ART MUSEUM APP & BRANDING

HUNTSVILLE ART MUSEUM APP & BRANDING

THE PROJECT

I wanted to assign myself a project during the holidays and the topic I'm interested in is rebranding or brand development. Instead of coming up with a fictional brand, I tackled one that already exists: the Huntsville Museum of Art. Browsing their website, I was unimpressed by their layout, logo, brand identity, and user interface. From there, I concluded that I would redesign their brand, refreshing and revamping their lackluster logo and designing an app to target a younger audience and move into a current direction. The results lead to a cohesive, minimal, and updated logo, promotional materials, and an easy-to-use app that efficiently communicates relevant information while still reflecting the museum's identity and approach.

THE BEFORE

Link to the website: https://hsvmuseum.org/

HMA's current home page is unintuitive and there is no cohesive theme or visual elements to tie the site together. Their pages include a scrolling slideshow feature that feels frustrating to read and the images also don't have a present theme or color scheme. There are strangely placed greens embedded in the body text that may point to a recurring color scheme, but it seems odd and out of place.

While the website is outdated, I took a different approach and designed an app instead. With the world becoming increasingly digital, QR codes are replacing paper tickets and prove more convenient. This is the primary reason for creating an app instead of focusing on a desktop website. Museums may contain centuries-old works, but their technology and services don't have to remain in the dark ages.

HMA's logos look dated and feature awkward type and art placement with intricate detailing that makes it a complicated image to read. Their logos appear amateur-ish with multiple typefaces that don't compliment each other. Their social media profile icon boasts a serif font that is completely different from their logo and it's also unclear whether they want a pure black or dark gray to be their main color. The lack of color in their logos also contributes to the bland and dull appearance.

THE PROCESS

The first thing I did was to gather information and research the museum. From navigating their website, it was clear that a color scheme was lacking, with multiple colors used throughout, with an emphasis on varying shades and tints of green. This, and the surrounding greenery from its location at a sprawling park, is the reason why I chose green. Instead of the gaudy greens selected by HMA, I chose a more serene and elegant color, picked from a painting (on view at High Museum of Art in Atlanta).

For the type, I wanted to elevate the logo by choosing a sophisticated font that echos the lettering on the museum building. Linus Biolinum does just that, and using Raleway brings another level of modernity.

The current logo graphic is of a view of the museum building, but its translation is sloppy. My interpretation is minimal, yet impactful, and still feels personalized because of the museum's silhouette. The app icon is essentially the same as the logo but enlarged and further simplified for the smartphone.

My app's interface is easy to use with a clear visual hierarchy of information. Elements such as a scroll bar, pop-ups, drop-down menu, search bar, etc. are useful for the user when navigating the app. These are also visual cues that can transfer to a desktop or mobile website viewing to enhance the user experience. The bright color scheme of the app contrasts with HMA's dark and drab website.

For the promotional poster, I went with a different visual aesthetic from the app; I wanted a bright, eye-catching design that captures the viewer's attention. I used elements from different photos (including a Warhol image previously shown at HMA) to create a collage for a minimal and dynamic poster design.

The final item created for the museum is the seasonal magazine/journal, another piece of print media to showcase. Images in the collage were curated from HMA's current and previous exhibitions. I wanted to combine elements of the elegant traditional look through the images and clean, modern lines through typography.