Chronicles is a repository of articles, client projects, creative musings and products. All content is copyrighted by MKN Design. Reproduction without express written consent is prohibited. To license a specific illustration or design, please contact me via email.

 

Use the search function to view specific project type or the use the Chronicles dropdown to search by group.

Luminous Branding

↑ Abbreviated Brand Guidelines
These guidelines outline the essential elements and standards for presenting the Luminous brand accurately (click the image to enlarge slides).

 

↑ Brand Development Deck
An overview of the process behind defining and executing the development of the Luminous identity. (click image to enlarge).

Client Project
June 2025

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Luminous Branding
The word Luminous means "full of or giving off light.” 

Luminous originated from Jonas Paul Eyewear, a brand that was inspired by the birth of their son, Jonas, who was born with a rare eye condition. Today, Luminous serves as the holding company for Jonas Paul and several other optical brands—dedicated to, "shedding light into every corner of the optical space with eyewear that is designed, distributed, and displayed in a way that supports the greater good.”

What started as a mission to help their son Jonas has grown into a global effort to bring vision to children in need. Through their “Buy Sight, Give Sight” program, Luminous provides glasses, funding, and eye care support to children around the world.

At the time, Jonas Paul hired me to elevate its existing portfolio by designing an identity that would create space for future brands aligned with its mission. Guided by research, collaboration, and informed insights provided by the team, my primary design goals were to establish a strong identity that connects the master brand with its sub-brands, stands out in a competitive market, and reflects boldness, innovation, and meaningful impact.

Though the project faced early challenges, our shared determination and open dialogue allowed us to refine the concepts until one emerged that aligned seamlessly with their vision, core audience, and markets. The process was rigorous but ultimately fulfilling, requiring a careful balance of innovation and consistency within a hybrid brand model.

The result is innovative, distinctive, and thoughtfully aligned with their mission, as well as their current and future brands, and sub-brands. Luminous embodies a quiet sophistication—illuminating rather than overwhelming. It reflects an intentional brilliance, balanced with confident contrast to express the essence of the brand.

  • + Brand Identity Design

  • + Creative Direction
    + Research
    + Concept Development
    + Sketching and Ideation
    + Graphic Design
    + Illustration
    + Project Management

  • This project was a collaborative effort between Jonas Paul Eyewear team: Ben Harrison, Laura Harrison, Spencer Blanchard and myself. For more information about Luminous products, visit Lumionus Optical.

Chronicles is a repository of articles, client projects, creative musings and products. All content is copyrighted by MKN Design. To license a specific illustration or design, please contact me via email.

 

Use the search function to view specific project type or the use the Chronicles dropdown to search by group.

Own Your Superpower

Article
May 2025

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Own Your Superpower
While watching an episode of The Resident, one scene really stood out to me. Detective Cordelia Cupp a smart, strong, and quirky character was talking to her nephew. It was her final sentence (found in the video above) that struck me, “This is not the only way to be, but… it is the way that I am.” That line reminded me that there’s no single “right” way to be in this world. Your way of being is valid, valuable, and worthy of respect.

That quote came to life for me recently during a night out with friends I hadn’t seen or spoken to in quite some time. As the evening wrapped up, I drove a friend home, and during the ride, our conversation shifted toward the topic of personal traits. I won’t share his story—but I’ll share what I told him (in its abbreviated form).

Growing up, I was an introverted, sensitive kid—or at least, that’s what my parents and teachers often told me. I think the line they used was, “You’re too sensitive.” I never thought it was a bad thing. But over time, hearing it again and again made me feel like something was wrong with me (know that I don’t hold it against my parents or teachers. It was part of the culture back then—boys were expected to hide their emotions). Eventually, I internalized that message as a weakness and started to believe I wasn’t good enough because of it. I tried my best to hide that part of myself, to toughen up, and to be who I thought others wanted me to be.

This continued through grade school and into middle school. But during high school, I slowly began to let my guard down. As I did, I realized I could feel and see things others seemed to overlook. Later, while attending Sheridan College, that realization deepened. Through introspection and the encouragement of my Conceptual Studies professor, I came to understand that sensitivity wasn’t a flaw—it was a gift, or as some might say, a superpower. When applied with thoughtfulness and intention, it adds meaningful depth to the design process and can enhance both the clarity and impact of design.

My hope is that, if you’ve read this far, you might see a bit of yourself in it and understand that while these traits shape us, they don’t define you. Below are some qualities that often accompany sensitivity.

🧠 Emotional Intelligence
You naturally sense what others might miss. This allows you to create designs that connect deeply with people—because you can read tone, nuance, and emotional undercurrents. Designing for how something feels, not just how it looks.

