P RO J E C T N O. 1
Create a package for a coffee mug that reflects the unique, vintage, and charming atmosphere of Kaffeemeister; A lo-cally owned cafe.
Create a package that functioned as a gift box for the
mug, and have one other secondary function. Issues
to keep in mind were transportability and using envi-
ronmentally friendly materials.
Create a box out of the least amount of material pos-
sible, in turn, cutting down on the cost for manufactur-
ing as well as potential harm to the environment.
To achieve this, we resolved to create a gift box out
of coasters which would be used for the mug. In this
way, the box could be given as an appealing gift,
functioning as a gift box for the mug, and after the gift
was received, each piece of the box would function as
a coaster. When the coaters are not in use, the back
coaster piece, that is also used for holding the handle,
exists as a stand and display for the coasters.
Our package was not only designed to encompass
the feel of Kaffeemeister, but also embody the fusion
of functionality and design. Kaffeemeister is a coffee
shop that has a very unique decor and style. We
found many elements within the shops decor to in-
corporate into our package, including faded, neutral
colors, raw materials, and a hint of vintage charm.
At the start of the process, we believed the most
appropriate way to highlight the shop and the decor
was to package the mugs they sell and use within
the store. After we chose cork for our main material
for construction, our primary concern was develop-
ing a system to interlock the coasters. We created
puzzle-like pieces out of the coasters to eliminate the
need for adhesives such as glue and string, and also
to mimic the design of the mug itself. The pattern on
the coasters was derived from elements in the Kaffee-
meister logo, as a way to abstractly refer to the store
without placing their logo on the box. The design was
then heat-pressed on to the cork. We kept the design
on the coasters minimal to let the natural beauty of
the cork speak for itself. The tags were made to be
a dark gray to offset the corks color, and they were
made in circular shapes to refer to the shape of the
mug inside. Brown pushpins were used to hold down
the tags, referring to the color of coffee and also to
lightheartedly play off the idea of cork board and
what it is normally used for. Altogether, we created
this package to be interactive, fun, and aesthetically
pleasing to the consumer.
OBJECTIVE
CHALLENGE
SOLUTION
DETAILS
09
01
0503
02
07
08
06
04
Insp i ra t ion
01 corkboard02 coffee beans03 ca fe det a i l s04 eng ineer ing b luepr in ts05 push p ins06 c i rcu la r shapes07 a r t nouveau08 l a tte a r t09 descr ip t ive words
U n i v e r s 3 9 T h i n U l t r a C o n d e n s e d
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
COASTER
BOX
OPENHERE
GIFT BOX
THREE WAYS
HOLDER
COASTERS
COASTER
BOX
Fla t f i l es o f tags and type spec imens. Coaster Box as g i f t box .
Gray tags offset beauty of natural corkboard. Pushpins resemble
coffee beans, and floursihes add a vintage elements to design.
C 48 M 67 Y 78 K 54
C 0 M 0 Y 0 K 10 0
C 53 M 52 Y 50 K 17
Sequenc ing the th ree uses of the package.
1
4
7
10
2
5
8
11
3
6
9
12
P RO J E C T N O. 2
Design a kit and corresponding brochure that helps instill a spirit of exploration and discovery in children.
Create a kit and corresponding brochure using icons
that would explain to a child in the 6-10 year age
range how to be an explorer. This package and bro-
chure would most likely be sold in a nature museum
setting or an educational store. The overall objec-
tive was to help children use their imagination and
play-pretend, which is crucial to a childs develop-
mental process, as well as to indirectly teach children
about nature, science and safety.
The brochure, which was inspired by treasure
maps and antique explorer logs, used an expansive
landscape illustration and directional arrows pointing
to activity icons to help explain what a child could
do in different environments. Simple sentences
such as Find animal tracks and Observe your
surroundings are used in conjunction with icons for
increased clarity.
