Creative Musing
December 2023
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Flagship
Wordmark for Flagship. The typeface I used is Good Headline Pro designed by Łukasz Dziedzic from FontFont.
Flagship
Toshiba GP-42
Creative Musing
February 2023
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Toshiba GP-42
This is not AI-generated or a 3D rendering, but a 2D product illustration. The GP-42 was developed and designed by Toshiba in 1978 as a portable analog record player combined with an AM Radio and microphone input for karaoke.
Navigator
Client Project
January 2023
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Navigator Driving Academy
After 23 years of growth, Navigator's brand no longer aligned with its current focus on training young teenagers and adults in smart or autonomous vehicles, nor did it represent the direction Navigator aimed to pursue. Therefore, a new brand was imperative to reflect its evolution accurately.
Navigator had a few distinctive design challenges that required resolution:
1. Develop a logo that intuitively feels like a driving academy without feeling or stating it's a driving academy.
2. Logo to be perceived as trustworthy, safe, and exceptional to parents (core audience), but also conveys a cool factor for teen student drivers (secondary audience).
3. By law, driving academy vehicles are legally required to have ‘student driver’ signage on their vehicles. This is typically resolved with magnetic ‘student driver’ signs prone to slipping or peeling. A solution was needed to seamlessly integrate Navigator's logo with the required signage—ensuring a purposeful design rather than an afterthought, enhancing both safety and branding.
The final combined logo for Navigator successfully tackled every design challenge with a bold, attention-grabbing appearance. It seamlessly integrated the student driver sign by utilizing a vehicle wrap, ensuring a cohesive and visually striking solution.
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+ Brand Identity
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+ Creative Direction
+ Project Management
+ Qualitative Research
+ Concept Development
+ Sketching & Ideation
+ Design & Layout
+ Brand Mockups
+ Vehicle Wrap
Robertson
Creative Musing
July 2022
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Robertson
A creative exercise taking the square shape from the Robertson Drive and mimicking the font to the style of the mark. The Robertson square-socket drive was invented by Peter Lymburner Robertson, a Canadian inventor, industrialist, salesman, and philanthropist who popularized the square-socket drive for screws.
Coldbreak
Client Project
March 2022
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Coldbreak
Coldbreak started in 2005 from humble beginnings. As they grew, they acquired a stellar reputation within the draft equipment industry. Today they are the leader in the development, engineering, and designing of mobile draft equipment for breweries, entertainment and hospitality industries, brewing enthusiasts, and other aficionados. Aware of this, Coldbreak knew that its logo had aged and did not reflect its current reputation and vision.
Guided a client in orchestrating the conception, formation, and design of the Coldbreak identity. As we moved through the process, we distilled insights gathered from audience and stakeholder interviews, shaping the foundation of the brand. This foundation delineated the brand’s tone, defined the voice and visual direction of the brand. As we progressed, additional interviews, journey mapping, naming, brand architecture, iterative brand development, and brand guidelines were established, evolving into the final Become brand.
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+ Brand Strategy & Identity
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+ Team Leadership
+ Creative Direction
+ Qualitative & Quantitative Research
+ Project Management
+ User Interviews
+ Qualitative Research
+ Brand Messaging
+ Visual Identity
+ Brand Strategy
+ Concept Developement
+ Sketching & Ideation
+ Illustration
+ Vehicle Wrap -
After a decade of struggling to find our identity internally, we reached out to MKN Design. Michael quickly immersed himself in our company culture, history, and future goals to create the an accurate brand strategy and visual identity. To say we’re happy with the results is a huge understatement.
— Boyd Culver, CEO of Coldbreak -
View the preliminary concepts that where explored for Become.
Coldbreak Mark Exploration
Client Project
December 2021
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Coldbreak Mark Exploration
Though these marks where not selected by Coldbreak they laid the groundwork for refinement, ultimately leading to Coldbreak’s final brand identity.
These unselected marks where drawn from research and interviews conducted during the initial discovery phase. While they weren't ultimately chosen they served as a foundation for further refinement, contributing to the execution of Coldbreak’s brand identity. The sixth concept (bottom right) guided the direction towards Coldbreak's ultimate brand identity.
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+ Branding
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+ Research
+ Concept Development
+ Sketching & Ideation
+ Illustration -
View the completed brand strategy and identity project.
Foreshadow
Client Project
December 2021
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Foreshadow
This startup developed a machine learning algorithm to preemptively identify potential threats of malicious phishing attacks. Their goal was to alert users of potential threats to their online security and privacy.
This startup developed a machine learning algorithm to preemptively identify potential threats of malicious phishing attacks. Their goal was to alert users of potential threats to their online security and privacy. With a staggering 97% of people unable to discern phishing attacks, their innovative solution aimed to bridge this critical gap in cybersecurity awareness for home use.
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+ Branding
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+ Creative Direction
+ Research (competitive, consumer)
+ Concept Development
+ Sketching & Ideation
+ Iconography
+ Mockups
Become
Client Project
June 2021
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Become
Become is an education and learning website that help individuals navigate and connect with schools and businesses through deep insights and data-backed guidance. My team worked closely with Become's founders to develop their brand design system, covering everything from messaging, naming to the identity.
