The Chopping Block
The Chopping Block is an award winning design agency, known for their visually appealing, cutting edge websites. The agency was founded in 1996 in New York, by Cooper Union graphic design graduates Tom Romer, Mike Essl, Matthew Richmond and Rob Reed, when the founders decided to make a company which collaborated all their different talents with all their clients sourced from freelancing. The company has now expanded to at least 9 team members- as well as the designers there are project managers and design technologists. All the team have formal university educations- it is preferred by the company as this way makes the company more credible. The Chopping Block is known mostly for their websites, but they also do print work, corporate identity, and also have an online store which sells t-shirts with their designs on them.
Portfolio:
- Chop Shop Merch:
It is their main product sold online. The inspiration for their work is all things nerdy or geeky, which can be defined by the obsessive nature of our culture rather than simply appealing to math and programming nerds.
- Consolidated Theaters:
We asked to rebrand the website with an elegant Hawaiian feel to it that doesn't come across to the average person as too over-priced.
- Me Ra Koh
Is a photographer on a mission to empower women through her images. Chopping Block created a simple but elegant Wordpress themed website for her, also with a simple identity.
- Phish Festival: "Save The Date"
Is an interactive website for the band Phish. It was done by creating an open map of the US and as each state was eliminated in the running for the band to play there, each state would be removed in a random and bizarre occurrence.
- Rachael Ray
Created a website that combined all things Rachael Ray into one go-to site.
- TBS
Created a game for the TV series, from one of the episodes "ten Items or Less". The game involves the latest programming 3D technology from Flash called Papervision, simulating a real life grocery isle and turkey bowling.
- They Might Be Giants
US band, created the theme and album cover for their first album "NO". They also created an interactive CD/ROM for the band.
- The Happiness Project
Website designed for Gretchen Rubin as an upgrade from her blog to put her theories into practice.
other clients and portfolio pieces have been:
Dilbert Identity: United Media
Qelavi Identity
Climate Central
The chopping block manage their own website utilizing a large amount of JavaScript to create an interactive website. Giving viewers the option to view their portfolio and their future projects. The chopping block also have their own blog linked to this page. Here they talk about their work as well as several other topics even some not related to design.
They also have their own online store where viewers can purchase any poster or print design shown. The chopping block helped with the design of websites such as Consolidated theatres, Me Ra Koh photography, Phish, Rachael Ray and many more. Their goal is to continually push the boundaries of interactive web.
The Chopping Block Design Studio which was established in 1996 relocated from their original location after September 11, to their current site in Broadway.
With a team of dynamic designers or design technologists as they call themselves, they create web sites with an unusual twist, advertising, brand identities, kiosk applications, print projects. Along with these design elements they also have a Chop Shop where they sell some of their creative work (this work manifests itself as t-shirts, typefaces, mugs and prints of their designs).
Being a fully serviced graphic design studio they have created unusual web sites for bands like Phish, Dave Matthews Band and They Might Be Giants and cutting edge interface design and programming such as creating a new online player for X Satellite Radio.
My Opinion
The Chopping Block Design Studio has a very unique way of creating web designs that are very interactive, they are hard to navigate around until you get used to them. Some of their work in their portfolio is very creative whilst other work obviously suits the clients. Their book covers show a depth of the designers ability to think outside the box and their t-shirts (yes I would actually wear some of their t-shirts) show a fun and unusual bent to them.
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