All icons and landscapes in the brochure are hand
illustrated giving a colored pencil and watercolor
look to the design. The backside of the brochure
consists of a simple infographic; the different
supplies and the directional arrow pointing into the
backpack, and tips and ideas are listed to help spark
the childs imagination. Light yellow circles highlight
important features of the brochure, and the color
palette remains an antiqued yellow, dusty green and
orange to further the antique-nature idea. The kit was
designed to bring all of the icons to life; the jar, rope,
compass, journal and magnifying glass have individ-
ual cutouts in the box which they rest in. The colors of
the paper for each of the individual icons rectangle
corresponds with how they are used in the brochure.
The type is weathered looking, giving an aged feel,
and the box is whitewashed, adding a fresh element
to the design. As an item is removed from the box, a
yellow leaf pattern is revealed beneath it, adding a
surprise element. The kit was designed to be fun, ex-
citing, and adventure-provoking while still remaining
educational and informative.
OBJECTIVE
CHALLENGE
SOLUTION
DETAILS
01
05
04
02
09
06
07
03
08
adventurous
playful
imaginat ive
warm
rust ic
weathered
youthful
Insp i ra t ion
01 wood texture02 nature03 t reasure maps04 fo rests05 fa l l co lo rs06 ant ique07 descr ip t ive words08 o ld parchment09 d r ied f lowers
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
Bookman Oldstyle
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Type spec imens fo r Exp lo re logo, hand i l lus t ra ted icons fo r k i t . Brochure and f l a t f i le .
Ki t c losed w i th band and de ta i l s o f b rochure .
C 80 M 42 Y 59 K 24
C 28 M 36 Y 53 K1
C 21 M 76 Y 100 K 10
C 0 M 14 Y 48 K 0
Ins ide pa t te rn o f lea f i s revea led once i tem is removed f rom k i t . Box wh i te -washed fo r an an t ique and f resh fee l . Pamphle t s l ides in to pocket in k i t fo r sa fekeep ing .
P RO J E C T N O. 3
Brand the Aztec Recreation Center with a logo that is clean, timeless, and reflecting of the gyms cutting-edge equipment.
The idea to rebrand the current Aztec Recreation
Center logo at San Diego State University came
about after plans were made to develop the ARC
Express building in the new Aztec Student Union
Center. The SDSU Design Studio class was ap-
proached to develop the new logo, and each student
designed two options, with one being expanded to
brand applications.
Design a logo that was timeless, appealing to males
and females, clean, easy applicable to products and
apparel, while also reflecting the ARCs cutting-edge
equipment and programming.
For the first mark, clean, timeless, and memorable
were the key words in focus. A unique aspect of this
logo is the element that appears in the area where
the A and R intersect. This plus sign not only
gives the mark its iconic appearance, but also serves
as an effective branding solution. This plus sign ex-
ists within the logo, and can stand alone, giving life to
different tag lines; You (plus), conveying an idea of
becoming a better you at the ARC, (Plus) more,
conveying the idea of always having the latest equip-
ment in the Arc Express center. As well as Just (add)
water for the ARC Aquaplex. This plus also serves a
significant purpose in the ARC Express logo; the plus
sign is slightly turned to become the x in x press
and aquaplex. For the second mark, the was to
abstractly represent the A in ARC as the shape of
an arc, and to represent movement, rigorous training
and fluidity shown in the knocked out stroke in the
center of the logo. The reason why this mark is effec-
tive is because it reflects all aspects of the ARC while
still maintaining an iconic appearance.
OBJECTIVE
CHALLENGE
SOLUTION
DETAILS
06
09
04
05
07
01
03
0208
Insp i ra t ion
01 p ropor t ions02 basketba l l a rc03 SDSU archways04 endurance05 determinat ion06 descr ip t ive words07 s t rength08 pass ion09 SDSU co lo rs
arc
Adver t isements fo r ARC and correspond ing t ag l ines . Gym bag , b rochure , and wa l l pa tte rn app l i ca t ion .