I led a team in planning, development, and design of the Become brand identity. Through my comprehensive process we distilled insights gathered from audience and stakeholder interviews, shaping the foundation of the brand. This foundation delineated the brand’s tone, defined the voice and visual direction of the brand. As we progressed, additional interviews, journey mapping, naming, brand architecture, iterative brand development evolving into a simple, meaningful and approachable brand. After this effort a detailed brand guidelines was established.
The word 'Become' was crafted by merging the space between its initial and final letters. This simple alteration embodies the concept of 'Become' as a companion throughout one's professional journey. Additionally, this modification transforms the tense of the word from future to present, implying that individuals can embrace their current selves or evolve into something new.
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+ Branding
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+ Team Leadership
+ Project Management
+ Creative Direction
+ Qualitative & Quantitative Research
+ Brand Messaging
+ Naming
+ Visual Identity -
Michael Nÿkamp served as a patient and adept navigator during our brand discovery expedition. His guidance enabled us to gain profound insights into our company's identity. Although the outcome was unexpected, it perfectly aligned with our aspirations. None of this would have happened without him and for that, we are very grateful.
— Ryan Montgomery, CEO of Become
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View the initial mark exploration concepts for Become.
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Phase III fun illustrations drawn by David Schofield.
Maggie Bandstra Studio
Client Project
March 2021
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Maggie Bandstra Studio
Maggie is a versatile artist and educator who seamlessly transitions between painting and crafting clay sculptures and pottery. Her creative endeavors are unified by a captivating exploration of themes such as nature, healing, and human connection.
The organic shapes within her logo are reflective of the forms recurrent in both her paintings and pottery creations. While her identity remains neutral, Maggie's vibrant personality permeates her work, ensuring that her art takes center stage. During the exploration phase, it became evident that Maggie required multiple logo marks to accommodate diverse applications across her artwork and to maintain a professional presence across various stamped, printed and digital platforms.
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+ Branding
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+ Creative Direction
+ Qualitative Research
+ Visual Identity
+ Stationery Design
ITHAKA S+R
Client Project
April 2020
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ITHAKA S+R
Dedicated to supporting higher education's digital transformation, ITHAKA S+R is a nonprofit conducting research, offering strategic guidance, and providing consulting services. Working closely with ITHAKA S+R, I revamped and modernized their existing design system, creating a beautiful and distinctive visual identity.
ITHAKA S+R enlisted me to modernize their design for reports, presentations, and infographics, emphasizing enhancements in design, color, and typography within a clear and comprehensive design system. The project had strict requirements, including adherence to brand guidelines, consideration of color blindness and visual impairments, and the need for distinct visual cues for various document types. Additionally, staff needed the capability to create or update all redesigned materials. After research, it was determined that Google Workspace (Docs, Slides, and Sheets) would be the optimal solution for creating these materials. The result was a unified design system that stayed true to ITHAKA S+R’s brand guidelines while providing a distinct visual identity for educational research materials and presentations.
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+ Design System
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+ Creative Direction
+ Project Management
+ Qualitative Research
+ Concept Development
+ Graphic Design & Layout
+ Presentation Design
+ Infographics
+ Illustration
Brand Motion
Client Projects + Creative Musings
January 2020
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Brand Motion
These various logos and marks have been created by using simple motion design. Integrating subtle motion not only elevates the visual appeal of your brand but also serves as a powerful means to forge a connection with your audience. This approach contributes to narrating a captivating brand story, making it easier for your customers to relate and remember your brand. If you are seeking assistance in establishing your brand or revitalizing an existing one, feel free to contact me.
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+ Brand Identity & Animation
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+ Creative Direction
+ Concept Development
+ Sketching & Ideation
+ Illustration
+ Motion Design
Beacon
Creative Musing
August 2019
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Beacon
A simple logo symbolizing guidance. The mark is paired with Proxima Nova, designed by Mark Simonson from Mark Simonson Studio.
Future State
Client Project
September 2018
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Future State
Future State identity for the City of Grand Rapids. It’s a simple mark that implies forward momentum. The project’s initiative is to bridge the gap between employers and employees in the AI economy. The triangular mark used for Future State’s mark is derived from a segment of a square, symbolizing a map's grid system. The squares represented on a map serve as markers for finding distinct regions, such as Grand Rapids – serving as the the area where Future State resides. The sliced triangular segment of the square acts as forward momentum.
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+ Brand Identity
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+ Creative Direction
+ Concept Development
+ Sketching & Ideation
+ Graphic Design -
This project was a collaborative effort, with Kevin White.
Michigan Wheel Marine
Client Project
December 2016
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Michigan Wheel Marine
Combination badge and flag mark designed for a boat manufacturer that didn’t make the cut. The logo’s mark is paired with the typeface Poppins designed by Jonny Pinhorn and Ninad Kale, from Google.
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+Brand Identity
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+ Creative Direction
+ Project Management
+ Qualitative Research
+ Concept Development
+ Sketching & Ideation
+ Illustration