Cut It Out.

Another design element for Kaleid…

When I started this little venture to add some more self initiated pieces of work to my portfolio, I thought it would only involve some branding & packaging work, but it has stretched in to so many other directions that I’ve been kept very busy! Here is a little promotional piece for the Facebook/Twitter that I’ve been working on tonight. Only really simple, but I think it carries the branding well. At least it’s another string to add to the bow of this whole new design/business venture at the very least!

*Opens tomorrow by the way, not tonight!

Moo have done it again!

I was far too excited to see that my Kaleid business cards had arrived this morning! I just love Moo, the quality of the printing & paper stock is just fabulous. Decided to get mini cards as the regular felt a little too large for my packaging. Plus, you can put a different design on nearly every card with the mini’s! I honestly cannot stop looking at them. The Etsy shop is up & running so hurry up & get buying so I can send you these lovely cards with the packaging! Oh, and with a bracelet too.

A little extra info…

After I finished updating the Kaleid Facebook page with photos of all the example bracelets & items you could create your own bracelet with, I thought it still wasn’t clear enough that you can literally design your own bracelet through Kaleid. To communicate this more effectively (and to add something else in my portfolio of branding/design work for Kaleid) I decided to create some little info graphics pieces for each album, explaining the process of creating your bracelet in said album. This was the first time I’ve properly had a go at some info style graphics & I’m pretty pleased with how it came out. I’ve kept the hexagon shape and used it to represent each step, rather than just plain boxes. Each colour represents the colour given to those types of bracelets. They’re only really simple - but it’s just what was needed to highlight how to make your own bracelet.

Kaleid Process…

Thinking up a name for these bracelets was actually the hardest part of the whole process. I’d already made a few experimental bracelets, so I wanted to name them so I could start on the branding side of it. I had a massive list of names - each one I tried out on google & each were already in existence. I realised however I was going about it all wrong, I wasn’t thinking about what my bracelets were doing, I was just trying to think of a good name. Once I noted down the main features of my collection (able to customise, lots of choice, array of colours) I looked up things to do with this. After much searching, I came across kaleidoscope - we all know what it means, but I was more interested in where the words came from. ‘Kalos’ in ancient greek means 'beautiful’ and 'eidos’ means 'forms/shapes’, so the literal translation of the name I ended up choosing is 'beautiful forms’. The kaleidoscope reference also lent itself really well to the changing of colours aspect & an interesting route to go down when branding…

Logo:

So the shape of the logo was pretty much dictated from the start. With it being linked to kaleidoscope shapes, it had to be some sort of polygon. After initial drawn designs, the hexagon stuck. I felt the name lent itself to more of a script/handwritten font - it’s ornate without taking too much away from the design.

Packaging:

Packaging isn’t my strongest design point, so I was a little worried that I wouldn’t pull this off. To make my simple bracelet designs stand out, I wanted each one to be packaged in hand made wallets, just to add that extra touch. I firstly went through what packaging options were available & which would be most cost effective. I made quite a few nets & tried them out just to get the sizing correct. Although the design looks complicated, it’s actually very simple. With the design route I had already taken, it was obvious I’d have to create some sort of kaleidoscope pattern for the packaging. To achieve this, I just experimented with building up hexagon patterns - which is basically all the finished design is! I left the background colour white as a) it’s more cost effective with printing/ink and b) It became too complicated with 2 colours. Keeping it white and one other colour means that when I make packaging for an order, I can alter the packaging colour to match the order (hence why the logo is in 8 colours). It looks stylish and slightly more up-market, to match the quality of the swarovski beads used. Finished off the packaging with tissue paper wrapping & a kaleid logo sticker.

Ordered some mini cards from Moo to complete the design which I will post up when they come! Awaiting the cards before opening the shop, but there is already a facebook/twitter set up to browse the photos & keep updated!