So I decided to create a negative space mark for my new company, Kinsale Conkers, which creates bespoke jewellery out of real horse chestnuts. I create them by hand, air dry the conkers, prepare them and the thread them with copper in varying designs so that they are transformed into beautiful wearable autumn pieces.

The brand is all about being natural, elegant, warm, and quirky.

Here is one of the pieces of jewellery I make.

Kinsale Conkers Negative Space Mark - image 1 - student project

Here is the overall illustrator screenshot, you can see reference material I used, screenshots of different fonts and trying them out, collecting imagery and seeing how well it fits with me as a person and seeing how the logo looks on the boxes I will be using to package the jewellery.

Kinsale Conkers Negative Space Mark - image 2 - student project

This was my first thought, the tree within the conker. I like it, though I had to keep in mind that I would make it into a rubber stamp for printing onto the boxes. And lots of people have trees in their logos, it seemed fairly generic. I would not be able to distinguish this as a horse chestnut tree.

Kinsale Conkers Negative Space Mark - image 3 - student project

Mocking it up on the packaging. I feel the conker shape is a little too flat also, I will rectify this.

Kinsale Conkers Negative Space Mark - image 4 - student project

Here I have changed the conker shape, and chosen to use the leaf of the horse chestnut tree which is more identifiable. I'm pretty much set on this typeface - Adorn Pomander. However the r in conkers doesn't read well. By expanding the text into an object, I will be able to edit each point individually and make it into a more legible r. Here, the leaf shape is a bit to pointy in the centre. I'm going to round it out to make it a bit softer. I like how the stem of the leaf curves seemlessly into the outer conker shape.

Kinsale Conkers Negative Space Mark - image 6 - student project

Kinsale Conkers Negative Space Mark - image 7 - student project

Here is the modified r in conkers.

Kinsale Conkers Negative Space Mark - image 8 - student project

And here is the final design, rounder edges in the centre, legible script. Can't wait to get the stamp in the mail and get creating! Hope you've enjoyed seeing the process!

Kinsale Conkers Negative Space Mark - image 9 - student project

And now with shadows to give it a bit more depth

Kinsale Conkers Negative Space Mark - image 10 - student project

Which do you guys think? With or without shadows?

Any comments appreciated! Cheers!

Just created the website for it, and it is live, sadly with wix free websites, but I figure I can re-create the design in wordpress when I have a bit more time on my hands to learn website design.

Take a look at let me know what you think!

www.kinsaleconkers.wix.com/kinsaleconkers

Here are a couple of screenshots.

Kinsale Conkers Negative Space Mark - image 11 - student project

Kinsale Conkers Negative Space Mark - image 13 - student project

Kinsale Conkers Negative Space Mark - image 14 - student project

Stephanie Ayres

Freelance Illustrator/Explorer

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