Brand identities / print & digital marketing materials / logos / motion graphics / photography / websites / editorial design
Blending artistic creativity with refined design principles. Integrating experimental elements and traditional media techniques, offering an alternative to conventional aesthetics. The result? Distinctive, considerate, and timeless end products tailored to your brand.
Baseline.
Overview
The Bachelor of Design graduating class hosts an annual brand identity competition for their year-end showcase. This year’s design brief focused on growth, expansion, non-linearity, and peaks and valleys. Baseline branding incorporated these ideas into every aspect of the design; the use of topographic maps and math references allude to peaks and valleys and exponential growth. The integration of dynamic collages embodies the success, excitement, and creativity of the graduating class.
Project Team
Audience
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Friends and family of the graduates
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Potential employers / clients / small businesses
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Faculty and Alumni
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Prospective students
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Classmates in other years / students from other programs
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Art and design enthusiasts
Project Objectives
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Research marketing design solutions based on the theme of the exhibition
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Develop press-ready files designed to attract audiences to attend the event
Personal Goals
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Revisit traditional techniques combined with digital mediums to create original pieces that not only serve to advertise, but also have artistic merit
Tools & Software
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Traditional Media
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InDesign
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Photoshop
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Illustrator
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After Effects
Deliverables
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Graphic toolbox
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Logo
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Colour palette
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Typefaces
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Imagery
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Digital promotional assets (including static and motion graphic posts)
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Instagram
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Facebook
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Website banner
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Posters
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Photography/illustrations to represent each graduate
Research and historic inspiration
Raoul Hausmann of the Dada movement served as an inspiration for this project. Hausmann’s revolutionary photomontage pieces ultimately questioned capitalism and conformity. Similar principles can be applied to Baseline, since the Bachelor of Design program encourages students to raise questions and challenge current structures. Photomontage was therefore an appropriate medium through which to celebrate the Class of 2023. Hausmann perpetually sought new ways to create; this interpretation of Baseline also emphasizes creativity through the process itself in order to achieve a unique end-product.
Designers from the International Typographic Style movement served as inspiration. This is fitting since typography was a primary focus in Swiss Design and the word Baseline refers to an aspect of typography. Josef Muller-Brockmann and Wolfgang Weingart are particularly inspirational for their use of mathematically-derived structures to guide designs, innovative layouts, and the use of typography as a focal point.
Brainstorming and development
The very word representing the grad show was dissected as a starting point for this interpretation. “Base” in mathematics refers to one component of an exponential equation. Colloquially, the Class of 2023’s growth throughout the Bachelor of Design program can be said to be exponential. Exponential growth is indeed “nonlinear” (as per their rationale). The square in the top right corner of the logomark situated within the larger square symbolizes a base and its exponent. Exponential growth is often modeled on a cartesian plane, and the logomark represents this by having an x and y-axis. A grid is also layered over the collages for the print collateral, adding to the math references present in this interpretation of Baseline. The “progression of skills” is depicted as building blocks; these building blocks are shown in the first segment of the Instagram motion graphic where blocks gradually multiply to form the logomark.
The typeface Mundial was chosen for its high legibility, simplicity, and a wide array of font options. The latter makes it well-suited to establish an effective typographic hierarchy. A sans-serif was chosen to stay true to Swiss Design inspiration, and because the goal was to make the Baseline campaign feel modern and fresh. The flipped “i” in the wordmark creates an exclamation point, conveying excitement and energy.
Collages were chosen as the primary medium due to the client’s desire for experimentation with texture, colour, and lines. The collages consist of fragments from math and statistics textbooks as another subtle reference to exponential growth. 3 topographic map designs were created digitally to symbolize “peaks and valleys”. Collages were then edited into these designs using clipping masks, resulting in dynamic compositions. The pieces are imbued with feelings of controlled chaos, symbolic of the creative process through artworks composed of traditional and digital media. The print collateral checks the boxes of being budget-friendly and eye-catching; the posters do not require expensive finishes, die-cuts, or embossing, yet they still manage to stand out through the texture, dynamism, pops of colour, and complexity within the collages.