C 16 M 15 Y 100 K 0
C 0 M 0 Y 0 K 100
C 89 M 55 Y 3 K 0
C 22 M 100 Y 89 K 15
P RO J E C T N O. 4
Design a package that is sustainable, organic, and reflec-tive of healthy eat-ing, while conveying an exotic, whimsical and fun feel.
Package fresh, healthy, and organically grown food
for the age range of 12 and above. The package was
meant to not only efficiently contain and display the
good food item, but also to make choosing healthy
items attractive to students based on the overall
aesthetic of the design.
Package three types of dried fruit, and create a pack-
age that effectively competed against non-healthy
snack items. In this way, students would be attracted
to the dried fruit by the fun packaging design, and in
turn, be guided away from the less healthy options.
Considerations included having the package be
durable, environmentally friendly and unique.
The name of the company Manna comes from the
story of the Isrealites during the desert Exodus, and
how when they asked for food, God brought down
food from heaven, appearing as little flakes on the
ground that came up with the dew in the morning.
It relates to the idea of a farm and having the fruits
and vegetables grow and organically come up
from the ground. The packaging was designed with
reusability in mind. The bag was made out of linen
and hand-sewn together in a pouch or satchel-like
shape. This way, when the consumer is done eating
the dried fruit, the package could easily be used
to hold pencils, pens, sunglasses or any other
personal item. Every part of the bag is reusable and
recyclable, from the linen bag to the string tie, which
can also be used as a bracelet, and the tag is made
from recycled paper. The only item not reusable
is the wax paper lining that holds the fruit inside.
Rich yellows, oranges and greens were chosen in
order to accentuate the fruits color, and a dark gray
background for the tag contrasted nicely against the
natural color of the linen. The package was meant
to be effortless, natural and almost folk-like in its
approach, in order to help it stand apart from other
snack food packages.
OBJECTIVE
CHALLENGE
SOLUTION
DETAILS
02
08
04
1110
09
06
01
03
07
05
Insp i ra t ion
01 c ra fts02 cha lk l ines03 mex ican coast04 t rop ica l f lowers05 l inen texture06 descr ip t ive words07 v ib rant co lo rs08 embro ider y09 summer days10 fa r-o ff p laces11 o rgan ic o rchards
manna
Process fo r manna logo. Manna Packages in ho lder and hand-drawn i l lus t ra t ions of f ru i t .
Deta i l s o f tex tu re and hand s t i t ch ing .
C 21 M 1 Y 69 K 0
C 63 M 56 Y 53 K28
C 12 M 70 Y 99 K 2
C 2 M 8 Y 55 K 0
Package des igned to f i t and mold in to shape of hand by use of p l i ab le fabr ic . Package des igned to have many uses other than a food package, thus decreas ing the chances of the consumer th rowing away the i tem and e lminat ing potent ia l ha rm to env i ronment .
weird angel/ background color
P RO J E C T N O. 5
Brand a system for the SDSU School of Art and Design, embodying the progressive and prestigous nature of the art program.The San Diego School of Art and Design developed
plans to rebrand their school branding and logo,
and the SDSU Design Studio class was asked to
design the new system. The challenge was to de-
sign a solution that included logotype, school ban-
ners, school catalogue, stationery and website.
Create a logotype that was relevant but timeless, be-
ing that it would be used for a number of years to come.
Univers 47 Condensed light was chosen due to its
modern and contemporary feel, and its ability to be
applied in a number of different ways. This logotype
was stacked vertically, a theme which is repeated
throughout the system, and the logotype is then
knocked out in a square shape. This square shape
always bleeds off of the side of the application,
whether on the business card, letterhead or web-
site. The color palette is unique to this system, be-
cause of its absence. The concept behind the lack
of color in the logotype is that the color from the
schools work would be the main focus and energy
of the design. If logotype is placed over a full picture,
the color of the square is white. If the logotype if
placed over white paper, the space inside the square
becomes an area for a closeup of content to reside.
Vertical type is used throughout, adding an exper-
imental and exciting element to the system, and
transparent vertical blocks are used as well, adding
a dimensional aspect to the design, while keeping
the system from looking flat. Words in mind while
designing this system would be modern, advancing,
experimental, distinguished, clean and timeless.
