The Rum Collective - A dignified poster

I've been working with The Rum Collective off and on for about a year now and thought I'd preview an old design. Long before the collective's anchor appeared I had created this simple poster for use at the tastings and other meetings. During the design phase, I kept thinking of an old gentleman's club with warm cherry wood, cigars and leather chairs filling a room lined with books. The RC Logo itself, I thought, was particularly sleek and elegant.

In the end, though, The Rum Collective decided to pursue a more pirate theme, which turned out very well. Still, from time to time I find myself staring at this image wondering what the face of TRC would look like if it had gone this way.

So, in honor of The Rum Collective's one year anniversary, I present this old design.

Grunge Games - The GG Logo Final

In the previous post I uploaded my initial brand design for Grunge Games. While I really enjoyed the design, it was not quite what the owner Joshua Derr had in mind. Working with him over the subsequent weeks the design was finally realized. It is a clean design that encapsulates the overall grungy nature that was asked for. The tag style font completes the urban feel that Grunge Games was hoping to achieve.

Enjoy!

Grunge Games - The GG Logo

Recently I've been asked by Grunge Games to work on their logo and business card designs. I'm still working with them on the final product, but I enjoyed this iteration so much that I thought I'd put it up on my site. The initial idea was to have the words pop out from a splatter of either paint, or slime that was on a wall. Then, somehow integrate the two G letters, which form Grunge Games, into something that represents a modern design.

The below designs were my initial attempts to meet my client's expectations. While they were eventually declined, I still like them quite a lot.

The Tooth - Farahani Dental

Recently I finished the logo and business design for Farahani Dental, a dental practice located in the Bellevue area. I was tasked with making a design that was simple and classy, but not stuffy or boring. Dr. Farahani had wanted there to be a tooth prominent in the design. I chose to go with gentle flowing lines grounded by a sturdy base line. Below that, Farahani dominates the design, with Family Dental framed neatly beneath. A subtle reflection of the design makes the entire logo feel modern and professional, while still maintaining a bit of playfulness.

Please enjoy!

Ever After Designs - Blue Butterflies

A while back I designed a logo for a personal company called Ever After Designs. It is primarily a wedding invitation business, as I am sometimes asked to consult people in that area.

While designing this logo, I was playing a video game called Bioshock 2. One of my favorite elements in this game was the inclusion of a blue butterfly. It represented finding a lost love, complete devotion, and kindness. So, I decided to incorporate the butterfly into the design of the card. It was an homage to the game, and a representation of completing one of the most important quests one can embark on in his/her lifetime.

The blue in the butterfly dictated the color scheme that I chose to go with in the end. I enjoyed the blue of the butterfly and wanted to keep things in that color palette. So I went with darker teals and blues to complete the design. Once the color was finalized, I began working on the fonts, and the actual placement of the butterfly.

Soon after placing the butterfly I realized that it would have a much greater impact if I included two butterflies flying side by side. To me, the inclusion of two butterflies represented a new couple embarking on a new journey together.

Narrist Design Studios - The Rune of Death

Recently I was asked by Narrist Design Studios to recreate current logo and make it more modern. The owner, Will Fisher, was hoping to incorporate his Celtic roots into a more edgy design. The constraints were that the logo had to incorporate a tattoo design that the owner had. That tattoo, the Norse rune for death, needed to be prominent in the design.

The challenge was integrating the very rigid rune design into the logo without making it seem cheap and gimmicky. The answer, oddly enough, came from a completely different culture, in the form of Japanese kanji. Combining both the hand inked kanji, and the rigid design of the rune, I came up with an interesting idea that resulted in the final design. Incorporating the name of the company into the rune itself brought it all together.

I hope you enjoy!

The Rum Collective - Working With Rum

Quite a while ago, I started working with an organization called The Rum Collective. The mastermind behind TRC is Nick Feris, a man compelled to bring the world's best rum to Seattle. Earlier this year, Nick asked me to help define the overall brand image for the Collective. Initially it began as designing a web banner and business card for the company. From there it expanded to the brand image and several upcoming t-shirt designs. I am proud to say that the designs have made a significant impact and have drawn attention from rum companies around the globe.

Recently I was asked to discuss my design process with Nick and TRC. You can find that interview here.

I have really enjoyed working with The Rum Collective and learned quite a lot about rum along the way. I hope you enjoy my design, and if rum is in your mind I'd suggest a journey to the Collective to learn more.

Cheers!
Daniel Young