Self Branding: Logotype & Social Media

6C2, 6D2

Initially my branding used Domaine display for its typeface, utilising the package of different weights to manage various design outputs. Line would be for my illustrations, Visuals for my audio-visual work, Pics for my photography and Design for my graphic design specific work. 

This was in reaction to the advice to keep a coherent visual literacy on your social media pages. However, in practice I found this to be too much to manage. I already find Instagram quite a stressful platform, and dealing with this much organisation seemed unnecessary. As such, I decided to make live an account for my Pics, and one for my Visuals. The design work would be on my website, in order to keep the Instagram profiles consistent. A link to my website would thus be shared in my 'about' section, for ease of navigation between the accounts.   

Visuals and Pics account:
As picsbydanni was already taken on Instagram, the name was adjusted to Pix to give the same effect. This was initially used for the profile pictures of each account. 

For the Visuals account this logotype did to not seem to fit the aesthetic of the work, and so other methods of production were considered. 

The point of having separate accounts was that the different work would appeal to differing audiences. As such, it was decided that in order to match my target audience for each account I would use one logotype for my Pics account and another icon for the Visuals account, which was renames makevisual_. 

Below is the initial icon for the pics account - here is where I would post film photography and publication layout designs.:

Icon for visuals - back background / RGB / audio-visual / music related work design account:

Initially I decided to call the Visuals account 'cosmic_optic' to reach a completely different TA, however this was shortly changed after realising it was just stupid. 

 Pics & Visuals

Evolution of Logotype

After finding Domaine Display to contrast too much with the ‘visuals’ side of my practice, I was on the look out for a new one that reflected me more. I then discovered Stoltz Display, a typeface with strong futuristic and infrastructural connotations. Additionally, its variation of round and ridged angular edges reflect the ideas of diversity and variation within my practice. 

This appropriate typeface means I can keep a consistent logotype throughout my work when sending online portfolios and other resources. It's stripped but with an edge, making it both clear and neutral, therefore an applicable branding logotype. The use of the underscore reflects my concept of using the old to inform the new, and combining analogue and digital methods of production. 

My pages after the rebrand:

The visuals account have also now evolved, to include the same name, as the logotype has adjusted to fit this aesthetic more. The Visuals account is referenced on my website as another part to my practice, separate to traditional graphic design.