The National Christian Choir
OVERVIEW: The National Christian Choir is an interdenominational choir, based in the Washington DC metropolitan area which ministers through concerts, recordings, tours, and radio both locally and in various parts of the United States, and occasionally internationally.
CLIENT: The National Christian Choir
WORK DONE: Organizational brand identity.
The choir's director, Kathy Bowman, approached me asking for a redesign of their logo—one that she and board members all agreed was due for an update. The design needed a different execution with three adjectives to keep in mind: modern, minimal and elegant.
I decided to create a mark that would be timeless and easily remembered. While I paid close attention not to utilize overt Christian or musical iconography—as requested—instead, I included subtle representations to convey the choir’s nature. By using minimal, mono-linear illustrations throughout the crest (also a stained glass church window), I was able to include several elements that worked cohesively throughout the design. The most identifiable icon being the dove—symbolizing the holy spirit.
Stand alone mark as an alternate option for use of the logo
I wanted the bird to look majestic with it's head held high as if it were looking into the heavens with praise and confidence. A practice that the choir sustains throughout their performance.
Typographic option that is strong enough to be able to stand alone
The dove icon pulled from the illustrative mark to be used separately depending on the application
Another important decision was to design the logo for different applications. While the mark alongside the typography would be utilized as the primary logo throughout various collateral, I didn't want to risk losing the details of the illustration when applied smaller for a specific application. The aesthetic of the typography is beautiful enough to be able to stand alone. The isolated dove is a distinct mark and is able to endure the entirety of the brand when applied by itself. This mark would be used primarily for social media avatars or other instances when a minimalistic approach is necessary.
Various Christian symbolism to reflect the overall identity captured within one cohesive design.
Let's break down the illustration for an overview of the several hidden elements that make up the crest. The first two symbols are of a fish and the Holy Grail, both strong iconography representing Jesus Christ and his blood. The dove, as I explained earlier, a symbol of the Holy Spirit and the sun meaning Gospel or the good news of Christ and his plan for Christians as revealed in the Bible and best praised through music. The last two symbols represent a coat of arms and a monogram. The monogram consists of the initials from ‘National Christian Choir’ and references the familiar acronym that has been acquired to reference the choir. The shield, while mimicking the overall shape of the crest, is used to show God's strength and protection allowing comfort and love to all people while shielding the heart. Because music touches the heart, God's love opens the door for receiving all that he gives and channels this love through the choir's music.