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IT’S SO NICE TO MEET YOU! Hi, I’m Emily! I live in an incredibly small town in Mid- Missouri - so small, our physical address has to be the closest town, because our town isn’t in the postal system. I took a Graphic Arts class in high school and excelled in the class, and received 1st place in the state advertising competition for SkillsUSA. I realized I wanted to turn my passion for Graphic Design into a career, and began working towards my BFA in Graphic Design from Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design. I have been designing for over 4 years, and am still as passionate as I was on day 1.

A NOTE FOR YOU I am so honored to be sharing a glimpse into my life passion with you. Thank you for taking the time to look over some of my best work - I hope you enjoy looking at it as much as I enjoyed making it! I would like to dedicate this book to my family who have been so supportive of me on this journey. My mom, who encouraged me to pursue my dream; My husband for staying up late with me on homework nights and always making sure I had enough time to finish my projects; and my son, for being my continuous motivation to not give up, and continue being determined to accomplish my biggest goals.



CONTENTS 06 Branding 12 Failing 18 Rebranding 24 Branding

BRANDING Dollens’ Family Farms Family, Farms, and Fresh Cattle Branding. No, not the Highland Cow is able to see where they the kind of cattle branding marking livestock are going, and Queen Victoria favored the red to identify the owner - instead we are talking colored cattle, which led to selective breeding branding to identify the family-owned farm: Dollens’ of the red color Highlands. Family Farms. When this client contacted me, she expressed an interest in developing a brand identity I conducted extensive research on Highland for their family farm to showcase across their social cows before beginning the development of media channels. Why stop there, though? This new the branding for Dollens’ Family Farms. The branding could be applied to the families entrance logo has one eye, representing the Highland sign to their farm, phone cases, stationary, and more. Cows lack of vision, and the primary colors The family primarily raises Highland Cows, and are red (the favored color) and brown (the wanted a branding mark that represented their love secondary cattle color). and passion for raising this breed of cattle. Highland Cows are considered a rustic cattle breed, and have long horns and a long shaggy coat. This breed is considered to be a hardy breed, with the ability to withstand difficult intemperate conditions of the Scotland Highlands. It is a mystery whether



Initial Sketches

Logo The logo for the Dollens’ Family Farms branding includes an icon of a Highland Cow, which can be used on its own, as well as a sleek yet bold typeface for the wordmark. The wordmark provides high contrast and visibility for use on signage and other elements that would be viewed at a distance. The icon is an illustration of a Highland Cow, the breed the family primarily raises. The illustration only has one eye visible, as research showed that it is unknown whether or not Highland Cows are able to see. Long horns and shaggy hair are distinct characteristics of the Highland Cow breed, and therefore were included in the icon. The wordmark utilizes a bold typeface to represent stability, as well as maintain visibility. The family name, Dollens’, is in all caps as it is the identifying factor of the brand. The development of the Dollens’ Family Farms logo required extensive research and ideation before final implementation.



Colors Typography The primary brand colors are a deep brown Both typefaces chosen to represent the and burnt red. The colors were inspired brand have characteristics of togetherness, by lifestyle images of Highland cows, and closeness, and stability. All of these deepening the colors to provide further characteristics are directly correlated to the contrast and to stand out at a distance. family roots of this brand. Accent colors for the brand are two shades of brown, which provide contrast helping the brand to truly stand out in its branding. Red was the preferred Highland Cattle color of Queen Victoria, and will be the primary color of the Dollens’ Family Farms branding.

FAILING Triptych Poster Designs T he art of failing - we have been taught that to Because as a designer, I am determined to fail is a negative thing. Hearing the word “fail” learn and implement my design knowledge may make some of us cringe. Failure is what led to ensure that I am offering the best design me down my path of ambition and success, as odd solution to enhance a client’s brand and as it may sound. It took me being turned down for presence. Failing was my opportunity to a Graphic Designer job I applied to for me to take succeed – and I took it. My goal through my a reality check and realize I was no where near as triptych poster designs was to change the good as I thought I was. I was a completely self- perspective on failure, making a narrative taught Graphic Designer, excluding my two years of that explains failing as a part of the Graphic Arts classes in high school, but I thought process of succeeding. The triptych poster what I had taught myself was enough to land me a series focuses on famous inventors who professional Graphic Designer role. Boy was I wrong! failed various times before reaching their Talk about a humbling moment. After being denied successes. These inventors are not afraid to this position, I immediately enrolled in classes share that they failed thousands of times, as at Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design they each have a positive outlook on failing. (RMCAD) to earn my BFA in Graphic Design. Why?



