Making the rubber meet the road
Most of our design work, day in and out, is pretty straightforward in terms of content. Our client has a product or service. They want you to want it. We try to make it irresistible (while underscoring its unique benefits). This project, however, was one of the most unique I’ve worked on…
We were approached by the leadership of a local Christian motorcycle organization to design a patch for a new club. It was a challenge to execute, but a lot of fun.
Patch detail
Some back story
Unbeknownst to me, there is very strict and organized administration of the various motorcycle clubs in Oregon, particularly those that elect to identify themselves with a membership patch. If the patch is not approved, you’d be smart not to wear it. There are many Christian motorcycle clubs and organizations in existence. I suppose the differentiating factor between a “Christian” motorcycle club and others, is the set of spiritual beliefs they hold to, and therefore a different focus in terms of their activities. Other than that, these clubs are united by a love for motorcycles, riding and the “outlaw” lifestyle.
Various club patches
The challenge
The most challenging part of this project was tackling the appropriate use of symbolic imagery. There are many symbols associated with the Christian faith, which are deeply meaningful to believers. Using spiritual iconography within the “visual framework” of contemporary motorcycle gang fashion (for lack of a better term) has some obvious potential for disaster, particularly if you don’t remain honest to the true nature of each group. In addition, some clubs are territorial about the specific symbols they’ve employed to uniquely identify their organization. With much help from the client (and from above), I feel pretty good about how this new patch turned out, and its ability to stand up among others in its genre.
Final patch design
Tags: graphic design, illustration