Branding Design
Branding should have a story something captive and grasping. Creating that story to me entails exploring a diverse range of elements such as colors, typography, and shapes, among others, that can help establish a distinct identity or persona. In my view, everyone has a narrative worth sharing through their brand and it's my job to help develop or create that, in order to form meaningful connections with your clients.
Against The Grain Works
Brief
Scott, the owner of Against The Grain Works, approached me with a clear vision for his business—he had all the logistics in place, from product development to legal and financial setup. What he needed was a brand identity that captured his rugged personality and left a timeless mark. After a deep-dive meeting discussing his ideas, we mapped out a strategic plan to bring his brand to life, setting clear timelines and deadlines for each phase.
Solution
The project began with crafting a logo and selecting brand colors that reflect the raw, handcrafted nature of his work. From there, I designed business cards and developed a website entirely from scratch, incorporating custom backgrounds, product photography, and marketing visuals to enhance his brand story.
Beyond the website, I’ve been curating his social media presence, leveraging content from past marketing shoots to create a structured, easy-to-use social media guide. This document includes pre-made posts with tailored captions, hashtags, and media, allowing Scott to maintain consistency while having the flexibility to make it his own.
This project is still evolving, and I continue to refine and expand his brand assets. I'm excited to keep developing a cohesive, impactful presence for Against The Grain Works.
Visit Against The Grain Works and get to know them as well as get the full experience of my project!
Nov. 2023 - Present
Shore Rider Menu
Brief
This was such a fun project, I was tasked with redesign of this upbeat beach front restaurant in La Jolla, CA. They wanted to tie in several local iconic beach scenery, tie in their branding colors, and give off a fresh & approachable aesthetic.
Solution
Initially, we outlined the project layout, specifying their requirements and leaving certain design choices to my creative direction. The project spanned approximately a month from start to finish.
Menu items evolved, and I explored various layouts to ensure the text was presented in an organized manner, avoiding reader overwhelm, and established hierarchy among items.
Additionally, I created several illustrations reflecting the local area, steering clear of seafood restaurant aesthetic as per their request.
Feedback for the restaurant has been overwhelmingly positive. As a result, I have been tasked to develop additional content for them that mirrors the same design as their menu.
As seasonal items change I welcome you to visit the most updated version on their website.
Apr-Jun. 2024
Tender Loving Coffee
Brief
I worked with Tender Loving Coffee, here in Chico, CA on several projects. A few of my favorites are displayed on here which are the canopy/signage design for their farmer markets and other events. As well as merchandise and sticker designs. They're branding is very minimal with a flair of Art Deco, the inside of their shop has plants, industrial organic feel with an alternative twist in the artwork displayed. Black and white accents in their store are prominent and make the colors they do use very eye catching, which come from the coffee bags they have as well as other accents.
Solution
After several design options of things we wanted to try, we landed on a few designs which captured their branding and most importantly looked captivating. We wanted to provide a welcoming, eye catching yet not overwhelming environment, for people to walk into and know its an extension of their coffee shop. The dark theme provided them with a bold stand, which made them stand out and pleasing to the eye, the colored coffee bags and other signage from their coffee stand also provides an overall welcoming atmosphere. The software I used was Illustrator, and Photoshop to produce these projects. Other logistics that played a big role in this project was the dimensions, as they had to be specific to the manufacturer of the canopy and flags.
Aug-Dec. 2023
Weld Wright
Breif
A local welding business approached me for branding assets. He specifically wanted a logo and branding idea to have his website have a consistent design.
Solution
Over the course of three weeks, I met with the owner once a week to ensure that I fully understood their business needs, their target audience, preferred logo placement locations, and other basic preferences.
During the first meeting, we established a clear understanding of business details. In the second meeting, I presented four different variations of the logo that we had discussed, updating him on the progress. We then refined the version he liked the most and proceeded with finalizing the design to meet his deadline.
In the last meeting, I taught him about the different file types he received to ensure that he could work successfully with other designers and marketing teams in the future. He was pleased with the final results and was able to apply the new logo to his mobile welding truck's car wrap, as well as other promotional products like hats and shirts.
Overall, the business owner was satisfied with the outcome and even hired me to consult on branding with his web designer. Since then, his business has grown exponentially and continues to grow over time.
June. 2022
Taylor Law
Brief
A local lawyer from the capital started his new firm in Chico, and I was asked to create an identity for his new business. His overall deliverables were a vertical/horizontal logo, a master font, and branding colors.
Solution
For this particular branding project, I received a detailed brief from the client, which included both their preferences and dislikes. My main goal was to create a design that conveyed approachability, strength, and trustworthiness. To start, I brainstormed various ideas and sketched out multiple concepts. After a day of exploring different directions, I decided to use a shield shape to evoke a sense of defense, a detailed collar to represent the type of law practiced (blue collar law), and pillar details on the letter T to convey a sense of law. I chose blue as the primary color, as it symbolizes loyalty, confidence, security, and reliable authority. The final design successfully reflected the client's vision and values.
Oct. 2022
Run Wild
Brief
This logo was made for local magazine Mountain Valley Living for their special feature called Run Wild, which showcased their road trip and accompanying story, along with special feature photos and videos that were posted on their website and social media platforms. The aim was to improve their marketing efforts, increase their online presence, and encourage more interaction among readers and followers.
Solution
I approached this project with a unique perspective, knowing that the logo would be applied to various materials such as photos and fabrics. I conducted research to find shapes and fonts that would convey the dynamic and energetic spirit of the outdoor magazine. The publisher collaborated with me to approve changes that would capture her vision for the logo, which needed to be bold, timeless, and captivating. To reflect the surrounding mountains and hills, I incorporated peaks into the final shape. I also experimented with different font widths to ensure legibility at smaller sizes, which was a top priority for the publisher. We used the logo on a variety of products, including sweaters, shirts, and mugs, which were sold and given away at special events and on social media.
Jun-July. 2021