June 4, 2025

Chronicles is a repository of articles, client projects, creative musings and products. All content is copyrighted by MKN Design. Reproduction without express written consent is prohibited. To license a specific illustration or design, please contact me via email.

Use the search function to view specific project type or the use the Chronicles dropdown to search by group.

Rosso Bitters

Creative Musing
June 2025

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Rossa Bitters
A independent design execution on for a bitters brand. Rossa Bitters. a bold, vibrant infusion of Red Lemon crafted for the curious palate. Whether you're elevating a classic cocktail or experimenting with something new, Rosso Bitters brings a citrus-forward complexity that balances bitter and bright in every drop.

City Pours

April 18, 2024

Client Project
April 2024

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City Pours
City Pours is a local bartending service that provides professional dry bartending services that offer a range of beverage solutions. Their business specializes in providing a convenient, all-in-one bar service solution for events, ensuring a seamless and exceptional experience. Their professionally trained staff, paired with exceptional bar options and packages, guarantees a top-notch experience for any celebration.

+ Brand Identity
+ Creative Direction
+ Concept Development
+ Sketching & Ideation
+ Illustration
+ Graphic Design

Toshiba GP-42

February 1, 2023

Creative Musing
February 2023

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Toshiba GP-42
This is not AI-generated or a 3D rendering, but a 2D product illustration. The GP-42 was developed and designed by Toshiba in 1978 as a portable analog record player combined with an AM Radio and microphone input for karaoke.

Navigator

January 26, 2023

Client Project
January 2023

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Navigator Driving Academy
After 23 years of growth, Navigator's brand no longer aligned with its current focus on training young teenagers and adults in smart or autonomous vehicles, nor did it represent the direction Navigator aimed to pursue. Therefore, a new brand was imperative to reflect its evolution accurately.

Navigator had a few distinctive design challenges that required resolution:

Develop a logo that intuitively feels like a driving academy without feeling or stating it's a driving academy.
Logo to be perceived as trustworthy, safe, and exceptional to parents (core audience), but also conveys a cool factor for teen student drivers (secondary audience).
By law, driving academy vehicles are legally required to have ‘student driver’ signage on their vehicles. This is typically resolved with magnetic ‘student driver’ signs prone to slipping or peeling. A solution was needed to seamlessly integrate Navigator's logo with the required signage—ensuring a purposeful design rather than an afterthought, enhancing both safety and branding.

The final combined logo for Navigator successfully tackled every design challenge with a bold, attention-grabbing appearance. It seamlessly integrated the student driver sign by utilizing a vehicle wrap, ensuring a cohesive and visually striking solution.

+ Brand Identity
+ Creative Direction
+ Project Management
+ Qualitative Research
+ Concept Development
+ Sketching & Ideation
+ Design & Layout
+ Brand Mockups
+ Vehicle Wrap

Robertson

July 18, 2022

Creative Musing
July 2022

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Robertson
A creative exercise taking the square shape from the Robertson Drive and mimicking the font to the style of the mark. The Robertson square-socket drive was invented by Peter Lymburner Robertson, a Canadian inventor, industrialist, salesman, and philanthropist who popularized the square-socket drive for screws.

Llama Fiber Co.

March 23, 2022

Creative Musing
March 2022

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Llama Fiber Co.
Llama Fiber Co. mascot is paired with the typeface Alverata designed by Gerard Unger from TypeTogether.

Panda

March 23, 2022

Creative Musing
February 2022

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Panda
Logo exploration paired with a hand crafted typeface.

Panda graphic tee is available for purchase. Check out more graphic tees on my Cotton Bureau profile page.
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Note: All Cotton Bureau apparel comes in a variety of clothing types, styles, fits, sizes, materials, and colors.

Coldbreak, Brand Strategy & Identity

March 14, 2022

Client Project
March 2022

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Coldbreak, Brand Strategy & Identity
Coldbreak started in 2005 from humble beginnings. As they grew, they acquired a stellar reputation within the draft equipment industry. Today they are the leader in the development, engineering, and designing of mobile draft equipment for breweries, entertainment and hospitality industries, brewing enthusiasts, and other aficionados. Aware of this, Coldbreak knew that its logo had aged and did not reflect its current reputation and vision.

Guided a client in orchestrating the conception, formation, and design of the Coldbreak identity. As we moved through the process, we distilled insights gathered from audience and stakeholder interviews, shaping the foundation of the brand. This foundation delineated the brand’s tone, defined the voice and visual direction of the brand. As we progressed, additional interviews, journey mapping, naming, brand architecture, iterative brand development, and brand guidelines were established, evolving into the final Become brand.

+ Brand Strategy & Identity
+ Team Leadership
+ Creative Direction
+ Qualitative & Quantitative Research
+ Project Management
+ User Interviews
+ Qualitative Research
+ Brand Messaging
+ Visual Identity
+ Brand Strategy
+ Concept Developement
+ Sketching & Ideation
+ Illustration
+ Vehicle Wrap
After a decade of struggling to find our identity internally, we reached out to MKN Design. Michael quickly immersed himself in our company culture, history, and future goals to create the an accurate brand strategy and visual identity. To say we’re happy with the results is a huge understatement.

