Jacob Popčak: Art, Soul, Mind
The Client:
Jacob Popčak: Art Soul and Mind is an illustrator, speaker, and graphic designer with a background in Catholicism and mental health. Though wearing many hats, Jacob’s array of proficiencies lend themselves to one another, setting him apart as not just a counselor, not just an artist, not just a graphic designer—but a creative professional whose spiritual and psychological insights inform and improve his projects; whether those be in branding, children's book illustrations, or concept art. The artist and public figure brings the best of both words to his clients: reliable professionalism and unorthodox artistry.
The Need:
With an already-growing reputation among Catholic audiences as the mystic, insightful weirdo, Jacob Popčak sought to expand to a secular audience—preferably an entertainment-related clientele, such as small theme park design companies. In order to do so, He needed a central portal that united his professional identity as a counselor, artist, and thought leader, displayed his creative work, and expressed his availability for new projects. Jacob had an existing website portfolio, but the site was outdated and did not reflect the level of professionalism nor the unique complexity offered by the artist.
The Solution:
I proposed that Jacob invest in a website redesign that would attract new clients, present an up-to-date and visually appealing portfolio, and allow current clients to get to know him better. The site would beautifully showcase his full portfolio of work via image galleries as well as long-form case studies, present him as a public figure with easy ways for viewers to contact him for projects, improve his visibility in online searches, integrate his social media platforms, and set him up to eventually host an online store as well.
Challenges:
Finding an aesthetic that matched Jacob’s branding, expressed his personality and artistic style, without detracting from his portfolio of work, was a challenge. We wanted to strike a balance between the artistic nature of his business and the dependable professionalism he brought to it.
After a few attempts and revisions, we found that line with a textured style that also incorporated clean, modern, and mystic elements. As Jacob is an artist who generally sticks to traditional, textile methods, we decided to incorporate ripped edges and paper textures, as well as sketch-marks and a handwritten font that mirrored the style of his logo. Marked by fluid, uneven edges reminiscent of a scrapbook, the pages feel almost conceptual, as if they are previews of a process rather than a finished work. They give insight into Jacob’s unique processes and unconventional outcomes.
At the same time, the design seamlessly maintains crisp elements for a hybrid of artistic but professional, liberal but orthodox. Solid blocks of soothing color and clean animations, careful organization and well-written copy, speak to the insightfulness that stem from Jacob's counseling experience, the corporate integrity of his design services, and the fact that he knows how to get the job done.
I was also faced with the challenge of working with a fellow artist and graphic designer. Being in the same field, Jacob was able to see the possibilities that many of my clients don’t, for both the visual aesthetic of the site as well as its functionality. He brought many great ideas to the table, which required me to push my web design and coding abilities past their limits to accomplish his vision. In the end, we were both pleased with the results, and he began receiving new leads through his site.
