMS- NOT "SOCCER" MOMS
- When is "A" not for "APPLE" in a Children's ABCs Book? When AMMO BOOKS asks 13THFLOOR to Author and Illustrate an idea they had to publish a ground-breaking "ALTERNATIVE ABCs" Book that re-defines the traditional ABCs Book. How about "F" is for "FLAMES," "H" is for "HOTROD" and "M" is for "MOHAWK?"
Eric and I wanted to create an ABCs book for parents like us. People who want to introduce their kids to cool art and kustom design. We also felt it was time to rethink the words featured in the traditional ABC books and use language that is more hip, cool and relevant for our lifestyles and the times. 
- "A" is for "Alternative Words"
We started by making a long list of words for each letter of the alphabet that were obvious and familiar to the world of “Kustom Kulture”. We put the list up in our kitchens and scribbled in words suggested by our wives, our kids, clients and friends. Then, along with AMMO, we isolated words that jumped out as being most relevant to a hip kid’s world – which included addressing the kind of global issues that made the idea of “Alternative” come to life. For example we all loved “R is for RAD or maybe ROCKSTAR” but we all felt that “REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE” was too important to leave out. With “EARTHDAY,” “PEACE,” “UNITY” and “VEGETARIAN” it was easy, since they are both hip and important in our lives. 
- 26 Alternative Letters
Since 13THFLOOR is known for it's hand drawn Kustom type design, crafting the style of font for the alphabet letters and the artwork for each page was the next adventure: To keep a fun look throughout the book we created an alphabet that has an old carnival “vibe” merged with our own personal love of black-letter inspired serif treatments. We had to consider that we couldn't get too crazy with the treatment of the letterforms- after all- this IS an ABCs book- gotta be able to READ each letter! 
- Alternative Alphabet Soup
Seemed like a good opportunity to hide the names of our kids, our own initials for our names and some other words or abbreviations on the art of the inside cover & back cover spreads. 
- A World For Each Word
As you turn each page we wanted your next letter of the alphabet to bring you into it’s own unique little world- reflecting the appropriate style for that letter's word. You can smell the "Tiki Torches" at the Lua for "T is for TIKI," “GRAFFITI” looks like hand tagged graffiti from a wall in an alley, “MOHAWK” looks like a punk show flyer, “HOTROD” is a nod to the Vintage Era of Kustom Kar stylings by our hero, Ed "Big Daddy" Roth, etc… 
- Keeping it Real
It was really important to us that the graphics accurately capture the “subculture” behind each word. 13THFLOOR is known to "keep the feel real," and this was no exception. For example, we love the page for “LOWRIDER." Thanks to street-cred styling and rendering, our car could genuinely roll “Low-N-Slow”. The classic “Deuce Coupe” was the Rod of choice for “HOTROD” and Eric and I both dig the “Rat Rod” style, so we went with a flat black body color and understated blue and purple flames. We hate it when we see books about surfing or skating that look like the designer has no clue to what that lifestyle is all about. We design from our experience and wanted the book to keep it real, which is why we worked with an actual graffiti artist for the “GRAFFITI” and the “KICKS” pages and an illustrator who is also a hardcore skater and surfer for the pages “QUARTER PIPE” & “DUDE”. 
- Skulls Are Always Cool
This book is like a jumpstart for little hipsters. Although it may not be for everyone, the book strikes a chord with modern parents. “Oh well, if you don’t get it it’s OK – there will always be a place for “A is for APPLE,” but, c’mon, you KNOW your cool kid will make a place for “S is for SKULL!!!. 
- Kool Quotes
One of our favorite comments from a blog review we read was, "If Gwen Stefani bought an ABCs book for her kids, this would be the one!" 
- "T" is for What?!?
We had completely finished all of the art for the page "T is for TATTOO" and then realized we HAD to have "T is for Tiki" in this book- absolutely positively no other way around it, friggin' duh, so we switched up with the letter "I is for INK" to salvage the "TATTOO" concept and so made this book and the world a better place. 
- Be The First On Your Block!
Now go out and BUY IT! If you don't have any kids, make some babies so you can read this to them! Actually- a fun read even if you don't have any kids... In the words of our good friends at LIQUID, "...Designed for kids but equally appreciated by people of all ages as well as fans of design..."