— Boyd Culver, CEO of Coldbreak
View the preliminary concepts that where explored for Become.

Piers Court

January 30, 2022

Creative Musing
January 2022

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Piers Court
Formally owned by the author, Evelyn Waugh. While residing at Piers Court, he wrote several books while he resided there. His countryside home is located in Stinchcombe, a small village in Gloucestershire, England. It was built on top of an original structure from a 16th-century manor, and reconstructed on its remnants in the 18th century, which is the house that stands today. The mark is paired with the typeface Neutraface by House Industries.

Coldbreak Mark Exploration

December 24, 2021

Client Project
December 2021

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Coldbreak Mark Exploration
Though these marks where not selected by Coldbreak they laid the groundwork for refinement, ultimately leading to Coldbreak’s final brand identity.

These unselected marks where drawn from research and interviews conducted during the initial discovery phase. While they weren't ultimately chosen they served as a foundation for further refinement, contributing to the execution of Coldbreak’s brand identity. The sixth concept (bottom right) guided the direction towards Coldbreak's ultimate brand identity.

+ Branding
+ Research
+ Concept Development
+ Sketching & Ideation
+ Illustration
View the completed brand strategy and identity project.

The Headless Rooster

December 22, 2021

Creative Musing
December 2021

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The Headless Rooster
A macabre mark is paired with the typeface Conglomerat designed by Greg Shutters from Typetanic.

Yoga Square

December 17, 2021

Creative Musing
December 2021

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Yoga Square
A minimalist mark where the concept of "square" is subtly implied through its shapes. The marks is paired with the typeface Conglomerate designed by Greg Shutters from Typetanic.

Foreshadow

December 4, 2021

Client Project
December 2021

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Foreshadow
This startup developed a machine learning algorithm to preemptively identify potential threats of malicious phishing attacks. Their goal was to alert users of potential threats to their online security and privacy.

This startup developed a machine learning algorithm to preemptively identify potential threats of malicious phishing attacks. Their goal was to alert users of potential threats to their online security and privacy. With a staggering 97% of people unable to discern phishing attacks, their innovative solution aimed to bridge this critical gap in cybersecurity awareness for home use.

+ Brand Identity
+ Creative Direction
+ Research (competitive, consumer)
+ Concept Development
+ Sketching & Ideation
+ Iconography
+ Mockups

Spiras

November 4, 2021

Creative Musing
November 2021

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Spiras
Exploration on a modern mark for the name Spiras, modern spiral staircase engineers, fabricators, and designers. The mark paired with the typeface Kallisto designed by Rian Hughes from Device Fonts.

Forestry Waterway Management Inc.

October 24, 2021

Creative Musing
October 2021

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Forestry Waterway Management Inc.
Combining two elements, trees, and water creates this logo. Mark paired with the typeface ITC Avant Garde Gothic designed by Herb Lubalin and Tom Carnase from Monotype.

Atlas

October 22, 2021

Creative Musing
October 2021

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Atlas
The Greek mythology god, Atlas holding up the heavens… or is he holding up his head? Altas logo was paired with the typeface Condor designed by David Jonathan Ross from DJR.

This illustration of Atlas is available for purchase on various color tees on Cotton Bureau.
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Note: All Cotton Bureau apparel comes in a variety of clothing types, styles, fits, sizes, materials, and colors.

Sonic Boom

October 20, 2021

Creative Musing
October 2021

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Sonic Boom
Visual interpretation of the word, “Sonic Boom”, paired with the typeface Dic Sans designed by Luciano Perondi from CAST – Cooperativa Anonima Servizi Tipografici.

Conifer

October 17, 2021

Creative Musing
October 2021

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Conifer
Pairing a simplified coniferous cone logo with the typeface Gimlet Display, designed by David Jonathan Ross, from DJR.

Yellow Jacket

October 15, 2021

Creative Musing
October 2021

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Yellow Jacket
Pairing a simplified Yellow Jacket mark with the typeface Conglomerate, designed by Greg Shutters from Typetanic.

Olympia Book Publishing

September 28, 2021

Creative Musing
September 2021

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Olympia Book Publishing
Combine the iconic elements of a book, torch, and flames to construct a cohesive mark. I paired this mark with the typeface FF Good Headline designed by Łukasz Dziedzic from FontFont.

Chronicles is a repository of articles, client projects, creative musings and products. All content is copyrighted by MKN Design. Reproduction without express written consent is prohibited. To license a specific illustration or design, please contact me via email.

Rosso Bitters

Service:

Tasks:

__Toshiba GP-42This is not AI-generated or a 3D rendering, but a 2D product illustration. The GP-42 was developed and designed by Toshiba in 1978 as a portable analog record player combined with an AM Radio and microphone input for karaoke.

Navigator had a few distinctive design challenges that required resolution:

Develop a logo that intuitively feels like a driving academy without feeling or stating it's a driving academy.

