Burn Wordmark

Type Design, Visual Identity, Illustrator

Considering form structure and style, create a typographic wordmark for a publication that communicates meaning, establishes identity, and builds a visual language.

Concept

BURN is an experimental, radical, and intense interrogation of the cultural and artistic impact engrained in contemporary street art. BURN offers a platform for artists that challenge the status quo, capturing the social and cultural commentary embedded within their work.

Directions

Defining the style and tone establishes a sense of identity and semantic meaning. Typographic characteristics of the wordmark will reflect these ideations and inform future design decisions.

Exploring contrast between conceptual directions.

Initial Sketches

Prioritized conceptual directions and drew from base typefaces that reflected inherent characteristics of the publication. Created figure-ground reversal and focused on exploring contrast and juxtaposition.

Typeface

American Grotesk appears in a time when truths, half-truths, and entertainment seem interchangeable. Compounded by the rapid growth of generative artificial intelligence, our ability to index authority, authorship and authenticity are being redefined through a new lens of Americana.

Final

Utilize design strategies to semantically represent concepts of intensity, experimentation, and radicalism. Build a visual system that is reflected through letterform structure. Characterize wordmark through a series of both design and typographic attributes.

Next Steps

Full project is currently a work in progress. Publication will include cover and spreads that explore grid systems and create typographic standards. Through a sequence of page spreads, design solutions will demonstrate consistent strategies, intended visual rhythm, and graphic elements.