CLUMSY BY DESIGN While “clumsy” can carry some negative connotations it’s not about stubbing your toe or stumbling over words and details. It’s about discovering new ideas in unexpected ways. Opportunity for inspiration lies all around us, even in situations that seem less than desirable. It’s also the driving force of why I like to use my hands in so many of my projects. From making clay out of bread (and hiding it from the dog that thought it was a treat), sewing clothes for my troll dolls, designing my own pogs and everything in between, creating with my hands has been a passion of mine from an early age. There’s beauty in the clumsiness of not being able to reproduce something exactly the same each time. From the impression of a print on paper, an experimental batch of beer or designs that encourage user interaction there’s magic in things that aren’t easily reproducible. Some find it a negative, but it’s all about your attitude and how you frame it. Moon beams are just sun beams that took extra long to get here, after all.
project | Home Brewing Kit client | Ladies Guide emphasis | Branding, Layout & Illustration typefaces | Futura, Super Clarendon & Snackbar
SUZY HOMEBREWER Combining craft beer and the DIY craze, the Ladies Guide to Beer and Brewing Kit is an all inclusive kit
for home brewing small batches of beer. The brand targets young women, ages 21-35 with disposable income, an interest in handmade projects and
craft beer - an untapped area of the market. The
illustrations and color palette are inspired by midcentury modern ads, including the original Suzy
Homemaker play oven. Futura, Supercalendon and a script styled after hand painted letter forms of
the fifties were chosen for their prevalence during
the inspiration period. I designed a vintage pattern featuring hop vines, barley, beer jugs and bottles that added historical flavor to the brewing guide while the kraft paper and exposed cardboard accentuates the “DIY� feel of the brand.
ladies guide | Beer Brewing Book
ladies guide | Brewing Kit & Recipe Cards
ladies guide | Interior Spreads of Beer & Brewing Book
ladies guide | Apron & Oven Mit
MANAGED MESSES The apron that goes along with the beer brewing kit was inspired by 1950s illustrations. A hand-drawn repeat was created with the final product in mind. The pattern is large enough to create interest on the apron while not overpowering the apron’s small surface.
ladies guide| Process & Conception
project | Restaurant Branding client | Pepper Jacks emphasis | Branding typefaces | Charcuterie Family
P O U R FAV O R Located on the beaches of Baja California, Pepper Jacks features sustainable, locally
sourced, vegetarian Mexican cuisine. As U.S.
tourists recognize the increasing culinary scene in Northern Baja, affluent foodies 40-55 from
areas like Newport Beach and Encinitas are the
primary guests in addition to locals. To encourage international travelers, PJs offers a complimentary pick up in a classic VW bus at the US/MEX border
easing travel concerns of patrons. The striking color palette is inspired typical ingredients; fresh greens, berries and eggplant. To incorporate the blazing glow of green on menus and other collateral,
deliverables are hand stamped with neon ink.
The vegan burro was chosen for it’s popularity in Mexican motifs and also as a vegetarian mascot. It is playfully applied across the branded items as well as the restaurant interior, but in limited quantities to convey the refined sophisticated atmosphere of the restaurant.
pepper jacks | Menus, Pick up Location Map & Business Cards
salirapepperjacks.com.mx
pepper jacks | Border Transport Van
pepper jacks | Restaurant Interior
pepper jacks | Host Uniform and Menu
CUSTO
In addition
border tra collateral
the stamp
n to a custom paint job on the VW Bus
ansportation, the mark used on the
was hand carved from linoleum and
ped image is used across the branding.
pepper jacks | Process & Conception
OM COLORS
project | Mezcal Branding client | Sirena emphasis | Branding typefaces | Hand Lettered
SINGED SIRENS Sirena, a handmade small batch mezcal from
Oaxaca, Mexico is imported to the U.S. Targeting
upper middle income men and women 30-45 with an interest in travel and international beverage.
As the popularity of artisan cocktails and mezcal grows in the US, it was important to differentiate
from traditional agave motifs of tequila and mezcal to stand out on the shelf. The mermaid and ocean
themes highlight the lightness of the joven mezcal, and challenge the common misconceptions
that mezcal is a harsh tasting inexpensive liquor.
