Lamantin Identity

LAMANTIN JAZZ FESTIVAL IDENTITY

Identity design for a Hungarian jazz festival.

Graduation project of Dániel Nagy at the Hungarian University of Fine Arts

Hungarian Design Award winner, 2014 / student category

Hidden Characters 2014

jazz festival type movement Patterns infographic

CONCEPT / MUSIC GENERATED TYPE MOVEMENT

Improvisation, the most distinctive quality of jazz, sets it apart from other musical genres. Makes it truly magical. Grants it its transient nature, so a piece can't be heard in the same way twice. It may be better or it may be worse the next time, but it won't be the same. It is a unique experience. To create a visual solution that is based on this principle I designed a graphical system that generates itself influenced by the music. If the shape of the elements mutate as dictated by the music, it will too provide the viewer with a unique experience.

I distributed the different hertz values among the letters of the word „LAMANTIN”. Every time a certain value is sounded, the corresponding character springs into motion. The movement’s intensity is dictated by the volume of the note.

WEB / STAGE DESIGN / MICROSITE

PATTERNS FOR OFFLINE COMMUNICATION

I used the extremes of the letters’ animations to design patterns. Distorted characters form static patterns that communicate the message of the digital, animated elements well. The pattern is not, however, functioning as a logo. Instead, it is meant to convey a visual language that characterises the brand image as a whole.

BUSINESS CARD / PASS / TICKET

POSTERS

T-SHIRT / TOTE BAG

JAZZ HISTORY INFOGRAPHIC

I created an infographic showing the sociological and historical aspects of jazz’s origins. It visualizes the synthesis of European and African culture, which is considered the genre’s basic conflict. I mapped this duality across the periods of jazz history and the evolution of its musical styles, highlighting the iconic performers of each.

I designed unique icons for every style. These are mostly symbols tied to words or concepts that define that style – as such, they’re easily understood by anyone. However, some of the icons can only be interpreted if the viewer possesses the necessary background knowledge. For example jazz calls wild, ecstatic improvisation „hot”, which is a characteristic element in bebop – making this style’s motif a flame.

Click here to see the full infographic (Hungarian).

VINYL RECORD WITH JAZZ HISTORY INFOGRAPHIC FLYER

Using the jazz history infographic as a basis, I created small, foldable leaflets. The graphics provide the best experience if we listen to a style’s signature tracks while discovering its history. To make this possible, I combined the leaflet with a vinyl to create both a meaningful gift and effective advertisement. The music on the disc complements and enhances the graphic’s visuals, making a lasting impact.