Last updated May 4th, 2012

*** BLASTS FROM THE PAST!
 

 my website is set up to show my work chronologically as it is created.

over the last year and this one i am combing through my physical and digital art and design archives
preparing to transfer work to McMaster University where they are setting up the brand new Man Called Wrycraft Art Archive!
so as i stumble into the occasional piece that makes me giggle or was so long ago i hardly remember it...
i will be throwing up a few "BLASTS FROM THE PAST" out of chronological order just to relive a few greatest hits and near misses.
hope you like 'em.

cheers
 
 

 

New Album Package
May 4th, 2012

 

 
 

New Album Package
April 29th, 2012

okay... here's the story

This is the cover for the new Scott McCord CD. it's called "Scott McCord & the Bonafide Truth"

Throughout the process we came to love the drama of the image so much (it's iconic and memorable)

that we are trying something a bit wacky. No name or title on the front... just image

The band and the title will be on a sticker on the right of the cover that will be thrown away with the shrink wrap.

Yay!... I'm happy.

ps: Scott McCord & the Bonafide Truth are not to be missed live!

They are possibly the sexiest, original Blue-Eyed Soul Band with a full-throttle horn section since the heady sixties when Yorkville was the center of the Canadian music scene!

I did this a few years ago with another of my favourite package designs.

Taxi Chain's "Glimmer of Light" CD (below)

At the time we felt the same way. We liked the drama so much and the image was so strong we stickered it instead of printing the title on the package.

These designs are 4 or 5 years apart and have nothing to do with each other...

but looking at it now I notice that the only two packages I have ever just stickered coincidentally have remarkably similar colour schemes.

 
 

New Album Package
April 22nd, 2012

 

 

New Album Package
April 18th, 2012

 

 
 

New Album Packages
April 3rd, 2012

These are numbers 2 and 3 in a series of 5 newly remastered, redesigned and repackaged "essential" Stan Rogers Albums
being released by Borealis Records
 

 

 
 

 
 
 

New Album Package
March 29th, 2012

 

 
 
 

New Album Package
March 26th, 2012

 

 
 
 

New Album Package
 This a RE-DESIGN of a package I did for Blackie & the Rodeo Kings in 2010.
The record company saw a great opportunity to re-release the album.
So Colin led the boys back into the studio along with "Queen" Patty Loveless and recorded two new tracks.
Then it was given to me to "snazz" up the package

click here to see the original down below

February 12th, 2012

 

 
 
 
 

***A BLAST FROM THE PAST!
Designed June2006

February 12th, 2012

 I was asked to donate a design for this fund-raising album with an All-Star line-up of great musicians
who recorded or donated tracks to help and support their dear friend John Allan during his fight with cancer.
I was honoured to be asked and happy to be a part of such a loving gesture.

 

 
 
 

New Motif/Logo for the 2013 International Folk Alliance Conference

A "Folk/Roots" Homage to Sgt. Peppers

January 19th, 2012

It's been great doing graphic design for Folk Alliance International over the last 16 years.

Creating something different each year for their annual conference without repeating visual themes has been a challenge and a lot of fun.

In 2013 the Folk Alliance makes a brief stop in Toronto for it's 25th conference.

I wanted to come up with something special for the 25th. A design that would stand-out and make people talk, look at it repeatedly and see something different every time, even get an emotional reaction.

For almost 20 years I have designed albums or designed for music. One of the holy grails of album design has always been The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's cover (by celebrated artist Sir Peter Blake) and for a long time i've wanted to pay homage to it in an appropriate fashion and voila… I found it. A celebration of Folk/Roots royalty from artists to managers and everyone in between.

It was a monumental task but I loved it every step of the way. Many deserving people, living and dead, in the spotlight or behind the scenes, some friends, some aquaintances, some clients, some strangers, legends and near-legends, all worthy of being honoured made their way into the mix.

Obviously it would be impossible to include everyone that should be so honoured and i did my best to cover a large demographic but everyone is going to notice deserving people who aren't there.

My hope would be that everyone gets a kick out of who IS there.