OBJECTIVE
CHALLENGE
SOLUTION
DETAILS
Univers 47 Light Condensed
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y zA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
SDSUART+DESIGN
SDSUART+DESIGN
SDSUART&DESIGN
SDSUART&DESIGN
SDSU SCHOOLOF ART/DESIGN
SDSU SCHOOLOF ART/DESIGN
SDSUART&DESIGN
SDSUART+DESIGN
SDSUART&DESIGN
SDSUART/ANDDESIGN
Sta t ionary sys tem fo r SDSU Schoo l o f Ar t and Des ign , us ing the b leed ing square shape, wh i te paper fo r le t te rhead and bus iness cards , and gray paper fo r enve lope.
Logo app l ied to schoo l banners , us ing the theme o f ver t i ca l t ype .
Bus iness cards show versa t i l i t y o f logo . Image ins ide square shape can be rep laced w i th any image o f a r twork f rom any depar tment w i th in the Schoo l o f Ar t and Des ign . Fron t cover o f schoo l ca ta log shows fu l l b leed photo w i th wh i te logo b leed ing o f f s ide .
C 0 M 0 Y 0 K 0
C 100 M 100 Y 100 K 100
S D S U S c h o o l o f A r t a n d D e s i g n
www.art.sdsu.edu
Schoo l o f a r t and des ign webs i te fea tures t ransparenc ies , add ing d imens ion to the des ign . Background image wou ld change every 10 or so seconds. C lose up o f ca ta log opened, dep ic t ing c lass courses and major requ i rements .
P RO J E C T N O. 6
Design a calender based upon the Monomyth; A pattern in literature that is shared by myths and narratives around the world.
Design each month of the calender corresponding to
a different step in the Monomyth, or otherwise known
as the Hero Cycle. Highlight one quote in each month
depicting the heros specific challenge of that step.
One word from each quote is revealed through
a die cut on the previous page. The idea behind
this is that each step foreshadows the next step
through the die cut. When the quote is no longer
on the page, the shape of die cut is replaced with
a blocked out white shape. In December, when all
of the steps are completed, the white shapes re-
veal the image of stairs, relating again to the idea
of steps and abstractly explaining how every step
in a journey significantly contributes to the next.
A typeface was designed to compliment the shape
of the die cuts, using the same curves for all of
the letterforms, and this typeface is used through-
out the calendar. The challenge was to choose 12
different colors, each that could stand alone as
well as compliment one another, and be paired
with white, giving the calendar an airy and open
feel. The die cuts make for interesting and unique
color combinations throughout the project. The
Monomyth calendar was designed to be fresh,
clean and vibrant, contrasting the more in-depth
subject matter, and subsequently, making the con-
tent more approachable and friendly to the viewer.
OBJECTIVE
CHALLENGE
SOLUTION
DETAILS
Cover and det a i l s o f regard ing the def in i ton of a Monomyth .
Open ca lender i l l us t ra tes un ique co lo r combina t ions o f the chang ing months .
Pages tu rn ing revea l d ie cuts which h igh l ight a key word in quote . Hand rendered t ypeface compl iments the cur ves in the d ie cuts .
C 13 M 18 Y 78 K 0
C 57 M 0 Y 35 K 0
C 6 M 30 Y 62 K 0
F la t f i les o f ca lender, showing progress ion in co lo r, s teps in Monomyth , and d ie cuts .
P RO J E C T N O. 7
Create a series of posters for the SDSU School of Music and Dance, the SDSU School of Theatre, Television and Film, and the MCASD Thursday Night Thing event.The challenge of the posters was to accurately depict
the theme of the concert or theatre performance using
typography, illustration, color and, of course, concept.
OBJECTIVE
CHALLENGE
The design for For My People depicts an ink jar
spilling over, representing the flow of poetry from
Margaret Walkers writings, as well as illustrat-
ing the outline of a piano, representing the music
of the concert. The ink also drips down to form a
silhouette of a crowd representing the people in
My People. The colors are kept simply black and
white in this design, in order to symbolize the over-
coming of oppression and the struggle against rac-
ism. As the concert itself is a jazz, gospel, musi-
cal, theatre fusion, and based upon the writings of
Margaret Walker, it was important that the poster
combine the piano, the ink and the crowd in order
to represent the diversity of this particular concert.
For Grant Us Peace, The poster was designed with
the name of the concert in mind Grant Us Peace,
and focuses on a young girl, wishing for peace. This
is represented by the dandelion blowing and trans-
forming into a dove which then flies upward. All the
images are hand illustrated, and the image relates to
the title of the concert in an abstract, yet still tangible,
way. The color most well suited for this design was
a calming, cool blue color ranging from dark blue,
symbolizing the struggle of war, to light blue, symboliz-
ing the doves peace. While this design does reference
somewhat to the darker, war aspect of the concert,
what makes this poster unique is its interpretation
of peace by use of color, line, and negative space,
all contributing to the calming mood of the poster.
The purpose of this project was to brand a TNT
event named Rhythm that would be held at the
San Diego Museum of Contemporary Art. This event
would have a show of live music, poetry and read-
ings relating to the Rhythm subject matter. The
challenge was to create an effective logotype for the
word Rhythm, and then apply the logo to a poster.
The logotype was created using Univers as a base,
and the letter h, specifically, was flipped in place
for the y. Using inspiration from an ambigram,
which by definition is a word or design that can
be read at different vantage points. Different bars
were added to the letters which created a rhyth-
mic sense of the letterforms flipping up, down,
and back up again throughout the word. This de-
sign was meant to also abstractly represent piano
keys; The thick bars representing the white keys
and the space in between representing the black
keys, referenced the musical element of the event.
Furthermore, this design was meant to repre-
sent the patterns in sound waves, and how sound
waves usually peak at one specific point. In this
case, the y and th would represent this peak.
T h e L a r a m i e P r o j e c t
1 1 . 1 5 - 1 1 . 2 4D i r e c t e d b y C . J . K e i t h
D o n P o w e l l T h e a t r e
S c h o o l o f T h e a t r e , T e l e v i s i o n , a n d F i l m
Fo r t i c k e t s v i s i t t t f . s d s u . e d u
The design for The Laramie Project was based
heavily upon the juxtaposition of the serene Lara-
mie landscape and the horrific event that occurred.
The main image meant to be seen is the close-up
of the face, however, as the viewer looks closer,
the landscape; the mountains, grass, and birds,
suddenly become clear. The dark red color and the
illustration style is meant to evoke violence and
splattered blood, contrasting the gritty concrete-like
texture of the background. The image itself was
designed to be powerful and eye catching, and
the type chosen reflects the seriousness of the
story while still letting the main image breathe.
P RO J E C T N O. 8
Design an infographic informing the public of the possible side effects of our instant culture while using design cues from the industrial age.
Design a series of infographics that accurately ex-
plained a specific, and complicated issue. For the
theme, Instantopia, research was conducted in or-
der to find data for the correlation between our in-
stant culture and todays behavioral problems. This
data was designed in a series of infographics, and
then applied to a poster and magazine purposed to
educate the viewer, and ideally, to help the viewer
make smart decisions in an instant driven world.
Examinine this instant culture and approach it
through a number of questions; What is our history
as a society regarding the instant? Could our love for
the instant be deeply rooted in us psychologically?
And finally, what can we as individuals do to counter-
act the possible negative effects of our instant-driv-
en world? The main idea of this info graphic is not to
proclaim that all instantaneous products or technolo-
gies are bad, but rather to help create awareness of
how they could be affecting us on a personal level..
Inspiration for the design of this info graphic came
from elements of the Industrial Age, when technolo-
gy was created to increase speed and efficiency, like
circular wheels, spokes of wheels, wires, and Victori-
an style bust silhouettes. The blue and brown colors
also refer to this time period, and yellow and orange
accent colors give the design a more modern feel.
