Let’s start here, because this is where things usually go sideways.
Everyone thinks they know what branding is.
Everyone thinks they have one.
Everyone has picked a font, a colour, and a vague adjective and said, “Yeah, that’s my brand.”
But branding isn’t your logo.
It isn’t your Instagram grid.
And it definitely isn’t “my vibe is… kind of minimal?”
Branding is what people understand about you when you’re not in the room to explain yourself.
And if you’re an artist, your brand already exists. The only question is whether you’re shaping it intentionally—or letting it form by accident.
Let’s get clear before we get visual.
Step 1: Name the Work You’re Actually Making
Not what you used to make.
Not what you hope to make someday.
What’s happening now.
In plain language:
- What kind of work is it?
- What’s the experience of it?
- How do people tend to feel afterward?
If you can’t explain the work clearly, branding becomes vague.
And vague branding disappears.
Step 2: Find the Through Line
Even when the projects change, something keeps showing up.
Look for patterns in:
- themes you repeat
- questions you’re obsessed with
- materials or formats you return to
- reactions you care about most
Your brand is often the thing you think is “just obvious.”
(It’s not obvious to anyone else. That’s the point.)
Step 3: Decide Who It’s For
Yes, we have to talk about audience. Briefly. Calmly.
“Everyone” is not an audience — it’s a hope.
Ask instead:
- Who already responds strongly to this work?
- Who do you want more of?
- Who gets it quickly without needing a TED Talk?
Clarity here doesn’t make your work smaller.
It makes your branding stronger.
Step 4: Write the Human Explanation
You need one short, repeatable sentence you can use without spiraling every time someone asks, “So what do you do?”
Try this:
I make [type of work] that explores [themes/ideas] so people [feel/think/experience].
This isn’t your tagline.
It’s your anchor.
Everything else builds from here.
Final Thought (Part 1)
If branding feels slippery, it’s usually because meaning hasn’t been nailed down yet.
Don’t skip this part.
Visuals come later — and they work much better when the thinking is done first.