Graphic Design

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Merch Branding Design & Illustration

Author: Sean H.

Case Study: Kentucky Branded – Elevating Local Pride through Unique Merchandise and Graphic Design

Overview: Kentucky Branded, a local merchandise company in Kentucky, has made a name for itself by offering a wide range of products featuring unique and eye-catching Kentucky-themed art and graphic design. Their product line includes T-shirts, mugs, and promotional sportswear, all of which celebrate the rich culture, history, and spirit of Kentucky. This case study explores how Kentucky Branded has successfully built its brand and expanded its product line through innovative branding and graphic design artwork.

Challenge: Kentucky Branded faced the challenge of creating a strong brand identity that would resonate with both locals and visitors. They needed to design artwork that was not only visually appealing but also captured the essence of Kentucky’s heritage. Additionally, they wanted to ensure that their products stood out in a competitive market and appealed to a broad audience.

Solution: To address these challenges, Kentucky Branded took a strategic approach to their branding and graphic design. They conducted thorough research on Kentucky’s history, symbols, and popular culture to gather inspiration for their artwork. They then worked with talented graphic designers to create original and authentic designs that truly represented Kentucky.

The company also focused on using high-quality materials for their products, ensuring that the artwork was printed clearly and would last for a long time. They paid close attention to detail in every aspect of the design and production process, from the color schemes and typography to the placement of the graphics on the products.

Results: Kentucky Branded’s commitment to quality and authenticity in their branding and graphic design artwork paid off. Their products quickly gained popularity, and the brand developed a strong reputation in the community. Customers appreciated the uniqueness of the designs and the quality of the products, leading to positive reviews and repeat business.

The company’s innovative approach to merchandise also allowed them to expand their product line and reach a wider audience. They introduced new products and designs regularly, keeping their inventory fresh and appealing to customers. As a result, Kentucky Branded saw a significant increase in sales and brand recognition.

Conclusion: Kentucky Branded’s success story highlights the power of strong branding and creative graphic design in building a unique and beloved brand. By staying true to their roots and focusing on quality and authenticity, Kentucky Branded has become a go-to source for Kentucky-themed merchandise, celebrating the state’s culture and heritage in every product they create.

Festival Map Design

Author: Sean H.

Crafting a Vibrant and User-Friendly Festival Map for the Big Four Arts Festival

Introduction:

The Big Four Arts Festival is a renowned annual event that draws artists, vendors, and art enthusiasts from across the region to celebrate creativity and community. With a sprawling venue and numerous attractions, the need for a clear, engaging, and informative festival map was paramount. This case study delves into how our design team collaborated with Big Four Arts Festival organizers to create a festival map that was not only a navigational tool but also an extension of the event’s vibrant atmosphere.

Client: Big Four Arts Festival Project: Festival Map Design

Goals and Objectives:

  1. Clarity: Ensure that the map is easy to read and understand, even for first-time festival-goers.
  2. Brand Consistency: Integrate the festival’s branding and aesthetic into the map design to create a seamless user experience.
  3. User Engagement: Design the map to be engaging and encourage exploration of all areas of the festival.
  4. Practicality: Include essential information such as restroom locations, first aid stations, food vendors, and stage locations.
  5. Digital Integration: Develop a digital version of the map that could be accessed via the festival’s mobile app.

Challenges:

  1. Complex Venue Layout: The festival’s layout was intricate, with numerous booths, stages, and amenities spread across a large area.
  2. Time Constraints: The map needed to be completed well in advance of the festival to ensure ample time for printing and distribution.

Process:

  1. Client Collaboration: Engaged in multiple discussions and planning sessions with the festival organizers to understand their vision and gather all necessary information.
  2. Initial Sketches: Developed a series of rough sketches to layout the basic structure and elements of the map.
  3. Design Iterations: Created multiple design iterations, incorporating feedback from the client at each stage.
  4. Branding Integration: Ensured that the festival’s color scheme, typography, and logos were seamlessly integrated into the map design.
  5. User Testing: Conducted user testing with a focus group to gather feedback on the map’s usability and design.
  6. Digital Integration: Worked with the festival’s app developers to integrate the map into their mobile platform.
  7. Finalization and Delivery: Made final adjustments based on user testing and client feedback, and delivered the final versions of both the print and digital maps.

Results:

The Big Four Arts Festival map was enthusiastically received by both the festival organizers and attendees. The clear layout, vibrant design, and inclusion of all essential information made navigation easy, enhancing the overall festival experience. The digital version of the map also saw significant usage, showcasing the success of the integrated approach.

Conclusion:

The collaboration between our design team and the Big Four Arts Festival organizers resulted in a festival map that was not just a tool, but a valuable part of the event experience. The successful melding of practicality, brand consistency, and engaging design ensured that festival-goers could easily navigate and fully enjoy all that the event had to offer. This project underscored the importance of thoughtful design and user-centric planning in creating effective navigational materials for large-scale events.

Artists Portfolio Website Design

Author: Sean H.

An art portfolio website is essential to making sure that you maximize all opportunities to gain and increase an audience for your artwork. Art portfolio websites connect your natural ability to your target clients and what they are looking for. An art portfolio website usually represents some or all of a carefully curated collection of art and example work, and it’s a great place to explore the critiques of the art pieces and movements. We loved having the opportunity to work with Valerie to create a style, look, feel and function for her artist website that really complemented and highlighted her diverse portfolio of styles and let her work really stand out.

About TIMMONS ART: Valerie Timmons is a Louisville-based artist whose genre-spanning work includes landscape, portraiture, still life, minimalism, and geometric abstraction. While her paintings may vary wildly in style and even mood, their unifying tonal element is a rich emotional resonance that finds as much beauty in the turbulence of a non-representational tempest of form and color as it does in the clean-lined serenity of a still life.

