Equity Trade (Coming soon) | Option Chain & Trade | Auto Invest | Retirement Plan | Museum Mobile | Salad Solutions | Knobs | Future Muni | In Motion
Knobs
Case Study
Visual Identity. 2017
This project begins with a fun challenge: choose an everyday object and start to gather unique versions of that item until you make an 80-piece collection. Next, craft a visual identity around your collection, and create a coherent visual language that brings these objects to life.
Imagine you are curating an exhibition at SFMOMA, which will center around an 80-piece collection of an artifact of your choosing. How might you create an identity system around this collection? Deliver the following assets:
- Typography system
- Logo lockup
- Stationery system
- Promotional poster
- Video asset
Object: the knob
Exploring visual identity through collectivization
A knob is a simple object. It is typically circular, though not always. It is kinetic - its range of motion is limited by the hand that turns it. It is an intuitive interface that hides webs of complexity. Sourced from vintage radios and TV sets, this collection, aptly named Knob Knob, showcases 80 of these commonplace, yet important, objects.
My collection of 80 knobs
Object qualities
Playful, circular, intuitive, tactile, kinetic
Guided by five key descriptors above, the following design assets use the knob as muse. The solution identifies and interprets the essence of the object, and creates an identity system around it in preparation for a gallery exhibition.
Typography design
Mazurka
The collection’s logo lockup uses a typeface I designed on the font-building tool Fontstruct. The full typeface, which I named Mazurka after the Polish folk dance, features both capital and lowercase characters. For Knob Knob, the whimsical look of the lowercase characters suit the project’s irreverent nature. Mazurka’s lowercase “o” is a perfect vessel to contain the 80 knob variations within its thin outline. Accents on letters such as the insect-like “k” creates visual impact, drawing viewers into the quirky world of knobs.
Stationery system
Letterhead, card, envelope, brochure
The stationery system uses a Bauhaus-inspired palette of black, white, and red - a tribute to the midcentury origins of the knobs collection. Line drawings are used to express the knobs themselves; thin lines detail the textured ridges of the artifacts. A circle cutout on the envelope creates a playful relationship between the envelope and its contents. The brochure is a set of staggered leaflets that highlight the personalities of individual knobs.
Creating brand awareness
QR poster & website
An important part of branding is creating awareness through advertising the exhibition. Promotional posters at the bus stop piques the user’s interest. Intrigued, she checks out the website and buys a ticket. Another promotional opportunity happens inside the museum. Before entering the exhibtion, attendees take a moment to snap a photo for their social media.
Ads with QR code in waiting spaces
The museum experience
Crafting a playful end-to-end journey
The entrance/ exit to the exhibit presents visitors with photo opportunities, whether they came for Knob Knob, or are just passing through. Inside the exhibition, visitors stop to watch a mezmerizing video of looping knobs. Using key descriptors as inspiration (playful, circular, kinetic), the motion plays on the idea of the circle as an endless surface.