👂 Empathy for Clients & Users
You’re tuned in to people’s needs, even when they can’t quite express them. You listen deeply, absorb subtext, and translate vague feedback into visual clarity—turning emotional intuition into practical, usable design.

🎯 Sensitivity to Detail
You notice the small things—the weight of a line, the tension between typefaces, how a color shift changes a mood. These subtleties matter to you because you know they matter to others, too. Precision rooted in feeling, not just form.

🌀 Creative Depth & Inner Reflection
You process the world internally, which gives you a rich, reflective creative well to draw from. That introspection often translates into thoughtful, meaningful work—design that reflects depth, not just decoration.

🔄 Intuition & Adaptability
You can tell when a concept “feels off” before anyone else does. That intuitive sense helps course-correct early—saving time and deepening impact. Knowing when to push, pause, or pivot—without needing all the data.

🌱 Integrity & Purpose-Driven Work
You’re driven by meaning. You’re not here to make noise—you want to make something that matters. Designing with soul, not ego.


Corewell Health Wayfinding

↓ Process Detail: Phase III - Alternative Main Level & Parking Wayfinding

↑ Complete Three-Phase Process Development Map

↓ Process Detail: Phase II - Application & Concept Review

Client Project
May 2025

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Corewell Health Wayfinding
This project set out to design an intuitive, user-centered wayfinding map for Corewell Health’s 25 and 35 Michigan buildings, sparked by a critical insight: patients were frequently arriving late to their appointments due to confusion about their location within the parking structures. The first point of contact for patients typically begins with an email from Corewell Health, directing them to the appropriate parking area for their appointment. From that point on, our project began to take shape—expanding on the existing wayfinding system implemented by Corewell Health to reduce stress, improve punctuality, and enhance the overall experience of navigating their campus.

In response to this challenge, the project focused on enhancing the physical navigation experience through a structured, research-driven approach. Starting with onboarding and immersion, the team worked to under-stand user needs, identify key service traits, and align it with Corewell Health exsisting brand system. Through thorough research, benchmarking, observational studies, and concept development, the project established clear design directions that reflected the organization’s vision—while emphasizing that effectively guiding patients, visitors, and staff was essential.

From initial audits to refined prototypes, the final solution resulted in a simple, effective set of wayfinding signs that clearly communicated a person’s location within the parking structure while also identifying the surrounding buildings across Corewell Health’s campus. The result was a new, human-centered wayfinding components designed not only to guide people to their destinations, but just as importantly, to help them find their way back.


  • + Wayfinding System

  • + Lead Creative & UX Director
    + Qualitative Research
    + Graphic Design
    + Illustration

  • This project was a joint endeavor with The Corewell Health Consumer Experience Team, Augusto Digital via Christy Ennis-Kloote and David Schofield.

Holla!

Creative Musing
May 2025

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Holla!
This is Chuck Lacy, starring as Eugene on the hit TikTok series Retirement House—a funny and quirky look at life in the golden years with a crew of unforgettable seniors.

 

Riot Games Iconography System

Michael played a key role in developing a strategic and refined iconography library for Riot Games. His leadership and guidance across both Monotype and Riot Games ensured seamless collaboration, aligning visual identity with brand goals through a thoughtful and systematic approach. His ability to solve complex design challenges while maintaining a keen attention to detail made a significant impact on the project’s success. Reliable, communicative, and always exceeding expectations.

Robert Ignasiak
Product & Interaction Lead, Riot Games

Client Project
February 2025

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Riot Games Iconography System
I recently completed this 6 month iconography system project for Riot Games in collaboration with Monotype, who brought me on as a co-lead and specialist in visual icon systems. My role centered on guiding, developing, and establishing standards that shaped a comprehensive toolkit of pixel-perfect icons, capturing the bold and playful spirit of Riot Games while supporting their expanding product ecosystem.

Our goal was to create an iconography system of 350+ icons that seamlessly scaled across three sizes—16, 24, and 32 pixels—while staying true to Riot Games' brand identity. With “Player Experience First” as Riot’s core message, it was crucial to create a custom, scalable, and unified iconography system that not only enhanced the user experience and strengthened their brand’s visual language but also ensured consistency across all Riot products.

This iconography system serves as a sustainable and sound foundation for developing future icons that align with Riot’s brand.

  • + Iconography Design System

  • + Co-leadership
    + Creative Direction
    + Iconography System Rules
    + Research
    + Sketching & Ideation
    + Illustration

  • This project was a collaborative effort, bringing together expert partners from Monotype, Riot Games, and MKN Design to lead the creative direction and co-develop the iconography design alongside Monotype.

