Graphic Design
I have been a professional designer for over 15 years within the corporate environment, as an independent designer, and for the sake of learning. I am currently a professor at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, and my design work most recently is for the expansion of my knowledge to ensure I am teaching relevant materials.
OCD ][ The Constant Drone
The concept for this book communicates the ongoing obsessions and fears of an OCD sufferer. The clean design has a clinical look, while the exposed grid reassures the reader everything is aligned. The page numbering system allows the reader to count all of the pages, and easily locate which one they are on. The simple 4-column grid provides a uniformed system of organizing the information, and the dot repetition symbolizes the mellow obsession contrasted to the type symbolizing the heightened obsessions.
Packaging
Most of my packaging work was done during my time as a designer at The Boston Beer Company. I developed and maintained the Twisted Tea brand, as well as concepted for the Longshot yearly packs.
Branding
Most of my brand work is done for small business, for experimenting, and during my time at The Boston Beer Company.
City Farm
I feel with a proper diet everyone can be their best self, therefor I chose to focus my thesis efforts around food. A proper diet can be unattainable for many people, and City Farm is a solution to that problem. It is truly a food-centered, community-driven retail environment.
I learned that City Farm needed to be a celebration of food to make it special. Overall, the research taught me what was lacking with our current food system was complex, and this helped me to develop the multiple programs that run a City Farm. The look and feel of all of the pieces are hand-crafted, un-polished, relaxed and “earthy”. By designing a custom typeface, designing food packages to educate, and developing programs centered around food, the concept comes through on many different levels. All of the pieces are used for function and to easily help the shopper create meals, learn about nutrition, or to simply have a shopping bag with a fun message.
To view the City Farm presentation book please visit: http://issuu.com/mschrenker/docs/cityfarm
Book Arts
I enjoy designing and binding conceptual books. I find it interesting to work the concept into the physical construction of the book to compliment the design and reinforce the message. (I did not bind 'Masters of the Camera')
Fun Stuff
Design programs change every year, and the quantity of programs available feel infinite. I like to make up projects so as I am keeping up with software, I am also making something I enjoy. Most of my exploratory projects live in the window of my academic office door, rotating as needed.