This project is part of a Skillshare class taught by Aaron Draplin on customized wordmarks by using Adobe Illustrator.

I worked using my (fictional) hometown, Nauvoo, Illinois. This is a quasi-sequel to my Icarian Travel Sticker project for the the another class taught by Aaron Draplin. I started out by tweaking the basic adjustments (tracking, leading, size) using Futura. I tried to always use the shortcuts. After that, I tried using a slab serif Blackoak STD. I saw potential in working with the negative spaces in the slab serifs, but the ‘O’ needed major reworking to satisfy me. So in the end, I wasn’t too happy and started making another wordmark with a sans-serif typeface, Poplar STD Black. I was very pleased with the geometric result.

I got inspired by a photo I saw in Chromegraphy. It was challenging to fit the letters into a diamond shape, but very rewarding to see the result. The zoom tool was essential for this one. Just one wrong angle would spoil the outcome. Although tricky, I finished it pretty quickly.  

This is another custom type that has a woodblock type aesthetic. I exported the Illustrator path to Photoshop to round the corners and added texture using the technique that was shown in the video. 

Lastly, I challenged myself to make a script type, something I normally wouldn’t dare to do. But Aaron dumped so much hot, molten lava of knowledge that I didn’t want his effort to go to waste. The angle was inspired by an cotton earbud packaging. 

I finished this class with four designs that I was really pleased with.