Invited to collaborate on merchandise with Semantics Cafe in Calgary, Cristian created an illustration based on the tagline ‘Make Your Own Meaning’.
Encouraged to create a design that reflects both the ethos of the cafe and his distinct visual style, Cristian celebrates connection and community through his illustration and explores how conversation like the type encouraged in communal spaces such as coffee shops, brings people together.
Tasked with a theme intentionally open to interpretation, Cristian wanted to create something memorable and emotionally resonant.
Exploring the concept through typography and character design, Cristian designed a custom alphabet spelling out the theme and imbuing each letter with its own personality. Pairing the design with a custom Semantics Cafe wordmark, the final design captured a sense of community and left space for people to create their own meaning.