As a designer, how you brand yourself communicates the type of creative maker/thinker you are, the work you do and/or the service(s) you provide. For this project, you will develop your own personal brand identity that reflects your core values as a designer. The process will involve research and self-discovery, as well as the design of how you want to portray yourself as a designer to the public.

Determine the insights and core attributes that comprise your own identity based on what makes you different & relevant:

> Your training (skills, education, expertise)
> Your creative drive (creative propellers & urges)
> Your personality (epitomizing character traits, ethical virtues)
> Your cultural background (your story, your family’s legacy, your affiliations)
> Your brand promise (the value you bring)
> Your creative vision and sensibility
> Your name in relation to sound or to cultural cadences — making a connection between these attributes and design practice

Your brand identity should communicate your key attributes and values as a designer, a thinker, and a maker.

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Objectives
Design your personal brand identity system comprised by:

/ Logomark
/ Wordmark (if applicable — if the logo does not function as a wordmark)
/ Social Media Avatar (a distilled version of the most iconic visual attribute of your brand)
/ Supporting Typeface
/ Supporting Color Palette
/ Secondary elements (if applicable) Ex: Photography, Texts, Textures, Patterns, Icons
/ Applications: Stationery System, Résumé, Creative Contract Documents, Promo “Take away” item
(This system will later be applied to your personal website / online portfolio)

Process
During your process of personal discovery, consider the following principles when associating concepts with visuals: semiotics (syntactic and semantic relationship of signs), foreground and background relationship, gestalt, balance, proportion, unity, symmetry/asymmetry, contrast and rhythm, decode and encode, fluidity, dynamics & interactivity.

/ Research > Personal & Cultural Background / Identify Core Values or Attributes / Brand Personality / Find connections
/ Strategy > Concept / Positioning / Defining personality, promise, communication goals
/ Design > Logo / Tagline / Look-&-feel framework
/ Implementation > Stationery System, Résumé, Website, Promo/ Take Away

Resources
Noun Project
JuliaResende_Branding101

For Tuesday, September 30th:
Tell your story. Begin the research phase by making notes/lists, gathering resource images and/or references.
Start with the following lists to assist you in the development of your concepts.

1/ A list of 3 Personal Attributes/Values
2/ A list of 3 Creative Skills/Assets
3/ Note 1 mystical fact about you (from your name, origin, religion, family, activity, etc).
4/ Identify your superpower (does not need to relate to design)
5/ SWOT Analysis (Reference Julia Resende’s SWOT graph as a guide)
[SWOT: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threads]

For Thursday, October 2nd:
5/ Write a 100-word personal abstract based on your main attributes (use Julia Resende’s Framework of questions as a guide)
6/ 20+ hand sketches based on previously listed items
Present all items in PDF Presentation format!

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Read:
brand-new-worlds_blauvelt
6-things-david-bowie-taught-me-about-branding

Watch:
Abstract: Paula Scher

Abstract: Christoph Niemann

Pro Logo Designer Rebrands The LA Clippers

Monogramark

James Barnard – A Day in the Life of a Freelance Designer

Cover Image: Daniel Ehrenworth identity