Michelle Sobotta

First came the Mickey inspired apparel collection, next came a very different approach to the lifestyle photoshoot. The concept: create inspired outdoor scenes and add whimsical illustrations reminiscent of Disney.

Luminox approached Hero Image Arts (a retouching studio) to concept some new ideas specifically focused on attracting the everyday adventure-seeking consumer. Already recognized for their durability in extreme situations, we were tasked to "shed more light" on the superior level of brightness their watches exuded in comparison with their competitors. Since Hero Image didn't really have access to a marketing team, nor additional designers, I would be left to drive the creative, write the copy, direct the on- and off-site product/lifestyle photoshoots and oversee post-production. Past experience served me well in this situation. 

The story behind the "Angler Fish" concept: Deep sea diver goes out in search of ocean caves. But during his exploration, after a run-in with a shark, he manages to drop his watch. It falls down deep through the darkest depths to the ocean bottom, where it is found by a curious angle fish. She picks it up and as it illuminates she sees, in awe, for the first time, her surroundings. "Love Your Face. Trust Your Watch." 

My Role: Art direction, design, layout, project manage, photo shoot direction, production, and final client presentation.

Killer retouching by Alexey Nekrasov

The Global Performance Testing Team needed a re-design of their Product Tester website. The current layout no longer aligned with our brand guidelines, nor represented any of our other brands. The objective was to make it easier to keep the site up-to-date season to season and take 10 pages of information on “How to Apply” and “The Process” and turn it into a step-by-step visual diagram, so potential candidates had an at-a-glance better understanding on expectations, ahead of time before hitting Submit. We didn’t completely take away the 10 page document, but not the user had a choice.

"Make No Beans About It" - Pac Dogs is all about bringing the true taste of the Detroit coney to the unsuspecting pallets of the Pacific Northwest. From t-shirts to to-go bags the creative is meant to be bright, eye-catching and incorporate the simplicity of the coney itself as well as the PNWs love of its all-shapes-and-sizes furry companions and appreciation for the environment. We are working on the most cost effective approach to make sure all to-go packaging materials and inks are 100% recyclable, reusable and biodegradable.   

My Role: Art direction, design, layout, research, project manage, and production.

It all starts with a an idea, a handful of rounds of back and forth, and viola! a logo is born.

Boy Gets Girl was a play, being put on at a theater in New York, about a woman being stalked. Naturally, they needed the usual marketing materials which included posters, invites, apparel, and programs but in this case, there was an opportunity to do something a little different. The theater happens to sit next door to a local bar - I decided we should design coasters that could be easily distributed just feet from the front doors as well as directly go after the demographic the play might resonate with the most. And the bar was more than happy to use them since it also meant repeat customers after the production.  

My Role: Art direction, logo design, layout design, project manage, and production.

My Roles: Art direction, logo design, layout design, and production.

Every sales person needs their sales tools and a glimpse into the future. Behold the Look Book - a catalog of what's to come and the information to back it up. From cover to cover and every page in between it's the ongoing challenge to take all those pieces and pull everything together into one beautiful yet informational format. 

My Role: Design and layout.

In this initiative, the spotlight was centered on the captivating Pacific Northwest, particularly Portland, renowned for its array of bridges that seamlessly integrate into the local landscape. Each bridge's distinctive silhouette acts as a connection to the areas we yearn to explore, forming an integral part of our urban environment. Even nestled discreetly within the city, we're mere steps away from a plethora of coffeehouses, breweries, music venues, and bike shops, as well as the tranquility of parks, rivers, trails, and forests. My visual representation aimed to illustrate the harmonious blend of these bridges with the surrounding outdoors, embodying the essence of the category – the relaxed adventurer who indulges in a Stumptown coffee on the SW side before embarking on an after-work hike in Forest Park on the NW side.

For alternative perspectives, I reimagined the concept for various U.S. and international markets. This approach involved streamlining the layout and pairing one of Portland's iconic bridges with a landmark bridge from another domestic or overseas location. Notable examples included the Golden Gate Bridge, Brooklyn Bridge, Tower Bridge (London), and Sydney Harbour Bridge.

