Made of Clay

University Branding Project

Role: Brand Designer
Period: University Project
Tools: Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop (first contact with Adobe)
Industry: Handmade jewellery / artisan retail

Project overview

Made of Clay was a branding project I created during university as my first ever experience using Adobe. The goal was to develop a complete brand identity for a clay earring business, focusing on a warm, handmade look and consistent visual elements. This project allowed me to explore brand personality, packaging concepts and platform ready graphics while building my design foundations.

Global Strategy

Objectives

Build a full brand identity for a handmade clay jewellery concept

Develop packaging and print elements that enhanced the artisan feel

Create graphics suitable for social media and small business marketing

Design a cohesive visual system across physical and digital assets

Learn Adobe tools through hands on creative work

Target Audience

Young adults interested in handmade jewellery, craft markets and small business brands with a soft, warm, artisan aesthetic.

Strategy & Approach

Chose a soft, earthy colour palette to reflect clay materials

Developed a handwritten style logo for a personal, handcrafted feel

Created packaging and cards designed for small business presentation

Built graphics that could be used on Instagram and Etsy style platforms

Focused on clean, simple visuals that highlighted the product’s handmade nature

Creative Work

Social first

Key Achievements

Developed a full branding suite as part of my first experience with Adobe

Created packaging and visual elements with a cohesive handmade aesthetic

Built social ready assets that supported brand storytelling

Completed a polished, professional brand concept for a uni assignment

Challenges & Solutions

Challenge: Navigating design tools for the first time.
Solution: Focused on simple shapes, clean lines and tutorials to build confidence.

Challenge: Ensuring all elements looked unified across physical and digital formats.
Solution: Designed a tight colour palette and recurring textures inspired by clay.

Challenge: Visualising packaging without a real product.
Solution: Used mockup templates and minimalist layouts to reflect the brand clearly.

My role

  • Brand identity creation

  • Logo design

  • Packaging concepts

  • Print and digital asset design

  • Visual direction

  • Social media layout creation

Results Summary

  • Produced a complete branding package for a clay earring concept

  • Learned core Adobe skills through practical, hands on design work

  • Developed a visual identity that felt warm, handcrafted and cohesive

What I Learnt

This project introduced me to Adobe tools and helped build my confidence in branding, visual identity and packaging design. It shaped the foundations of my creative workflow and remains one of the uni projects I’m most proud of.