Heuristic Industries, a startup in the guitar pedal market, aimed to break away from ornate, high-cost products with a line of reliable pedals visually inspired by vintage European home audio equipment and musical instruments. My task was to create a brand identity and visual language that captured this vision and set Heuristic Industries up for success with the release of its first pedal, Fulcrum.

Challenges

Designing a guitar pedal several unique challenges, which inform the visual identity of the entire brand:

Small form factor
Pedals have limited space for graphics and controls, which require a design that is both concise and functional.

User environment
Pedals are often be used in low-light, chaotic environments, meaning text and icons need to be easily readable from a distance.

Abstract controls
A pedal’s functions are abstract, necessitating a clear and intuitive visual language.

Process

Working in parallel with the prototyping phase of the first product release, Fulcrum, served as a way to try out visual treatments in the real world, and build a visual identity that is as utility-centric as Fulcrum. Working at the same pace as the prototyping phase also allowed us to explore some additional design concepts, which, while not always successful, helped us focus and mature the visual identity.

Eventually, we settled on a mix of custom glyphs and text, which are clear and scalable for future iterations. Using glyphs wherever possible allowed us to keep our graphics high impact, which is important considering a pedal’s often chaotic use cases, which often do not lend to readability.

Reflection

Designing for Heuristic Industries allowed me to apply many principles from digital product design, particularly in creating a flexible system that could serve as a foundation for a line of products. This project reinforced the importance having a plan and system for a visual identity, to help ensure consistency and scalability when the work has left my hands.