Case Study: Feathered Edge Tattoo & Piercing

Brand Identity & In-Studio Collateral Design

Project Overview

Feathered Edge Tattoo & Piercing was a conceptual branding project developed for a boutique piercing studio. The goal was to create a modern, recognizable visual identity that balanced edge and professionalism, while feeling approachable and trustworthy for first-time clients. Although the original client discontinued communication before final delivery, the project was fully developed as a portfolio-ready brand system.

The brand centers on a custom magpie emblem—symbolizing curiosity, craftsmanship, and the client’s specific request for a bird holding a piercing in its beak.

Objectives

• Create a distinctive logo mark that would stand out in storefront and print applications

• Establish a clean, modern typographic system that felt contemporary but not sterile

• Design a small suite of in-studio marketing materials to demonstrate brand consistency

• Balance an edgy aesthetic with clarity and professionalism suitable for a health-adjacent service

Brand Concept & Visual Direction

The core brand identity was built around a minimalist magpie illustration holding a piercing post, combining symbolism with literal service representation. The mark was designed to remain legible at small sizes while still feeling dynamic and iconic at storefront scale.

The color palette focused on:

• Charcoal Gray – primary brand color for strength and neutrality

• Soft White – for contrast and cleanliness

• Warm Gold – accent color to suggest craftsmanship and premium service

• Muted Red – used sparingly for visual interest and emphasis

Typography was kept modern and highly readable, using a clean sans-serif family to maintain a professional, contemporary tone across all materials.

Deliverables

1. Logo System

• Primary horizontal logo

• Circular badge version for signage and stickers

• Monochrome and reversed color versions

• Scalable mark optimized for both print and digital use

2. Storefront Signage Mockups

• Window signage concept to test visibility at a distance

• Circular emblem option for simplified branding

• High-contrast variations to ensure legibility through glass

3. Business Card Design

• Two-sided layout featuring:

  • Logo and brand name on the front

  • Artist name, title, phone, website, and social handle on the back

• Subtle brand pattern overlay to prevent flatness

• Gold-accent ring treatment to simulate foil stamping

• Edge color detail to add a premium tactile feel

4. Loyalty Card

• Front: brand mark and loyalty program headline

• Back: program rules and redemption details

• Designed for repeat use and easy in-studio stamping

• Reinforces brand recognition and encourages return visits

5. Aftercare Instruction Card

• General-purpose aftercare guide applicable to multiple piercing types

• Clear instructional hierarchy with:

  • Cleaning steps

  • “Do Not” warnings

  • Medical red-flag symptoms

  • Studio contact information

• Designed to balance a medical-adjacent tone with approachable branding

• Optimized for small-format printing and readability

Design Challenges

• Creating a logo mark that remained legible at both storefront and business card scale

• Balancing an edgy tattoo studio aesthetic with the professionalism required for aftercare materials

• Designing printed collateral that felt cohesive without becoming visually repetitive

• Simulating premium print effects (such as foil stamping) within digital mockups

Solution

The final system uses a restrained color palette and consistent iconography to create a recognizable visual identity across all touchpoints. The magpie emblem functions as a flexible anchor for the brand, while typographic hierarchy ensures clarity and accessibility.

Each collateral piece was designed to serve a real operational purpose—from client education to loyalty engagement—while reinforcing Feathered Edge’s brand personality at every interaction.

Outcome

This project resulted in a fully realized boutique piercing studio brand system, including:

• A distinctive and scalable logo

• Real-world ready signage concepts

• Functional printed collateral

• A cohesive visual language across multiple formats

Despite the original client discontinuing the project, the completed work demonstrates a strong understanding of branding, typography, user experience, and print-ready design—making it a valuable portfolio piece for studio and agency roles.

Skills Demonstrated

• Brand identity design

• Logo development

• Print layout design

• Marketing collateral creation

• Visual hierarchy & UX

• Mockup presentation

• Creative problem-solving under incomplete client direction