Emphasizing the need to address sustainability in mezcal production, the artisan handmade glass
bottles are designed with a second life in mind. The hand drawn batch number and year are
intended to emphasize the limited, small batch feel of the brand. The artisan hand blown bottle forms change each year encouraging mezcal patrons to collect them all.
sirena | Mezcal Bottle Concept
project | Treatshop Branding client | Nibbles emphasis | Branding typefaces |Baskerville, Josefin Sans
H I G H LY D E L I C I O U S As marijuana becomes recreationally available, in addition to it’s place in the medical world,
Nibbles aims to reach an untapped market of consumers. Functioning as a specialty bakery
and candy store located in downtown La Jolla,
affluent women will be drawn to the clean, elegant branding of the company. The packaging is not aimed to completely disguise the previously
banned ingredients, but instead discretely hint
at the contents. All references to typical “stoner
culture,” such as harsh colors, have been removed and the limited color palette is clean, while the
gold embossing elevates the brand’s reputation. Like any bakery, items are available individually
wrapped, sealed with a branded sticker and the underside allows for notes of ingredients and
potency. The menu contains necessary cautions given the product’s delicate nature.
nibbles | Retail Store Signage
nibbles | Cookie Packaging
nibbles | Menu
ELEVATED EXPERIENCES Highlighting the brand’s unique market position and prestige, two types of embossing are used on the packaging. A raised gold emblem adorns the pearl paper of the menu and bakery wrapping. Additionally, pressed by hand with a custom embosser, gold seals are used as finishing touches on the fresh cookie wrapping.
nibbles | Packaging, Branding Detail
nibbles | Process & conception
project | Album Release Promotion client | Levi Dean & Americats emphasis | Branding, & Illustration typefaces | Museo Slab & Hand-drawn letters
RED, WHITE & MEW A local San Diego band and group of musicians has finally prepared an album. Their sound is
largely acoustic, bluegrass influenced and folksy. Their main crowd, in addition to their groupie
friends, consists of young urban hipsters typically in their 20s-30s. Playing off the band’s name,
cats and patriotic red, white and blues are used extensively on their merchandise. Their identity
combines Museo Slab for Levi’s name and handdrawn letters to for the remainder to emphasize their authentic sound.
QUIRKY CATS Playing off the band’s name, the Americats’ merchandise and posters incorporate cats, and patriotic themes. From koozies to western themed wear, their branded gear is as unique as their sound.
project | Album Release Promotion client | Levi Dean & Americats emphasis | Branding, & Illustration typefaces | Museo Slab & Hand-drawn letters
levi dean & the americats | Band Merchandise & EP Vinyl Cover
project | Rebranding client | Morris Hershberg emphasis | Branding typefaces | Archer & Core Circus
R E A D Y R E PA I R S Morris Herschberg, a local San Diego Handyman in business for over 30 years required a modern identity to avoid getting swallowed by the
competition. The modern clean typography and
color pallet is intended to catch the eye of young
urban professionals, ages 25-35 that may be living in their first home or condo purchase. The mark representing his brand was hand drawn from
hammers and creates a strong timeless mark.
The mark is either encased in a circle to show
permanence and strenght or paired with screw heads to allow flexibility to the branding. The
use of tools throughout the visual system relays confidence in his handycraft while the strong
typography across the work truck doubles as a
mobile billboard reducing his marketing costs.
His businesscard is perferated in the center and
insentivises referals by offering a discount to the person making the referal, futher reducing the need for marketing expenses.
morris handyman | Two-Part Business Card
morris handyman | Collateral & Branding
morris handyman | Branded Work Truck
project | Nonprofit Rebranding client | Animal Rescuers Without Borders emphasis | Branding typefaces | Gill Sans, Pequena
I M P O RT E D PA L S ARWOB, an animal rescue group focuses on cats and dogs from Baja CA and places them with families locally in San Diego. In order to support the animals, the rescue group needed to drive more donations and recruit volunteers. With young San Diego families in mind, the new identity features pops of golden yellow, bright blue and rosa mexicana to pay tribute to Mexican culture. The illustrations and logo are hand drawn to emphasize a sense of family, playfulness and community avoiding associations with large corporations. The logo was reworked, removing the clip art for a more reputable presence and increased readability. The website was redesigned to highlight the new custom brand elements. By limiting themselves to a few branded items, ARWOB is able to keep the cost of production low through the use of silkscreen techniques while increasing brand exposure and maximizing fundraising.
arwob | Website Landing Mock-up
arwob| Branded Bandana
arwob | Branded Collateral
SAN DIEGO
619-757-9814
1 | DIY Brand 2 | European Restaurant 3 | Mezcal 4 | Boutique Hotel 5 |Animal Rescue Group 6 | Mexican Restaurant 7 | High end Bakery 8 | Handyman 9 | Americana Band
G R AT I T U D E You see, clumsy can be quite a great thing. It all starts and ends with your attitude towards the
world, and the most important attitude to have is one of gratitude. So with that in mind, I’d like to
thank a few people for helping not only make this
particular book extra rad by lending a hand, but for the friendship that will last much longer than this book certainly will.
Anne, Michelle, Rachel, Danielz, Stephani, Bower,
Patrick, and Zak—you all rock and I love you. I most certainly owe you all a beer, or a dog bone as the case may be. I’m also thankful for the laughs and inspiration from my classmates and our fearless
leader, Sean Bacon. It’s been a wild ride and we’ve only just begun.
Product Photography | Nicole Espina Models | Rachel Ricketts, Daniel Hernandez & Bower All work copyright Amber Myers