Knowhow was an Adobe Labs project that brought real-time, contextual based help content into Adobe Illustrator CS3. The Chopping Block worked closely with Adobe to define, prototype and build the Flex based application. The panel & supporting server application seamlessly integrated user generated tutorials into Adobe Illustrator CS3.
As a users switches from tool to tool, the Knowhow application panel updates to display all available keyboard shortcuts and a dozen of the best (Adobe certified) user generated tutorials on the web. Because the panel is driven by the context of what the user is currently doing, all the information presented is accurate and genuinely helpful. Never before (and never since) has Adobe achieved such a tightly integrated solution for help, education, inspiration & productivity.

The Kuler Desktop AIR application was one of Adobe's flagship cross-platform AIR products. Drawing on the user experience established on kuler.adobe.com, The Chopping Block consulted Adobe on functionality, wireframed parts of the user interface and designed the application elements. The studio built out semi-functional prototypes of the designs, which drastically sped up the approval process, emiminating the production time going into development.

Kuler is Adobe's web-hosted application for generating color themes that can inspire any project. It's a creative social micro-network that aknowledges that color relationships are a design commodity worthy of discussion, collection and fandom. It serves as a fantastic example of how online crowd-source social networking can empower creatives and seamlessly add value to supporting Adobe applications. The Chopping Block is proud to have played a part in the creation of Kuler. The studio consulted with Adobe during the concept phase, helped build the initial back-end and designed the UI for integration within the Creative Suite. Additionally, we assumed responsibility of the design, working closely with gskinner.com and stamen.com to add additional functionality and convert everything to Flex.

Design and concept by Anomaly. Anomaly asked Chopping Block to conceptualize the animation from supplied storyboards. We then took the concept from animated samples to reality and executed the technology to visually synchronize two physically separate flash banners on a full range of host sites from Google to Gawker. As if that weren’t enough, the banners displayed rich content based upon a pre-existing television schedule. This was rounded out by the construction of a mini-site which also pulled content from the same database as the larger banner ad campaign.

Brooklyn Children's Museum returned to The Chopping Block with a specific goal: Make a brand-new site that reflects the modernized and expanded museum designed by the world renowned Rafael Viñoly Architects group. The site, like their new home has been greatly expanded since the original site which was also built by The Chopping Block in 2000. It now reflects all the new offerings the museum now boasts. Project comes complete with a client-ready content management system also designed and developed by The Chopping Block.

Online shop for purchasing engagement rings. Included a shopping cart, educational presentations and interactive elements making the site entertaining, useful and educational.

Working with long-time client COA, The Chopping Block helped develop a website for The Department of Defense whose goal was to, “expand the number of civilian quality child care spaces available to military families”. By providing essential information to potential candidates through a simple, easy-to-understand interactive map.

The Council on Accreditation came to Chopping Block to solve a problem… how do we serve our many clients with all the specific standards and guidelines while keeping the process customized, simple and easily accessible, not to mention cutting down on the printing of millions of pages of manuals that 95% of which do not even apply to every given client’s needs? The answer was to take the process online with personal or group customized standards manuals. Final product included full Content Management Solutions from editing to managing individual accounts and online standards manuals.

The Chop Shop Store is the eCommerce wing of the Chopping Block. It was created as a place where Chopping Block designers could showcase and sell their work on tshirts, posters and other printed goodies. The Chopping block wanted a site that showcased our beautiful, cleaver and funny products in an unusual and distinctive way that was still intuitive for the user. The Chopping Block designed, wired and built the site to be a fully functional eCommerce experience.

A long time ago, The Chopping Block's marketing strategy was one of identity crisis. The Chopping Block would intentionally re-skin and re-brand the HTML site in the name of creativity every few months. With this particular iteration, The Chopping Block ceased to be a design studio and became a rag-tag troop of Boy Scouts. At this time, The Chopping Block consisted of Thomas Romer, Matthew Richmond, Robert Reed and Mike Essl and a single employee Brian Romero.

A long time ago, The Chopping Block's marketing strategy was one of identity crisis. The Chopping Block would intentionally re-skin and re-brand the HTML site in the name of creativity every few months. With a keen fascination for space, The Chopping Block took on the identity of NASA during the Apollo years. Though historically there is not a huge amount of branding involved with the organization… the “meatball” vintage logo and mission patches provide language enough to pull it off.

In an effort to merge print advertising with web, this site converted each ad into an online rich-media interactive by adding data and links to each item visible in the ad. The site was then updated each month to reflect the current full and half page advertisers reflected in the most recent edition of Home & Garden.

Chopping Block was asked to continue the web re-branding of Consolidated’s family of theaters with their flagship chain located in Hawaii. The central goal of this site was to apply the same good logic established with the Angelika sites, with an elegant Hawaiian flavor that does not come-off as an over-reach to the average tourist.

The Guitar World people wanted Chopping Block to bring their online identity into the next generation by keeping their hard-rocking overall look intact but giving it a major facelift. In addition to the general look of their site, we then helped them to forge a new site for their guitar tabs at tabs.guitarworld.com. For those who don’t know — tabs are sheets of musical notation that are specific to the instrument. Their history is that of crumpled up paper at the bottom a guitar case or always having multiple pages missing from a favorite song book. By building an online tab display/player and associated tab shop, The Block and Guitar World helped to bring the tabbing culture into the era of the MP3.

Chopping Block worked with the acclaimed viral/guerilla leaders at Campfire (best known for their work with “The Blair Witch Project”) to produce a short-lived web component to their campaign in support of HBO’s “True Blood”. The web side of the campaign included two public web sites that were intentionally leaked to create a buzz. “Blood Copy” was an blog open to the public that was intentionally leaked through proper channels to create a buzz. From that blog, a user eventually posted a link to the “Gatekeeper” who was a live actor on a web cam that only allowed “real vampires” selective access to an online forum named “Revenant Ones” which provided a plethora of media that illustrated a back-story to the central True Blood series.

The Redbook site was designed using assets from 5 other Hearst publications and in cooperation with iVillage. The Chopping Block helped to coordinate all the content from Cosmogirl as well as the other publications in order to develop and maintain a shared Content Management System. In addition, The Chopping Block wireframed each publication site so that they may share the content management system in harmony. The goal was to have a modern, web-savvy look without being disconnected from the overall look of their print identity.

Jewcy is an online media outlet/blog focusing on Jewishness and helping Jews and their peers expand the meaning of community by presenting a spectrum of voices, content, and discussion. Chopping Block developed their logo and identity as well as the overall site.

One of Lego’s most successful lines are the train sets which appeal to both kids and full-grown kids. Inspired by MoMA’s What is a Print (another CB project), Lego hired Chopping Block to tell the story of the steam engine and it’s long history. Besides a ton of custom illustration, the site has wonderful animations. The project also includes a very informative visual guide on how a steam engine works, the basic steam science and an animated history of the steam engine as well.

Me Ra Koh is on a mission to empower women through photography. The Chopping Block provided a new look and feel for her Wordpress blog as well as an elegant and simple brand identity. The final deliverable was a complete Wordpress theme, so final launch was simply turning on her new theme.