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White Knee Audio

Visual identity and web design for two friends transitioning their passion for music and audio engineering into a business.

White Knee Audio (WKA) is an audio production duo based in the Finger Lakes region of New York. Their mission is to provide affordable, high-quality audio recording, mixing, and mastering services in a supportive environment to help musicians in the tri-state area achieve their artistic vision.

To expand their clientele beyond its small but consistent base, WKA wanted help developing a cohesive, professional social media presence with an official logo and consistent imagery style. After developing a visual identity, we worked together to build and launch a website that would serve as a portfolio for their work.

Client

White Knee Audio

Year

2020 – 2021

Responsibilities

Branding & Visual Identity
UX & SEO Writing
Visual Design
Website Design & Development

logo designer | Grace Blondell, Rochester NY

Bringing a name to life.

When first discussing a logo with me, WKA hadn’t decided on a business name but were toying with the “White Knee Audio” name. I came up with a couple alternative concepts for names based on our conversations together and began sketching out some ideas for logos.

The duo eventually settled on the name White Knee Audio, after Acanthoscurria geniculata, more commonly known as the Brazilian white knee tarantula.

This spider has a dark body with distinct white bands across its knees. Michael and Charles expressed the desire to have a spider web represent their business and wanted something that was minimal, versatile, and would resonate with the clients they work with, which at that point, was mostly heavier bands.

Symbolizing spiders and sound.

I spent a lot of time researching spiders and spider webs, and eventually came across several interesting articles involving both spider webs and sound. The New Journal of Physics published a study in 2017 in which researchers used the geometry of spider webs as a model for labyrinthine acoustic metamaterials (LAMMs) designed for low-frequency sound control. These web-inspired materials could have major applications in reducing noise pollution.
Drawing inspiration from the minimalist logos of post-hardcore bands Touché Amore and Pianos Become the Teeth, as well as the artwork of Tomás Saraceno, I decided to that simple, black and white linework would best represent WKA.

At this point, I shifted my focus to include sound waves as well. After going through several logo iterations, I developed a shape that was reminiscent of both the undulating nature of sound waves and the structure of spider webs.

mood board | Grace Blondell, Rochester NY

Brand Research-based Vision Board

visual identity for audio recording business | Grace Blondell, Rochester NY

Sketches

branding designer | Grace Blondell, Rochester NY
branding services | Grace Blondell, Rochester NY
marketing designer for small businesses | Grace Blondell, Rochester NY

Launching a website.

A year after completing branding work for White Knee Audio, Michael and Charles approached me again about designing and developing a website for them. Their main goal for the website was to gain new clients, so our strategy was to highlight their body of work and encourage site visitors to book a project with them.
Prior to the website launch, WKA didn’t have a way to showcase the tracks they had produced or the clients they had worked with. I built an audio portfolio section on their website that would be easy for them to update as they completed new projects, so potential clients could explore their most recent work.
The website was also built as a way to drive communication and connect WKA to their clients. A contact form provides an easy way for clients to share details about their project, and buttons throughout the site direct users to the form. An FAQ section also alleviates any hesitation potential clients may have by walking them through the process, from recording to release.
web designer | Grace Blondell, Rochester NY
mobile websites | Grace Blondell, Rochester NY

Get in touch

Let's work together –
gblondelldesign@gmail.com

Syracuse, New York

© 2024 Grace Blondell