    Core Team:
    Robert Ignasiak – Riot Games
    Sascha Leifer King – Riot Games
    Junho Kim – Riot Games
    Terrance Weinzierl – Monotype
    Jorden Bell – Monotype
    Michael Nÿkamp - MKN Design
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    Thank you to the entire team for their dedication and effort in bringing this extensive set to life and helping create a remarkable icon system.
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    Note: All images used in this post are licensed through Riot Games.

Action Surge!

Creative Musing + Product
December 2024

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Action Surge!
I’m not done yet! Not familiar with this term? Well, let me enlighten you. It’s a D&D reference where a fighter pushes themselves beyond their limits to do twice as much in one turn… because clearly, we needed even more ways to drag out combat ; )

Action Surge typeface is Kaneda Gothic designed by Ryoichi Tsunekawa from Dharma Type.

  • Action Surge graphic tee is available for purchase on Cotton Bureau. 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.Description text goes here

Pixel Playoffs

Article
September 2024

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Pixel Playoffs
I had a fantastic time at Atomic Object for Tech Week GR last night! Comfort & Adam (comfortandadam.com) and I took part in a live head-to-head art competition, based on word prompts from the audience. The prompt we were given was: “The future is a tentacled optimistic Cheez-it.” From there we each created separate illustrations, working independently without seeing the other team’s artwork, all within three half-hour rounds.

Huge thanks to Kimberly Crawford and Brittany Hunter from Atomic Object for organizing such an awesome event for the community!

 

No King

Creative Musing
September 2024

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No King
Earthly power, at last, doth yield to death.

 

Multiplayer Tetris & Game Over

Creative Musing + Product
August 2024

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Multiplayer Tetris & Game Over
Created these for the love of 1980’s arcade graphics. Tetris was created by Soviet software engineer Alexey Pajitnov in 1984 and was released in the United States by Atari Games in 1988.

  • Multiplayer Tetris & Game Over graphic tees are available for purchase on Cotton Bureau. 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.

Strategy Requires Creativity

Article + Client Projects
July 2024

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Strategy Requires Creativity
I remember when all creative concepts were hand-drawn. I honed this skill during my college years studying illustration and design, and continue to use it to this day. Nowadays, most clients don't see my sketches, as presenting 'polished' work has become the norm. Nevertheless, my sketches are what made the project.

For me, sketching is essential for visual problem solving and connecting ideas. It continues to help me to create strong visual concepts not only requiring a skilled hand and a good eye, but also empathetic, critical, and conceptual thinking.

If you're seeking human insight, creativity, and thoughtfulness, I can help your brand craft strategic, compelling and unique solutions based on your business objectives, your brand, and your consumers.

 

Orb

Creative Musing + Product
June 2024

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Orb
Creating a celestial feeling through experimentation with shapes, blurs, and textures.

  • Orb graphic tee is available for purchase on Cotton Bureau. 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.

Anatomy of Twitter

Creative Musing + Product
June 2024

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Anatomy of Twitter
I pulled this illustration from my archives (originally created in 2010). When Twitter existed before becoming 'X', the internet dubbed my illustration "The Anatomy of a Tweet." My original aim was to depict the thinking (brain) and feeling (heart) of users, highlighting the struggle to balance logic and emotion tweets.

  • Anatomy of Twitter graphic tee is available for purchase on Cotton Bureau. 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.

Zero/One & Ninety-Nine

Creative Musing + Product
April 2024

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Zero/One & Ninety-Nine
These numbers were my favorites growing up. Zero/One (or 10) is from the Dodge Charger that Bo and Luke drove on, Dukes of Hazzard. Ninety-nine of course came from my favorite hockey player, Wayne Gretzky who played for the Edmonton Oilers from 1979–1988.

  • Zero/One & Ninety-Nine graphic tees shown in this post are available for purchase on Cotton Bureau. 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.

  • The numbers featured on these tee graphics come from a display typeface I designed. It’s available for purchase, view Sum here.

Super Phat

Creative Musing + Product
April 2024

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Super Phat
A design exploration to find a typeface that embodies “Super Phat”. I believe I choose right. The typeface I used is Sutturah designed by Octavio Pardo from Rosetta Type Foundry.

Hen & Egg

Creative Musing
March 2024

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Hen & Egg
Plutarch posed the question as a philosophical matter in his essay "The Symposiacs", written in the 1st century, "Which came first: the hen (chicken) or the egg?"

 

Mellow Yellow

Creative Musing + Product
March 2024

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Mellow Yellow
Inspiration for this type treatment from the song Mellow Yellow by Donovan. The typeface is Lust Script designed by Neil Summerour from Positype.

Earth Killer

Creative Musing + Product
March 2024

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Earth Killer
The oil and manufacturing industries are significant contributors to environmental pollution, earning them the label "Earth Killer." These industries release vast amounts of greenhouse gases, toxic chemicals, and particulate matter into the atmosphere, leading to severe air and water pollution.