Project Charm Typography
I've been friends with the folks at Chaotic Harmony Imports & Events (CHI) for many years now. Not only have I had the fortune to attend conventions with them all over the U.S., but they've asked me to develop some promotional materials through the years as the company has developed and grown.
In 2018 CHI began working with another type of musical client called "ALT Idols". These are idols or idol groups from Japan who don't conform to the standard J-pop sound you'd hear on the radio. Often their lyrics portray darker, non conformist themes and their sound is free to change from group to group, with metal or techno being big influences. A popular "Alt Idol" group with world renowned recognition for their performance and sound would be Babymetal.
Role:
Graphic Designer/ Illustrator
Team:
Chaotic Harmony Imports
Tools:
Photoshop, Illustrator
Duration:
2018 - Present
The idea came about from wanting a typography for the project using the "Lobster" type face. The client also wanted to involve musical symbols in the final design so I devised a simple logo using a Bass clef as it appears to be half of a heart.
As I continued to sketch in Photoshop I added a flourish which morphed into a musical staff. The design supported the idea of having a love and passion for music which supported the brand's identity. The owners of CHI have a profound passion for modern underground Japanese music which extends into the realms of Visual Kei and Alt-Idols.
Once the basis for the design was established I worked collaboratively with the client in determining colors and outlines which would later establish the Project: Charm brand identity. During this prototyping phase I developed the idea of adding a "monster" element to the design which would relate back to the flagship CHI brand. As the overall design shifted I redrew the musical staff to be more dynamic, and added a little star flourish to the "Project:" line which build on to the idea of "Idol".
The finalized design featured a flourish of Japanese which the client decided not to utilize. I felt the addition further gave the overall design more of a Japanese pop/punk aesthetic. Overall the relaxed pastel colors juxtaposed with a "monsterized" element give a great look into the world of Alt-idols.
Of course I couldn't talk about a new musical genre without providing some examples:
