Duo Diary
Branding + Journal Design
Cover and interior page spread for Duo Diary Wellness Journal
About the project: Rachel from Duo Diary came to me when it was time to reprint her journal she designed for new moms to track their and their baby's health. She wanted something that would allow new moms to track various items quickly and easily, and the new journal needed to have a restorative and beautiful feel to be used during a time of healing and new growth. Rachel was inspired by fiddlehead ferns and their symbol of growth and how they could function as a visual metaphor for mother and child. We started there and let that idea of growth drive the design.
Nikkita was incredibly in tune with what I needed—She really took the time to absorb what I had written in my initial questionnaire so that as we moved along she was right on target with the fuzzy image I had in my head of what I wanted. She took that fuzzy image in my head and turned it into a reality that far exceeded my expectations of what I was going to be able to do.
—Rachel, Creator of DuoDiary
The Journal: We started with the journal knowing that this key product would set the tone for the branding as a whole. The size needed to be something large enough to give room for notes, but small enough to be portable. Rachel knew she wanted a coil binding for easy page turning and tracking, and we worked together to select a heavy kraft paper cover for a natural, warm feel. White ink for the design gave a peaceful and crisp appearance, and a comforting, well-worn look. The design itself was hand-drawn inspired by imagery of the ferns and arranged in a pattern that suggested lushness, growth, and beauty. The interior pages are printed in two-toned foresty greens to give a sense of peace and luxury to what could otherwise feel mundane. Type was kept consistent and ample space given to make the spreads orderly and easy to track the individual elements.
The Branding: Because the heart of the brand is the journal itself, the logo and all of the branding elements started with the journal, and we added additional color variations, patterns, and isolated different elements of the drawing on the cover for accent and added dimension. The website for Duo Diary is intended to be an extension of the journal, in addition to a shop to purchase. There are resources and articles available for the new mother to gain her bearings, so the website visually expands upon the journal so that it feels of a piece and compliments the print design.
This new design is polished and professional and is going to give my business a sense of legitimacy that was lacking before with my old ad-hock, hodge-podge website and journal. The consistent branding across all media (web, print, social) is going to help me maintain a sense of consistency in my messaging to customers.
—Rachel, Creator of DuoDiary
Keywords: Hopeful Energy, Light, Calm, Healing, and Clean