The project deliverables encompassed multiple touchpoints:

Point of Visibility A-C: Flat graphics presented in four different crops.

Window displays: Offering versatile 1, 2, and 3-bay options.

Flagship store entry installations: Making a bold statement upon entry.

Apparel and footwear tables: Showcasing merchandise with finesse.

Apparel walls: Presented in three distinct options tailored to merchandise volume.

This particular initiative was one I inherited. The VP of Marketing wasn’t immediately sold on the original concept direction, so I was given the opportunity to try something different. He wanted it to be simplified, bigger elements, have more impact graphically. I had until the next afternoon. No problem. That night as I was about to fall asleep, it suddenly hit me what to do and how I could even build it out for in-store displays and fixtures. The next day I came in, sat down with a plan of attack and knocked out my concept in hopes it would come together just as I had envisioned it. I knew it would work. That afternoon the VP of Marketing stopped back by for another look and I'll be darn he was sold! There's something to be said about a little creative pressure.

Deliverables: Point of Visibility A-C: Flat graphics (4 crops); Window displays (1, 2, and 3-bay options); Flagship store entry installations; Apparel and footwear tables; Apparel walls (3 options based on the amount of merchandise).

Every year Columbia interviews for and chooses their next Directors of Toughness. Two people are chosen - a male and female - to spend the next 9 months traveling the world testing out Columbia gear under unbelievable conditions. For each challenge, Columbia promotes a meet-and-greet event using print and social media channels showcasing the experiences they each had throughout their trip. It brings Tested Tough to a whole new level. 

My Role: Design, layout, and pre-production.

Columbia Sportswear is a champion of self-expression, diversity, and inclusion. When their employees, and contractors participate in Portland Pride,  they support them, and their efforts to make this world a better place. So naturally, Columbia wanted to further promote their passion for the LGBTQ community through design that leaves little doubt where they stand. 

My Role: Desing, layout, and pre-production.

Most of the sales meetings are driven by venue location, and in this case, the old High School turned workspace/event venue - Revolution Hall - lent itself to Class of 2017 theme. I was lucky enough to drive the creative for the Fall 2017 Sales Meeting Event. The sales team, upon arrival, were greeted by a school band and a cougar mascot. From entrance banners to directionals, photo-op backdrops and Most Likely To.... posters, and of course Vote for Gert or Tim Boyle Class Prez buttons and flyers, the hallways were lined top to bottom with Columbia High School visuals. We didn't get the balloon arches but we did end up with a sales meeting more fun than the real thing.

My Role: Conceptualize, design and layout, pre-production and installment.

The objective was to create a Back to School initiative we could directly pick up for several seasons, but could also be updated to give it a fresh look if necessary. The Back to School messaging, color scheme and treatment would remain the same, but materials, execution, and window treatments could change out as time and budget allowed.  

My Role: Conceptualize, design, layout, and pre-production.

Retail and HQ recruitment materials for Columbia, Sorel, Mountain Hardwear and Columbia Sportswear Company. This included business cards, postcards, brochures, window clings, and trade show banners.

My Role: Design, layout, and pre-production.

The Big Float is a big deal at Columbia, so each year they help promote the event and encourage everyone to join in the fun. This year meant taking existing artwork and tying it into the Columbia brand for posters, postcards and bounce backs as well as social media assets for Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat. 

My Role: Design, layout, and pre-production.

Fashizm was the brain child of DJ Izm - a Portland DJ I used to follow from show to show back in the day. He wanted to start a small clothing company and needed to start with a logo. The idea of the bringing 'fashion' and his trademark stage name together was his - thus FashIzm. The crown graphic was brought in as a nod to a crew nickname, Izm and the boys were referred to - the NW Kings. The logo was meant to have that graffiti look and feel, and the color combos were based on a number of album covers of some of his favorite artists. Apparel was strict to adhere to a younger, club-scene demographic. The bronze treatment unique to tags and bags was an eye catching detail we felt lent a touch-of-class at a glance that would invoke quality and in the long run, keep the doors wide open for how the brand could expand over time. 

