Shipping under pressure and launching on time
A reflection on finishing Elf Assembly under time pressure, making compromises, and deciding when the work was ready to launch.
Decisions, dead ends, and direction changes
A reflective look at the design process behind Elf Assembly, from early ideas and wrong turns to the decisions that shaped the final brand.
What’s in a name? Everything, actually.
Why choosing the right name for Elf Assembly mattered, and how that decision shaped the tone, credibility, and direction of the whole project.
Elf Assembly branding
Brand identity and website design for Elf Assembly, a worker-owned toy-making cooperative. A self-initiated project exploring values, craft, and systems.
No elf control | Designing a Christmas Brand
A reflective look at why I created Elf Assembly, the constraints I set, and how a fictional brand became a serious design exercise.
Sweating the details (or getting lost down the rabbit hole)
Much of logo design happens at a scale most people never see. This post reflects on judgement, craft, and the quiet decisions that shape strong marks.
Human powered | Paying more to be AI free
As AI takes over more of the creative process, a growing number of people are seeking out work that feels personal, intentional and human-made. This post explores whether “AI-Free” companies could become the next marker of quality.
New Apple TV ident: was it really worth it?
Apple’s new Apple TV ident is a beautiful piece of design and a curious one. Built from real glass but almost indistinguishable from CGI, it raises questions about intention, value, and who the work was really for. This post explores the craft behind it, the criticism surrounding it, and why the behind-the-scenes film might be the real story.
Wake me up before you logo
Many brands rush straight to the logo, but the real work starts earlier. This post looks at why clarity around purpose, audience and personality creates stronger, more coherent identity design, and why the logo only makes sense once the brand has woken up.
Dumber than a barrel of crackers | A branding backlash
The Cracker Barrel controversy was more than a logo debate. It showed how easily public outrage can overpower thoughtful identity work, especially when brands panic. Jaguar’s recent rebrand proves there is another path, one that holds its ground and lets the noise pass.