"Rare Earth Library + Gallery" Brand Identity System

RARE EARTH LIBRARY + GALLERY: Brand Identity System

Rare Earth is a place where you can learn about the beauty of the world, the vastness of the universe, and how precious and valuable life is. At Rare Earth you can come away feeling like there are concrete things we can do to protect our planet.

In a world that often values pragmatism over imagination and apathy over empathy, it’s a space where thoughtful and sensitive idealists can find inspiration, affirmation, and connection.

During my spring 2023 fellowship with Cedars Sinai Hospital and Stanford University, I partnered with a graphic design undergrad and an interaction design undergrad. These are two mediums I had very limited knowledge and experience of! Inspired by what I had learned from my peers, I chose to take more classes in ArtCenter’s extension program directly after graduating with my degree in April 2023.

The final assignment for the ‘Intro to Graphic Design’ class was to design a brand identity system for a hypothetical store or environment of our own making.

My concept was called “Rare Earth Library + Gallery”. It’s inspired by my love of space, nature, and science, but also golden memories of spending afternoons with my dad at bookstores.

I devoured books like “The Chronicles of Narnia” and the “Foundation” series by Isaac Asimov. I loved looking at drawing books too, and imagined what it would be like one day to be able to draw hands or feet, or paint landscapes or portraits as beautifully as what I saw. My poor dad probably had a black hole of son and could not bring me to the bookstore frequently enough! From his perspective, there was probably no end to my hunger for new things to read!

In addition, I’d wrestled with what the role of the artist was in the modern world during my time at ArtCenter, particularly MY singular role. There are so many social, cultural, environmental, and technological complexities that we face. Do artists or designers have any responsibility in helping to tackle these issues?

These questions are probably reckoned with in so many different ways by every individual. Personally, I long to leave a positive impact on others and make them feel affirmed, understood, and valued for who they are.

Rare Earth is an attempt to blend all these disparate passions and hopes for social good into one place. A place another father and son could spend golden afternoons at, reading without end.

Stationery system designed for Rare Earth. It includes a #9 envelope, letterhead, and business cards at standard size.

I developed a poster as part of collateral or merchandise that could be sold at Rare Earth. This poster calls on the viewer to consider the effect we as human beings have on our planet.

A full-on view of the poster mocked up on a wall.

Rare Earth's proposed interior mural, twice as long as it is tall. Countless hands in a cave painting style recalling the Chauvet Cave in southern France (amongst countless other Neolithic sites) reach up into the vastness of the universe. It symbolizes the birth of human identity and the optimistic hope for a humane future.

This pattern of human shaped and neurons (brain cells) reaching for each other is meant to be screenprinted on a totebag that could be purchased at the Library. Elements were hand-painted, then scanned and image traced and colored as vector art in Adobe Illustrator.

A view of the totebag with the screenprinted pattern.

Another view of the totebag with the screenprinted pattern.

Postcards could be purchased at Rare Earth at checkout. The three concepts here would be only a few of a multitude of different designs, all emphasizing science, art, nature, and humanity.

The Library's interior wall mural printed on another postcard.

Presentation Deck Thumbnails.

Presentation deck thumbnails, page 1.
Presentation deck thumbnails, page 2.
Presentation deck thumbnails, page 3.
Presentation deck thumbnails, page 4.
Identity concept, from presentation deck.
Identity concept, continued. From presentation deck.
First persona for Rare Earth's audience, from presentation deck.
'EXISTENTIAL', one of Rare Earth's brand guardrails.
Explaining the origin of the name 'Rare Earth'.
Some initial sketches for applications such as tote bags, posters, or brochures for the Library.
Indications of paper manufacturer and weight for specific purposes for brand identity.