My Role: Logo design, layout design, art direction, and production.   

I had already worked with Vancouver Vision for years on their websites, photoshoots and print designs , so when they decided to expand to other clinics they wanted me to design their identity and collateral. I happen to know, at the time they would be opening up other locations in the near future, so I wanted to make sure the logo design was simple and clean, and work for each clinic and it would be as simple as changing out the name of the location. We did introduce additional colors for use in print and web layouts, to reflect the slight differences between clinic's personality, but other than that the designs remained consistent. Still, visually it would let people know they were all somehow connected.  

My Role: Art direction, logo design, layout design, and production.

Milk Men is a documentary by Janice Haaken, Professor Emeritus of Psychology at PSU, about the struggles of dairy farmers and the personal stories behind the decision to stay small or go big. Jan would ultimately use these as a teaching tool in her classes but first, it would make the rounds at the various Film Festivals around the country and the world, so she needed a design that would appeal to the University as well as the mainstream public. As with most movies we needed a logo and posters to start. I came up with a couple approaches - one for more conservative opinions and one of a livelier audience. We prefer to refer to them as the 'daytime' version and the 'after hours' version. The visuals were limited to what I could pull and utilize from movie stills - but the end result was exactly the style and feel this particular documentary called for. Eventually, I designed out the DVD/DVD jackets. and later came the invitations. Please pick up a copy - it's really worth watching.

My Role: Art direction, logo design, layout design, and production.

I contracted with Knowledge Universe to help support the marketing team with print and web asset designs. This included layouts for Champions Before- and After-School Programs, KinderCare Education, CCLC and of course Knowledge Universe. Projects ranged from posters to brochures, stickers to classroom education tools. The main goal was to create informative pieces that appealed to parents but were also visually inviting kids to join in. 

My Role: Design and layout.

The Culinary Institute in Alaska was looking for art entries for their culinary school. There were several possible installments to choose from - I choose a retractable art piece that covered a large format white board in one of the cafe areas. Since there was no color scheme nor style to adhere to I went for something abstract, using classic silhouettes. I had no specific color scheme in mind - I just let the shapes speak for themselves. 

My Role: Art direction and layout design.

Hairdressers are always interesting and creative clients - even more so when she's your hairdresser. Stacy is, in fact, was both a stylist and an artist. So it was a unique chance to combine both significant aspects of her life and showcase them on her website and print materials. First, came the logo inspired by paint on a canvas. Next came her biz cards and website which actually translated into her postcards she could use to advertise her hair services and help sell her artwork.     

My Role: Art direction, logo design, layout design, and production.

Wingmama is the brain child of  New York mom and educator. Once launched it will be a website focused on busy, stylish, working moms and moms-to-be. Its purpose is to offer advice, support and articles on pre-school educational guidance, fashion, easy date night dinners and a place for others to contribute and add their personal experiences. We are still in design/development mode -  hence this is in concept form.  

My Role: Art direction, logo design, layout design, and web production.

One website and two weeks to do it. Mollet Printing needed a new website up and running pronto. They had the new logo and a few graphics and now time was ticking to get something new up before the old site had to come down. Luckily I could re-use content they already had along with a few portfolio pieces within a very simple long page format and get them something they could build on over time - when there was time. 

My Role: Art direction, layout design, and web production.

Accusource out of Pennsylvania had a site you might expect of a financial company. Still I didn't want to take them completely out of their comfort zone but I did push for a photoshoot - with some long distance guidance. The building itself wasn't much different from most business park buildings but the interior had some nice features and since the same group of advisors were there for many years with a couple new faces it was time for a new group shot. As far as the color palette I leaned towards more bold shades that subtly set them apart from other financial institutions. 

My Role: Art direction, layout design, photo shoot direction, and web production.