Brandon Olsen, Graphic Designer & Educator

space, junk

SPACE, JUNK
RISD MFA GRAPHIC DESIGN THESIS

Space, Junk acknowledges and embraces the world as a chaotic and uncertain place. Graphic design often directly contrasts the messiness of humanity. Through works created in multiple spaces (book space, architectural space, web space, etc.) this thesis focuses on finding worth in undervalued junk, using mess as a means to represent convoluted issues, and utilizing fun and humor as a way to embrace and normalize uncertainty.

jamba juice headquarters

ENVIRONMENTAL GRAPHICS
AT JAMBA JUICE'S HEADQUARTERS

The world map of fruit & explosive conference room graphics designed for Jamba Juice were meant to be fresh, energetic, and colorful to match Jamba Juice’s brand. The conference rooms are named after their most popular smoothies and the graphics reflect the ingredients in each smoothie.

machine to replace myself

MACHINE TO REPLACE MYSELF
INTERACTIVE INSTALLATION

Due to automation, people are losing their jobs to machines. So, I built a machine to replace myself. It consists of a large screen, a printer & a laptop with buttons labeled things like “Stale Fish,” “Funky Business” & “Michael Buble.” Each button changes the design shown on screen. The names are ambiguous so that the user can’t predict the result.

riseabove apparel

BRANDING FOR
RISEABOVE APPRAREL

Riseabove Apparel is a clothing brand built for individuals who turn to fitness to overcome difficulties in life. The vibrant red-orange brand color reflects Riseabove’s energy and positivity. The brand incorporates a phoenix, the epitome of rising above. “The slash” is also used which symbolizes a scar, a reminder of past pain, but also a symbol of healing.

s2g ventures

ENVIRONMENTAL GRAPHICS
AT S2G VENTURES

S2G Ventures is a venture capital firm that invests in businesses focusing on sustainable food and agriculture. The environmental graphics for the space were focused on the idea of growth. There was also a wall of food pun illustrations to add in an element of fun.

paul sahre poster

LECTURE POSTER
FOR RISD GRAPHIC DESIGN MFA PROGRAM

Designing a poster for Paul Sahre was challenging since his work doesn’t fit within an easily definable category. Inspiration for the poster came from a few of his designs including a destroyed cardboard monster truck hearse, a grainy music video about Nikola Tesla, and torn-up punk album covers.

greenpath designs

WEB DESIGN
FOR GREENPATH DESIGN

GreenPath Design is a mechanical engineering firm specializing in indoor agriculture. Their website was crafted to be clean & impactful while highlighting a variety of their projects.Their logo was revamped with clean lines and a complimentary san-serif font. Shades of green were used to reflect energy efficiency as well as tie to their name.

index for end times

INDEX FOR END TIMES

Index for End Times consists of 16 sections about powerful nations, political figures, organizations, conspiracies, etc. Each section links to other sections in the book. Instead of reading through linearly, the reader is encouraged to follow their own interests, jumping from one section to another in the order they decide. But if the reader ever chooses the“End of the World” link, then it is game over.

sterling bay

ENVIRONMENTAL GRAPHICS
AT STERLING BAY

Sterling Bay is a developer located in Chicago. Two feature walls were designed for their headquarters. The first wall features metal plaques highlighting their projects. Each are fastened with hose clamps to reference the construction process. Steel & concrete bars are used in the second feature wall as a nod to the labor unions used on their projects.

kcc identity design

KENOSHA CITY CHURCH
IDENTITY DESIGN

Kenosha City Church came to us when they decided to change their name from Immanuel Church. The use of playful colors & a rounded logo stays away from stereotypical religious elements conveying a new and energetic vibe. The “C” shapes in their logo can be interpreted as the waves of Lake Michigan.

i have a drawing

I HAVE A DRAWING IN MY ROOM
AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY

“There is a Drawing in my Room and I Don’t Understand Why” is a section in New Atlas. The project started with a series of prompts that required collecting a diverse range of images, texts, and videos. Kevin Lynch’s five elements from The Image of the City was used to connect everything together. One spread was dedicated to the elements of Edge, Node, Path, Landmark, or District.