6 weeks
Research, icon redesign, illustration, layout
Illustrator, Photoshop
During my first year at design school, I had a fantastic assignment that felt like a dream come true. I had the opportunity to collaborate closely with a local non-profit organization, The Vera Project, and create various designs for them. What made this even more special was that my team and I share a common passion for music. For this project, I had the chance to contribute to the design of Vera Project merchandise, a summer sticker pack, a printed poster, and committee icons.
The Vera Project is an all-ages nonprofit space dedicated to fostering personal and community transformation through collaborative, youth-driven engagement in music and art. A music venue, screen print shop, recording studio, art gallery, and safe space for radical self-expression, VERA is a home to Seattle’s creative community.
Daniel Onufer, Greta Heller, Rey Sivakumaran
Who are your deliverables talking to?
Following our discussion with the Vera project team, we've learned that for this project, there isn't a singular target audience. Instead, each deliverable is tailored to different groups of people.
The merchandise is targeted towards supporters, and community members. The committee icon redesign is targeted towards the current and future committee members. The posters are targeted towards the performing artist fan base to drive ticket sales and interest.
Summer sticker pack designed by me
In their recent design aesthetics at The Vera Project, they aim to capture the punk rock and 'grungy' vibes, envisioning plenty of halftones, smudged ink, and misaligned layers. They've provided the style guide for our design team, but overall, they are quite open to any design choices or decisions we propose; we don't have to follow exactly the style guide they provided.
For the band posters, they instructed us to listen to the musicians on each bill and look at their visual tones on their album covers and social media to get inspiration.
Below are all of my deliverables for this project.
Our task was to revamp 7 committee icons, transitioning them from intricate illustrations to a more contemporary 2D style. To achieve this, I carefully designed a set of minimalistic geometric icons that are not only easy to understand but also pay homage to the original design elements. By incorporating iconic features like the pink halftone circle and the lightning bolt, we simplified the design without alienating users who were familiar with the previous look. The end result is a harmonious blend of familiarity and modernity.
Current committee icons
Redesigned version
For this project, we approached it with a sense of creative exploration and no expectations about our designs being chosen. It was driven by our shared passion for music, making it a thoroughly enjoyable endeavor. I'm delighted to share that my poster design and the summer sticker pack made it into the 2022 Summer Merch Line, available both online and at physical venues.
This project was a valuable learning experience. I improved my teamwork skills and gained insight into working with real clients. Additionally, it helped me connect with local businesses, expanding my professional network.
If you like what you see and want to work together, get in touch!
giang.le1300@gmail.com