This semester in my Communication and Conceptual Design class with Professor Kevin O’Neil, we’ve been working on developing branding for an organization of our choice. We could either choose an existing group or create our own, and I decided to invent a nonprofit called Donate and Doodle. The idea is to collect school and art supplies and host creative events for kids who might not otherwise have the resources to make art. I picture the organization having physical spaces for events, sending volunteers to schools and hospitals, and even donating directly to teachers who need classroom materials.

The first project was to design the logo, and I really leaned into the playful nature of the name and mission. I chose a script-inspired font paired with a pencil graphic to play into the imagery of doodling, and I established the brand colors as light pastel versions of red, blue, and yellow. Since primary colors are the building blocks for all other colors, I liked how that symbolism reflected the organization helping kids begin their creative journeys. The second project was designing an app icon, and for that I simplified the logo into just the letter “D” held between the ends of the pencil. It still connects to the full logo, but it’s cleaner and more readable at smaller sizes, which was important to me.

Next, we moved into stationery: a letterhead, envelope, and business card. This was probably my favorite stage so far because I could really push the playful vibe and incorporate more personality. For the letterhead, I thought it would be fun if the organization highlighted a different kid’s artwork each month on the back. I ended up asking my little sister for a drawing and built it into the design, which made the whole thing feel more meaningful. I carried that idea into the business card, creating a reversible layout with one side for the kid’s artwork and the other with contact info. I even added cut lines so people could fold the card into a tiny easel, which felt like a fun way to celebrate the kids at the center of the organization’s mission. The envelope was a bit more restricted because of postal guidelines, so I kept the main side simpler, but I used the back flap and interior to bring back the pencil imagery and added a handprint pattern on the inside to keep the brand personality strong.

Overall, I’m pretty happy with how everything is coming together. I’ve realized how important consistency is, keeping color palettes, imagery, and patterns aligned helps build a cohesive visual identity. It’s been a cool challenge to balance playfulness with clarity, and I really love seeing how each piece supports the overall mission.

Next post, I’ll talk about the next steps we designed, signage/products and data visualization!
Thanks for reading!
Emma <3