Graphics Standards Manual

Here is what I have been working on for my standards manual...last minute but does anyone have any comments before I turn it in tomorrow morning??

Give the Gift of Senshi...

My system applications developed a sub-brand, Reishi, which kind of stole the show from Senshi! My original idea was that Senshi would be the parent company, and Reishi was a product line with the tea, chocolate, and extract. These products were packaged together in a gift set, so you could pass on the Senshi Secret to your friends and hopefully they like the products and go into the Senshi Coffee shop, becoming a regular customer.

Getting Closer...

Here's further progress on my system applications. I am for sure doing a chocolate bar, liquid reishi extract, and reishi tea. They will all be packaged in a Senshi Gift Set. 

Progress on Sys. Apps.

I have been working on the label for the reishi extract. Here's what I have so far. It is nowhere near done, but would love to hear your thoughts!

System Applications Inspiration

Going in the direction of a gift basket, I found these images for inspiration. A few Senshi products such as the coffee grounds, reishi extract, and a chocolate bar or tea bags would be placed in a basket or large coffee mug. 

Ideas for System Application

Some ideas for the application mostly include products that could be found in a coffee shop. These include: coffee beans/grounds, chocolate bars, granola bars, reishi extract, hot chocolate mix, tea bags, coffee mugs/cups. These products could be grouped together as a gift basket for the holidays or just a gift set in general. Other non-products would be a website, billboard, and brochure.

Style Guide Rough

Here are several pages for the style guide. The background will not be white, it is only temporary. The dimensions are 5x9 inches.

Final Business System

My final business system includes an invitational mailer which would be sent to potential clients and businesses in the area of the new Senshi Coffee. The invite is contained in an elegant envelope and inside is the letter offering a free coffee with the purchase of one Senshi Coffee drink. Also enclosed is a business card which gives the address, hours, location and website. Shimmery papers of dark brown and velvety red make up the envelope and the business card. The text is printed on tan paper which resembles the old papyrus reminiscent of  ancient times when the reishi mushroom dates back to. The outer strokes are lined with gold glitter for richness and elegance.

Refined Business Roughs

My refined business system is a business card that shows the locations of Senshi Coffee and gives the addresses and phone numbers for quick and easy pick-up. The mailer will be sent or delivered to local businesses, restaurants, and local residents announcing the opening of the coffee shop and offers a free drink. It will be printed on two types of paper: the text will be printed on a tan textured paper that resembles papyrus, and the envelope/invite will be printed on a shimmery rich brown paper.

Graphics Standards Manual Example

Here are two examples of graphics standards manuals that are easy to read, simple, and organized. The first is for a company called The Pioneer, and the second is for a franchise of Indian restaurants, Tandoori. Tandoori includes the most minimal information, and effectively uses white space to remain simple.

Business Roughs

Here's what I have so far...I'm doing a business card, a brochure, and a coupon mailer.

Inspirational Business Systems

Here are some pieces of business systems that I found interesting and relate to what I would like mine to look like. The first is iAsiaWorks, and I like the dark rich colors and the shimmery paper used. I would somehow like to incorporate gold tones into my business system, whether it be paper or ink or a combination of both. The next piece is a letter head with a unique shape similar to the Senshi logo. The negative space here was used very effectively. The next three business cards are something new from the standard 3.5x2 inch rectangle. All three are diecuts that tie into the company. The colors are rich and the designs are eyecatching.

Senshi Final Logo Design

Final Logo:

Refined Final Logo:

After all these thumbnails and roughs and refined roughs, here is the logo that was turned in for a grade, and then refined once more after critique. The roughs were getting too complex and including unnecessary information. I took a step backwards and eliminated extra elements that were holding the logo back. The coffee bean is too common for coffee shops and this company was formed on the basis of the extract from the reishi mushroom. I simplified the mushroom and refined the wordmark to make the letters more unifed.   The outer shape is formed around the negative space created by the wordmark and symbol. After discussing this logo in critique, it was mentioned that the strokes inside the mushroom,  the stroke around the outer shape and the stroke of the delicate flourishes did not compliment the strokes in the wordmark. The rustic red and yellow still didn't quite work, and the darker stroke inside the mushroom was too dark. After some minor refinements, here is the refined final logo! The mushroom strokes and flourishes were altered, as well as the outer stroke and colors. A tiny dotted line appeared on the inside of the shape, as well as the mushroom, which was unnecessary and therefore was eliminated. So let me know your thoughts and comments!

Refined Roughs

The first logos I kept rearranging the same elements - coffee bean, mushroom, swirls, typefaces and color. I decided to try another direction for more variety. I used new colors and graphics to represent the ancient royalty and richness of the the company. I brought in a deep purple, the color of royalty, as well as a gold. The crown represents royalty as well as the nickname of the reishi mushroom, the "Miraculous King of Herbs." After assessing the two logos, I then combined elements from both for another logo. So here are the refined and again refined logos.

In-Process Senshi Logos

After developing a style for Senshi Coffee, here are several initial logos created. An abstracted illustrated version of the Reishi mushroom appears in the logos to create a basis for the Senshi Coffee company. The combination of the Reishi mushroom and coffee bean provides a visual for the company. This is a classy coffeehouse which serves healthy coffee with mushroom extract to provide energy, reduce fatigue, and promote a good night's sleep. 

Style Board

Here is the initial style board created for the company Senshi Coffee. Notice the rich, natural colors and the elegant, luxurious and exotic vibe.

Senshi Coffee//Company Logo Design

Senshi Coffee will be a company that serves Ganoderma Lucidum in their coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. Ganoderma Lucidum is also known as Reishi, named after Reishi Senshi,the ancient goddess of health, life, and eternal youth. Reishi was a rare mushroom that only the royalty were able to afford because of its rarity. This mushroom is associated with health and healing, long life, happiness, and knowledge. Reishi will help provide more energy/vigor and reduce fatigue, increase brain activity, improve immune system, promote a good night's sleep. (For more info see magicalcoffee.com). This new company will feature products available in stores and boast its own coffee house with organic, healthy coffee at prices comparable to Starbucks and Caribou Coffee. Consumers will experience a new, rich coffee that is healthy while also providing energy. 

Logo Redesign FINAL

Here is the final logo redesign for Oak Point Resort. I used a friendly font in lowercase letters to appeal to families and fishermen. The oak leaves give a visual and the typeface has points or spurs, both accentuating the name and its location in the woods in the midwest. The color choice is based on those found in nature.

Oak Point Resort Roughs

I chose to redesign Oak Point Resort's logo. This resort, along with most other resorts in northern Minnesota, is a casual family oriented fishing resort located on the lake in the woods. I still wanted to use the visual of the oak leaf and possibly a few acorns. The color choice is based on colors found in nature (duh green!) and the typefaces were organic (Herculanum) and matching the shape and style of the leaf, otherwise a classic serif font (Baskerville). After discussing these roughs, the look and overall feel was too classy and looked more like a logo for a high end golf course than a family fishing resort. I want to try a distressed look and experiment with more colors and possibly some images. So here's what I have so far!

Bad Logos

Our first assignment for GD2 is to find examples of bad logos and redesign one. I chose to explore resort logos of northern Minnesota. For some reason it seems that good design has not reached the north woods and I plan on changing that. I chose the resorts Break on the Lake, Wishbone Resort, and Norway Beach Resort, all on  Cass Lake. Oak Point Resort on Leech Lake and the Four Seasons Resort and McArdle's Resort both on Lake Winnibigoshish. These are all up north family fishing resorts on lakes and in the woods. Ok, so some pine trees and oak leaves were used, but what is with some of the typefaces and color choices? Clipart anyone?