Introducing the keen kind
Hello, it has been so long!
I want to introduce you to my new space: The Keen Kind. I officially separated my portfolio—Grace Stamps—from the blog. In doing so, I took a break from updating the website to create an entirely new brand for blogging.
The Keen Kind will feature the same ol’ types of posts from gracestamps.com: lifestyle, beauty & health, art & culture, and interviews.
For those of you design nerds, I created a quick walkthrough of my process and the new elements of the brand. For the readers who do not have an interest in branding, do not stress. New posts will be added to the site three times a week on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. There will be something new for you in just a few days. In addition, you can just look at this nifty visual brand language sheet to see what I'm working with when it comes to the blog.
KEEN (ADJ.) \ ˈKĒN \
Intellectually alert; having or characteristic of a quick penetrating mind
Naming & Logo
I took me months to come up with a new brand name and I will not bore you with the details of that process (it was absolutely mind-numbing). I will, however, share my logo process and the meaning behind the name, The Keen Kind.
"Keen" means "Intellectually alert; having or characteristic of a quick penetrating mind." To be "intellectually alert" is equivalent to asking questions and remaining curious while a swift and analytical mind is, to me, an element of strength. Solid people continually question their surroundings, learn, and grow. They are definitively curious.
I chose integrate the sense of curiosity and strength into the logo. Therefore, I chose to use a solid serif font and a dot to integrate the distinctive punctuation mark of a question mark, as well as the definitive nature of a period. Definitively curious.
Moodboard
I created the moodboard directly after constructing my logo, which is a little backwards for many designers. I'm nit sure why I prefer to build the logo first, but it helps to set a foundation for my brand. By the time I have finished a logo I have a set of phrases that help me to understand, and embody, the goals and purpose of a business. For The Keen Kind I worked from "empowered," "down-to-earth," and "honest."
With phrases and logo in hand, I delved into the Internet to hunt down photographs, colors, text, and icons to draw inspiration from.
Patterns
I wanted the brand to reflect pieces of my home, Colorado, while still showcasing empowerment/tenacity and a down-to-earth attitude. By integrating wood grain, a substance of strength, and columbines, plants with the Victorian meaning of "resolved to win" and my state's official flower – I was able to integrate my roots while still maintaining my brand's meaning to a non-Colorado based audience. The best of both worlds.
Colors
I chose to use softer colors that reflected the calmness of Colorado, leaning more towards the green-blues of our evergreens and mountains rather than the reds of our sand dunes and cliff faces. Blue represents communication and trust, all elements I want to portray through The Keen Kind. My goal is to be honest, clear, and researched when it comes to the work I produce for this site.