Branding An Artist Jewelry Business: To Evoke Beauty, Motion, Artistry & Boldness
Logo Design
Concept Development
Creative Direction
Print Production
Creating a new logo and brand identity for a small custom handmade jewelry business that would communicate the brand's integrity and personality with little direction from the client.
The challenge
Every new logo design presents the challenge of starting with myriad elements that must be distilled into an uncomplicated, easily understood, and appealing visual identity. The considered use of specific shapes, color palettes, and fonts must convey the core values of the brand’s products or services and position it distinctively in the marketplace. It must also be strong enough to form the foundation of the brand’s entire identity, story, and messaging.
The Approach
In this instance, the client, whose business was called Palomino Jewelry, only knew that she wanted her logo to capture the spirit of a horse – no other direction was provided. That is often the case and understandably so – a client’s given expertise is in the nature of their specific profession, not in the deep experience and understanding of creative design theory needed to take vague ideas and turn them into a solid, multi-purpose concept that will be used for years to come.
The Solution
I immersed myself in the client’s business aesthetics so that I could boil it down to its most essential elements – a process I repeatedly employ with every logo design. This client made jewelry by hand that was often intricate, bold, comprised of various materials, and inspired by nature. I wanted to incorporate feathery and Southwestern imagery to tie into the beauty of horses and natural materials. I felt that the original logo was too harsh (that horse looked mean to me!), so I created a softer depiction that conveyed the beauty of a horse in motion. I used circles comprised of dots for the horse’s eye and nose to denote the intricacy of the client’s jewelry. For the typography, I chose a “paint” font to showcase further the artistry behind the jewelry she made, which often incorporated hand painting. The all-black rendering reflects the boldness of her pieces, as well as my usual approach to logo design: 1-2 colors for easy adaptability in any medium. In her case, being a small business owner, this would also keep her print costs down.
The Result
The final version unites all of these elements into a cohesive and impactful logo that functions beautifully online and in print, from her website, email signature, and social media to business cards, packaging, flyers, and much more.
Additional Designs Submitted
I always show two through three options when designing logos; I want my clients to have options! Here are some of the additional submitted designs.
