Lost Mary
Folk Band
One wordmark ties the band together while each release gets its own artwork, photography, and packaging.
The Problem
An emerging indie folk project needed a visual system across album packaging, merchandise, and streaming platforms that matched the tone of the music without boxing future releases into a single aesthetic.
The Solution
I developed a two-part brand system: a permanent wordmark used on everything the band puts out, paired with artwork, photography, and packaging made for each record.
The Mark
I set the primary wordmark in a sturdy serif inspired by 19th-century hymnal typography. The letterforms give the project an enduring foundation that feels rooted, tactile, and distinct across digital streaming tiles and physical print runs.
The Debut
The self-titled debut serves as a personal archive of travel, nostalgia, and memory. I paired candid photography and pen-and-ink illustrations I art directed with typewriter typography and warm paper tones, giving the physical CD and cassette packaging the feel of a worn, typed journal.
The Second Release
For the second release, I paired expressive script headings with handwritten lyrics and sketches inside the CD and cassette booklets, set alongside landscape photography I shot in early morning fog along wooded ridge lines.
The Singles
Leading up to the third project, the single artwork explores memory and physical space. I combined layered photography with fine-line illustrations I art directed, all in muted earth tones, and linked the series with a single red path that runs through each composition.
The Merch
Apparel and physical goods needed to outlast individual album cycles, so merchandise relies strictly on the anchor wordmark. Clean white embroidery on black structured hats and heavyweight cotton long-sleeve t-shirts keeps the pieces understated, durable, and wearable every day.
The Result
The wordmark connects the release artwork, packaging, and merchandise, while photography and illustration give each release its own visual character. The system provides continuity without requiring every release to look the same.
I worked with the band from its debut through later releases. Its audience reached 60,000+ monthly Spotify listeners during my tenure and has since passed 250,000.