Canadian Chronicles
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Michael Nÿkamp
2020, United States (former Canadian, now U.S. citizen)
Forever Canadian at heart ❤

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mkn-design.com

Project Overview
I started this personal initiative highlighting brands designed by Canadians, for Canadians.

The impetus behind the Canadian Chronicles mark originates from Canada's iconic symbol, the maple leaf while accommodating Canada’s flag colors—red and white. Additionally, I drew inspiration from renowned Canadian designers Allan Flemming, Burton Kramer, Ernst Roch, and specifically Stuart Ash's works from the late '60s (Canadian Centennial symbol, 1965) and early '70s (Metric Commission mark, 1974). I also adopted the naming convention from the Canadian Federal Identity Program presenting the brand's name in both English and French using the system's standardized font, Helvetica.

The mark is recognizably Canadian and its form evokes a sense of care, movement, and strength.

Project Background
My career interest started as a young kid growing up on a farm in Southern Ontario, Canada. At the time I did not recognize or understand what branding or communication design was. But I admired the various aspects of branding, like Canadian Tire and Parks Canada to catchy TV advertisements, like “Mikey likes it!” (Life Cereal, 1974), or the jingle, "Skippy Peanut Butter, goes on our daily bread..."(Skippy Peanut Butter 1984). As I matured, my interest in communication design continued to develop, although I faced uncertainty about where to begin. Thankfully, I had an art teacher who helped and encourage me on where to start. As I embarked on my journey into art and design at Sheridan College of Art and Design. I was accepted into the Art Foundations program (1 year). This experience propelled me to pursue further education in the field, leading me to complete a four-year Illustration program and a one-year New Media Design program. Fast forward, I currently leverage my skills as an Illustrator, UX Design, and Graphic Design to complement my role as a visual communication designer for my independent business MKN Design.

I hope to showcase and discuss Canadian brands through the lens of my personal experiences. I invite you to share your own stories and experiences related to the Canadian brands I feature in this blog.

Photo Credit
Allan Fleming, Allan Fleming Papers, York University Clara Thomas Archives, and Special Collections

A shorten ideation process in developing the Canadian Chronicles mark.

Canadian Chronicles combination mark + clear area specifications

Primary Brand Application—A

Horizontal / English and French Mark
Clear area combination mark specifications and combination mark + colour usages in: Canada Rouge, Noir and knockouts.