The colour palette was derived from prominent colours in the collages. As per the request of the client, there are numerous light colours and no neons. They vary in contrast, so that the colours may be used side-by-side and in multiple contexts (i.e text on a background) while maintaining legibility for AODA compliance.
Result
The Baseline campaign was a successful and winning collaborative project with talented designer Justin Pinheiro; our branding was chosen to advertise Conestoga College’s 2023 Bachelor of Design graduate showcase. The project also won the 2023 RGD Student Award for Advertising Design. Keywords from the graduating class’ design brief included growth, a progression of skills, expansion, nonlinear, and peaks and valleys. Their aesthetic wishes consisted of “light-mode” and experimentation with textures and lines. These values and central ideas guided the design decisions for every aspect of Baseline branding. Peaks and valleys are represented within the topographic map patterns. The pieces are imbued with feelings of controlled chaos, symbolic of the creative process through artworks composed of traditional and digital media. Non-linear growth is alluded to by incorporating mathematical references, such as the use of grids, and using pages from statistics textbooks to form the collages. Thorough visual research and brainstorming were conducted to generate symbolic compositions fit to appeal to the graduates. This interpretation of Baseline effectively embodies the success, excitement, and creativity of the graduating class.
Radical
Revamps
Rebrand.
Overview
Radical Revamps is an online small business started by two sisters with a passion for sewing. They turn fabric scraps that would have been wasted into meaningful, one-of-a-kind pieces. Lifestyle photography was developed for assets and social media. To further develop the branding, these photos were printed and turned into collages. Multiple deliverables were then developed around the curated aesthetic to promote the brand.
Client
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MISSION: Radical Revamps' mission is to empower individuals to express themselves through upcycled, one-off products.
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VALUES: Above all, Radical Revamps values self-expression, inclusion, sustainability, and originality.
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VISION: Radical Revamps seeks to be the go-to brand for people who value environmental consciousness and unique style. They strive to be the better alternative to fast fashion.
Project Objectives
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Change the existing logo so that it better suits the brand identity. Find a legible display typeface that does not conflict with the logo font.
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Focus on a minimal layout for the brand guidelines.
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Previous lifestyle photoshoots were successful and captured the brand. An objective for this rebrand was to take more photos that fit the existing theme.
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Feedback around previous branding was that the existing logo/identity gets lost in the photography, so other components of branding needed to be strengthened.
Personal Goals
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Revisit traditional techniques combined with digital mediums to create original pieces that not only serve to advertise, but also have artistic merit.
Tools & Software
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Photography
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Collage
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InDesign
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Photoshop
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Illustrator
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After Effects
Deliverables
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Expressive copy
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New logo
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Website
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Brand guidelines
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Business card
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Post-purchase flyer
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Social media promotional material
Target Market Research
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DEMOGRAPHICS: teens to young adults (16-25), female/non-binary, high school/college students, or young professionals who are just starting their careers. They have some financial stability, but are likely budget-conscious.
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GEOGRAPHICS: global (online store). Customers are likely living in an urban or suburban area in a college town or near a city.
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PSYCHOGRAPHICS: values originality, creativity, and authenticity. Artistic, small-business oriented, fashion-forward, trailblazer, trendsetter. Actively seeks brands that align with their values by being ethical and green. Seeks new experiences, travels and explores. Strives to lessen their footprint as much as possible and supports brands that do the same.
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BEHAVIOURS: Social and enjoys meeting new people, but also spends time alone engaging in their artistic pursuits. Avid thrifter. Spends a lot of time on social media. Opens their wallet if there are associations with a product being “local”, “handmade”, “ecofriendly”, or “personalized”.
Brainstorming and development
The wordmark is a collage of various serif typefaces such as Adonis, Playfair, and Didot. Each letter was carefully crafted by mixing and matching serifs and stroke weights in
order to create a truly original, cohesive mark. Using various typefaces applies to Radical Revamps because the brand also takes materials from different sources to create
new products. The serifs allowed for more creative expression, and room for organic elements to be integrated. The thread that connects the R to the needle to the A, for
instance, flows in and out of the shapes. The previous logo was flat and looked too mechanically-rendered. The grungy, tattered edge treatment of the new logo matches the
visual identity of Radical Revamps; all its products are also textural.
