role
Solo Graphic Designer
tools
Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop
timeline
project brief
summary
Designers were tasked with creating a unique brand identity system for either a fictitious traveling circus, carnival, or performer. After deciding to focus on a performer, I was drawn to the mystic acts from researching circus acts of the Victorian era.
task
Develop a brand identity unique to the 1800s
Required Elements:
Logo
Merchandise ( scarf / handkerchief, whiskey bottle )
Marketing Materials ( postcard, poster, mailer and signage )
design process
research
Diving into typical circus acts of the 1800s, I knew I wanted a character that could stand out and capture an audience with a performance unlike others.
Choosing the simplicity of a single performer, I found designs would be a little more elaborate and contained more intricate details in contrast to more broad concepts.
brand identity
name / character
Lady Rowena—the Oracle to the Ancients
Hailing from Ireland, Rowena is a runaway from her Gypsy roots. At this stage in her life, she found herself partnered with "Enslee's Extraordinary Few" traveling circus to fulfill her dream of seeing the world and connecting people with loved ones through divination and peaking into the future for a select few with her extensive seer capabilities.
Very stoic in stature, Lady Rowena enjoys reading of other lands between séances and teasing her fellow circus folk with her clairvoyance. But don't let her joking nature fool you, her palm and tarot readings are shockingly accurate and some sweat she's a time traveler.
typography
Only a strong but embellished typeface could embody Lady Rowena's brand and connect her with the audience of the time. In addition to such an elaborate font, it was also important to include organic flourishes and ornamental elements to convey the mysticism of Rowena's performance.
Bridge Gardens and The Victorian Elders were the typefaces selected for all design work.
colors
Deep purples, dark blues, yellow gold and a muted hue of green
keywords
enchanting, bewitched, spellbinding and elegant
target audience
Séance goers of all ages are intrigued by and welcomed to experience her connection to the other realms, some so much so that they return to her reading table regularly. The typical visitors are those that don't mind following their own curiosity into the unknown.
designs
moodboard
logo
sketches
finalized
signage
marketing assets + signage
merchandise
currently under construction
final thoughts
challenges
I think trying to teleport myself and creative skills to a time far in the past was one of the most challenging aspects of this project. Not only did I not have tangible experience of what life and audiences were like of the time but it was also difficult to wrap my imagination around practical designs and how they would be displayed in that time other than historical accounts of what already existing circus acts and performers did to get their names out there.
Additionally, the instructions for this project were muddy at best and often left me trying to fill in the blanks with my own research and efforts. Instructions were often described in a place of "think in the past" but also design something of the 21st century. The largest difficulty was when the instructor was not fully committed to the concept so it was challenging to also dive fully into the concept as well.
insights
Despite the challenges, diving into an era in history that I didn't know much about was very enlightening and fun! The elaborate embellishments and grandeur of the time were fascinating and something I also wanted to incorporate into my concept and designs—especially as my character was supposed to yearn for global travel and experience culture. I suppose that intention was a reflection of my own in a few ways.
Once discovering that about myself, it loosened the pressures of the assignment and allowed me to create something I enjoyed and envisioned, which I believe really brought the brand itself to life. I learned a lot about how much of a part connection and personality play in the creation of a brand. Additionally, I refined my research skills greatly in the exploration of this concept; you can find many things on the internet these days and it's easy to get caught doom scrolling in more ways than one.
