Through The Sun Gate
Through The Sun Gate
For Through The Sun Gate, we crafted a branding system that turns Jonathan McEuen’s personal odyssey into an immersive album experience. Drawing on his journey from Nashville’s storied stages to the untamed corridors of California’s coast, the identity frames each song as a waypoint in a sun-lit pilgrimage—inviting listeners to step through the gate and walk alongside him.
Research
Research
We began by unpacking Jonathan’s own narrative: heir to a country-music legacy, called west by the promise of new horizons, and forged through collaborations with punk, blues, and avant-garde artists in Ojai and Ventura. Field interviews, archival listening sessions, and a deep dive into the region’s history revealed a recurring theme: the sun’s arc—rising, zenith, setting—mirrors his search for roots, reinvention, and homecoming. Those insights set the strategic foundation for every creative decision.
We began by unpacking Jonathan’s own narrative: heir to a country-music legacy, called west by the promise of new horizons, and forged through collaborations with punk, blues, and avant-garde artists in Ojai and Ventura. Field interviews, archival listening sessions, and a deep dive into the region’s history revealed a recurring theme: the sun’s arc—rising, zenith, setting—mirrors his search for roots, reinvention, and homecoming. Those insights set the strategic foundation for every creative decision.
Research
We began by unpacking Jonathan’s own narrative: heir to a country-music legacy, called west by the promise of new horizons, and forged through collaborations with punk, blues, and avant-garde artists in Ojai and Ventura. Field interviews, archival listening sessions, and a deep dive into the region’s history revealed a recurring theme: the sun’s arc—rising, zenith, setting—mirrors his search for roots, reinvention, and homecoming. Those insights set the strategic foundation for every creative decision.
Design
Design
We distilled the Sun Gate metaphor into a cohesive visual language:
Radiant Halo: A glowing sun-disc motif anchors the cover, its gradient halo bleeding into deep sepia and gold tones.
Radial Track Diagram: The back panel arranges song titles in a circle around a compass rose—evoking both route-finding and the album’s cyclical narrative.
Silhouette Imagery: On the exterior gatefold, Jonathan’s lone figure stands against the sun’s blaze—an invitation to follow his path.
Typographic Voice: A warm display type lends the title gravitas, balanced by understated, modern sans-serif, so every word feels both timeless and immediate.
We distilled the Sun Gate metaphor into a cohesive visual language:
Radiant Halo: A glowing sun-disc motif anchors the cover, its gradient halo bleeding into deep sepia and gold tones.
Radial Track Diagram: The back panel arranges song titles in a circle around a compass rose—evoking both route-finding and the album’s cyclical narrative.
Silhouette Imagery: On the exterior gatefold, Jonathan’s lone figure stands against the sun’s blaze—an invitation to follow his path.
Typographic Voice: A warm display type lends the title gravitas, balanced by understated, modern sans-serif, so every word feels both timeless and immediate.
Design
We distilled the Sun Gate metaphor into a cohesive visual language:
Radiant Halo: A glowing sun-disc motif anchors the cover, its gradient halo bleeding into deep sepia and gold tones.
Radial Track Diagram: The back panel arranges song titles in a circle around a compass rose—evoking both route-finding and the album’s cyclical narrative.
Silhouette Imagery: On the exterior gatefold, Jonathan’s lone figure stands against the sun’s blaze—an invitation to follow his path.
Typographic Voice: A warm display type lends the title gravitas, balanced by understated, modern sans-serif, so every word feels both timeless and immediate.
Development
Development
We brought the Sun Gate universe to life across formats and channels:
Packaging: The 3-color custom Pantone print reveals an unfolding narrative—and extends onto the custom-pressed golden sun-kissed disc.
Print Collateral: Lyric booklet pages echo the radial theme, while lyric-leaf inserts print on textured stock that feels like sun-bleached parchment.
Digital Assets: Animated album cover and social teasers build anticipation online.
Merch & Promotion: Limited-edition posters, shirts and pins.
We brought the Sun Gate universe to life across formats and channels:
Packaging: The 3-color custom Pantone print reveals an unfolding narrative—and extends onto the custom-pressed golden sun-kissed disc.
Print Collateral: Lyric booklet pages echo the radial theme, while lyric-leaf inserts print on textured stock that feels like sun-bleached parchment.
Digital Assets: Animated album cover and social teasers build anticipation online.
Merch & Promotion: Limited-edition posters, shirts and pins.
Development
We brought the Sun Gate universe to life across formats and channels:
Packaging: The 3-color custom Pantone print reveals an unfolding narrative—and extends onto the custom-pressed golden sun-kissed disc.
Print Collateral: Lyric booklet pages echo the radial theme, while lyric-leaf inserts print on textured stock that feels like sun-bleached parchment.
Digital Assets: Animated album cover and social teasers build anticipation online.
Merch & Promotion: Limited-edition posters, shirts and pins.
Concept
Concept
“Sun Gate” as Journey & Return
The album’s title became our guiding metaphor. Each track represents a stage in the sun’s cycle—its life-giving ascent in the east, its radiant peak, and the long shadow cast by its setting. This concept speaks both to Jonathan’s westward quest and the way great songs illuminate the heart’s hidden corners, then circle back to reveal truths waiting on the horizon.
“Sun Gate” as Journey & Return
The album’s title became our guiding metaphor. Each track represents a stage in the sun’s cycle—its life-giving ascent in the east, its radiant peak, and the long shadow cast by its setting. This concept speaks both to Jonathan’s westward quest and the way great songs illuminate the heart’s hidden corners, then circle back to reveal truths waiting on the horizon.
Concept
“Sun Gate” as Journey & Return
The album’s title became our guiding metaphor. Each track represents a stage in the sun’s cycle—its life-giving ascent in the east, its radiant peak, and the long shadow cast by its setting. This concept speaks both to Jonathan’s westward quest and the way great songs illuminate the heart’s hidden corners, then circle back to reveal truths waiting on the horizon.
More Works More Works
More Works More Works
Vita Hill Social Club
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Vita Hill Social Club
Experiential Marketing
Vita Hill Social Club
Experiential Marketing
Vita Hill Social Club
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Ojai Valley Brewery
Brand Development
Ojai Valley Brewery
Brand Development
Ojai Valley Brewery
Brand Development
Ojai Valley Brewery
Brand Development