Enjoy. Michael

 

 

 

Click here to blow this image up for greater detail.

 
 
 

New Poster
January 19th, 2011

 

 
 
 

New Poster
January 9th, 2011
(yet another one of my Tribute Shows.)

 

 
 
 

New Album Package
December 20th, 2011

 

 
 
 

New Album Package
December 18th, 2011

 

 
 

2 New Album Packages
December 15th, 2011

I'm always so happy to do work for the EMF (Electronic Music Foundation)
Over the years they have allowed me to design for some of the greats...  the giants and legends of new & electronic music from Cage & Xenakis to Foss & Ferrari.
Here are 2 new Cage projects.
 
 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 

 
 

New Album Package & Poster
December 12th, 2011

Drew's Red House Records debut

 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

Brand New Logo
December 6th, 2011

Jonathan Holiff has recently finished a wonderful documentary about his father Saul Holiff who was Johnny Cash's long-time manager.
Saul, based out of London, Ontario was the force-of-nature who took Johnny from county fairs to Carnegie Hall through all the hell and insanity tnat was Cash's career.
It's an amazing and compelling story.
Please check out this documentary if and when you get a chance.
Follow the progress and release date here:

This is a logo design for film-related merchandise. T-shirts, caps, mugs etc.

I was very happy to be a small part of the project.
 
 

 

 
 
 
 

 
 

New Poster
November 30th, 2011
(yet another one of my Tribute Shows.)
 

 

 

 
 

New Poster
October 26th, 2011
(yes... it's yet another one of my Tribute Shows. I produce about 5 a year @ Hugh's Room in Toronto)
 

 

 

Here's some blatant self-promotion

I'm shaking up the line-up a bit for the new year. But the same eclectic, electric and exciting tribute shows

Friday, January 6th, 2012 - Carole King Tribute

Friday, March 9th, 2012 - Randy Newman Tribute

Saturday, June, 23rd - 2nd annual Johnny Cash Tribute

Friday, August 31st, 2012 (Labour Day Weekend) - Pink Floyd Tribute... yes... Pink Floyd

Friday, November 24th, 2012 - 7th annual Tom Waits Tribute
 
 

 

Brand New Logo
September 23rd, 2011

My lovely friend, Miles Wilkinson - Toronto-born/Nashville-based producer/engineer/mixer (emmy lou harris, guy clark)- has spent many years traveling atound the U.S. and Canada
to festivals, concert halls and various musicvenues recording some of the best live roots/americana/canadiana music out there.

For the last 3 years he has been developing a radio show to syndicate to american public radio (PBS) and after working with a crack team of radio profesionals
and hiring two of the best hosts working today (yours truly got to "voice-audition but didn't make the cut), he is a hairs-breadth away from hitting the air.

here is my logo for his brand new, wonderful, live-music radio show:

Troubadour Sedan
"Takes you where the music's playing"
 
 

 
 
 
 

Just for fun... take a peek at the logo that didn't make the cut.
Miles was looking for an americana kinda flavour which you will see that the rejected logo has in spades.
The chosen logo has more of a roadhouse sign kinda flavour which suits the tone of the show perfectly.

The one that didn't make it
 

 
 

New Album Package
September 20th, 2011

This is number 1 in a series of 5 newly remastered, redesigned and repackaged "essential" Stan Rogers Albums
being released by Borealis Records
 

 

 

 
 

Album Package - Redesign
August 29th, 2011

Originally released 6/24/2002 as a jewelcase, now converted to a cardboard digipak.
 
 

 
 
 

 
 

New Album Package
August 26th, 2011
 

 

 

 
 

New Poster
August 10th, 2011
 
 

 

 

 
 

New Poster
August 8th, 2011
(this is one of my Tribute Shows I produce @ Hugh's Room in Toronto)
 

 

 

 
 

New Album Package & Poster
August 3rd, 2011
 

 

 

 

 
 

New Poster
August 1st, 2011

(This is my 3rd 18" by 24" "merch poster" for Blackie.
We print them on a heavier-than-usual-poster card stock to make them one-of-a-kind art pieces which they sell by the boatload at shows & festivals.
 
