RATS! Here in DC, rats are always a popular topic of conversation. They are overrunning the city. They’re creepy and gross. You can’t walk down the street without seeing one (dead or alive). But they’re also cute and smart and make great pets and make up a good amount of popular culture. How can you...
In our studio, we love old advertising and are always looking at vintage ads as a source of inspiration. Changing cultural norms and the evolution of America’s obsession with selling trash always makes for a good time when comparing then and now. And nothing shows how far we’ve come as well as vintage holiday advertising...
The holiday season is here! It’s time to break open the piggy bank and buy, buy, buy!!! As with our past gift guides, we like to give shoutouts to our creative crew, so lookout for a few recommendations from friends of the studio. Happy shopping! Chet Baker The Legendary Riverside Albums Chet Baker was...
Growing up, I listened to a lot of music that would be considered Afrofuturist. I always had a general knowledge of the subject but a current project we’re working on has us doing a deep dive into Afrofuturist art and design. We’ve pulled some moodboard images together, which includes works from Ikiri Jones, Pamela Phatsimo...
Over the summer, we were approached to create a brand for a new digital marketing agency, Pointer Digital. While Pointer’s experience and strength lie in politics, Pointer Digital is not just a political agency. One of the challenges for this project was the need to create an identity that was trustworthy enough for a political...
Originally released in 1964, the First Things First manifesto rallied against design’s role in consumerism and called upon designers to be more humanist in their approach to their practice. Adbusters updated the manifesto in 1999, restarting the conversation about priorities in the graphic design profession and education. First Things First 2000, signed by many influential...
I’m always inspired by the enthusiasm that students have for design. As we enter a new semester, I’ve jotted down some thoughts that I think design students might find helpful. Creative inspiration is a myth Inspiration is very much like luck; it seems random and often not on your side. You need to give yourself...
One of the best things about our studio is that we get to enjoy being in two great cities, Washington, DC and Charleston, SC. However, both cities are destinations themselves and during these long summer months, it becomes necessary to escape the tourists. As part of our Summer of Workhorse, we will be sharing a...
Featured Image: La Muerte del Barrio by MTO Workhorse has offices in two of the fastest gentrifying cities in the United States, Washington, DC and Charleston, SC. The role of art and artists in changing cities has been examined and critiqued for a long time. In Charleston, I’ve gotten involved in the affordable housing...
