JUNO AWARD WINNING GRAPHIC DESIGN FOR MUSIC


 
 

hello... michael here
 

i am a graphic designer  /  art director  /  photographer who specializes in music!

some say "album designer" or "cd package designer" but it goes much further than that.
 
 

welcome to my lo-fi  no buzzers, buttons or blinkers website or in other words... my very partial online portfolio

just use the scroll bar over there on the right to scroll down to see

a selection of album covers (cd packages), posters and other musical ephemera as well as some assorted non-music thangs

this is mostly recent work (the last 4  years) and i have thrown in a few favourites from the last 5-6  years

there are currently about 236  pieces of misc work up here but i've done about 444 album designs to date

plus hundreds of pieces of assorted paraphenalia: posters, postcards, press kits, promotions etc (man i love alliteration)
 
 

some of the work here uses my photography or illustrations but most of the work here is a collaboration between myself as art director, designer

and some of the most talented photographers and illustrators in the world.

i love to work with a musical artist and / or band from the initial concept right through to finished art
 
 
 

i should also mention that i proudly hold one Juno Award and five Juno Award Nominations all for album design

as well as two (American) Independent Music Awards and four IMA Award nominations for album design and poster design

and i was recently awarded a Hamilton Music Award for Album Art
 

one last thing before you go spelunking this website... i also produce several multi-artist tribute concerts a year at hugh's room in toronto.
you'll see the occasional poster for these shows down below.
hugh's room is a fantastic intimate concert venue... do yourself a favour and go check out the hugh's room website  www.hughsroom.com
 
 

damn! i love my job.
 
 

if you want to contact me just click on my e-mail link below

write me

or if you have trouble... copy and paste in the following e-addy

michaelwrycraft@rogers.com
 

or, still my preferred method of communication, just call me...

(416) 516-2477

(old-school... low-tech... yes... but effective.... i am a very no-pressure user friendly kinda guy
this holdout is still not texting, twittering, tweating or using a cellphone)
 

cheers, Michael Wrycraft
 

Last updated  October 26th, 2011

***BLASTS FROM THE PAST!
 

 my website basically shows my work chronologically as it is created.

over the next few months 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 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 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 one in a series of newly remastered, redesigned and repackaged Stan Rogers Classic 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
 


 
 



 
 

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