 

 
 
 

 
 

New Album Package
July 28th, 2011
 

 

 

 
 

New Album Package
June 27th, 2011
 

 
 
 

 
 

New Logo
June 1st, 2011
 

 
 
 

 
 

New Album Package
May 20th, 2011
 

 
 
 

 
 

A BLAST FROM THE PAST!
Designed 6/2002

Posted May 20th, 2011

 going through my own digital archives i recently stumbled upon this and i had to laugh.
this is a poster designed for my lovely friend the late oliver schroer... high priest of freak fiddle!
i designed some 14 albums and countless posters, promo etc for my innovative fiddle-pal and it was always a blast as we
have the same highly skewed sense of humour.
oliver was the man who warmly welcomed me into the
great canadian roots music and festival scene i am currently so passionately involved in.
 
 

 
 

 

New Album Package
May 8th, 2011
 

 
 
 

 

New Album Package
April 27th, 2011
 

 
 

 

New Poster
April 27th, 2011
(this is one of my Tribute Shows I produce @ Hugh's Room in Toronto)
 
 

 
 

 

New Album Package & Poster
March 21st, 2011
 

 
 

 
 

 

New Album Package
March 10 th, 2011
 

 
 

 

New Album Package
February 28th, 2011
 

 
 

 
 

A BLAST FROM THE PAST!
Designed 5/2001

Posted February 20th, 2011

 going through my own digital archives i recently stumbled upon this and i had fogotten all about it.
this is a poster i designed for the Fifth anniversary of Borealis Records, the best damn folk label in Canada.
They just celebrated their Fifteenth Anniversary!... here's to another fifteen!
(yes that is MY mouth in the squeezy "Q")
 
 
 

 
 

 

New Album Package & Poster
February 14th, 2011
 

 
 

 

 

New Album Package
January 21st, 2011
 

 
 

 

New Album Package & Poster
December 20th, 2010
 

 
 

 

 

New Album Package
December 20th, 2010
 

 
 

 

New Album Package
December 10th, 2010
 

 
 

 

New Album Package*
November 20th, 2010
 

This was the Trews new album cover... for about 3 weeks.
 

i was hired to design the new package and after a few weeks of tinkering and playing we ended up here.

i loved it... they loved it... we all loved it. it was approved. i sent out the promo jpgs for marketing etc etc etc

but the band is a VERY democratic band and and as time went by they decided that they had innocently enough led us down the wrong path

as the band decided they didn't like the original photographic concept you see here and decided to scrap everything

and clean house with apologies and respect to andrew macnaughtan (the excellent photographer) and myself they moved on to something else

we all got paid and all is good but if you want to see the album cover they ended up with just google "hope and ruin"

it's an interesting broken glass motif... cool enough but i think it lacks the impact that this one had.

it's just one of those funny music biz stories that happens everyday.

i had a blast though! and the album rocks... the boys sound great!
 
 
 

 
 

 
 

New Posters
November 3rd, 2010

three more posters from shows i put on annually at hugh's room in toronto
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

New Album Package & Poster
October 22nd, 2010

 
 

 

 

New Album Package
October 21st, 2010

 

Back to Blackie REDUX up above
 
 

 
 

New Poster
October 10th, 2010

this is a christmas show in story and song that james will be touring every december

this is the poster shell he will send out to presenters ti fill in the details
 

 
 

 
 

New Album Package & Poster
September 15th, 2010
 

 
 

 

 
 

New Album Package & Poster
September 10th, 2010
 

 
 

 

 

New Album Package
August 16th, 2010
 

 
 

 

New Logo / Ad Format
July 27th, 2010
 

 
 

 

New Album Package
July 24th, 2010
 

 
 

 

New DVD Package
July 18th, 2010
 

 
 

 

New Album Package
June 28th, 2010
 

 

 

New Album Package & Poster
June 8th, 2010
 

 

 

 

