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.

As I mentioned, one of my favorite classes last semester was Graphic Design. It was an exploratory semester of a range of design concepts - from surface pattern design to iconography to concepting layout design. But the biggest project of the semester was a brand redesign for a local company in need of...how shall we say it?...design rehab.

I hate to say it, but my favorite neighborhood bakery needs help. Batch Bakehouse has the BEST sundried tomato + rosemary sourdough pretzels, gruyére croissants, scali bread - you name it, I've eaten it. Their brand is something of markedly less desire ( see their current logo here ). The royal blue / light blue color scheme is forgettable along with its clunky logo and plain typography. For an artisanal bakery crafting food from scratch with local ingredients, they deserve better!

In redesigning Batch's logo, I wanted to balance the vintage and the modern to reflect their classic approach and forward-thinking East side location. Chocolate brown + light blue has always been a favorite of mine, so I tweaked the color scheme to incorporate their dusty blue color but with a new twist. Since Batch makes everything by hand, I crafted handmade type which can be seen in the logo, on the business card and bread marker. The small wheat mark is a classic symbol that I repurposed for the now by simplifying it to its most basic elements.

The overall look ( I hope! ) is clean and modern, with a little bit of quirk + handmade flair. I think this project has a good chance of making it into my portfolio, so I am already brainstorming how to expand it further. To start, I want to make an entire font out of that handmade type.

For now though, I'm off to go buy that sundried tomato + rosemary pretzel. This project has made me exceedingly hungry.

[ Bagel photos by me, other photos found here and here ]

Because being late to the party is apparently my thing, I am finally getting around to posting more of my design work from last semester.  As I mentioned, that semester was crazy tough. I had four classes, which is only one more than the previous semester, but that extra class ( mixed in with a tough work schedule ) drove me to a far-off brink of insanity that I had no idea even existed.

Thank the sweet heavens for beer + coffee, let me tell you.

One of my favorite classes of the semester was Graphic Design. Our first big project involved developing symbols / icons to serve a community need. I immediately knew I wanted to develop a set of icons for voting. Not only is Election Day the worst-organized event in history but having worked in politics for a few years, this particular subject is near to my heart.

In developing these icons, I wanted the overall style to be clean, modern and simple. Since people of all ages, races + genders vote, the icons needed to be easily readable and function to guide voters through the voting process. I am generally happy with the way the icons turned out. If I use them in my portfolio, there will be some major tweaking to refine them to perfection.

Hopefully, these icons will help Election Day run more smoothly and as a result, voters will easily be able to navigate through City Hall and find voting to be a more enjoyable experience.

Vote or die, y'all.