Creative Musing
January 2024
Visser Automotive
January Series, Brand Strategy
Client Project
January 2024
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January Series Brand Guidelines
For nearly 40 years, the January Series has inspired and informed audiences from diverse backgrounds. This free, 10-day event features a lineup of brilliant speakers, captivating topics, and thought-provoking discussions. Prominent academics, educators, artists, activists, and other experts deliver engaging lectures on a range of timely issues. Attendees can participate in person at Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Michigan, or access the series online from anywhere in the world, both live and on-demand throughout the year.
Together with freelance copywriter Adam Barr, I guided the January Series in aligning their vision with cohesive brand messaging. Through in-depth stakeholder interviews, we distilled key insights to establish a solid foundation, shaping the brand’s tone and defining its voice. As we progressed, we posed additional thoughtful questions and refined messaging through an iterative approach, resulting in comprehensive guidelines. These guidelines will support the brand in navigating, cultivating, and communicating a unified voice across all touchpoints, fostering a coherent connection with audiences, communities, and potential attendees.
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+ Brand Strategy
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+ Team Leadership
+ Creative Direction
+ Qualitative & Research
+ Project Management
+ User Interviews
+ Brand Messaging -
This project was a joint endeavor with Adam Barr, freelance copywriter.
Flagship
Creative Musing
December 2023
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Flagship
Wordmark for Flagship. The typeface I used is Good Headline designed by Łukasz Dziedzic from FontFont.
Holiday Stroll
Creative Musing + Product
October 2023
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Holiday Stroll
Happy Holidays! Wishing you all a wonderful holiday season.
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Holiday Stroll is currently unavailable for purchase. Please check back after Thanksgiving 2024. Check out more graphic tees on my Cotton Bureau profile page.
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Note: All Cotton Bureau apparel comes in a variety of clothing types, styles, fits, sizes, materials, and colors.
Amazon, After Hour Hero
Article + Creative Musing
October 2023
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Amazon, After Hour Hero
A conceptual advertisement concept I created for Amazon spotlighting their dedicated drivers and their commitment to after-hour deliveries. The visual emphasis is the delivery truck’s distinctive look and warm glow from its front lights, serving as a friendly delivery beacon. The copy establishes a personal connection with the reader, emphasizing Amazon's dedication to timely and reliable service, even if it’s after hours.
Crayola Crayons
Creative Musing + Product
September 2023
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Crayola Crayons
During my childhood, one of the highlights preparing for the first day of school was going school shopping and selecting a brand new box of crayons. I recall carefully unwrapping the box, ensuring not to tear the packaging and being greeted by its unique waxy scent. These illustrated posters are a tribute to this moment and to all who remember the scent and the joy of creating coloring masterpieces. The left poster is a 24 pack of Crayola Crayons with a Walmart price tag and the right poster is the unboxed pack of Crayola Crayons.
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Unfortunately, I was unable to obtain a license from Crayola to sell these vibrant illustrative posters.
Skull & Bones
Creative Musing + Product
September 2023
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Skull & Bones
For a limited time some of the icons I created for Halloween will be available on graphic tees at Cotton Bureau. I’ve paired the icons with the typeface Metalista designed by Tomáš Brousil from Suitcase Type Foundry.
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Skull & Bones (top right tee) is the only available tee in this series to purchase (check back in early October 2024 to purchase the others). Peruse more graphic tees on my Cotton Bureau profile page.
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Note: All Cotton Bureau apparel comes in a variety of clothing types, styles, fits, sizes, materials, and colors.
Notcha Tacos
Creative Musing + Product
June 2023
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Notcha Tacos
Pronounced, Not-Cha-Tacos. Utilizing some past work I illustrated this fun tacos restaurant logo. The mark is paired with the typeface, CC Sign Language designed by John Roshell and Richard Starkings from Comicraft.
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Notcha Tacos graphic tee is available for purchase. Check out more graphic tees on my Cotton Bureau profile page.
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Note: All Cotton Bureau apparel comes in a variety of clothing types, styles, fits, sizes, materials, and colors.
Sum
Creative Musing + Product
February 2023
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Sum
While I am not a professional type designer, I have a passion for creating custom typefaces. I just finished this display numerical typeface, called Sum. This font comprises six sizes: Light, Regular, Semibold, Bold, Black, and Heavy. Engaging in studies like this is beneficial for graphic designers., as it enables them to comprehend the intricacies of typeface formation. This knowledge is particularly valuable when crafting a bespoke typeface for a brand.
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Sum is available for purchase. Email me for licensing and cost.
MKN Design Reel
Article + Product
February 2023
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MKN Design Reel
Do you like what you see? Well, I’d like to work with you. If you're looking for an experienced independent (freelance) Art Director, Designer, and Illustrator, or if you know of any companies seeking short or long-term project contracts or retainers, feel free to contact me via email.
