Client: Classic Auto Air.
Classic Auto Air is a company dedicated to build, sell and even install new air condition units for muscle cars and even custom builds. The clientele Classic Auto Air has, consists of car enthusiasts restoring a family heirloom, someone restoring their first car and even businesses that restore show car. Thus the aesthetic for them is simple, detailed and demonstrated one of the core fundamentals of the company: reliability. In order to maintain these values and reflect them in the design of the instructions the illustrations where modeled after pictures taken of each specific vehicle during installation by the many authorized dealers nationwide and internationally. Every bolt hole or press mark in the sheet metal that could be used as a landmark to aid anyone in installation was added and mentioned. The most important sections where even framed to indicate that the following procedures are important and need special attention. At the end, the last few pages where left for cut-out templates if necessary, there where all made with the most detail due to the fact they had to maintain their original size when printed so the customer could install their unit correctly.
Along with the redesign of the instructions I also handled other projects such as: designing the vinyl stickers, that go on the face of the control units, out of CAD drawings given to me by the engineering team. Banner ads and graphics of new products, for their web page as well minor changes to the website itself.
ON A PERSONAL NOTE...
To be completely transparent Classic Auto Air is the reason why I continued pursuing graphic design after very bleak period in my personal life. I started as a temp worker, assorting and bagging screws …this was right after a devastating time in my life; the death of my brother and unbeknownst to him a hero, a goal, a role model and a father figure all wrapped into a clumsy warm-heated guy. I continued my mundane and rather dull job without fail the idea came to me that I should I should find a way to get a raise and find a way to stay longer, I figured I could leverage the few months I’d previously spent at the Art Institute of Dallas to find a way to make said extra cash. Classic Auto Air sells and installs H.V.A.C. units (air conditioning) for classic muscle cars so I asked if the graphic designer, Rick, might need some help with anything, he asked Mike (the CEO) if I could mask the background of a few pictures of car models that were having the installation instructions redesigned as sort of a test to asses my skill and proficiency with the Adobe Suit. After doing said task they agreed I could come inside a few hours a week to help rick out, in the time that followed I got to know Rick more and he explained he wasn’t an employee like I was but rather he was a freelancer and proceeded to tell me some of his previous jobs and current clients, needless to say I was drawn back into it. Soon after Ricks contract was over and I was asked if I could pick up where he left off; I agreed and I started making revisions at first but soon was asked to create new illustrations and finally make new instructions from front to end. This all transpired within a year’s time of my arrival at Classic Auto Air as a temp, but what I’m even more grateful of was that I was also asked to work on projects for their newly started sister company Restomod Air.
There’s so much more I want to say about Classic Auto Air but for now I want to thank the entire staff specially: Mike, Drew, Steve and Rick for their help and support that had a much bigger impact on me than they, and I, could imagine. Thanks guys.