Project Overview Custom lettering and logo design for Hollywood Stars Tattoo, a tattoo studio requiring distinctive branding that reflects both the craftsmanship of traditional tattooing and the glamour of Hollywood culture.

Client Hollywood Stars Tattoo – Tattoo studio and body art establishment

Project Details

• Timeline: 2016
• Role: Logo Designer / Custom Lettering Artist
• Deliverables: Primary wordmark logo, vector files, usage guidelines

Design Brief Create a bold, memorable logo for a tattoo studio that captures the essence of both Hollywood’s golden age glamour and traditional tattoo artistry. The design needed to work across various applications including storefront signage, business cards, merchandise, and digital platforms while maintaining the authentic aesthetic of tattoo culture.

Design Concept

Visual Approach: The Hollywood Stars Tattoo logo combines two powerful visual traditions:

• Blackletter/Gothic calligraphy: Rooted in traditional tattoo typography
• Ornate flourishes: Evoking Hollywood’s golden age elegance and decorative excess

Conceptual Foundation:

• Honors traditional tattoo culture through classic blackletter typography
• Celebrates Hollywood glamour through elaborate flourishes and dramatic presentation
• Creates instant recognition through bold, high-contrast design
• Suggests both artistry and permanence—critical values in tattoo industry

Typography & Lettering Design

Custom Blackletter Treatment:

• Base style: Traditional Gothic blackletter with heavy vertical strokes
• Character construction: Each letter features dramatic thick-to-thin stroke contrast
• Vertical emphasis: Tall, condensed letterforms create imposing, authoritative presence
• Angular geometry: Sharp terminals and pointed serifs reference traditional tattoo flash lettering
• Ligatures: Connected letters create unified wordmark suggesting continuity and craft

Distinctive Letterform Features:

• “H” characters: Elaborate tall ascenders with decorative caps
• “y”: Extended descender with flourished tail
• “w”: Complex interwoven strokes demonstrating lettering skill
• “d”: Distinctive loop and flourish treatment
• “T”: Crossbar integration with surrounding letters

Ornamental Flourish System

Decorative Elements:

• Swashes and flourishes: Elaborate extensions from letterforms creating rhythm and movement
• Dimensional effect: Golden/yellow glow creating depth and luminosity
• Symmetrical balance: Flourishes distributed to create visual equilibrium
• Organic curves: Contrast angular blackletter with flowing, graceful ornament
• Hollywood glamour: Ornate decoration suggesting marquee lights, stardom, and classic cinema

Technical Execution:

• Primary element: Solid black letterforms providing strong foundation
• Secondary element: Golden-yellow glow effect suggesting backlighting or halo
• Tertiary element: Extended flourishes and swashes adding dimension
• Negative space: Carefully managed to maintain legibility despite complexity

Color Palette

Primary Colors:

• Black: Dominant color representing ink, permanence, tradition, and authority
• Golden yellow/amber: Accent glow suggesting Hollywood lights, glamour, and prestige
• White/cream: Background allowing maximum contrast and visibility

Color Psychology:

• Black conveys sophistication, permanence, and classic tattoo aesthetic
• Gold suggests luxury, quality, and Hollywood’s golden age
• High contrast ensures visibility across all applications
• Timeless palette avoids trend-driven color choices

Design Influences & References

Traditional Tattoo Culture:

• Classic American traditional tattoo lettering styles
• Sailor Jerry and traditional flash art typography
• Bold, readable lettering essential for skin application
• High-contrast designs that photograph well

Hollywood Golden Age:

• 1920s-1950s movie marquee lettering
• Art Deco ornamental treatments
• Glamorous, theatrical presentation
• Star culture and celebrity mystique

Gothic & Blackletter History:

• Medieval manuscript illumination
• German blackletter printing traditions
• Ornate Victorian decorative lettering
• Heavy metal and rock music typography

Technical Specifications

Vector File Preparation:

• Format: Adobe Illustrator vector artwork
• Construction: All letterforms created with precise bezier curves
• Glow effect: Multiple stroke layers at varying opacities creating dimensional effect
• Flourishes: Individual elements on separate layers for flexibility
• Anchor points: Optimized for smooth curves and sharp corners
• Expandable strokes: All strokes converted to outlines for consistency

Color Specifications:

• Black: 100% K (CMYK) / #000000 (HEX)
• Golden glow: Custom gradient or solid PMS metallic gold
• File variations: Full color, solid black, reversed (white on black)

Usage Variations Created:

• Horizontal primary lockup
• Stacked vertical version if needed
• Icon/symbol extraction for social media profiles
• Simplified version without glow for single-color applications
• Large-format version optimized for signage

Application Considerations

Storefront Signage:

• Bold design visible from distance
• Works in illuminated sign boxes with backlighting
• Golden glow translates to actual neon or LED lighting
• High contrast maintains visibility day and night

Business Cards & Stationery:

• Intricate detail showcases printing quality
• Foil stamping potential for gold elements
• Embossing would enhance dimensional quality
• Black on white or reversed options

Merchandise:

• Screen printing on apparel (t-shirts, hoodies)
• Embroidery potential for simplified version
• Sticker and decal applications
• Portfolio covers and appointment books

Digital Applications:

• Website header and branding
• Social media profile images and banners
• Email signatures
• Online booking platforms

Design Challenges & Solutions

Challenge 1: Balancing Complexity with Legibility Ornate blackletter can become illegible when overly decorative, especially at small sizes.

Solution: Maintained strong, readable letter structures as foundation before adding flourishes. Ensured negative space remained open within and between letters. Created simplified versions for small-scale applications.

Challenge 2: Traditional Aesthetic with Modern Appeal Needed to honor tattoo tradition while avoiding dated or cliché appearance.

Solution: Combined classic blackletter with contemporary glow effects and careful refinement. Precise vector execution gives traditional style modern polish. Golden glow adds drama without appearing overly vintage.

Challenge 3: Distinctive Identity in Competitive Market Tattoo industry has many similar blackletter logos—needed unique character.

Solution: Custom lettering rather than font modification ensures originality. Specific flourish placement and character connections create memorable, one-of-a-kind wordmark. Dimensional glow treatment differentiates from flat competitors.

Challenge 4: Scalability Across Applications Design needed to work from tiny social media avatars to large storefront signs.

Solution: Created multiple versions with varying detail levels. Full ornate version for primary applications, simplified solid black version for small sizes. Vector format ensures infinite scaling without quality loss.

Skills Demonstrated

• Custom lettering and typography design
• Blackletter and Gothic calligraphy expertise
• Ornamental and decorative design
• Brand identity development for service businesses
• Vector illustration and technical execution
• Color theory and high-contrast design
• Multi-application logo system development
• Understanding of tattoo culture and visual traditions
• Attention to detail in complex letterform construction
• Balance between artistic expression and functional branding

Cultural & Industry Context

Tattoo Industry Branding: Tattoo studios typically brand themselves through:

• Traditional flash art aesthetics
• Bold, readable typography
• References to tattoo history and culture
• Imagery suggesting permanence and craft
• Visual styles that appeal to tattoo enthusiasts

Hollywood Connection: The “Hollywood Stars” name requires:

• Glamorous, aspirational presentation
• References to entertainment industry
• Suggestion of celebrity clientele or quality
• Location pride (likely Los Angeles area)

Results & Impact

• Created distinctive, memorable brand identity for tattoo studio
• Established visual connection to both tattoo tradition and Hollywood glamour
• Produced versatile logo system working across all business touchpoints
• Demonstrated custom lettering capability and traditional design skills
• Delivered timeless design avoiding trend-dependent styling

Portfolio Significance

This project demonstrates:

• Mastery of traditional lettering styles and calligraphy
• Ability to design for specialized industries with strong visual cultures
• Custom typography creation from scratch
• Complex vector illustration and technical precision
• Understanding of cultural references and visual traditions
• Balancing artistic expression with commercial functionality

Professional Value

Hollywood Stars Tattoo logo showcases ability to:

• Create authentic, culturally-informed designs
• Execute complex custom lettering
• Work within established visual traditions while adding unique character
• Develop brand identities for service-based businesses
• Translate conceptual ideas into compelling visual forms
• Produce production-ready vector artwork with technical precision

Application to Production Roles

Relevant to senior production positions through demonstration of:

• Advanced vector illustration skills
• Typography and lettering expertise beyond font selection
• Understanding of how design translates across various production methods
• Attention to detail in complex artwork construction
• Ability to create scalable, versatile logo systems
• Knowledge of printing and reproduction considerations