Miskatonic University
Miskatonic University is an institution shrouded in arcane mystery, nestled in the enigmatic town of Arkham, Massachusetts. This hallowed university, rumored to reside in the fictional realm of Arkham, is a crucible of knowledge spanning the realms of Science, Liberal Studies, Medicine, Business & Law. Miskatonic University is a citadel of learning, dedicated to a vast array of scholarly pursuits - from the empirical sciences to the ethereal arts, ascending into the arcane world of forbidden knowledge.
Miskatonic University is not a real university; Rather it was invented by American horror novelist H.P. Lovecraft as a setting for many of his stories. Many authors have used Miskatonic University as a setting for their works either in the worlds of science-fiction or more generally – horror.
This case study examines Miskatonic from a modern design perspective, with the branding and identity paying homage and reference to Lovecraft and the Lovecraft Circle’s contributions to literature and the genre of cosmic horror.
Initial concepting and sketching began by developing the university’s mascot, Cully the cephalopod, a not so subtle reference to Lovecraft’s most popular creature of cosmic horror, Cthulu. Given the school’s ivy league, elite status, the mascot should embody the fierce nature of Cthulu, using its tentacles to hold the university’s name in its grip just as Cthulu grips the minds of his followers.
Three variations of Cully were developed, with the left in use for a full wordmark logo variation, the middle for smaller scale viewing, and the right the primary mascot used for branding and displays. Pairing Cully with the chosen decorative title font, Erstoria, the logo variations were created.
The Miskatonic color palette itself is also referential to Lovecraft and the Cthulu Mythos. Purple was chosen as the primary color due to its associations with regality, power, and gender neutrality. It is also referential to Lovecraft’s story The Color Out of Space, which is widely accepted by fans of the mythos to be a variant of magenta. Golden yellow was chosen as the accent color to pair nicely with these darker purples and to pay homage to Hastur, the King in Yellow, and brother of Cthulu.
Making Miskatonic Reality
Given the lore surrounding this university, it should come as no surprise that Miskatonic offers degrees and concentrations in more esoteric and otherwise uncommon or “strange” career fields. One of the most pointed to majors is in cryptozoology, the study of cryptids. It also offers majors such as medieval metaphysics, anthropology, archeology, paleontology, occult studies, and botany. To highlight Miskatonic’s unique programs, merchandise must reflect not just the school’s visual identity, but bring these departments into the light.
Though Miskatonic’s main focus is the advancement of academia, the university does have its place in the sports world. The Miskatonic Pods soccer team are most notable from the stories, however I expanded the school’s athletic endeavors through branding to include soccer, football, fencing, swimming, and tennis.
Signage, wayfinding, and environmental graphics for the university follow the same branding standards as the merchandise, using deep purple as the primary color with gold and beige accents. I chose for photography being used in the branding to showcase the old English architecture of the school, contain moodier, darker lighting, and use Miskatonic wordmark font when creating any titles, headers, or callouts in signage.
Faculty and staff additionally receive branded merchandise, attire, and ID cards aligning with the school’s branding. Stationery also continues the trend of purple and gold coloring. However, students who are a part of the Miskatonic Honor’s society receive special items that contain metallic gold foil and finishes.
Finally, I created some items that serve more external and promotional means. This tablecloth design can be used for college fairs and recruiting events, a stole design for graduations, and cup designs for the on campus cafe, humorously named The Dunwich Cafe, after Lovecraft’s famous story, the Dunwich Horror.
This case study concludes by repeating the Miskatonic University motto: “Out of ignorance into wisdom; Out of light into darkness.”
Ex Ignorantia Ad Sapientiam; Ex Luce Ad Tenebras
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