Initial Sketches The concept development stage of brainstorming the design for the Triptych Poster series went through many phases - beginning with the concept of illustrated portraiture, progressing to abstract art and elements, to then a dictionary meaning, to stylizing typography. None of these concepts worked. Ironic, right?

Digitizing Concepts TRY FAIL SUCCEED First Iteration: n. [Tri] n. [Fayl] v. [Sak•Seed] an e�fort to accomplish the step of the process to achieve the desired aim Dictionary design is too common - not something; an attempt. where you learn before or goal; the step following a strong enough concept. The abstract beginning again; The final failed trials, when you shapes took away from the dramatic “I didn’t fail 1,000 step before achieving your finally become successful. photography, and type placement times. The light bulb biggest success. became illegible in some locations. was an invention “Enjoy failure and learn ”with 1,000 steps. “The only di�ference from it. You can never Second Iteration: Thomas Edison between success ”learn from success. TRY and failure is the James Dyson Concept became stronger - type I didn’t fail 1,000 times. ”ability to take action. SUCCEED placement was forcing the photography The light bulb was an Alexander Graham Bell Enjoy failure and learn to be small. Needed to adjust type invention with 1,000 steps. FAIL from it. You can never placement to allow more space to be The only di�ference between learn from success. used for the imagery to stand out. Thomas Edison success and failure is the ability to take action. James Dyson Final Iteration: TRY Alexander Graham Bell SUCCEED Moving the type to the left, and removing “I didn’t fail all color from the design created a 1,000 FAIL “Enjoy powerful statement through imagery times. The failure and typography. The “hidden” blueprints light bulb “The only and learn behind the images entice the viewer to was an di�ference from it. look closer at the posters, enhancing the invention between You can concept of always trying again. with 1,000 success never steps. and failure learn from is the success. Thomas Edison ability to take action. James Dyson Alexander Graham Bell



R 35 G 31 B 32 R 255 G 255 B 255 BODEGA SANS BLACK Alegreya Sans Light HEX #FFFFFF HEADING TEXT Body Text This typeface has a classical aesthetic, making it the perfect This typeface brings modernism to the design with choice for heading and bold text. The typeface enhances the its light style and geometric spacing. The typefaces inventors professionalism through its smooth curvatures reminds the viewer that the circumstances of these and perfect kerning. inventors are still relevant today. Color Choices Typography The black and white color choices were carefully The typographic choices for the Triptych picked to depict the way that the inventors Poster series were intended to provide a strong portrayed failure. Through brilliance, mystery contrast between the two, creating visual (their trials), and the elegance of their final interest and sending a powerful message. The inventions, the black and white colors of the text is strong, professional, and modern. posters enhance these characteristics. Hidden Elements The triptych posters each have a ghosted background of the inventors original blueprints for their inventions. The blueprints were reversed from white type on blue backgrounds to being white type on black backgrounds, and the opacity was drastically reduced, making the blueprints barely visible at a distance. This intentionally requires the viewer to take a closer look at the posters to discover the hidden elements within.

REBRANDING Mexico Library Redesign W ho says a library has to be outdated younger generation would resonate with, and and traditional? The Mexico Library in the older generation would appreciate. Mexico, Missouri needed a revamp of their current branding - which, their current branding was The development of the new logo, colorways, basically inexistent. To date, the Mexico Public wayfinding graphics, and typography required Library does not have a logo, they only have a multiple trips to the library, various user testing typeface in which they spell out the name of experiments, and many iterations before the library. Additionally, they have no defined reaching the final branding package. The new colorways or wayfinding graphics. branding for the Mexico Library will create a lasting impact on generations to come. Before beginning the rebranding of the Mexico Library, I first conducted a survey on visitors of the Mexico Library to determine their problem areas, as well as their favorite characteristics of the library. The survey revealed that the vast majority of library visitors are visiting for and with their young children, have no idea on what book(s) they want to checkout, and they enjoy the activities that the library hosts, such as children’s night or ladies night. These findings led to the conclusion that the library was in need of modernized, custom branding to create a memorable identity that the



