Zach Herdman Portfolio

Zach Herdman 

- Demo Reel

I am designer, photographer, artist, creative, etc.

I am inspired daily by the life that I live, the experiences that I have, and the people that surround me. My hobbies include photography, skateboarding, rock climbing, scuba diving, philosophy, poetry and overall shenanigans.

I believe in the human spirit and that art and design, when done right, can communicate our deepest most beautiful truths. I believe in purposeful, powerful design.

World Science Festival 

- Brand Package

The World Science Festival is an event that takes place around the world and is centered around inspiring the next generations through the wonders of science and preparing them to engage with its implications for the future.

Most of the time we think of scientists as solely analytical people, spending countless hours in the lab dealing with tests, numbers and data, and we lose sight of there relevance in our day to day. This Brand package explores the idea of making science relevant and inspiring again by taking the viewer inside the eyes and mind of a scientist.

SOVRN

- Brand Identity

SOVRN is a skate and apparel brand that offers beautifully designed products and well crafted skateboards. The purpose behind this multi-platform project was to capture the essence of SOVRNs unique aesthetic by pairing a modern graphic style with an urban, artistic perspective.

This project proved to be quite a bit of fun. I had the opportunity to utilize a few experimental techniques with photo-scanning, film and 3D photography. These processes allowed for the project to take on a more organic feel and portray the urban aesthetics of the brand.

Epoche

- Final Thesis

Throughout my entire life I have been endlessly fascinated with the duality of the human spirit. Because it is within the depths of the human spirit that we find the ultimate contradiction: form and chaos. Form represents itself as the language of the human being and in essence is how we perceive our universe (through endless explanation and categorization). However, the world that we find ourselves inhabiting is infinitely chaotic and lacks the ability to be explained or even perceived in its entirety: It is the void, the unknown, the infinite. Curiously it is between these two infinities that we find our own consciousness existing. Constantly fluctuating between understanding and the unknown; at times descending below the surface of our consciousness to reveal a moment void of understanding and comprehension only to reemerge to the physical world with a better understanding of its depth and intensity. This Project is a visual passage to the depths of the unconscious where one truly finds themselves suspended between form and chaos.

Appalachian Trail

- Info Graphic

The Appalachian trail is one of the longest trails in the U.S. spanning from Georgia to Maine (a total of 2,200 miles). The AT is said to be one of the most beautiful trails in the country and has inspired hundreds of hikers to seek adventure along its route. Besides the amazing and beautiful nature one could hope to expect along the trail, the amount of preparation and overall planning that goes into a 5-7 month hike is truly fascinating.

For this Info graphic I wanted to call attention to the logistical side of the AT; Capturing what the average hiker should expect to deal with on the trail. Such as the amount of time an average hiker is on the trail, how many hikers there are on the trail, average weight one carries, etc.

A Moment A Part

- Kinetic Typography

This kinetic typography project uses the intro sequence to the Odesza Album 'A Moment A Part'. Its space driven narrative and intense audio sequence lend itself perfectly for the medium of type. I took emotional inspiration from films such as 2001 Space Odessey and Gravity because of there minimal and brutalist approach to the human perception of space and time.

For this work I focused on telling the story of being trapped in space through typography; keeping the design minimal and impactful forced me to really lean on type to convey my message.

For this piece I chose the typeface Brother 1816 because of its sleek, modern look and intense attitude which reflects the simple and futuristic essence of space.

Ascension

- 3D Short

This project explores the idea of ascension: The act of the spirit rising to be one with God. In most religions death is just the beginning of the spiritual journey. Before being one with god the spirit must first pass through a purgatory where the soul is set to contemplate its sins and wait before ascending to be with God.

This piece uses extensive metaphor within the visuals and audio to convey the message of good and evil; illuminating the journey of the soul as it searches for the light.

Logo Animations