Client
Cosmetic tattoo studio
service
logo, branding
You know those movies where there’ a certain room the main character isn’t allowed to enter? Ant yet it’s so alluring and mysterious they just can’t resist the urge to L O O K..? That’s the vibe of Velvet Myst.
Velvet Myst is a lil cosmetic tattoo studio in Montréal, Canada with a magical motivation behind its existence: to make people feel more beautiful in their own skin, stimulating self love and confidence…
And now Velvet Myst needed a brand that could communicate this magical transformation in a way that could be seen and felt.
This business is rooted in gentleness and inclusivity, from serving clients of any gender while most PMU businesses only focus on women, to producing as little waste as possible (and the owner, Lex, resisting the temptation to get some cute printed business cards! - but hold that in your mind, you’ll see how we found a way to sneak the beauty of print into this branding).
They are young adults who feel insecure about a certain part of their body, and would probably prefer a brand that feels calming, friendly and approachable rather than cold and medical (something we saw a lot of when investigating the competitors)
They are open-minded and curious, the type of person to feel interested when facing the unknown rather than afraid, meaning we had the freedom to go for a slightly more experimental brand
They are conscious buyers who prefer cruelty free products and supporting businesses who care about the environment - things we wanted to highlight in the brand
They are into body modification and cosmetic procedures, but value a natural appearance, especially when it comes to their face. We saw that a big cliché in this market is PMU brands the look like tattoo studios, and with an audience that values naturality so much (and many of which are getting a procedure done for the first time) we decided the brand should have a more delicate feel
Remember those movies where the main character would go to a mysterious house, and there was one specific room they weren’t allowed to enter? And once they were aware of this room, they wouldn’t be able to stop thinking about it?
When people come in contact with Velvet Myst, we want them to feel like they found one of these rooms, in the highest tower of an enchanted castle. It should feel like they are accessing a secret part of the world. A place that is mysterious, but welcoming. Slightly dark, but ultimately positive. A place that captivates all their senses.
We wanted Velvet Myst to have a tactile quality, so we chose to incoprate textures like marble, paper, and fabrics like suede and velvet - no pun intended - into the identity
Vintage frames are an iconic part of the studio, and we wanted to have something in the brand identity that her clients would also see during their visit. This created a sense of familiarity and brand recognition
We wanted an antique key somewhere in the brand, to make the Secret Room concept more apparent. The key that would unlock this mysterious door and reveal the secret
Lex is French and a big admirer of old european architecture. Imagery of this would go hand in hand with our concept of the magical tower, while also holding a special meaning to her
Since we would not have any print collaterals, we thought it could be interesting to create print effect on images for web. Things like foil, embossing, and paper texture... to help bring a bit of a handmade, vintage look to the brand
We love infusing our designs with symbolism, and we wanted to incorporate the 8 pointed star into the brand. “An eight-pointed star allows us to open our eyes and let us see beyond the material world”. I think you see where I’m going with this
Still, it felt like everything was a bit too real. Too physical... for a concept that had such an ethereal, dreamy quality to it. So we decided to enhance the sensation of “dream-like vision” by using prism effects on photography and video
Disclaimer: The images used in this moodboard are for inspirational purposes only and do not belong to me. They are sourced from various platforms like Pinterest and Google. All credit goes to their respective creators.
Velvet Myst’s color palette is moody and atmospheric, with colors that bring calmness and serenity, while also being powerful and having a bit of a magical vibe, especially thanks to the combination of dark blue and lime.
As for the logos and brand marks, they are one of the biggest factors in turning the concept into something visual, making the brand truly magical. The arch with the little star inside is inspired by the concept of the secret room and the treasure it may be hiding, and the open arch also makes us think of an open door, inviting the viewer to enter and discover.
Ok, remember I told you we'd bring print effects to the digital world so we wouldn't miss out on the ˜vibes~ even if we wouldn't have real printed assets for environmental reasons? Aftercare cards are something almost every PMU artist gives out after the service. So for Velvet Myst, we decided to create a digital version of this so Lex could save them on her Instagram highlights, and just direct people that way.
To me, the best part of my job is that I'm able to create brands for unique, bold businesses that aren't afraid to stand out. I get to follow my intuition and really let my creativity run wild, and this project is a perfect example of this
Founder & CEO
“Working with Tarantula Studio and better defining my brand identity was the best decision I made for my cosmetic tattoo studio.
Everything is very professional and creative, which stands out from what is usually done and that everyone has. I can’t wait to continue our collaboration for my website!“