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The design and illustrative projects within this reel are a combination of strategic branding, environmental design, iconography, illustration, graphic design, and packaging.
GEM
Creative Musing
February 2023
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GEM
A simplification of a sapphire gem paired with the variable typeface, New York designed by Apple. New York is a serif companion to Apple’s San Franciso-type series, it features six weights and features variable optical sizes. The 'G' in the wordmark was adjusted to mirror the shape of the gem, enhancing balance and symmetry of the combination mark.
Carbon Cycle
Client Project
February 2023
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Carbon Cycle
Creating and illustrating a carbon cycle infographic for a major producer of sustainable lumber, pulp, and paper. Our task was to clearly communicate the client's approach to combating climate change while showcasing their strong commitment to environmental sustainability.
The goal was to streamline a complex sustainability concept, making it visually captivating and ensuring the audience was able to comprehend the initiative. The final infographic was simple and friendly, conveying the client’s message of responsible environmental stewardship and dedication to a greener, more sustainable future.
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+ Infographic
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+ Research
+ Concept Development
+ Sketching & Ideation
+ Illustration
+ Design & Layout -
This project was a collaborative effort, with Peopledesign providing Art Direction.
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:
Develop a logo that intuitively feels like a driving academy without feeling or stating it's a driving academy.
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).
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
Jazz
Creative Musing
December 2022
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Jazz
An design exercise updating the Jazz Journal wordmark (a magazine produced from 1946–2019). The revised wordmark took from its past and present characteristics to envision a new wordmark with a modern flare.
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Photo of Louis Armstrong, 1953. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C.
Chronicles of Narnia
Creative Musing
November 2022
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Chronicles of Narnia
This emblem is based on my favorite book series as a kid, Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. The crest illustrates Cair Paravel Rampart (top), Aslan (center), and Archenland Coat of Arms (bottom).
FluMist Packaging
Client Project
November 2022
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FluMist Packaging
I was hired to design conceptual packaging for AstraZeneca new product, FluMist Quadrivalent. This project encompassed more than just packaging design; it also involved providing design guidance for an information packet, instructional illustrations, and physical prototypes.
Given the innovative nature of the vaccine delivery method, our design approach was dual- focused, targeting both parents and children. Consequently, we aimed to instill a sense of trustworthiness, friendliness, and clarity in the exterior and interior packaging, ensuring that all strict packaging regulations by the FDA were prominently displayed. Simultaneously, it was crucial to convey professionalism while remaining approachable. This was accomplished by incorporating a vibrant color scheme, employing friendly typography, and fun illustrations while it was being unboxed.
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+ Package Design
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+ Qualitative Research
+ Concept Development
+ Sketching & Ideation
+ Illustration
+ Instructional Illustration
+ Physical Prototyping
+ User Experience
+ Product Mockups -
This project was a collaborative effort, with VML providing Art Direction.
KitchenAid Packaging
Client Project
August 2022
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KitchenAid Packaging
KitchenAid is the leader in home appliance brands. The company was established in 1919 and is headquartered in Saint Joseph, Michigan. Renowned for the innovative and iconic KitchenAid Mixer, now used in most kitchens around the world. The company sells an average of 2.5 million mixers per year.
KitchenAid partnered with MKN Design to define and develop new brand packaging using clean design, illustration and iconography.At the project onset, we gathered research on consumer trends, packaging, design, and illustrative styles. Using this research, we conceptualized packaging ideas and brought them to life in physical form. The result was a collection of innovative packaging concepts that highlighted KitchenAid's unique products, establishing them as a bold leader in kitchen appliances tailored to their consumers.
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+ Packaging Design
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+ Research (competitive, consumer, trend)
+ Concept Development
+ Sketching & Ideation
+ Graphic Design & Layout
+ Iconography
+ Instructional Illustrations
+ Product Illustrations
+ Mockups -
This project was a joint endeavor involving numerous individuals from both the KitchenAid design team and external independent contractors, such as Heather Tucker and myself.
The Midwest Coast
Creative Musing + Product
August 2022
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The Midwest Coast
A badge-inspired design from my home state of Michigan and its pristine coastline. The inspiration came from our family trip to Sleeping Bear Dunes, National Park—it’s just one of the many places to experience Michigan’s wonderful coast.
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The Midwest Coast is currently not available. Check back in early June 2024. View additional graphic tee’s on my Cotton Bureau profile page.
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Note: All Cotton Bureau apparel comes in a variety of clothing types, styles, fits, sizes, materials, and colors.
Lady of Guadalupe
Creative Musing + Product
August 2022
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Lady of Guadalupe
A modern Illustrative take on the Our Lady of Guadalupe painting found in Tepeyac Hill, Mexico City.
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Lady of Guadalupe graphic tee is available for purchase. Check out more graphic tees on my Cotton Bureau profile page.
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Note: All Cotton Bureau apparel comes in a variety of clothing types, styles, fits, sizes, materials, and colors.