LUNA jselz dp PROCESS BOOK
luna crew facebook
lunaurl.com
michelle & lance
video doc.
photo doc.
POSTER
ma
APPAREL
APPAREL feb
rch
research PROCESS
POSTER
POSTER
ap ril
VIDEO REEL
A FEW QUESTIONS 1. how can brand identity clarify who luna is + identify their mission? 2. will a brand identity have a positive effect on their business outcome? 3. how will working with several people effect the outcome of the project? 4. will a brand identity increase their public awareness? if so, what’s the best way to do so? 5. will luna gain more work if their identity is clear/well designed? 6. what kind of solutions will luna be flexible with? (In terms of changing their pre-existing brand elements)
research In the first week I restated and edited my original question to a more concise and clear thesis, “How can design help Luna Corp’s identity?” The people I worked + collaborated with, Michelle and Lance Miller are brother and sister. Michelle is a film major in her junior year at KCAI and Lance is living in Tulsa, OK. Together they are
youthful entrepreneurs who created their own independent business in 2013, known as Luna Corp. Luna has friends, fans, and followers who see themselves as part of the Luna crew and are referred to as “Luna Goons.” These people reside in several U.S. states like Oklahoma, New York, Missouri, Texas and even Montreal—the
Canadian province of Quebec Canada. The distance between where Michelle and I live from Lance, required us to come up with creative solutions to have effective meetings, critiques and talks about this project from start to finish. Whether it was through face-time, Skype, email, or a phone call, we seemed to make it work.
Above are a list of questions I asked Lance and Michelle to answer. Both of their responses were unseen from each other or any other Luna member so that their responses were not effected or changed from another party. These questions and answers were specifically created for the purpose of drawing connections from
their responses. Then, I gathered that information, combined similar responses, and edited the verbiage to help me in the beginning stage which was necessary to establish before I could start designing, branding, or creating any visual work. Some of my questions are blank because one or both of them were unable to give
me an answer. The blue represents Michelle’s responses and the orange is Lance’s. Even though clarity was a big issue from the gecko, you can see through this study that drawing conclusions was fairly easy and many of their responses were consistent with one another.
luna crew
LUNA CREW FACEBOOK
WEBSITE
video documentation
photo documentation
MICHELLE + LANCE
lunaurl.com
michelle & lance
feb
march
poster apparel PHOTO DOC.
apparel video doc.
photo doc.
VIDEO DOC.
ma
feb
feb
rch
POSTER
poster
APPAREL
APPAREL
POSTER
poster
APPAREL
APPAREL
march
POSTER
POSTER
POSTER
april
POSTER
april ap
april
ril
VIDEO REEL
video reel
VIMEO
VIDEO REEL
vimeo
vimeo
during the first and second week, i created a visual infograph depicting a visual timeline. diversity + flexibility were two important things I had to keep in mind. not only was this schedule for me to follow, but for michelle and lance as well. every wednesday and friday were to be check in days with my progress and were to be used as a way for us to communicate and have an open discussion about progression, changes, ideas, etc. in the end, the deliverables were not exactly what i expected they’d be when i initially created this infograph.
LUNA CREW FACEBOOK
WEBSITE
MICHELLE + LANCE
PHOTO DOC.
feb
VIDEO DOC.
POSTER APPAREL
APPAREL
march
POSTER
POSTER
april VIDEO REEL
VIMEO
branding PROCESS
A FEW SUB QUESTIONS 1. how can I rethink the physical role of a brand book? 2. what can video/motion graphics inform the user more than print? 3. how can I refresh a logo while keeping very close to the original? 4. OR how can I create a stronger identity with more recognizable (emotional/ iconic/symbolic) elements while keeping the original logo
branding During the branding process I wanted to explore the idea of a brand book—its definition, and think of all the different forms it could ultimately take. I’d also study how video could create a different message in contrast with print + web materials. All of which had to be done under the restriction of keeping their original logo and
their name Luna Corp (after negotiation we decided that it’d be shortened to Luna). Initially, I wanted to try to change their logo into a more meaningful mark while still keeping some of its original qualities it was determined that it couldn’t be changed. Thus, pushing me to make other brand elements just as, or stronger visual signals.
it was important for them to be flexible and be able to cater to their clients own specific branding; avoiding visual chaos as much as possible. luna also needed something that’s really legible and clean for quick reads on print and web—making helvetica the perfect solution. the tag-line became “we’ll make your night” which relates back the atmosphere + lifestyle of this particular business.
