California College of the Arts Brand Development
[branding] [brand guidelines development] [visual identity] [asset development] [web] [print]
Expanding on California College of the Arts’ visual identity and developing an Undergraduate sub-brand
Creative Strategy and Design Julian Parikh
California College of the Arts’ first official brand identity was created in 2017 by a higher-education branding agency. Finally having an established brand, CCA was able to develop a consistent visual identity across marketing materials. However, as the college continued to grow it was evident that the established branding did not help differentiate CCA in the higher education space as an art school or as a significant pillar of San Francisco’s creative community. Further improvement of the brand began in 2020 under CCA’s previous lead designer, Joel Gregory, and continued when I joined the marketing team in late 2022. I continued the work Joel started by developing additional brand assets that were eventually used on a new homepage for the website, and in the establishment of an Undergraduate sub-brand.
Development of brand graphics
Original brand graphicsSome of the original graphics used in CCA’s branded materials include the “heavy frame,” “heavy arrow,” and a halftone dot pattern used on photography. The arrows and frames are inspired by the visual architecture of CCA’s San Francisco campus
and the urban grid, with undertones of digital language as well
as architectural support. The halftone screen treatment for photography adds a textural element
that acknowledges
an artistic past and CCA’s Arts and Crafts roots. These graphics served as a great foundation for CCA’s visual identity but their rigidity and uniform patterns were limiting.
Original CCA brand graphics
Updated brand graphics – wavy arrows and frames
Updated brand graphics While developing the brand, I introduced new “wavy”
variations of our original brand graphics by scanning and introducing motion to our arrows, frames, and halftones. The new graphic elements offer a more experimental and open-ended brand expression that better reflects the educational experience at CCA.
The scanned process allows the arrows and frames to break loose of their rigid
rectilinear forms create unique silhouettes
that can add more visual interest to a layout. By scanning and manipulating our halftone patterns, we
are able to introduce disruptions to the pattern that create
depth and motion in a layout.
Updated brand graphics – wavy halftone patterns
Updated brand graphics – wavy halftone patterns
Updated brand graphics – wavy halftone patterns
Updated brand graphics – wavy halftone patterns
Updated brand graphics – wavy halftone patterns
New brand graphics in use
The wavy brand graphics are used across multiple projects and platforms to elevate designs and increase visual impact—from cca.edu’s homepage, to undergraduate admissions informational materials, to the 2026 undergraduate student showcase. Event poster featuring the visual identity for the 2026 Graduation Exhibitions.
cca.edu home page (left), 2026 Graduation Exhibitions microsite (top right), CCA’s online publication, Glance (bottom right)
Undergraduate sub-brand
With many projects committed to undergraduate admissions, the need arose to create a unique sub-brand to differentiate materials for undergraduate, graduate, youth, and adult audiences. I created a complete deck of sub-brand guidelines, outlining the written and visual language of the Undergraduate sub-brand. These guidelines were used in future projects like the CCA Undergraduate Zine.CCA sub-brand guidelines: Tone of voiceCCA sub-brand guidelines: Tone of voiceCCA sub-brand guidelines: Sub-brand logosCCA sub-brand guidelines: Sub-brand logosCCA sub-brand guidelines: Color
CCA sub-brand guidelines: Image treatment and Wavy brand graphicsCCA sub-brand guidelines: Undergrad doodles and Hand-drawn graphicsCCA sub-brand guidelines: Merch
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