10/12/2023
How did I get to my final logo? Well, like all designs there were many drafts. These were the only survivors of my mad brain storming.
I wanted to represent what I did and how it ties to Coyote. In the Bitterroot Salish creation stories Coyote had helped Creator teach the Sqelix̣ʷ (B. Salish: The People) how to live off the land and keep care of it. Coyote, to me, is the muse to my creations. But how to translate that to people who don’t know the creation story?
Sketch after sketch and many scrap papers, napkin and receipt drawings later and I landed on a half minimalist approach. The first digital copy had ears made of wire or pre-made metal design, a diamond cut beryl gem, and the inspirational SW turquoise and coral design on silver. But I’m not from the SW tribes.
The next two iterations led me to my current one. The premade or layered triangles, garnet gems, hairpipe bone, and a wild strawberry placed as a crown. The strawberry is in the shape of a beaded section of my fathers’ mothers beading style. I would have used her favored 5-point flower but felt that the strawberry was more me.
Lastly was the font and how to unify all the little pieces and showcase how I’m more home grown, Montanan, a bit of Wild West (in my mind) and went with the boarder. It reminded me of a ranch brand, sort of, which allowed me to get a bit more creative with how to express the color. As a simple, immediately identifiable brand I needed it to be simple, balanced, and simple to size up or down and still be identifiable.
I had fun designing my logo. My brand. And my website. Of course, there’s always road bumps and rabbit trails, but all of it helped me on my way to registering my company. And now, you get a peek into my Graphic Design side.
