For someone who generally hasn't been graced with the best luck ( I blame Middle Child Syndrome ), I got real lucky this semester. In my Integrated Design class, our main assignment for the semester was an extensive branding project for a company we picked out of a hat. In this hat were a motley crew of possibilities—ranging from a taxidermy service to a chimney sweep business to a pet clothing + accessories store. After hearing my options, I was convinced with my luck I'd be spending the next three months figuring out how to make taxidermy look cool.

But then, in a stroke of blinding luck, I was handed my assignment: VEGAN CAFÉ.

Cue the happy dance + Hail Marys.

So, I spent nearly this entire last semester designing my dream restaurant—a clean, modern + cool eatery that happens to serve plant-based food in a ridiculously hip setting. The restaurant's name—Waxwing—was inspired by the bird of the same name. It's a fruit + plant-loving passerine bird that happens to reside year-round in the forests of the north, including Wisconsin. It provided the perfect inspiration for my project.

I wanted to brand the restaurant not as vegan, but rather a locally-minded hub for supporting farmers, growers and plant-based eats. A place you + your friends can hit up on a Friday night for good food + good drinks without the word "vegan" being an obstacle for enjoyment. With that, I steered away from the color green + any visible connotation to plants, roots, trees, etc. Instead, I designed more abstractly—utilizing gouache to paint the lilting, wispy logo and corresponding tree / feather icon utilized throughout the branding. I added touches of both yellow + red, since the actual waxwing bird has two small marking on its tail in those same colors.

The modernness of the branding was maintained through a grid structure ( seen in the matrix-like website, business card + info box on the menu ) and the addition of my current favorite font, Brandon Grotesque, along with Abraham Lincoln. All of these elements can be found in each of my collateral items, including the website ( iPad / iPhone version, included ), letterhead + envelope, business card, promotional buttons, dinner menu, drink menu + packaging. Seriously, check out my menu because it's off the chains delicious.

It took more than three months to finish this project, but I am really  happy with the results. Like I mentioned before, this semester I feel like I started to do work I was proud of, and this project was a big part of that. To further Waxwing, I want to design the interior of the restaurant, because I know exactly how I want it to look, huge plant wall included.

But for now, all I have to say is arrivederci, because in just FOUR days, this girl is heading to London + Italy for a long-awaited vacation.

See y'all in a couple weeks, my friends.