yellow : stands for their boldness and how each person in Luna stands out with unique qualities bold (of a person, action, or idea) showing an ability to take risks; confident and courageous blue : represents the intimate connection between the audience and the music affine preserving parallel relationships red : reflects their professionalism and the energy that consumes you during their events lively full of life and energy
poster 1 PROCESS
April 25
Club Majestic
VOGUE 124 N Boston.Tulsa OK 74103 9 PM-2 AM
DJ MIKE Q DIVOLI S’VERE SUGAR SHANE BEEK Presented by Luna & Qween Beats
CLUB MAJESTIC PRESENTS
#VOGUETULSA
BY House of Luna
APRIL 25
Qween Beats
MIKE Q ---DIVOLI S’VERE ---SUGAR SHANE ----
DIVOLI S'VERE
BEEK ----
MIKEQ SUGUR SHANE BEEK
April 25 9 PM-2 AM
Club Majestic Presents #Voguetulsa By House of Luna & Qween Beat
124 N Boston. Tulsa Oklahoma 74103
4 . 11 . 2014
April 25 Club Majestic 124 N Boston. Tulsa Oklahoma 74103
DJ MIKEQ DIVOLI S’VERE SUGAR SHANE & BEEK
LUNA presented by
April 11 2014
DJ MIKEQ QWEEN DJ MIKEQLUNA & DIVOLI S'VERE BEATS DIVOLI S'VERE SUGAR SHANE QWEEN SUGAR SHANE BEEK BEATS presented by
9 PM-2 AM
Presented by Luna + Qween Beats
my studies began with a photograph i took of a young woman posing in a “vogue-esk” kind of way and playing with the typography creating visual space around the girl’s figure. after a few attempts i realized that it just wasn’t achieving the message i was going for. then i changed gears and began exploring the idea and concept of the mannequin (see next page for details). some of the imagery had mixed messages or created completely different concepts while others were getting closer to what i was looking for. but the key element i was missing in all of these studies was an androgynous body.
GENDER
SEXLESS
poster 1 I was given the task to create a poster for Luna’s “Vogue Tulsa” show in April. With Vogue being the theme, and having full creative control, I wanted to explore the idea of “Vogue” in a different way and represent the strong empowerment Club Majestic and Qween Beats supports: The LGBT community & celebrating who you are
comfortably with no restrictions. So my concept of the mannequin represents the idea that you are the person that you choose to be and create over time. Your body is a personal canvas waiting to be presented in a way that celebrates the inner you; everyone is beautiful in their own way, and that should be embraced by all.
SEXUALITY
as i mentioned before my inspiration drew from mannequins and the idea of self expression through your body, genderless beings that cannot be judged based on their gentiles, and these beautiful representations of the physical human form that are put on display and almost celebrated in a way from their physical appearance.
this first poster was probably the most difficult to figure out. not only did it have to achieve strong + positive meaning, but it also became a big stepping stone for my branding system. it was at this point that i began to determine a typographic + image treatment rule-set that would help me in my later posters and other work i created for the luna brand.
end result
poster 2 PROCESS
in my next case study i had no direction in terms of a theme, or even a luna client at that. so with full creative control i began to draw and i let the ink tell the story on my paper. after a few hours of mindlessly doodling i was left with a lot of diverse illustrations of vinyls. i decided to save those for a later brand element because they just didn’t feel strong enough to be one of my final posters since i was specifically attempting to design something that read as a narrative to the viewers. this then directed me to start with a narrative or theme so i began conceptualizing scenes/themes such as parties and health + fitness depictions.
WORKOUT
FITNESS
poster 2 Fitness was the direction I chose to role with since it seemed to have more promise and I was already creating a story + visuals in my head. This decision was one of my better ones during this entire project and frankly, I wish I listened to my gut feelings more decisions as simply as this. Poster 2 + 3 were also a lot more fun to make than
poster 1. This was because I kept getting caught up in feedback I got back from Michelle, Lance, other Luna members who were not really supposed to be a part of this branding project, and my professor. With a million different reactions to the simplest decisions—I found that I was begining to lose my own voice as a designer.
HEALTHY
this poster was my chance to have some fun and articulate luna’s unique sense of humor, and how they sometimes enjoy pushing the boundaries to an uncomfortable or controversial level through their gig posters. diving into research + inspirational imagery, i was lured into these vintage fitness photographs from 1930’s-1980’s. i enjoyed the way the media depicted health and how in the some of the advertisements the equipment was much more entertaining to look at than the people using them.
after scanning the web for several days i began to gather some promising content that felt like it could probably get a laugh out of someone. from the goofy clothes to the bizarre fitness equipment, i had many different options and directions i could chose from but i still felt a void somewhere. the humor was there but a small element was missing. but what was it? then it hit me—the uncomfortable, controversial, raunchiness was missing.
in the end i created this visual collage of imagery, symbolic marks, and typography that rests on top of his body with the letter u making this space around his crotch (which is known a forbidden + private area) and forces the viewer to see that space as almost a focal point. thus, pushing to that extra step of controversial—yet funny element i was looking for. the line work is reflective of music sound-waves, the body builder’s tiny cheetah print undergarment makes the poster more light hearted and silly.
end result
poster 3 PROCESS
during my process of creating my final poster i was creating a wide-set body of work with diverse symbolism and meaning. some of the material i created was useful in other areas of this project and fit better as something else other than a poster. i felt that poster 2 was a lot more successful than the first + i was feeling like i got my voice back—and it was showing through my designs. since i was able to make the call and i had full creative control yet again i decided to continue exploring other ways to depict luna’s sense of humor visually.
