Schoolhouse Stationer
Product and brand development for educational resource brand. Creating ways to extend learning outside of school and harness parents with library of resources.
Tools Used: Illustrator, Lightburn, InDesign, Linoleum, and Photoshop
Client: Schoolhouse Stationer
Deliverables: Phonogram blocks with packaging, printable phonograms, brand identity, and style sheet
The Vision
For this project, we wanted to reconnect with a classic and organized nature that educational resources used to have. Growing up with a learning disability and being homeschooled, this project was really exciting for me. For me, part of the confusion was all of the handouts and worksheets having inconsistent design. These inconsistencies create more of a divide, making learning feel even more disconnected. I took inspiration from the vintage educational Blue Books my mother collects.
The Process
My first project was the phonogram blocks, and my first task was selecting a font. This part of the process was extremely important because the type needed to be clear and as close to how a person would write a letter as possible. After research, I landed on the font Sofia. Once the font was chosen, I tested different block heights to see what felt best in hand and was most legible. Then I assembled an Illustrator file and did some math to ensure the most efficient way to fit all the phonograms on the wood board. After spending the first part of my summer working with woodtype as a part of the Rob Roy Kelly type project, I had some insight on how to best lay out the phonograms to create perfectly continuous words. I began by establishing a standard baseline and x height for every letter and then added equal spaces to the top and bottom for the ascenders and descenders. This structure made it so every letter can fit within the block and line up perfectly. Then I established equal letter spacing throughout, making sure that the sides of the letters to the edge had less room so that when the phonograms were put together, the spacing would look continuous throughout.
When creating the brand identity, I started with a long list of things that made me think of Schoolhouse Stationer. For the central icon, a swan was suitable both for the S shape and for the quiet elegance of the bird and the brand. Educationally, the swan also harkens to classic stories like “The Ugly Duckling” and The Trumpet of the Swan furthering that vintage schoolbook connection. I carved the swan out of linoleum to continue the handmade vintage feeling the client wanted throughout. For the logotype, I chose Garamond because it is a classic and refined serif font that emulates the traditional and elegant but not stuffy aspects of the brand. I developed a connected family of logos the client can use in a variety of situations. I aimed to keep the logos as clean, organized, and classy as possible to keep with the client’s vision.
Throughout this process, I was able to learn how to work with a client. From learning how to create a design brief to developing and submitting all my files, I was able to get professional experience and navigate the ins and outs of working with a client to produce real, usable work.
