With the guidance of Professor Ali Place, I developed a name and identity for a fictional amateur astronomy equipment company.
I've adored astronomy since I first learned about the solar system as a second grader, but I've never owned a telescope. I imagine a lot of kids across America — particularly in urban areas where light pollution renders most stars invisible — are similarly unable to seriously take up the hobby. They're missing out on a lot. Stargazing can build some very practical mathematical, spatial, and logical skills — not to mention that the grandeur and beauty of the universe can be a surreal experience.
Starspot aims to make stargazing (and related astronomical activities) more accessible, inclusive, meaningful and engaging for people of all ages by offering telescopes, stargazing journals, and sky charts all in one place.
DISCIPLINES
Identity, print, illustration
TOOLS
Adobe Illustrator and InDesign
I developed an envelope for holding a solar eclipse viewer. The envelope is designed to block light from reaching and damaging the solar viewer in the weeks, months, or years leading up to the eclipse — panels on all four sides fold up to keep the viewer light-safe.
On the day of the eclipse, the envelope provides information on when, where, and how to view the eclipse so that the owner doesn't have to search for it online. The panels are designed to work well in two-page spreads regardless of which two panels are open and visible.
Additionally, two panels of the envelope are personalized. The inside of the top flap features the recipient's name, birthdate, and astrological sign, connecting their sense of self to the constant movement of the stars. The inside of another panel displays the recipient's age at the time of the eclipse that the envelope is tied to. If the solar viewer was purchased far in advance, as is intended, that panel would speak to the rarity and significance of solar eclipses.
Behind the solar viewer is the Starspot mark and slogan, "keep your head in the stars", encouraging users to keep dreaming and learning about the vast universe around them. After the eclipse has occurred, the envelope can be flattened out for display as a keepsake and a memento of the event.
STARCARDS
For a color theory class with Professor Dylan DeWitt, I extended this identity through a large series of "trading cards" for real-life stars. The front of each card gives a brief biography of the star, as well as an approximation of the star's size; the reverse side details its spectral type and the color profile created by its unique composition of elements. 
The science here is pretty roughshod, because I'm hardly a scientist. This is meant to be an introduction to astronomical concepts for kids and hobbyists rather than a robust scientific explanation.
This guide card introduces the basic concepts discussed on each star's card. 
The full set comprises 25 stars of all spectral types.

3 other random things I have made (you won't BELIEVE #3!)

Restoring the neighborhood collective
My degree capstone project investigated sparsely-attended civic meetings that make huge housing and land usage decisions in communities across the United States.
2020
Visualizing the Earned Income Tax Credit
In my third project with Reimagine Arkansas, I made a series of data visualizations on SB10, a bill that would create an EITC for working families in the state.
2021
STNDRD, the clothing brand for everybody
I made a quirky, expressive brand system for a clothing company focused on ethics and inclusivity.
2019
Digital Thinkers Conference
I made a type-tastic bilingual brand system inspired by complex urban landscapes for the annual technology and design conference in Tokyo, Japan.
2020
The housing rainbow
In my second project with Reimagine Arkansas, I made a quote wreath and a series of illustrations pushing viewers to think of housing as a spectrum.
2020
App prototype: Canopy NWA
I prototyped a volunteer coordination app in Adobe XD for a local organization that helps refugees from around the world resettle in Northwest Arkansas.
2018
Identity: James Lewis butcher & deli
I drew 30+ simple geometric food-related icons as part of a modular brand system.
2019
Marvelous Miscellanea
Posters, social media thingies, and other random small projects that don't deserve a page of their own.
2023
Race, class, and COVID-19
As part of the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation's Reimagine Arkansas series, I created a social media kit diving into the CARES Act and the racial disparities of the COVID crisis.
2020
Frazier Homes
I developed a minimalist identity inspired by early 20th-century craftsmen for a local contractor and applied it to business cards, yard signs, and shirts.
2021
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