This texture was carried into all aspects of branding in order to maintain unity and add visual interest.
Radical Revamps has many products, but little photography to show for it. To remedy this, lots of lifestyle photography was developed for assets and social media. The objective
with the photography is to speak to the target audience. They will see themselves within the characters that are portrayed in the photography; interesting, bright, warm,
androgynous, adventurous, and creative.
To further develop the branding, these photos were printed and turned into collages.
The primary asset is the Patchwork Collage. It is composed of clipping masks that follow the pattern of an actual Radical Revamps drawstring bag. Within each clipping mask is part of a collage, the brand colours, a duotone, or photo. Several clipping masks were then exported individually and used as additional assets.
Result
The found objects that are fused in the collages speak to how Radical Revamps repurposes the old and transforms them into a reimagined item. When presented the final deliverables, the client was elated and could not wait to implement the new branding in their online store, through their social media, and in their print materials.
Seald app.
Overview
Trying to grasp basic financial concepts when financial literacy isn’t taught in school can be overwhelming, complicated, and embarrassing. When students first move out, the busyness of school and life can take over, and spending can easily get out of control.
Seald is a preemptive envelope budgeting system app to prevent overspending, modeled after Apple’s Wallet app. People already make frequent use of the wallet app; it is digital card storage with a simple and intuitive design. With Seald, users connect a bank account or credit card to the app, and decide how much money they want to allocate to each envelope. Envelopes are customizable; users decide on the category (such as groceries, gas, and dining out), and how much goes in each envelope. Users pay through the app, just like the wallet app, but instead of tapping on a card to pay, users tap on the appropriate envelope and the transaction amount is deducted from that envelope. Users can refill the envelopes at their discretion with money from their linked accounts.
Target Audience
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Newly independent young adults who have just moved out, probably have part time and/or summer jobs, and are likely attending post-secondary. They are too busy to remember to track their spending, even though they really should be.
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Age: 18-25
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Income: varied, mostly hold part-time jobs and have student loans.
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Limited financial literacy.
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Tech-savvy
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Lead busy lives and seek financial independence
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They value simplicity, customization, empowerment, education, and convenience.
Objective
To develop a user-friendly app that enables young adults to manage their money by preventing overspending and automatically tracking transactions.
Minimal Viable Product
Paying for transactions directly from users’ bank accounts through a digital envelope budgeting system.
Value proposition
Apps that really solve problems should save users time, and not create more of a headache. Seald effectively:
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Removes tedious logging
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Links to bank accounts
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Has no unnecessary features
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Focuses on simplicity
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Has no learning curve
Tools and Software
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Figma
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Adobe Illustrator
Deliverables
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Brand identity
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Logo
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Colour palette
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Typefaces
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Illustration
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App prototype
Competitors
The research process began by downloading existing financial apps and finding caveats that Seald could address. Main competitor apps are “You Need A Budget” and “Goodbudget”. Both require manual entry of each transaction in order to track spending, which is tedious and discourages long-term use. An app shouldn’t feel like a chore. YNAB was rated as the top budgeting app, but it is overly complex and has a steep learning curve. Goodbudget is more similar to Seald because it also uses a digital envelope budgeting system, but with Goodbudget, you can’t link your actual cards. Goodbudget’s UVP centers around being able to track budgets for entire households. It is an app geared toward families, whereas Seald targets young adults.
Visual identity
The logo combines a lock and envelope. Envelope imagery is carried throughout the brand, referencing the budget system that the app is based on. The lock alludes to restraining your purchases and having control over your finances. It also evokes privacy and security sentiments, which works to assure users that their financial data is safe.
Consistent strokes outline 2D illustrations and drop shadows are used to give the shapes dimension. The app screens follow a three-column grid system to maintain consistency and rhythm. Hierarchy is created through type size and weight. Proxima Nova is the chosen sans serif typeface, as its highly legible letterforms are well-suited to user-friendly digital design.
Conclusion
Our attention is finite and much of it is stolen by counter-productive distractions. Through the identification of caveats in existing finance apps, the development of a cohesive visual identity, and a focus on creating a prototype around the minimal viable product, Seald is a way in which technology can instead be used with purpose to solve real problems.
AND ONE.
Overview
This project is a zine series that curates documented graffiti works and related content. The purpose of this zine echos other contemporary and historic zines; it speaks to a niche audience of existing enthusiasts and participants of the anarchical culture. This project aims to capture a snapshot of what is happening now within region-specific small graffiti crews. In other words, it acts as a time capsule that serves as an inspiration repository, expressive outlet, and storytelling vessel.
Within the graffiti community, there is minimal open discussion due to the desire to protect spots, and out of the necessity to remain anonymous for fear of prosecution. The zine format is well-suited to displaying graffiti works because zines are not subject to the typical editorial process; censorship and academic credibility do not apply, providing a space for free expression. The absence of an extensive editorial process also allows zines to be produced faster, and facilitates dissemination within the target audience.
Problem definition
Although zines, magazines, and social media coverage exist within the graffiti community, there is a relative lack of strong design compared to other artistic mediums. This disservices the otherwise impressive art. Strong design, though an objective concept, has largely become institutionalized, rendering its principles lesser known to graffiti artists. Graffiti is not usually present in institutional settings due to its underground community and criminal nature. It is therefore rare, and perhaps against the culture for graffiti works to be displayed in galleries. But every art medium deserves a platform through which works can be shared, celebrated, and criticized.
Project Team
Audience
This zine series is intended to target core members of the graffiti community. More specifically, it is for individuals who actively participate in the illegal act of graffiti, are involved in the underground community, and can relate to the content published in the zines. This would primarily include young adults, predominantly male, between the ages of 20-28. This zine is not intended for the general public, and is not seeking to validate the artform or normalize it within society.
Project Objectives
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to create another platform for graffiti artists to promote, share, and document work
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to introduce the graffiti scene to graphic design that applies principles of “good” design, to meet the wants and needs of those artists.
It should be noted that “good design” in this context will be defined as print design that integrates principles and rules set by practicing visual designers and educators. For instance, this zine uses grid systems, considers AODA standards, and minds typographic faux-pas. That isn’t to say rules can’t be broken; design within this zine is also experimental to suit the chaotic and disruptive nature of graffiti.
Tools & Software
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Traditional media
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Digital photography, disposable cameras
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Adobe InDesign
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Adobe Photoshop
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Adobe Illustrator
Deliverables
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Two printed zine issues
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Two posters
Content & design decisions
The title AND ONE is a term drawn from basketball, which is when a player successfully makes a basket while an opposing player makes direct contact with them, or fouls them. This then grants the offensive player another opportunity to score a point, unopposed. There is a strong connection that can be made between this and graffiti. The act of graffiti can be considered an and one itself: writers taking the offensive, going out with the goal of putting their name on everything they can, while general society and law enforcement take the defensive, doing whatever they can to prevent writers from completing their goal. Even when “contact” is made (in the form of prosecution or public dissent), writers continue to find opportunities to get their name up.
In order to balance the busy, colorful, and expressive graffiti letterforms and illustrations, the zine adheres to a 5 column grid system with consistent parent pages (with folios and headings). The sans serif typeface Calibri was chosen as the sole font family due to its consistent letterforms and kerning, high legibility, and simplicity. Commonly used assets include duotones in red, and black and white halftones.
Two issues of AND ONE have been developed and printed. All content is original, including disposable camera and digital photography, collages, illustrations, sketchbook pages, and transcribed stories from local graffiti artists (typically referred to as “writers” within the graffiti community). The written content of each issue focuses on a story from different writers, and the issues are titled based on the featured story.
Result
These preliminary issues received positive feedback. Sharing copies within the graffiti community made others eager to both purchase and participate in future issues.
Apart from improving the medium through which graffiti works can be displayed, there are other merits to good design. Good design helps further democratize and clarify messages by increasing accessibility. It effectively organizes content and information, which makes it more digestible and understandable. Design is therefore multidisciplinary and important in all applications. Integrating “good” design within other disciplines also forces designers to see art through different lenses which fuels creativity, leading to advancements in design itself.
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