Project Overview

Logo design and brand identity system for Haus of Gunn, a carnival-style circus sideshow performance group requiring bold, theatrical branding for advertising, merchandise, and promotional materials.

Client: Freakshow Deluxe, LLC – T. Nealeigh
Sub-group: Haus of Gunn

Project Details

• Timeline: 2002
• Role: Brand Designer / Logo Designer
• Deliverables: Primary logo, color variations, brand style guide, merchandise mockups
  

Client Brief

Create a distinctive logo for a sideshow performance group that captures the macabre, theatrical essence of carnival sideshow culture while remaining versatile enough for multiple applications including promotional materials, merchandise, and event branding.

Design Concept

The Haus of Gunn logo embodies the dark theatrical aesthetic of traditional carnival sideshows through:

Visual Elements:

• Typography: Custom lettering featuring irregular, dramatic letterforms that evoke vintage circus poster typography with a Gothic twist
• Central Motif: Stacked skulls illustration reinforcing the macabre theme and creating visual interest beneath the wordmark
• Composition: Vertical stacking of “HAUS OF GUNN” with skull imagery anchoring the bottom, creating a badge-like identity
  

Design Philosophy: The logo balances theatrical drama with readability, ensuring it works effectively across diverse applications from small merchandise tags to large-format event posters.

Typography Treatment

Custom Lettering Characteristics:

• Distressed, hand-drawn quality suggesting aged carnival signage
• Irregular baseline and letter heights creating dynamic visual rhythm
• Slab serif influences with Gothic decorative elements
• Letters “U” and “S” feature unique ligature connection in “HAUS”
• Strategic negative space creates dimensional quality

Hierarchy:

• “HAUS” positioned as dominant element
• “OF” set in smaller scale, centered between letterforms
• “GUNN” anchors the composition with equal visual weight to “HAUS”

Iconography

Skull Stack Illustration:

• Two anatomically-rendered skulls create memorable icon
• Stacked composition suggests themes of mortality, danger, performance
• Line work style matches typography’s hand-drawn aesthetic
• Detail level allows scaling from small (merchandise tags) to large (posters)

Symbolic Meaning:

• Skulls reference sideshow’s macabre entertainment tradition
• Stacking suggests accumulation, collection, spectacle
• Gothic aesthetic aligns with carnival “freak show” heritage

Color System Development

Primary Palette:

• Black: Primary color for maximum impact and versatility
• Creates dramatic presence essential for carnival aesthetic
• Works on light backgrounds and merchandise

Accent Variations:

Red: Blood red accent for select applications

• Used sparingly for dramatic emphasis
• Applied to skull details and decorative flourishes in merchandise
• PMS specification for print consistency

White/Light Reverse: For dark background applications

• Maintains legibility on black merchandise
• Event signage and theatrical lighting scenarios

Decorative Accent Elements:

• Ornamental scrollwork in gray tones
• Baroque-style flourishes enhancing carnival aesthetic
• Can be added or removed based on application needs
  

Brand Applications Developed

Print Collateral:

• Brand style guide showing logo variations
• Color specification sheet with PMS callouts
• Usage guidelines for minimum size and clear space
• Typography pairing recommendations

Merchandise Design:

• Tank top apparel mockups showing placement options
  • Front chest placement with logo and skull
  • Back placement with full logo treatment
  • Side placement with skull icon and scrollwork accents
• Scalable artwork for various garment sizes Screen printing separations for multi-color production

Marketing Materials:

• Promotional poster concepts
• Event advertisement templates
• Social media profile assets
• Business card layouts
  

Technical Specifications

File Deliverables:

• Vector logo files (AI, EPS formats)
• High-resolution raster versions (PNG, JPG)
• Black and white line art for single-color applications
• Grayscale variations
• Color separations for screen printing
• Embroidery-ready simplified versions

Usage Guidelines:

• Minimum size specifications for legibility
• Clear space requirements around logo
• Approved color combinations
• Typography specifications for supporting text
• Examples of incorrect usage

Production Considerations

Merchandise Production:

• Logo designed for screen printing on apparel
• Line work optimized for 1-3 color printing processes
• Simplified skull detail for small-scale embroidery
• Tested on various fabric colors for contrast

Scalability

• Design maintains legibility from 0.5″ to large-format sizes
• Detail preserved across size range
• Typography remains readable at small scales
• Skull illustration recognizable as standalone icon

Versatility:

• Works in full-color, single-color, and grayscale
• Effective on light and dark backgrounds
• Adaptable to various aspect ratios
• Icon can separate from wordmark for flexible layouts

Design Challenges & Solutions

Challenge 1: Balancing Theatricality with Professionalism Carnival sideshows require dramatic aesthetic but brand needed credibility for booking agents and venues.

Solution: Combined Gothic drama with clean composition and professional execution. Custom lettering provides theatrical flair while maintaining readability. Professional file preparation and brand guidelines demonstrate business legitimacy.

Challenge 2: Merchandise Application Range Logo needed to work on everything from small promotional stickers to large stage banners.

Solution: Created modular system where wordmark and skull icon can work together or separately. Line work detail scaled appropriately—more detail in large formats, simplified for small applications.

Challenge 3: Print Production Across Methods Various merchandise required screen printing, embroidery, digital printing, and offset printing.

Solution: Developed multiple file versions optimized for each production method. Created color separation files for screen printing, simplified line art for embroidery, high-res rasters for digital, and vector files for offset.

Challenge 4: Vintage Aesthetic with Modern Longevity Design needed period authenticity without appearing dated.

Solution: Referenced authentic carnival typography and illustration styles but executed with clean vector precision. Avoided trendy distressing effects that would date the design, instead using timeless hand-drawn quality.

Brand Identity System

Core Elements:

• Primary logo (wordmark + skull)
• Skull icon standalone Wordmark standalone
• Decorative flourish elements
• Color palette with specifications
• Typography system for supporting materials

Application Templates:

• Merchandise placement guides
• Promotional poster layouts
• Event advertisement formats
• Social media graphics templates
• Business collateral designs
  

Skills Demonstrated

• Custom lettering and typography design
• Illustration and iconography development
• Brand identity system creation
• Color theory and palette development
• Print production file preparation
• Merchandise design and mockup creation
• Multi-format optimization (screen print, embroidery, digital)
• Vector artwork precision and technical execution
• Entertainment industry branding
• Style guide development
  

Results & Impact

• Created distinctive, memorable identity for Haus of Gunn performance group
• Established cohesive brand presence across merchandise and marketing
• Logo remained in use for 20+ years (strong design longevity)
• Versatile system supported various applications and production methods
• Successfully captured carnival sideshow aesthetic while maintaining professional credibility
  

Portfolio Significance

This project demonstrates:

• Early career design work (2002) showing foundational skills
• Ability to design for niche entertainment markets
• Understanding of theatrical and performance branding
• Technical proficiency in creating production-ready artwork
• Versatility in application design (merchandise, print, promotional)
• Custom typography and illustration integration
• Brand system thinking beyond single logo mark