joseph ekloff » Type Design & Lettering

FUEL Modern Eatery

admin — Fri, 06 May 2011 21:47:13 +0000

FUEL Modern Eatery is a multidimensional design concept that was chosen for implementation as an eating space connected to a recently redesigned recreational center. I worked on all aspects of the idea behind the restaurant from start to finish, starting with the identity and visual aesthetics of the building. The restaurant offers healthy, delicious fair, and includes an electrolyte water bar, with 6 branded enhanced waters on tap. My design effectively brands the café as a cozy, chic, and health-conscious dining option near the gym at the University of Arizona, in Tucson, AZ.

Deliverables: brand and product logos, custom geometric typeface, menu design, website prototype, iPhone app UI, advertisements, labels, environmental signage, interior design (furniture selection, surfaces, wall treatments, etc.) and patio architecture.

My design was selected from a pool of proposals. I was then tasked with executing the designs, and refitting the concepts for precise specifications. The modern eatery was set to launch in a couple months before the original concept was developed, so much was needed for the concept to come to fruition. As a brand and design consultant, I met with Dining Service managers, the institution’s Marketing department, site architects, and various vendors. Adjustments and revisions were made according to budget, findings from market research, and restrictions due to accessibility and building codes.

In the media:
[video promo] (youtube)
[front page article] (daily newspaper)

Beach House (band)

admin — Thu, 05 May 2011 00:39:37 +0000

With an emphasis on hand-drawn typography and non-digital investigations of type, I created some wordmarks, logos, custom designs, and ephemera for different potential applications for the band Beach House. Band identities are fluid and eclectic. They evolve as the music does and shifts as the location changes. Bands with a signature style develop strikingly new moods and compositions that can evoke different visuals at different times. Beach House is such a band, and this is such a project.

Deliverables: art direction, single reissue, tour flyer, t-shirt, gig poster, pin-on button, album covers, stickers

sunken pearl

admin — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 04:38:19 +0000

sunken pearl is an identity concept for a tourism and research organization in San Deigo, California, offering deep ocean expeditions. The demographic targets were young, affluent adults, scholarly researchers, and thrill-seeking vacationers. Some special developments for sunken pearl’s identity included an exhaustive manual of brand guidelines, which included prototypes for company vehicles. This branding package was showcased at the 2010 Visual Communications Juried Exhibition at the Lionel Rombach gallery in Tucson, AZ.

Deliverables: identity manual booklet, logo design, sunkenpearl-sans typeface, business stationery, one-color newsletter, printed brochure & envelop, shopping bags and boxes, package design, sunscreen, monumental building signage, vehicle wraps

Lovebird’s Wedding

admin — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 04:37:47 +0000

Wedding collateral for the engagement, bridal shower, and ceremony/reception. The clients wanted graphic design with a classic look with handmade lettering and illustration.

I came up with palate of a summery green, a creamy beige, and a warm black. The bird motif forms a heart shape in the negative space between the lovebird’s kiss. The floral tree elements reference the growth of a new family. Custom script typography and ornaments added personal elegance to the event.

Deliverables: save the date, bridal shower notice, wedding invitation & RSVP card, favor cards, table displays, custom typography, cake-topper, website [preview]

The invitational set won the Silver Award in its category at the 2010 VisCom Juried Exhibition at the Lionel Rombach gallery in Tucson, AZ.

Assorted Fonts / Type Design

admin — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 20:55:20 +0000

Typography is about the harmony of type characters, and the visual and functional arrangement of text, hierarchy, and flow. In addition to typesetting, hand lettering, and customized digital characters for specific projects, I’ve been fascinated with creating type as truetype fonts, as shown here. These display fonts were made from 2005-2011.

BrewType (1) and Rooty Voutee (2) are not released to the public, but other fonts are free to download for personal and commercial use (though some punctuation characters may not be available for Abdomentality, Derivia, Lower-optic Fibercase, or Remodula). Treat type with respect; manual kerning is encouraged.