LADIES
WOMEN
poster 3 I was inspired by a lot of old imagery of women being displayed in a sexualized way and owning it as if it empowered them, made them feel beautiful, happy, or more confident. I was drawn to depictions of pinups, the classic beauties who were casted as the damsel in old black and white films, and how media from the past would use
curvy + full figured women—celebrating the shapes and lines a woman’s body makes. A contrasting idea when comparing what is illustrated as beautiful in today’s society. Being a curvy female myself, designing this poster became almost personal but not in a way that detracted or took away from the message at hand.
CHICKS
as i previously stated my creative stimulation steamed from the past, yet again. women in the media that were curvy + full figured were viewed as beautiful and put on display through the media. many of these ladies acknowledged this by displaying the significance of their womanhood through their pose, outfit, lusty glare, action, or from some other implication.
the third and final poster portrays two youthful american women in their bikini’s chowing down on some hot dogs. the hot dogs work in two ways here, first they relate back to the idea of curvy women being beautiful—and it also acts as a suggestive prop representing the male genitalia entering their mouths. when that concept it understood by the viewer they can then draw conclusions back to the large mouth that’s framing the entire scene.
end result
merch PROCESS
apparel + stickers Most of the t-shirts I created were based off of my final posters or the pieces I produced during the time I was going through that process of creating each print. Not every digital creation I made was a failure. Although some of these artifacts may not have been chosen to be one of the three final gig posters—several felt right as
a t-shirt or perhaps a sticker. The way I employed my branding to the shirts is very similar to the rules I followed with the prints. One notable decision in particular is the treatment and application of the logo. Although it was necessary to use it in the shirts—it was still important for me to stick to my mission and tone it down.
simplicity was the right direction for the t-shirts showcasing their brand. color is the only thing that changes throughout these and the logo remains constant bringing a uniformed, clean feel to the series. in the other shirts containing content of produced art, the logo is not seen on the front like the first few shirts you see. it’s used as a small mark on the upper back area by the shirts neckline. although it’s on the back, it’s large enough and centered—which acknowledges the importance of the logo, but is done in a way that enables + asks for the viewer to pick up on some of the other key elements that start to visually tie the brand together.
i felt that i successfully combined the work produced for the posters that wasn’t used along with the finals. it was also a way of not scrapping every little thing i created—and this option will be just as useful for them as it was for me. in terms of translating the 2-d work onto this different surface that lives on a persons body + worn, was a process that sort of fell into place naturally. all of my placement decisions had take in consideration the capabilities of custom t-shirt printing services and how the charges vary by size, color and placement of a design.
end result
designing the stickers was a little tricky. many of the businesses that provide custom sticker printing have limited size + shape options. so my early digital sketches were created in a circular form. although the shape is representative of a vinyl and ties in with music nicely—many of my pieces + black band treatment felt awkward. the space was problematic and seemed to clash with most of the art. i also had trouble finding a company that had clean 90° angles on their square or rectangular stickers. most of what i found only had round edges which also played a role as complication during this process.
the black band was an important element from the three gig posters, it created an easy solution to one of the larger problems that luna needed to tackle. so i wanted to replicate that creative answer and translate it onto my stickers. after a few iterations and editing i felt that since the type had to be scaled down to 8 pt it would be a hard cluttered read if there was a lot of information. which is why i made my decision to only include one important line that works as a good universal promotional tool for luna, their facebook.
after days of searching high & low for the right service who could provide me with a square or rectangular stickers with 90° angles, i found one. to my surprise they had an option of both a square and rectangle. naturally, i chose the format of the rectangle because all of these pieces were created as a rectangular poster in the first place. therefore, there wasn’t much cropping or changes made to the actual work since it basically just needed to be scaled down to sticker size.
end result
spatial PROCESS
spatial Spatial design was something that had to addressed during my video production. I had to consider things such as what the exterior of a venue/building might look like if Luna is hired for an event, how to highlight the new branding in a 3-d space, and how that will change or effect the viewers experience.
LUNA SIGRAH
DJ FOXY
J6
Work It With Luna
VTA
May 31 路 $5 Entry 路 11pm 路 7417 Madison Ave N St Tulsa OK, 3951 For more info visit facebook.com/Luna 路 Poster designed by jselz.com
DJ BLAM
there were not too many steps or iterations made when i designed for the exterior space of this particular luna event. on the other hand, a lot of researching and digging had to be made in order for me to find the perfect representative exterior building. then i decided what visual elements would be a key importance and the quickest + effortless read for someone who may know nothing about the event, (or even Luna) and is simply passing by.
my goal was to design the interior of a space holding a Luna event in a such a way that an outside viewer could really get a sense of what the actual experience would be like. certain things like the graffiti wall and the instagram incorporation within the projected motion graphics really lets the audience feel like an important part of the night. through participation anyone can help create a piece of the night in a new social way. the interior gave me room to apply the branding in an innovative + modern approach. this also seemed to solve a few of Luna’s problems in a new and creative way.