Steve Wagner

My Hero, My Son

Steve Wagner — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 17:30:08 +0000

I’ve just completed design work for a new book called My Hero, My Son by Joseph Baddick. It’s the true story of the author’s son, a young paratrooper who gave his life to save another soldier in Iraq.

From the cover:

My Hero, My Son is a celebration of the life and achievements of Sgt. Andrew J. Baddick, an 82nd Airborne Division paratrooper who sacrificed himself to save a fellow soldier in Iraq. Narrated by his father Joseph, the account begins with A.J.’s birth, recalls his youth in the Pennsylvania coal region, and continues through his life-defining military service. Through anecdotes, personal letters, and interviews, we witness an adventurous teen’s transformation into a soldier and an American hero.

The book debuts this April. Head over to my portfolio to see the cover design. For more information, send Joe a message at josephbaddick@gmail.com.

Design Gallery Updated

Steve Wagner — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 19:00:54 +0000

I’ve added a batch of images to my graphic design gallery. They cover a range of disciplines, from print design to illustration to photomanipulation. Have a look and let me know what you think.

Socky The Soccer Ball Now Available

Steve Wagner — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 19:28:09 +0000

My latest illustration project, Socky The Soft-Hearted Soccer Ball, is now available for sale. Written by former professor and World War II veteran David Voigt with his grandson, Socky is a 32-page, full-color children’s book.

From the website:

Socky is a lot like other soccer balls, but with one big difference: Socky has feelings. When a bully threatens the little kids’ soccer team, can Socky stand up for them and save the day?

If you like cute, motivational children’s stories about teamwork and camaraderie, you’ll enjoy Socky. Check it out here.

Ordinary Heroes in the News

Steve Wagner — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:27:14 +0000

If you live in the Berks County area, you might have seen my book, Ordinary Heroes, featured in an article on the front page of today’s Reading Eagle. The newspaper discussed the book and some of the men in it as part of their Veterans Day coverage. It’s a great writeup and I’m honored to be involved.

The feature is split into several parts, which you can find archived on the Reading Eagle’s website.

Stories of “Ordinary Heroes” No Longer Untold

Gordon’s ordeal is recounted in “Ordinary Heroes: Untold Stories of World War II,” a book by Steve Wagner and Sharon Wells Wagner of Spring Township.

The Wagners, a mother-son writing team, interviewed about 65 Berks County World War II veterans for the 383-page tribute.

The veterans’ compelling stories stand as testament to the courage of their generation. Children of the Great Depression, they grew up amid economic devastation. They had good reason to doubt the promise of America.

Interviews Took Authors 2 Years

Wagner and her son, Steve, a 26-year-old graphic designer, spent two years interviewing about 65 Berks County veterans who served in World War II. Their stories are recounted in “Ordinary Heroes: Untold Stories of World War II,” which was published last year.

Documenting the experiences of the veterans has become a mission for the Wagners, a mother-son writing team. They’re now working a third book.

Event to Honor Vets

A celebration of veterans and their service to the nation will be held Saturday at West Lawn United Methodist Church, Penn and Woodside avenues.

The event begins at 11 a.m. with remarks by Berks County Commissioner Christian Y. Leinbach followed by presentations by authors Carol Haile, Steven A. Wagner and Sharon Wells Wagner.

There will also be book signings by the authors and World War II veterans, and an art show and sale to benefit the charities of the church. Admission is free.

Hit the links to view the full articles. Besides myself and Sharon Wells Wagner, veterans Robert “Red” Wells, Paul Gordon, Charles Brubaker, Ed Taggert, Felix Uhrinek, and Kenneth Stoudt are featured. These guys, like all the men and women in the book, are true heroes and I’m proud to call them my friends.

Many thanks to Ron Devlin and the Reading Eagle for their salute to the veterans.

New Studio

Steve Wagner — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:41:09 +0000

I’m officially moved into my new office / studio space at the GoggleWorks in Reading. It’s a great community of creative people, and I’m happy to be there. Now I just need to decorate a bit.

Celebrate Veterans Event

Steve Wagner — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 17:33:17 +0000

Join me and my fellow local authors in a celebration of military veterans on November 14, 2009. From 11am to 4pm, we’ll be hosting a book signing and art sale at West Lawn United Methodist Church, with a portion of the proceeds going to charity. Throughout the day, veteran guests will be sharing their experiences with the public and engaging in Q&A sessions. If you have an interest in history or the military, or even if you just want to come thank the veterans, be sure to attend!

Authors: Steve Wagner, Sharon Wells Wagner, Carol J. Haile

Click here to download an event program.

Photo Gallery Updated

Steve Wagner — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:01:03 +0000

Adding images to the gallery in this theme is a bit more complicated than I’m used to, but I’m slowly making progress. Check out my photography page for the updates, and stay tuned for more.

Website Redesign

Steve Wagner — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 23:34:32 +0000

It’s long overdue, but I finally found the time to redesign my website. It’s running on WordPress with a custom theme and lots of plugins. It’ll probably be a little while until I get my whole portfolio uploaded, but the essential content is in place. In the meantime, take a look around and see what you think. And if you find any glitches, let me know.

Template: Modular Starfield Background

Steve Wagner — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 17:50:30 +0000

Here’s another design template for sale. This one is a large layered PSD file featuring various stars, suns, and light rays. It should work nicely for web backgrounds. Check it out here.

The description from GraphicRiver:

This is a large background template featuring several elements that can be toggled on and off to create different combinations. The background is a layered starfield with nebulae. A planet horizon can be made visible at the top of the image and two sets of glassy translucent bars are available as an overlay. Additionally, numerous color combinations and fading gradients are possible. This image is intended for web design or graphics, but is also suitable for general graphic design use.
Format: Adobe Photoshop PSD Width: 3600 px Height: 2800 px Resolution: 72 dpi Color: RGB
Included in the PSD file:
Starfield (7 layers); planet horizon; 2 sets of translucent vertical bars (narrow & wide); nebulae (3 layers); 5 color gradients (4 preset, 1 custom); 6 blending gradients (top black & white, bottom black & white, custom top & bottom); black background fill; 1 “read me” text layer
All layers and groups are labeled for ease of use.
Included in the ZIP file:
1 PSD file, layered; 3 JPG sample renders; 1 TXT help file

Template: Sleek Dark Business Card

Steve Wagner — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 17:40:14 +0000

I’m toying with the idea of selling some templates, so let’s see how this goes. Here’s the first: a sleek dark business card design. You can download it here.

The description from GraphicRiver:

A minimalistic, modern business card that’s well-suited for graphic designers, photographers, or any other creative individuals.
3.5×2 inches, 300 dpi, CMYK
Features:
2 front designs (website or slogan beneath company name); 2 back designs (website or no website); 5 background gradients (grey, blue, red, green, orange); 1 solid black background
ZIP Contents:
1 PSD , layered and labeled, with bleed area and guides; 1 TXT help file
This template uses the font Myriad Pro, which is included on many systems and is available for purchase online. Most other fonts, especially sans-serif ones, can be substituted if desired.