Wholesale Website Design

Author: Sean H.

About Falls City Lumber: Falls City Lumber is a full service specialty wholesale lumber company providing quality products from quality suppliers since 1985. We pride ourselves on our incomparable ability to offer quality lumber and specialty products at a very competitive price.

Festival Ad Designs

Author: Sean H.

We have been a proud sponsor of the Big four Art Festival for seven years, and we love to see how the community has embraced and supported local arts. From the very first year, when we had the most highly attended event recorded at the Big Four Bridge lawn through a few rainstorms and even COVID, it has started strong and grown to be the highlight event we look forward to kicking off festival season every year.

Tourism and City Visitor Map Design

Author: Sean H.

Designing a visitor map for Louisville, Kentucky’s Downtown Business Improvement District (BID) involves a strategic and thoughtful approach that benefits various stakeholders including local retail, tourism, wayfinding, corporate partnerships, and overall Louisville business development. Here’s a detailed case study:

Project Overview

Client: Louisville, Kentucky
Project: Downtown BID Visitor Map Design
Objective: To create an informative and user-friendly map highlighting local businesses, restaurants, entertainment, hotels, and hospitality services provided by the BID.

Research and Analysis

  1. Stakeholder Assessments: Collect data from local business owners, hotel managers, and tourism officials to provide accurate data and provide what they hoped the map would achieve.
  2. User Studies: Gathering information from tourists and locals about their navigation challenges and interests in the downtown area.
  3. Competitive Analysis: Reviewing existing maps and visitor guides from similar districts in other cities for best practices.

Design Strategy

  1. Content Selection: The map includes prominent local businesses, popular restaurants, key entertainment venues, and hotels. Each category is color-coded for ease of identification.
  2. Wayfinding Elements: Clear street names, landmarks, pedestrian pathways, and public transportation hubs are highlighted to assist navigation.
  3. Accessibility: The map is designed for print and digital use, ensuring accessibility for all users, including those with disabilities.

Benefits

  1. Local Retail: By featuring local shops and boutiques, the map drives foot traffic and supports local commerce.
  2. Tourism Enhancement: Tourists benefit from a comprehensive guide to the city’s attractions, increasing their likelihood of extended stays and repeat visits.
  3. Wayfinding Improvement: The map simplifies navigation, reducing the stress of exploring a new city and enhancing visitor experiences.
  4. Corporate Partnership Opportunities: Local businesses can be featured on the map or advertise it, creating resources for the BID and promotional opportunities for businesses.
  5. Boost to Louisville Business: A well-designed map can be a tool for economic development, encouraging investment and interest in the Downtown BID area.

Implementation and Distribution

  1. Production: The map is produced in both print and digital formats, ensuring wide accessibility.
  2. Distribution Points: Maps are distributed at key entry points to the city, including the airport, hotels, visitor centers, and participating businesses.
  3. Online Presence: A digital version is available on the Louisville BID website and through a dedicated mobile webpage.

Evaluation and Feedback

  1. User Feedback: Regular surveys of map users to assess its effectiveness and areas for improvement.
  2. Business Feedback: Ongoing dialogue with local businesses to measure the impact on foot traffic and sales.
  3. Analytics Tracking: For the digital version, usage analytics help understand user behavior and preferences.

Conclusion

The Louisville Downtown BID visitor map represents a significant step in enhancing the visitor experience, supporting local businesses, and promoting the district as a vibrant and welcoming destination. Its strategic design and thoughtful implementation are crucial in realizing these benefits. Continued evaluation and adaptation will ensure the map remains an effective tool for visitors and locals alike.

Homeowners Association Website Design

Author: Sean H.

A great HOA website design connects neighbors, board members, and management teams through user-friendly, proven, and collaborative website tools for enhanced community living. A well-built HOA website allows you to meet and connect with your neighbors, manage resident and admin accounts, and share information about the resources you share in your community.

About the Woodlake Homeowners Association: Woodlake is a growing subdivision that is located one mile west of Bardstown Road on Highway 44 in Mt. Washington. It is comprised of 8 sections, including Single-Family Homes, Patio Homes, Condominiums (also called Garden Homes), and Inspirations of Mount Washington, A Grace Management Community. There are two private lakes, a waterfall, a clubhouse, and a pool. Any resident who owns property in Woodlake belongs to the Homeowner’s Association as well as their respective association.

HVAC Website Design

Author: Sean H.

Working with KCC, a local employee-owned heating, and cooling company, we were able to focus our marketing efforts on boosting the company’s brand and attracting more engaged customers with a brand-new website. The target market for HVAC is homeowners and commercial buildings, and the best way to reach that audience when they are ready to invest in a new HVAC system is to have an excellent online presence. An excellent website can significantly increase leads and sales with passive HVAC digital marketing and advertising, which is the most affordable way to increase leads for heating and cooling services and sales.

About KCC: KCC is an employee-owned company (ESOP) dedicated to providing complete design, installation, and service for commercial and residential heating.

Theater Event Space Website Design

Author: Sean H.

New Albany Magic needed a new website for their local magic shop and intimate magic show theater. We were excited to work with Brent and his team to capture the fun they create at the theater and distill it into an exciting, inviting and unforgettable website experience and marketing tool for their retail magic shop.

About J & B Magic Shop and Theater at New Albany Magic: J & B Theater is a 30 seat immersive, close-up magic theater in New Albany, IN. It is 10 Minutes from downtown Louisville. The J&B Magic Theater gives the opportunity to see some of the best performers in the world up close for a night you will never forget.