New Album Package
May 21st, 2010
 

 

 

New Logo
April 28 th, 2010
 

 

 

New Album Package & Poster
April 27 th, 2010
 

 

 

 

New Album Package
April 8 th, 2010
 

 

 

New Album Package & Poster
March 24 th, 2010
 

 

 

 
 

New Poster
February 12 th, 2010

(I occasionally present concerts at Hugh's Room in Toronto... this is one)
 

 

 
 

New Poster
December 10 th, 2010

(I occasionally present concerts at Hugh's Room in Toronto... this is another)
 
 

 

 
 

Brand New Package: Born February 12 th, 2010
 

 

 
 

Brand New Poster design: Born Saturday, January 30 th, 2010
 

 

 
 

Brand New Logo / T-Shirt design: Born Tuesday, January 27 th, 2010
 

 

 
 

Brand New Package: Born Tuesday, January 22nd, 2010
 

 

 
 

Brand New Package (and logo): Born Friday, January 18 th, 2010
 

 

 

Brand New Logo design: Born Tuesday, January 5 th, 2010
 

 

 
 

Brand New Poster: Born Tuesday, January 5 th, 2010
 

 

 
 

Brand New Cover: Born Tuesday, January 5 th, 2010
 

 

 
 

Brand New Poster: Born Sunday, January 3 rd, 2010
 

 

 
 

Brand New Poster: Born Saturday, November 5 th, 2009
 

 

 
 

My own brand new Logo / T-shirt for 2010 - B&W and Colour

Born Thursday, November 3 rd, 2009
 

 

 
 
 

Brand New Cover: Born Thursday, October 29 th, 2009
 

 

 
 

Brand New Cover: Born Tuesday, October 20 th, 2009
 

 

 
 

Brand New Cover: Born Tuesday, October 13 th, 2009
 

 

 
 

Brand New Cover: Born Tuesday, September 22 nd, 2009
 

 

 
 

Brand New Logo: Born Tuesday, August 8 th, 2009
 

 

 
 

Brand New Cover: Born Thursday, August 3 rd, 2009
 

 

 
 

Brand New Cover: Born Thursday, August 27 th, 2009
 

 

 
 

Brand New Cover: Born Sunday, August 23 rd, 2009
 

 

 
 

Brand New Cover: Born Sunday, August 23 rd, 2009
 

 

 
 

Brand New Cover: Born Monday, July 20 th, 2009
 

 

 
 

Brand New Cover: Born Monday, June 8 th, 2009
 

 

 
 

Brand New Logo: Born Monday, June 1st, 2009
 

 

Spring 2009 seems to have brought an early poster harvest to Wrycraft Laboratories

 
 

Brand New Poster Set: Born Sunday, April 26 th, 2009
 

 
 

 
 

Brand New Poster: Born Monday, April 27 th, 2009
 

 

 

Brand New Poster Set: Born Sunday, April 26 th, 2009
 

 

 

Brand New Poster: Born Tuesday, April 21st, 2009
 

 

 
 

Brand New Poster Set: Born Sunday, April 26 th, 2009
 

 

 
 

Brand New Cover: Born Sunday, April 26 th, 2009
 

 

 
 

Brand New Cover: Born Thursday, April 9 th, 2009
 

 

 
 

Brand New Poster: Born Tuesday, April 7 th, 2009
 

This poster is 68" high and 46" wide and will be in 12  bus shelters for 3 weeks in downtown Vancouver

Yaaaaaay!
 

 

Check it out... here it is fresh up in a transit shelter on Commercial Drive in Vancouver

Brand New Poster: Born Tuesday, April 7 th, 2009
 

This poster is 68" high and 46" wide and will be in 12  bus shelters for 3 weeks in downtown Vancouver

Yaaaaaay!
 

 
 
 
 
 

Brand New Cover: Born Tuesday, April 7 th, 2009
 

 

 
 

Brand New Cover: Born Tuesday, April 7 th, 2009
 

 

 
 
 
 

Click here for PAGE 2
to see a few more snazzy projects from 2008/2009