Explore My Brand Style Identity
This blog relates to a research I did in July, 2023 for my theory class at Art Academy Minerva. I wanted to explore what it is what my work makes me and what I want to present to the outside world. I focused on what I am passionate about and what direction I will take after graduation.
I wanted to be ready with a logo and a brand style indentity so I can create the socials, portfolio site and resume I needed to show myself. Wanted and needed were the verbs at the time, it seems. One thing I knew for sure: in my art, spirituality and art do meet.
Iconography & Symbolism
Did you know that the halo originated from polytheistic iconography? The crown of light rays adorned the heads of sun and moon deities from various religions and mythologies. To disassociate from its pagan roots, Christians removed the rays and used only the disk or ring of light. Even the Statue of Liberty is crowned with ‘light extending out to the world’ and ‘radiates forward like the sun’.
The halo refers to my affinity with the spiritual realm and returning fascination with mythology and symbolism.
Picture: Helios, the Greek god of the Sun with a crown of sun rays. Relief architrave from the Temple of Athena at Troy, 300-280 BCE.
What has the cauldron to tell us?
The cauldron is related to the Celtic Welsh goddess Ceridwen, who is the keeper of the cauldron of Awen a Gwybodau (inspiration and knowledge). Her son Taliesin drank the brew by accident, which gifted him prophetic skills and the art of storytelling. According to Medieval legend, it made him the legendary 6th Century bard at the court of King Arthur. Awen is also viewed as the muse of creatives and the force that flows with the essence of life.
Why is the cauldron connected to artists and writers?
• Symbolizes transmutation, creation and rebirth
• Transmutation in the sense of mixing ideas and techniques to brew something new
• Provides artistic and poetic inspiration
• Working from home? In the past, the cauldron functioned as the household cooking pot for centuries, and so, is connected to the hearth, abundance and well-being.
• Spiritually aligned? The cauldron transports prophetic gifts, magic and world-knowledge
• Rooted in diverse mythologies and folklores; an universal symbol for all.
• Symbolizes transmutation, creation and rebirth
• Transmutation in the sense of mixing ideas and techniques to brew something new
• Provides artistic and poetic inspiration
• Working from home? In the past, the cauldron functioned as the household cooking pot for centuries, and so, is connected to the hearth, abundance and well-being.
• Spiritually aligned? The cauldron transports prophetic gifts, magic and world-knowledge
• Rooted in diverse mythologies and folklores; an universal symbol for all.
The cauldron is also a symbol for he Womb and the goddess, divination & wisdom. As I am especially interested by goddesses, feminine energy and divination (creating and using), these meanings made the decision for the cauldron in my brand identity an extra confirmation of the right direction.
Anetteprs Illustrations, Anette Pirso's interpretation of Ceridwen with the powers of transformation and shapeshifting.
Cover of the paper
Introduction to the paper
Logo Design Process
I created a booklet on my research in writing and images of my process. My art often features a graphic element, like the use of negative space, and I wanted to implement this in my logo. Wings have also been considerated during the developing, but I dropped the idea beacuse it would make the logo too crowded to work as a readable logo. I took elements from the logo apart to look if they were strong enough on their own and which can be used for social icons, seamless patterns, etc. The logo features a weird contrast of 3D and 2D in one image. The logo on its own is a contradiction, but here, it works. I personally am glad with the halo which is also the top edge of the cauldron, and the bubbles with the negative space light rays through them, although it doesn't make any sense. Magic doesn't have to make sense.
Developing of the logo and its elements
I have also considered 4 bubbles instead of 3, but this didn't work after all. Three is also the number of the phases of the goddess (Maiden, Mother, Crone), the cycle of life (Life, Death, Rebirth) and a holy number among the Celts (although Ceridwen is Welsh). To keep up the balance, the cauldron has 3 legs as well. I also played with the typography placement. The font connects well with the image of the cauldron: the cauldron itself is an anciet tool, but the logo is clean and modern. The font itself is inspired by historial fonts, but is modern after alll. This, together with my red thread of intertwining history with modern day, makes the font choice apply even more.
Inspiration for the logo
First sketches and concepts for the logo
So, a bomb of information exploded in your face. Sorry (but not sorry) about that. This research helped me a lot with pinpointing my pseudonym, logo and artist statement. Possibly it can give you new inspiration. Or you just absorbed some new information you can use. Nevertheless, thanks for the read!
Lots of love,
Halo