Artisan Talent
2017 - 2018
UX/UI + Systems Designer
Notable projects
Brand guidelines + collateral
TLDR;
Artisan Talent went from having a barely defined brand to a fully realized and scalable identity. This new design system provided clear, actionable guidance, empowering designers to work efficiently and create with confidence and consistency. By turning a basic outline into a robust framework, we helped Artisan enhance their creative output, streamline processes, and maintain a strong, cohesive presence across all platforms.
Turning a Brand Outline into a Comprehensive Design System
In 2017, Artisan Talent hired Waaark to re-design their website and establish a new look and feel for their brand. And, while Waaark created a great website and delivered a 3-page brief outlining Artisan’s new look, the "how" was lacking—how to empower designers to work within the brand effectively and consistently. My challenge was to go beyond the basics and create a full-fledged design system that would not only articulate the brand but also equip designers with the tools and guidelines needed to apply it seamlessly across various platforms.
The Challenge
Artisan’s existing brand documentation was limited to a basic outline, offering a high-level overview without practical instructions on execution. Designers struggled with applying the brand consistently, leading to inefficiencies and a lack of cohesion across projects. Artisan needed a solution that would teach their creative team and future freelancers how to apply the brand while also enabling them to work faster and more efficiently.
Building the Brand Novel
We transformed Artisan’s 3-page brand basics document into a 48-page comprehensive brand guideline, what we called the “brand novel.” This detailed design system served as a blueprint for how the brand should be applied across different mediums, providing clear rules and best practices for typography, color usage, logo placement, and more.
Key features of the expanded brand guidelines:
Design Patterns and Components: We established reusable design components that enabled designers to work faster and more consistently, reducing design and stakeholder frustration as the company grew. These patterns helped maintain visual coherence while allowing for creative exploration within the brand’s boundaries.
Typography and Color Guidelines: Detailed instructions on how to use Artisan’s typefaces and color palette across digital and print platforms. This ensured brand consistency while offering designers flexibility within the established framework.
Best Practices for Application: Detailed guidance on how to translate the brand’s vision into actual designs, giving designers the confidence to work within the system while maintaining the brand’s integrity.
The Long-Term Impact
By building a comprehensive design system, we empowered Artisan’s design team to execute projects more efficiently and with greater consistency. The brand novel not only increased the speed at which designers could work but also ensured that every output aligned with Artisan’s vision. The design system became an essential tool for scaling the brand, allowing Artisan to present a cohesive, polished image across all platforms.
This transformation allowed Artisan to go from a loosely defined brand to a fully realized identity, one that could be applied effortlessly by any designer, regardless of their familiarity with the company. The brand novel became the ultimate reference point, streamlining design processes and enabling Artisan to evolve while maintaining its core identity.
