Gold Mine of Merritt Island has asked me to design a new business identity package for their company, consisting of a new symbolic logo, some typography work for their name, and some general print work to revamp their business cards and in-store gift-cards. They’ve had the same business ID for many years (see picture below), and are ready for something new to suit all the work they’ve done in fixing up the storefront in the past year or two. I’ve known these people for nearly 5 years, even worked in the shop as an eBay listing temp for a while. They’ve always been very helpful to me and supportive of my work in many ways, so I have a lot of personal motivation in seeing this project through.
The old business/gift cards.
If you’ve never been (map and directions available in the first link at the beginning of this post), give it a shot — You’ll more than likely find something there you never knew you needed — And if not, it’s still a fun trip and a bit of a landmark in Merritt Island. It drips with character, from the decor to the personell to the laid-back business model to the weiner dogs. That’s right… weiner dogs. A small pack of them.
First round of sketches.
Louis, Pippen, Annie, and Snickers are their names, and they are the at the epicenter of design considerations. It’s been unanimously agreed upon that the final logo should incorporate some depiction of a dachshund, and most likely some sort of mining (a la “Gold Mine) implement(s). I’ve already got a few variations of this knocked out on paper (see picture above). Beyond that, they’re just looking for something that plays on both the uniquely light atmosphere and the established professionalism of the shop. The challenge has been set.
Second round of sketches.
EDIT: June 8th, 2009: We’re getting closer. Did the second round of sketches (see picture above) in the shop, and got immediate feedback on the one shown in the upper right hand corner. Going to work next on several variations of the dachshund holding a gemstone and admiring it through a jeweler’s loop.