Alternative ABCs on AMMO BOOKS.com
Alternative ABCs on AMAZON.com
13THFLOOR is super-stoked to have had the opportunity to create an ABCs book that "talks the talk" and if you "walk the walk" we know you'll be down with it too. 
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This poster is an original limited edition 15" x 15" metallic silver ink on black stock screen printed by hand. Designed by Dave Parmley and Eric Ruffing of 13THFLOOR, this poster debuted at interbike in Vegas. Our stoke for this hand drawn design comes from our love of riding. We live and breathe our passions- have always believed that your work is an extension of your play. "Live to Ride- Ride to Live." 'nuff said!Art Direction, Graphic Design, Illustration2011 -
ELEMENT owner Johnny Schillereff asked us to create a series of logos for for their legendary team riders BAM Margera, Mike Vallely, Bucky Lasek and Chad Muska. This special edition graphic will recognize them as ICONs among the sport. Each design will be placed on the top of the deck. Each one expressing the uniquely different riders personalities, beliefs and styles. Each ICON also had to make use of the ELEMENT tree icon as well as feel like a series that could be built upon with future riders. Below are our final logo designs, ad concepts, product graphics and web application. We were super stoked to work with Johnny, Yvette, Todd, Mark and everyone at Element.Branding, Graphic Design, Illustration2011 -
SPOT Bikes is a single speed only bike and component company.Single speed participants are completely different from any other cyclinggroup, beer drinking, punk rock loving guys and gals. The winner of the SINGLE SPEED Worlds receives a tattoo for their award.
Michael Golinksi, Jessica Stein & Lewis, the original owners of SPOT Bikes , being a small agile company needed an art director fortheir rapidly growing single speed only brand. Using the fact that all theirproducts were hand made and assembled I created a DIY anti-corporate visualsystem. Using our experience and love of the b/w copier 13THFLOOR wanted to create afeel that was rapidly created in-house and had a nod to punk rock flyers .Since there was no budget for actual box packaging we developed a label system that could be affixed to various envelopes + boxes + hang tags for the frames. Once this design look was established it was used for advertising, posters, hangtags, brochures + website, all created by 13THFLOORArt Direction, Packaging, Graphic Design2011 -
"MORE IS LIGHTER" caampaignArt Direction, Graphic Design, Branding2011 -
catalog, layout, brochure, stereoGraphic Design, Art Direction, Design2011 -
Hot Wheels "Tuner" graphic collection for the Global Hot Wheels Style Guide. Mattel asked 13THFLOOR to create a library of kustom artwork for this highly endemic theme. What would someone who Drifts, Races and build "Tuners" wear? Making sure to hit the various age groups of 6-9, 12-15 for mass, mid tier + speciality retail Dave Parmley and Eric Ruffing combined Asian, urban and drift cultural influences into small families of artwork that Hot Wheels Global Licensees could use for lunch boxes, backpacks, bedding, bikes to apparel. By 13THFLOOR creating these families of designs Licensee's will have a much better opportunity to create cohesive collections around this particular theme.
13THFLOOR designs and produced the following for this collection:
• 33 Kustom Logos.
• 14 Composed Designs.
• 10 Hot Wheel Logo Variations.
• 8 Tiled Patterns.
• 11 Vector Vehicles (from supplied color renderings).
• 55 Product Graphic Applications with production notes.Art Direction, Graphic Design, Illustration2011 -
After completing the first 2 logos for the Garage toy line for Hot Wheels we were asked to change directions for this 3rd version.
This logo was to be based on the concept of hood ornament- flashy, fast and shiny!
Along with the logo design we were asked to create package shapes and background studies. While the final direction was ultimately to make the package aline with the HW line look they were extremely happy with the vibe we created.Art Direction, Design, Packaging2011 -
Many of you have seen this from previous 13THFLOOR sites but it continues to be a viewer and client favorite + we still dig it and some of it was quite different for the time period. We had been working for ALEEDA wetsuits original owners for a few years when the current owner Steve Terry purchased it.
Luckily he wanted a new logo and ads. Steve is an amazing skater and surfer and wanted his brand to feel like a skate brand not surf company. Aleeda Wetsuits
Which basically meant no bloated headlines, no BS product features... just killer shots and a layout that didn't look the big brands. We were given a lot of freedom to try many ideas we had... possibly because the deadlines were for most were 2-3 day turnarounds! Below is a selection of our favorites from about 3 years of ads.Art Direction, Advertising, Graphic Design2011
