Creating some concept projects or portfolio projects has been an important thing for me to focus on as I’ve got Elm Leaf Studio started. It’s a way for me to show my skills for the type of work I’d like to be doing. I’ve joined in with a number of Instagram challenge ones including this one for La Terre. However going forward I will be setting my own ones to share on Instagram for anyone to join in too.
The brief was for a pottery studio that offers a wide range of workshops that wanted ‘some earthy tones to be part of their brand to create a sense of warmth and unity, but don’t want their brand to look like every other pottery studio out there.’
I’ve created an earthy, warm and handmade feeling brand identity by using organic-feeling handdrawn illustrations and textures. I didn’t want them to look too polished but instead a bit loose and rough edged which is reminiscent of handmade pottery items.
The Brand Identity Design Process
Step One – Research
Step Two – Sketching & Thinking
For me I often start sketching some initial thoughts and ideas from a brief or a client meeting or perhaps after the research stage and certainly before I go on to a computer and try to jump into a design.
Step Three – Moodboard for creative direction
After sketching some initial ideas and illustrations I then created a moodboard to refine the direction I had in mind. For client projects this would have come ahead of some of the work I did as it’s important to get sign off on the creative direction however as this was just a concept brief and
Step Three – Building out the Brand Identity
The next step was to refine the logo concepts and narrow down my explorations. As well as create extra illustrations and textures to incorporate into the brand identity.
Step Five – Refining the strongest concept then bringing it all together and checking for cohesiveness
How gorgeous is the colour palette and fitting for a pottery studio without being brown and bland!
Step Five – Designing the remaining deliverables such as on-brand marketing and packaging
Mock-ups really help to sell the concept of the brand identity as it shows how it looks and works across a number of items.
Hey, I’m Kirsty McGill the creative behind Elm Leaf Studio. I’ve been a designer for 13 years now and building websites for most of them.
Elm Leaf Studio is a creative studio that exists to help small, ethically-minded businesses grow and thrive.
When I’m not designing I mostly spend my time running around after a toddler nowadays, and if I get a spare moment I enjoy reading, learning and making art.