Before After Initial Sketches

Logo The new logo for the Mexico Library incorporates a connection through the y, c, and o of the word mark. This connection represents the Mexico Libraries commitment to collaboration with its branch libraries and establishing community relationships through its reading programs. The icon is an illustration of a stack of books. Utilizing a more concrete icon opposed to abstract was a great opportunity to appeal to the older and current market visiting the library. The stacked books are recognizable, and familiar to the current market. The logo creation of the Mexico library was approached as if it was a completely new brand being developed, given there was not any current branding to base off of or needing to be kept.



Colors Novecento Sans Bold The modern, muted, high contrast color Heading text scheme of the Mexico Library creates a warm, welcoming atmosphere for all visitors. Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss The colors provide a sense of calm to the Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz viewer, allowing them to relax and find peace through their reading adventures. Filson Pro Regular Branding Pattern Body text The pattern of the Mexico Library combines Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq modernism with iconography used Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz throughout the branding elements of the library. The pattern has various elements Typography throughout it that can be seen in other areas of the Mexico Library branding. A DNA Novecento Sans Bold is an all-caps typeface strand, magnifying glass, and other hidden that is bold and impactful for heading and elements can be found throughout the signage use. Filson Pro Regular is a legible pattern. Each of these elements represent sans-serif typeface used for body type. Both a portion of the Mexico Library brand, such typefaces represent a modern, forward-facing as science fiction (DNA Strand) or mystery library brand. (Magnifying Glass). Iconography The iconography of the Mexico Library will be enhanced in terms of modernization as well as consistent messaging. The iconography will be easy to interpret its meanings, and will remain consistent with the overall branding of the Library. The iconography will be used on wayfinding graphics, fliers, the Library Layaway app, event signage, and anywhere deemed applicable.

BRANDING Personal Identity Branding Ienjoy designing – it is on my mind 24/7. Whether Graphic Design are not just two words at the I am lying in bed or at the dinner table, I am end of my degree – it is a burning passion that constantly visualizing design ideas, patterns, elements, I will use to change the world. typefaces, and physically feeling the need to grab my computer and begin designing. I don’t need a lot of motivation to start a design – I find so much joy in designing, that I take any chance I can to be in front of my computer. Graphic Design is found everywhere we look, and the impact a design can have on a person is what inspired me to become a Graphic Designer. I have always dreamed of leaving a positive impact on the world, but have always struggled with finding a creative way to achieve this – until I discovered the mass footprint design can leave on a brand, person, corporation, etc. I immediately knew that to change the world, I would perfect my art in Graphic Design. My dream is to establish a Freelancing business focused on giving back to the community, and donating a portion of any profits to local charities.



Initial Sketches The monogram for my personal branding needed to tell the story of who I am as a graphic designer. The logo needed to showcase my design style and creative directions. I began the process of logo development by first defining myself as a designer - I thought of several words to describe me, and as I began sketching I ensured to keep those descriptive words in mind. After initial sketching, I digitized my top three logo designs before choosing the final logo.

Logo The final logo lockup consists of a vertically stacked lockup as well as horizontal, with the vertical lockup being the primary logo. The logo utilizes negative space, adjusted kerning, and a custom typeface for the monogram. The logo exemplifies a minimalist style and modernism. The logomark uses a customized serif typeface, and places the W within the E, providing unison between the initials. There is a small break in the center point of the E, adding to the customization aspect of the logomark. The logo created for Emily Wilson Graphic Design exemplifies the design style of this brand, being modern and staying on-top of trends.



Color ALMANACH FAMILY (HEADER/Body text) The blue within the branding provides a sense Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq of professionalism and ensures that I will Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz provide top-of-the-line, professional designs Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss and conduct all business in a professional Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz manner. The deep teal is the main color. Baskerville Old Face (Emphasis Text) Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz Typography The typography provides a modern, minimalist combination of a sans-serif and a serif typeface. The serif (Baskerville Old Face) is primarily used in the logo, while the sans-serif (Almanach) is used for header and body copy, and different font weights can be used accordingly.

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