ROJI
No work receives the same amount of self-scrutiny as the one that encompasses your own work. How do you present yourself as a designer without a brand that you can proudly call your own? That question is what's led me down the years-long journey of establishing the ROJI brand. Like many common brand names, ROJI was birthed out of a surname. The key elements of the brand aligned over time, all floating as independent concepts until time came to pull them out of thin air an onto a canvas.
ROJI was a nickname derived from Rojas, a surname that holds personal significance to my identity. It represents a journey of self-discovery and self-expression, rooted in my Colombian heritage. As I sought to establish my own identity in the design world, the transformation of Rojas into ROJI felt like a natural evolution—a symbolic bridge between my past and my aspirations. It reflects my growth into taking ownership over my craft—taking what I was born with and making something out of myself. Born into a household of immigrants, I initially had to sacrifice time from my love for art to pursue of financial stable career. While continuing to independently learn as a designer, it was a fulfilling part of my journey to pursue digital experience design—allowing me to incorporate principals of graphic, brand, and visual design into my work.
The journey of building the ROJI brand was a deeply personal one, rooted in a desire to create a visual identity that authentically reflected who I am as a designer and as an individual. It began with the phrase ojas rojas, or red leaves in Spanish—a playful term that sparked my imagination. Inspired by the ever-changing beauty of leaves, I envisioned a logo that captured the essence of growth and transformation. The imagery of red leaves became the the spiritual heart of the brand, symbolizing not only my cultural heritage but also my passion for exploration and discovery.
The process of refining the brand elements involved meticulous sketching, iterative testing in Illustrator, and a quest for cohesion. As I honed my skills as a designer, the brand's visual identity evolved in tandem. Red, a bold and vibrant color, played a central role in evoking a sense of regality to what is effectively a type of family crest. The chosen hues—ROJI Nero, ROJI Crimson, ROJI Rojo, and ROJI Rouge—sought to capture the essence of cinematic grandeur and anticipation. Each shade, carefully selected, imbues the brand with a distinctive allure, reminiscent of the red velvet curtains or a red carpet leading to new beginnings.
Stylizing the brand name as either "ROJI" or "roji," is a deliberate choice deeply rooted in the brand's visual identity. This decision is intricately tied to the aesthetics of the brand's wordmark, notably the alignment of the curves of the "r" and "J" in the logotype. Presenting the name in uppercase or lowercase reflects the harmonious blend of curves found in the ROJI logo, enhancing brand recognition and visual coherence across diverse contexts and type styles.
The leaf logomark serves as a cornerstone of the ROJI brand identity, embodying the essence of growth, vitality, and renewal. Crafted from simple curves of a solid width, the leaf's silhouette intertwines with the stem like puzzle pieces, creating a harmonious symbol. Rooted in the Spanish word "ojas," meaning leaves, the leaf is a direct nod to the brand's cultural heritage and its connection to the natural world. Formed from a grid derived from one of the original iterations of the wordmark, the logomark maintains a sense of proportionality, ensuring versatility across a range of applications. From digital platforms to printed materials, the leaf logomark remains legible and impactful, reflecting the brand's adaptability and scalability. Furthermore, to enhance cohesion between the logomark and wordmark, the shape of the "O" was repurposed to create a frame around the leaf, resulting in a seamless integration of visual elements.
As ROJI continues to flourish and adapt, its journey serves as an inspiring reminder that inspiration and authenticity stem from embracing one's roots while embracing the endless possibilities of the future.
