Overview:
For the musician known as The Lazy Pioneer, I crafted a comprehensive visual identity centered around a bold red-tailed hawk emblem in a distinctly rugged handcrafted aesthetic. My goal was to evoke a sense of Americana and outdoor adventure while maintaining a modern, contemporary edge.
Logo Design:
The primary logo I designed focuses on a majestic red-tailed hawk soaring with wings outstretched. I started with an original rough sketch that was provided as my initial inspiration, and then created the final version of the hawk as a 1-color screen printed image. This gives the logo a feeling of being intentionally cut and pasted, which helps it match the aesthetic of the vintage photograph used on the album cover.
The fine line details and textural shading I added lend a vintage, etched quality to the hawk. Its piercing gaze and powerful stance exude freedom and an untamed spirit. For the logotype "The Lazy Pioneer," I used a bespoke, handcrafted lettering style reminiscent of an old inkwell pen's elegant strokes. This lends a sense of whimsy to the overall feel of the brand identity.
Album Artwork:
The album cover for "The Range" draws from a vintage photograph of a vast mountain vista captured by the artist's father during travels across the American West. I rendered the peaks in faded shades of blue-gray and olive green, giving the scene a hazy, nostalgic tone that feels well-worn and rugged. A woven texture overlay enhances the handmade aesthetic, and I roughed up the edges to make the image look properly weathered and aged.
The white hawk logo is boldly displayed on the front of the album with its wings spread wide showing every feather in sharp detail. The hawk's intense stare and powerful stance make the graphic element pop vibrantly against the muted colors behind it. This striking emblem conjures a sense of unbridled freedom and adventure in those wild, open landscapes depicted across the horizon. While the majestic mountain scene grounds the artwork in a specific time and place, the hawk's form extends symbolically into unseen spaces beyond the physical boundaries of the image.
Merchandise & Applications:
To fully immerse listeners in The Lazy Pioneer's world, I extended the brand across an array of merchandise and promotional materials:
• Vinyl record packaging featuring the album artwork
• Concert t-shirts with the hawk graphic screen printed
• Western-spirited enamel camping mugs emblazoned with the primary logo
• Decal stickers for fans to display the brand on laptops, cars, and more
Throughout, the ruggedly poetic visual language I created transports viewers to the boundless open road, inviting adventure amid the echoes of pioneer spirit.
