Kate Carpenter Designs

A closer look: Logo for Katie Campbell Photography

2010-03-29T15:33:00.000-07:00

Last week I finished a logo design for Katie Campbell Photography. This was a particularly fun project for me to get to work on: I went to high school with Katie, and I was so excited when she contacted me to ask if I could design a logo for her growing photography business.

If you have time, or if you're in need of a photographer, you should definitely check out Katie's site. I'm impressed by the business she's building and the work she's doing.

I'm so pleased with how this logo turned out that I wanted to share a little of the behind-the-scenes process.

To start off, I sent Katie a list of questions about her business. Once she sent it back and I had spent some time perusing her Web site and learning about her business, I started brainstorming words and concepts that went with Katie Campbell Photography:

After that, it was time to start sketching ideas:

I had several pages of sketches done before I was ready to start putting logo possibilities together. Below are some of the first logo concepts I sent to Katie, along with explanations about each of them.

After we talked about the logo possibilities and went through a round of revisions, we narrowed the design down to one logo that showcased Katie's personality and the spirit behind her business.

We chatted again about some of the details that would make the logo even more suited to Katie's desire to have it really 'pop.' I sent a final round of revisions, with variations on the color, the style of the 'K,' and the texture of the sun.

Katie chose the variations that fit the perfect style she was looking for, settled on a color scheme that worked nicely with her existing blog, and we had our logo:

It was such a blast to get to work on this project with Katie. Small business owners and creative people are some of my very favorite clients, and I'm thrilled to have been able to help Katie find her identity.

CD packaging design: Kay Kay's Divorce

2010-03-10T08:23:00.000-08:00

One of my most recent projects finally launched today, and I'm excited to be able to share it with you. One of my clients, New Media International, produced a comedy CD, Kay Kay's Divorce: I'd Fall in Love with Anyone. I had great fun getting to design the CD packaging for this project, using original art by Canadian artist David Kelly. Above is the cover of the CD case.
This is the inside insert.

And this is the tray card, which you see on the back and sides of the case. I love the way this design carries so much depth to go along with the subject, from the bright, bold image emerging from the darkness of the rest of the design, to the chaotic, almost vulnerable typography that imitates the subject matter.

I also was able to design the Web site for Kay Kay's Divorce, where you can purchase the product and ready more about the people behind it.

This site is created in Wordpress using the Thesis theme.

I also got to carry the design through to assorted promotional materials, including stickers for the outside of the publicity kits: and these postcards:

This was such a fun project to be able to work on, especially thanks to the added fun of getting to carry the case design throughout all the other elements associated with this product.

If you'd like to hear me make a fool of myself (and talk a little about the making of this CD), you can catch me on Kay Ballard's (the Kay Kay of Kay Kay's Divorce) radio show, Women are not Funny, on Friday afternoon.

Logo for a photographer: update

2010-02-25T12:24:00.000-08:00

In case you were curious, I thought I'd post an update to my earlier post about the unsolicited logo design for my friend Joe. After getting his feedback on the logo, I sent along these revised versions -- a little toned down, cleaner designs that fit his mellow personality a little better.

If you get a chance, check out Joe's blog. His images are truly impressive.

Logo for a photographer

2010-02-05T17:19:00.000-08:00

My friend Joe is a phenomenal photographer. He works for the local newspaper (you can see his blog, which highlights some of his work, here), and he has quite the knack behind the camera.

He's been itching to put together a full-fledged portfolio site for a while, so quite without his permission I created this little logo to go along with that site.

My original concept for this image was that the handwritten words and sketched camera would capture the personality behind his photos -- and his ability to be personable with his subjects and put them quite at ease, a rare skill -- and the more solemn last name would underscore his professionalism.

The handwritten 'Joe' might be just a little too bubbly for his taste, though, so I'll head back to the sketchbook to see if I can toughen it up a bit.

Kinport Coffee Company signs

2010-01-26T08:32:00.000-08:00

Last week I put the finishing touches on and installed a project that I've been so pleased to work on for the past few weeks.
Local entrepreneur Amy Millward opened Kinport Coffee Company inside Kinport Junction, which is a beautifully restored building in Pocatello's historic warehouse district. She's done a fantastic job with the little coffee shop, and she's recently expanded into the space next to the counter to add some comfy seating -- she even hosts music and literary readings.

The only problem was that, because of the open nature of the building, Amy's coffee shop nearly shares space with several businesses, sometimes confusing customers who didn't know where to go to order coffee -- or even that there was an area to sit down off to the right.

That's where I came in. Amy, who'd seen my screenprinted cards for sale at the Pocatello Co-op in the same building, asked if I could design and print some signs that would hang from the light fixtures, telling customers where to order coffee and where they could "chillax."
I happily agreed, and after mocking up some designs and settling on a font that reminded me of coffeehouse chalkboards, this was the result. I apologize for the poor photo quality, but Amy and I were both delighted with the finished product, which is even better in person. The colors fit in perfectly with the building's exposed brick and piping.
We added a couple smaller signs to point out some of the shop's drink offerings, too. I printed a couple extras so Amy will have backup should the signs get damaged in any way.
All in all, a fun project to be involved in and to help bring about. Now, Kinport Coffee not only has signs to help clear up confusion for its customers, but it also has an extra touch of hand-printed flair, which fits right in with the aesthetic of the building.

IPA logo contest entries

2010-01-18T14:30:00.000-08:00

Having had the fun of witnessing the judging of a couple preliminary rounds of a magazine design contest in college, I'm always a little leery of entering design contests. Don't get me wrong: contests can be a fabulous way for designers to showcase their work and for potential clients to be introduced to designers they might never have come across otherwise. On the other hand, it's difficult to know what exactly the judges are looking for (for that matter, what they're looking for could change depending on the day of the week), and it's an overwhelming and sort of bizarre process for judges to choose a design from a pile of deserving entries.

All that being said, when I heard that the Idaho Psychological Association was planning to revamp its logo in honor of its 50th anniversary and was holding a competition to pick a new look, I decided to enter. I love a challenge.

The two logos above are my entries (minus the watermarks, of course). The logo on the left is my favorite: It's representative of the human face of mental health care in the state of Idaho (a cause that, it seems, is just starting to get some of the attention it deserves), and the organization's influence across the state. The second logo is a little safer, but I also am quite proud of it: It draws on some of the features that exist in the current logo, and the scenery backing the "psi" is representative of the potential quality of life in the state.

No word yet on when the organization will announce a contest winner. Fingers crossed!

Become a fan of Kate Carpenter Designs on Facebook

2010-01-18T14:26:00.000-08:00

Just a quick reminder: If you want even more up-to-date info on what's happening at Kate Carpenter Designs, or behind-the-scenes peeks at some of my projects, become at fan on Facebook. Just visit facebook.com/katecarpenterdesigns and click the "Become a Fan" button. Thanks!