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!