OBJECTIVE
CHALLENGE
SOLUTION
DETAILS
01
05
02
08
01
06
01
04
02
i n fo rma t i veun i quec l e anv i b r an topenunder s t andab l e
Insp i ra t ion
01 mach ine par ts02 v ic to r ian prof i les03 t reasure maps04 Indust r i a l age05 dark b rown co lo r06 in t r i ca te weav ings07 descr ip t ive words08 Rob ins egg b lue
Univers 59 Ul t ra Condensed
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
INSTANTOPIA{ }
$
32 1616
student s
boy s
girl s
30% 70%
Det a i l s and magaz ine sp ine .
In fo magaz ine is an in fograph ics magaz ine where Ins tan top ia a r t i c le wou ld be fea tured .
(above) de ta i l s and magaz ine sp ine .
C 64 M 65 Y 66 K 64
C 50 M 6 Y 24 K 0
C 29 M 0 Y 12 K 0
Ins t antop ia poster and det a i l s o f i cons .
P RO J E C T N O. 8
Willow is a store ded-icated to giving local artists an outlet to sell and display their work, with the main goal of helping artists and craftsmen in third world countries.
Design a theoretical store that would sell house
and home items, stationery and apparel. Essential-
ly, all items in the store would have an applied form
of illustration, typography, or pattern. The idea be-
hind this company is reflected in the tagline, artist
helpings artists. Local artists and designers would
have the opportunity to create works of art, design
and typography applied to different items, and then
sold in a store setting. In turn, 30% of these prof-
its would go to artisans, craftsmen and designers
in third world countries, helping the individuals be-
come self-sufficient, and providing them with the
means and materials necessary to start their own
business. The local artists and designers would be
able to choose who and where the profits went to,
and in this way, artists would develop a network not
only in their local community but around the world.
For this project, all of the items were personally
hand-illustrated and applied to a shirt, bag and note-
book and website. In this way, the viewer would see
the logo applied to a number of different mediums
and the manner in which they would be applied.
The logo was designed to be elegant, calming and
feminine, and this was achieved through the light-
ly tracked lowercase Memphis typeface giving the
store a friendly appearance. Hand-drawn, light blue
willow leaves also added to the simple, clean and
feminine design. The design is iconic yet simple, and
used to represent a number of different illustrations
and artworks theoretically displayed in the store.
This logo was then applied to a letterhead, business
card, and envelope that would be used by the com-
pany. Off-white gives a soft feel to the stationery and
kraft paper adds a handmade look to the system. The
center aligned type is another design element which
is consistently used throughout the Willow brand.
OBJECTIVE
CHALLENGE
SOLUTION
DETAILS
09
05
11
10
0402
07
03
12
06
13
01
08
14
Insp i ra t ion
01 wh imsy02 descr ip t ive words03 ca l i fo rn ia deser ts04 a r t i sans05 wi l low t ree06 text i les07 det a i l s08 a r t p rocess09 swed ish des ign10 paper textures11 t rave l ing12 patte rns13 eco -consc ious14 he i r looms
Memphis Medium Regular
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Sta t ionary sys tem fo r the Wi l low brand. S ta t ionary meant to re f lec t the na tura l , femin ine and wh ims ica l fee l to the s to re .
Image dep ic t ing W i l low in a s tore sett ing . Posters re f lec t ing brands miss ion s t a tement and i l lus t ra t ions a lso incorpora te
e lements f rom the logo. Logo is app l ied to wooden wa l l .
Tag used fo r appare l i tems in s to re . Trou t hand i l lus t ra t ion used as pa t te rn on b louse in a p lay fu l way.
C 64 M 65 Y 66 K 64
C 50 M 6 Y 24 K 0
C 29 M 0 Y 12 K 0
I l l us t ra t ion and logo app l ied to canvas bag. Wi l low webs i te dep ic ts the fee l o f the brand wh i le s t i l l d isp lay ing the in fo rmat ion in an unders tandab le way.
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