Alex W. designed these business cards for Curly Cue, a female-led graphic design studio that creates bold brand identities with purpose, through strategic and badass design.
The designer’s business card has an inviting and playful vibe, yet is strategic and intentional.
Curly Cue was founded by Alex and is based out of Denver, Colorado. It provides design services for logos, packaging, websites, social media and more.
The Backstory of “Curly Cue”
“The name ‘Curly Q’ was big for me growing up. I was the only one in my friend group who had curly hair, and I truly felt like an outsider at times,” Alex said.
“I know it sounds silly, but young girls can be mean, and they made me feel out of place for being born with curls.”
“I resorted to consistently straightening my hair or wearing bandanas on days I didn’t have time to flat-iron for 2+ hours (yes, that’s how long it took each time and I did this for years on end).”
“Flash forward a decade, and I’m embracing my natural curls more than ever before. I chose to pay homage to this time in my life as it was a pivotal moment of transcendence for me.”
“I’m learning to love who I am and embrace every aspect of my being. A practice that I implement into my design, every single day with clients.”
“Learning the ins and outs of what makes their brand unique as well as what makes THEM special as human beings.”
“I decided to switch up the verbiage and after immense market research and brand strategy sessions, ‘Curly Cue’ was born. The cue to elevate your brand design!”
Logo Design and Typography
Alex used a font called Retrips (from Envato) for the logotype, but she modified each letterform to better suit her style and the overall organic and natural energy that Curly Cue exudes.
Alex shared, “I absolutely love editing typefaces with the pen and smooth tool, working hand-in-hand. It allows for a totally custom and unique logo system that couldn’t be created with AI: the humanistic touch.”
Other typefaces used for the body texts are Abril (serif) and Montserrat (sans-serif).
Logomark Breakdown
The distinctive logomark of Curly Cue is formed by two Cs hanging on to one another.
Alex explained that it symbolizes the designer and client always having each other’s backs.
“It’s a conceptual way to visualize the connection and the ongoing relationship my client and I have throughout the creative journey.”
“Getting to know the people I work with is one of my absolute favorite aspects of owning my own business, and it was vital to tie that into my personal branding.”
7-Sided Star and Illustrations
The illustrations in the brand design are rendered as stickers, which symbolically represent the multitude of layers in the Curly Cue process.
“The illustration collection is ever-growing and that was intentional so that the pattern can evolve with the brand over time,” Alex said.
Besides that, a 7-pointed star appears throughout the branding, including the logotype and the illustrative pattern.
“This element can be dissected in many ways but no matter the interpretation, it’s a symbol that can be constructed with 1 continuous line. There are turns and angles, but no matter which point you start at, that holds true.”
“Similar to the brand design journey, there are many different routes, paths, twists and turns, but at the end of the day, it’s my job to dial it all in and make sense of it.”
“Lastly, the star is symbolic of providing divine guidance. I have my reasons for including that hidden easter egg, but I’ll leave the rest open for interpretation to add a little mystery.”
“All in all, I clearly love what I do. I love incorporating a multitude of ideas into a singular mark that the client not only loves but that their target audience connects with (that’s #1).”
“I’m also huge into incorporating symbolism and conceptuality into my work; everything has a purpose and each individual element has intent.”
Color Palette
The brand colors are black and white with pops of electric blue and energetic yellow.
According to Alex, the colors were strategically chosen to instill happiness and reliability in anyone that crosses paths with Curly Cue.
The Printing of Business Cards
These business cards were printed by MOO, which is Alex’s go-to printing service as they offer many special printing options.
“I’m in the process of having these business cards printed,” she said. “The logo is embossed as it ties in the layered aspects of the brand illustrations.”
“The business cards have a blue painted edge to incorporate one of the primary brand colors.”
More Business Card Ideas You May Find Interesting:
- Graphic Designer business cards
- Pattern-filled business cards
- Personal Branding business cards
- Playful business cards
- Spark/Star symbol business cards
Feel free to visit our Business Card Categories section to find more business card designs.
Designed by Alex W. at Curly Cue
Printed by MOO
For Curly Cue Design Studio
