Software: Illustrator

Design Problem: Redesign the logo for JANM

Target Audience: People interested in Japanese American History

Background: The mission of the Japanese American National Museum (JANM) is to promote greater understanding and appreciation for America’s ethnic and cultural diversity by preserving and sharing the richness and range of the history, culture, and stories of the Japanese American experience as an integral component of U.S. history. Or stated more simply, JANM’s mission is to preserve and share the history of Japanese Americans.

Design Process: When I first looked at original museum logo, I did not know what it was. I could not tell you anything about the museum from the original logo by itself, so I wanted to redesign it. I first started sketching as many designs I could think of. I wanted to include Japanese symbolism in the logo, such as Mount Fuji, birds, a sun, and the Enso symbol. Then, I put a select few into illustrator to see what would work best when digitalized. Finally, I added color and played around with typography to fit the text to the logo.

Design Solution: Redesign and update the logo to fit modern designs as well as reflect what the museum is actually about.