Logo to be perceived as trustworthy, safe, and exceptional to parents (core audience), but also conveys a cool factor for teen student drivers (secondary audience).

The final combined logo for Navigator successfully tackled every design challenge with a bold, attention-grabbing appearance. It seamlessly integrated the student driver sign by utilizing a vehicle wrap, ensuring a cohesive and visually striking solution.

Service:

Tasks:

__Llama Fiber Co.Llama Fiber Co. mascot is paired with the typeface Alverata designed by Gerard Unger from TypeTogether.

__PandaLogo exploration paired with a hand crafted typeface.

Buy this Tee

Service:

Tasks:

Imprimatur:

Additional Content:

__Coldbreak Mark ExplorationThough these marks where not selected by Coldbreak they laid the groundwork for refinement, ultimately leading to Coldbreak’s final brand identity.

Service:

Tasks:

Additional Content:

__The Headless RoosterA macabre mark is paired with the typeface Conglomerat designed by Greg Shutters from Typetanic.

__Yoga SquareA minimalist mark where the concept of "square" is subtly implied through its shapes. The marks is paired with the typeface Conglomerate designed by Greg Shutters from Typetanic.

__ForeshadowThis startup developed a machine learning algorithm to preemptively identify potential threats of malicious phishing attacks. Their goal was to alert users of potential threats to their online security and privacy.

Service

Tasks:

__SpirasExploration on a modern mark for the name Spiras, modern spiral staircase engineers, fabricators, and designers. The mark paired with the typeface Kallisto designed by Rian Hughes from Device Fonts.

__Forestry Waterway Management Inc.Combining two elements, trees, and water creates this logo. Mark paired with the typeface ITC Avant Garde Gothic designed by Herb Lubalin and Tom Carnase from Monotype.

__AtlasThe Greek mythology god, Atlas holding up the heavens… or is he holding up his head? Altas logo was paired with the typeface Condor designed by David Jonathan Ross from DJR.

Buy this Tee:

__Sonic BoomVisual interpretation of the word, “Sonic Boom”, paired with the typeface Dic Sans designed by Luciano Perondi from CAST – Cooperativa Anonima Servizi Tipografici.

__ConiferPairing a simplified coniferous cone logo with the typeface Gimlet Display, designed by David Jonathan Ross, from DJR.

__Yellow JacketPairing a simplified Yellow Jacket mark with the typeface Conglomerate, designed by Greg Shutters from Typetanic.

__Olympia Book Publishing Combine the iconic elements of a book, torch, and flames to construct a cohesive mark. I paired this mark with the typeface FF Good Headline designed by Łukasz Dziedzic from FontFont.

__
Toshiba GP-42
This is not AI-generated or a 3D rendering, but a 2D product illustration. The GP-42 was developed and designed by Toshiba in 1978 as a portable analog record player combined with an AM Radio and microphone input for karaoke.

__
Llama Fiber Co.
Llama Fiber Co. mascot is paired with the typeface Alverata designed by Gerard Unger from TypeTogether.

__
Panda
Logo exploration paired with a hand crafted typeface.

__
Coldbreak Mark Exploration
Though these marks where not selected by Coldbreak they laid the groundwork for refinement, ultimately leading to Coldbreak’s final brand identity.

__
The Headless Rooster
A macabre mark is paired with the typeface Conglomerat designed by Greg Shutters from Typetanic.

__
Yoga Square
A minimalist mark where the concept of "square" is subtly implied through its shapes. The marks is paired with the typeface Conglomerate designed by Greg Shutters from Typetanic.

__
Foreshadow
This startup developed a machine learning algorithm to preemptively identify potential threats of malicious phishing attacks. Their goal was to alert users of potential threats to their online security and privacy.

__
Spiras
Exploration on a modern mark for the name Spiras, modern spiral staircase engineers, fabricators, and designers. The mark paired with the typeface Kallisto designed by Rian Hughes from Device Fonts.

__
Forestry Waterway Management Inc.
Combining two elements, trees, and water creates this logo. Mark paired with the typeface ITC Avant Garde Gothic designed by Herb Lubalin and Tom Carnase from Monotype.

__
Atlas
The Greek mythology god, Atlas holding up the heavens… or is he holding up his head? Altas logo was paired with the typeface Condor designed by David Jonathan Ross from DJR.

__
Sonic Boom
Visual interpretation of the word, “Sonic Boom”, paired with the typeface Dic Sans designed by Luciano Perondi from CAST – Cooperativa Anonima Servizi Tipografici.

__
Conifer
Pairing a simplified coniferous cone logo with the typeface Gimlet Display, designed by David Jonathan Ross, from DJR.

__
Yellow Jacket
Pairing a simplified Yellow Jacket mark with the typeface Conglomerate, designed by Greg Shutters from Typetanic.

__
Olympia Book Publishing
Combine the iconic elements of a book, torch, and flames to construct a cohesive mark. I paired this mark with the typeface FF Good Headline designed by Łukasz Dziedzic from FontFont.