kept chocolate: colors, logos, and concepts

Why was my assignment named Kept?  Well, I felt there was limitless play with a word associated with so many things.  

1 have or retain possession of : my father would keep the best for himself | she had trouble keeping her balance.

 • retain or reserve for use in the future : return one copy to me, keeping the other for your files.

 • put or store in a regular place : the stand where her umbrella was kept.

 • retain one's place in or on (a seat or saddle, the ground, etc.) against opposition or difficulty : are you able to keep your saddle?

 • delay or detain; cause to be late : I won't keep you; I know you've got a busy evening.

2 continue or cause to continue in a specified condition, position, course, etc. : [ intrans. ] she could have had some boyfriend she kept quiet about | keep left along the wall | [ trans. ] she might be kept alive artificially by machinery.

 • [ intrans. ] continue doing or do repeatedly or habitually : he keeps going on about the murder.

 • [ intrans. ] (of a perishable commodity) remain in good condition :fresh ginger does not keep well.

 • [ trans. ] make (someone) do something for a period of time : I have kept her waiting too long.

 • archaic continue to follow (a way, path, or course) : the friars and soldiers removed, keeping their course toward Jericho.

3 provide for the sustenance of (someone) : he had to keep his large family in the manner he had chosen.

 • provide (someone) with a regular supply of a commodity : the money should keep him in cigarettes for a week.

 • own and look after (an animal) for pleasure or profit.

 • own and manage (a shop or business).

 • guard; protect : his only thought is to keep the boy from harm.

 • support (someone, esp. a woman) financially in return for sexual favors: [as adj. ] a kept woman.

 • [ intrans. ] act as a goalkeeper.

4 honor or fulfill (a commitment or undertaking) : I'll keep my promise, naturally.

 • observe (a religious occasion) in the prescribed manner : today's consumers do not keep the Sabbath.

 • pay due regard to (a law or custom).

5 make written entries in (a diary) on a regular basis : the master kept a weekly journal.

 • write down as (a record) : keep a note of the whereabouts of each item.

That and I like secrets.  As I told my professor (when I was pitching the idea) not deep-dark-hateful-family-secrets.  No no no.  Fun-playful-tasty-whispery-secrets, like the kind teenage girls share... or at least used to.

When I created my chocolate company, I thought the package direction could go one of three ways.  As you can see above, those choices were lavish (gold lettering,) funky, or  fun/funny.  In the end, I used all three.



Look at this crummy subway sketch.  Anyway, I liked the idea of having tiny boxes that could stand alone or be sold together in a variety pack.  I felt the small packaging could be a play on "small treasures" or "kept secrets."



A bit more fleshed out.



When creating our logos, we weren't allowed to draw them up ourselves. We had to "build" them out of previously created fonts.  My workmark (then) was a mixture of two fonts.  I thought the silhouetted letter shapes were fun and youthful.  I especially liked the key shape made in the negative space between the e and p. (Above)



What colors make you think of chocolate? Well, when I showed people these National Geographic volcano photos, they thought I was crazy for thinking they looked tasty.  I went and did a bunch of (Western) color research anyway and just made sure to include similar colors in my palette.  In my research, I learned things like lavender is a "grown up" pink.  Who knew?

Here (above) are the swatches I seperated into color schemes (I'll post some later) and a few"lavish" box cover ideas.  The lettering is supposed to be gold or silver foil.  These colors are much darker when printed.  I put the color schemes together using printed swatches.



When I pointed the key shape out (in my logo) to my professor, she suggested that I bring some more attention to that area.  Here are some tests and the finished product (above).

This is a more completed box.  I will post the pattern ideas for Kept next.