Creative Musing
January 2017
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America's National Parks
Utilizing the emblem shape of the National Park Service and drawing inspiration from the natural elements of our parks—land, water, and sky. Above are two illustrative styles, left badge features gradient colors and right badge feature flat colors. The emblems typeface is Rockwell Nova Condensed designed by Monotype.
Creative Musing
January 2017
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Canada Goose
Bold fills with negative space accents and a Canadian maple leaf.
Creative Musing + Article
December 2016
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Modern x Dwell
The simple line and halftone pattern illustration is a reflection of the contemporary esthetics created for the Modern x Dwell collection. This collaboration between Dwell and Target has produced a thoughtful collection of well-designed modern pieces. Most pieces represented in my illustration are the outdoor patio collection.
Creative Musing
December 2016
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Fish King
A simple line illustration mark paired with my own custom typeface.
Client Project
December 2016
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Michigan Wheel Marine
Combination badge and flag mark designed for a boat manufacturer that didn’t make the cut. The logo’s mark is paired with the typeface Poppins designed by Jonny Pinhorn and Ninad Kale, from Google.
+Brand Identity
+ Creative Direction
+ Project Management
+ Qualitative Research
+ Concept Development
+ Sketching & Ideation
+ Illustration
Client Project
December 2016
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Mitten State
A few of MI (my) favorite things. A mark with custom hand type created by my wife and I for a our children’s school auction—auctioning authentic Michigan paraphernalia. The letterforms in this mark have been custom-designed to fit snugly into the mitten.
+ Brand Identity
+ Creative Direction
+ Project Management
+ Qualitative Research
+ Concept Development
+ Sketching & Ideation
+ Illustration
Client Project
November 2016
Using a guided design approach, I explored SpartanNash's key environmental impact areas of Social and Environmental Responsibilities, delving into each segment to narrate their entire sustainable journey. Through the strategic use of storytelling, we intricately wove together their core values, showcased their diverse capabilities, highlighted community engagement efforts, and underscored their unwavering commitment to environmental responsibility. This narrative was brought to life through a blend of design elements, compelling visuals, and informative infographics, culminating in a comprehensive sustainability report.
Brochure Design & Layout
+ Creative Direction
+ Project Management
+ Qualitative Research
+ Concept Development
+ Sketching & Ideation
+ Graphic Design & Layout
+ Photography Art Direction
+ Infographics
+ Illustration
Article + Product
December 2016
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Dwell Feature
Thank you Dwell for promoting my work in this month’s issue of Dwell Magazine and on dwell.com It’s nice to be noticed ☺️
What the Dwell blurb reads, “Design With an Eye for Fine Lines. Michigan-based graphic designer and illustrator Michael Nykamp takes minimalist approach to creating portraits and logos for a variety of clients, including AIGA West Michigan, Herman Miller, and musician Truman Cage. We also love his crisp drawings of midcentury classics, such as Jens Risom’s A-Frame house. Follow his collaborations, posters and personal explorations like this geometric lion at dwell.”
Additional Content
View my work on Dwell.
Creative Musing
November 2016
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Saint Tikhon
Simple line and dots illustration of an Orthodox Priest in his vestments and staff.
Creative Musing
October 2016
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The Careful Gardener
An older gentleman recently told me, “Every relationship has a gardener and a flower.” Typically women are gardeners.
Creative Musing
September 2016
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The Death Of Peace
Illustration inspired by the quote from Jason Donahue, “I see humans, but no humanity”.
Client Project
September 2016
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Sleeping Fawn
Created this a few years ago as potential mark for a book publishing company.
+ Brand Identity
+ Creative Direction
+ Qualitative Research
+ Concept Development
+ Sketching & Ideation
+ Illustration
Creative Musing
September 2016
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Feist Portrait
Stylized portrait of Canadian singer and songwriter, Feist.
Creative Musing
August 2016
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Pentax K 1000
During college, I was taught photography using the Pentax K1000. This model was instrumental in laying the groundwork for learning traditional manual camera techniques, including light metering, aperture settings, and F-stops. Additionally, I developed the film and processed photos in a darkroom.
Client Project
August 2016
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Truman Cage
This mark was created for Truman Cage, an electronic EMD producer (final mark, top image). The projects criteria was straightforward: it had to incorporate the letters "T" and "C" while being enclosed within a box. The bottom images showcase various design iterations I explored during the creative process.
+ Brand Identity
+ Creative Direction
+ Qualitative Research
+ Project Management
+ Concept Development
+ Sketching & Ideation
+ Illustration
My client for this project was John Swihart, an American composer renowned for his work in film and television music. He best known for his score to Napoleon Dynamite and his music for the TV shows How I Met Your Mother.
Creative Musing
August 2016
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Death of a Lotus
Some quick stylistic illustrations created in my downtime today.
Creative Musing
June 2016
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OK Tuna
Mimicking a fish through imitating Japanese characters for this mark. The ‘O’ and ‘K’ letterforms where custom illustrated for this mark.
Creative Musing
May 2016
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Leica M
I love the simplicity of physical products, like Leica’s cameras. This simplicity mirrors my approach to design and illustration, as shown by this illustration of the Leica M.
Creative Musing
May 2016
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Flight of the Crane
Inspired, I created this modern and balanced symmetrical illustration of a crane launching for take-off.
michael@mkn-design.com
1 616 915 1941
Good design is complexity presented simply
MKN Design LLC © 2024
133 Somerset Drive NE
West Michigan
