Chronicles is a repository of articles, client projects, creative musings and products.

 

All content is copyrighted by MKN Design. Reproduction without express written consent is prohibited. To license a specific illustration or design, please contact me via email.

Riot Games Iconography System

Michael played a key role in developing a strategic and refined iconography library for Riot Games. His leadership and guidance across both Monotype and Riot Games ensured seamless collaboration, aligning visual identity with brand goals through a thoughtful and systematic approach. His ability to solve complex design challenges while maintaining a keen attention to detail made a significant impact on the project’s success. Reliable, communicative, and always exceeding expectations.

Robert Ignasiak
Product & Interaction Lead, Riot Games

Client Project
February 2025

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Riot Games Iconography System
I recently completed this 6 month iconography system project for Riot Games in collaboration with Monotype, who brought me on as a co-lead and specialist in visual icon systems. My role centered on guiding, developing, and establishing standards that shaped a comprehensive toolkit of pixel-perfect icons, capturing the bold and playful spirit of Riot Games while supporting their expanding product ecosystem.

Our goal was to create an iconography system of 350+ icons that seamlessly scaled across three sizes—16, 24, and 32 pixels—while staying true to Riot Games' brand identity. With “Player Experience First” as Riot’s core message, it was crucial to create a custom, scalable, and unified iconography system that not only enhanced the user experience and strengthened their brand’s visual language but also ensured consistency across all Riot products.

This iconography system serves as a sustainable and sound foundation for developing future icons that align with Riot’s brand.

  • + Iconography Design System

  • + Co-leadership
    + Creative Direction
    + Iconography System Rules
    + Research
    + Sketching & Ideation
    + Illustration

  • This project was a collaborative effort, bringing together expert partners from Monotype, Riot Games, and MKN Design to lead the creative direction and co-develop the iconography design alongside Monotype.

    Core Team:
    Robert Ignasiak – Riot Games
    Sascha Leifer King – Riot Games
    Junho Kim – Riot Games
    Terrance Weinzierl – Monotype
    Jorden Bell – Monotype
    Michael Nÿkamp - MKN Design
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    Thank you to the entire team for their dedication and effort in bringing this extensive set to life and helping create a remarkable icon system.
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    Note: All images used in this post are licensed through Riot Games.

Merrell Footwear Illustrations

Client Project
February 2021

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Merrell Footwear Illustrations
I collaborated with Cush Design to create detailed illustrations of sixteen Merrell shoes, showcasing six distinct views for each: three-quarter, top, inside side, outside side, front, and back (a total of 96 illustration. The illustrations required precise detail, achieved through a combination of photographic references and direct observation of the physical shoes, ensuring accuracy in depicting each view.

So, I’m sure you’re asking why do footwear brands do this? It’s to visually document their unique footwear designs, allowing them to legally protect their creations, safeguarding their intellectual property and maintaining competitiveness in the market.

  • + Patent Illustrations

  • + Illustration

  • This project was a joint endeavor with Matthew Cushman of Cush Design, Inc.

Citizen Project

Article + Product
November 2020

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Citizen Project: Collaboration, Freedom, Purpose
The Citizen Project is a collaborative of four creatives in Grand Rapids, Michigan—designers Jody Williams, Brian Edlefson, type designer Terrance Weinzierl, and illustrator and designer Michael Nÿkamp. Formed by Williams, the collective was established with the intent of collaborating on side projects with a purpose: to raise awareness of the amazing talent in Grand Rapids.

“As independent creatives,  corporate projects tend to keep us isolated. We wanted to find ways to collaborate with our friends and peers. The Citizens Project lets us choose a common cause and theme, then produce our own visual interpretation of it. We hope to collaborate on at least one new project every year and bring other artists with other skills and interests to our effort.”

— Jody Williams, Designer.

Williams added that the goal of the collaboration allows the friends and artists to work on a personal project with a common theme. “We set our own goals and guidelines and we choose a project that interests all of us. This allows us to work together on a single project that means something to all of us.”

“We would meet up once or twice a month to discuss concepts and how to fund the project,” Michael Nÿkamp recalls. They devised this year’s theme commemorating the 200-year anniversary of Francis Scott Key’s writing of the Star Spangled Banner. Each artist will designeda limited-edition poster that will be silkscreen-printed by Continental ID. “We all created an inspired poster featuring our interpretation of the American Flag,” Nÿkamp added.

▲ We gathered at Thesis in St. Joseph, Michigan a few times to discuss our concepts.

Citizen Project used Kickstarter to help fund paper and printing costs, with print runs limited to 250 of each poster. Donors receive a set of four signed and numbered posters. Chuck Oleniczak at Central Michigan Paper helped the artist choose a sheet that would work best for each design. Nÿkamp’s poster is printed on Neenah’s Classic Crest® Cover Avon Patriot Blue. Brilliant choice!

▲ Color samples being made on our paper selections at Continental Print.

▲ Left to Right:
1. Terrance rocking the ampersand tee and holding a mic boom.
2. Terrance and Brian signing their posters
3. Thirteen Stripes, Fifty Stars and Color Wave being displayed at the UICA, in Grand Rapids Michigan.

This article was written by Emily Potts has been an editor and writer working in the graphic design publishing trade for more than 20 years. In that time she’s managed a slew of publications, people, and events. Since July 2014, she has been an independent writer, editor, and consultant working for a diverse range of clients including Neenah Paper, Creative Live, AIGA, Goodtype, Elements, and more. Emily loves interviewing people and telling their stories.

Weinzierl, of course, employed typography for his poster design, while the others used more literal forms of the flag in their interpretations with varying results. Three of the four posters were shown in a Star Spangled Banner 200th anniversary exhibit in Baltimore, Md., with Nÿkamp’s design receiving an Award of Excellence.

“A future goal is to work on a project that either generates income for a cause and/or serves a non-profit or other needy institution with our respective skill sets,” says Williams. “The original intention of this year’s project was to exceed the printing costs of the poster run and donate proceeds to a veteran’s organization. Kickstarter, ultimately did not allow that to be part of the funding parameters. As we move forward, we may choose another source to fund the project, which will allow more flexibility.”

The Citizen Project hopes to broaden its pool of collaborators. The core group of four wants to draw in artists with different talents to collaborate on future projects.  “The side effect of this process has been that we created new personal and working relationships with each other and had an amazingly fun time doing so,” says Nÿkamp.

Collaboration. Freedom. Purpose. New friendships.  That is a what we’d call a Star Spangled success.

▲ Left to Right:

1. Jody Williams
Color Wave, 2014
Printed on Smart White from French Paper Company

3. Terrance Weinzierl
Thirteen Stripes, Fifty Stars, 2014
Printed on Smart White from French Paper Company



2. Brian Edlefson
American Portrait, 2014
Printed on Brilliance, Super Reflector Film from Decorated Paper

4. Michael Nÿkamp
Thirteen Stripes, Fifty Stars, 2014
Screen Printed on Neenah’s Classic Crest Cover Avon Patriot Blue

▲ Being interviewed by Shelley Irwin on WGVU Morning Show about the Citizen Project.

▲ The Citizen Project posters displayed at Grand Rapids Christian, Elementary School.