Play with Lasers

MakeATX is a laser cutting workshop in East Austin, Texas where members can learn to use production machines and fabricate goods from all sorts of materials. The brand for Make plays on the idea of analog cutting as a tongue-in-cheek reference to the advanced laser cutters and tools in the shop.

The colors of the brand rely on the natural colors of materials commonly found in the shop, such as wood, matte board, craft paper, and acrylic. To add to the materials, a dark grey and a bright chartreuse help the materials stand out and promote visibility.

The full seal logo is used at large scale or in a solo context, while the scissor logo works best as part of a design and at smaller scale.

Shop Functional

The signs for the shop are cut from birch plywood and revolve around a theme of functionality and example. Hanging above each laser in the shop is a settings sign that allows for modification using individual number tiles that hang from small nails. This allows the settings to be maintained independently for each laser as the machine's power levels decay from use.

The signs show the full range of cutting capabilities for the laser including etching, hairline drawing, and, of course, cutting.

To make the workshop more lively, custom switch and outlet covers were added with helpful and playful text to indicate their function.

The logos were made into stamps to be used as a cost-effective method of applying the brand to bags and cards in-house. The bags would be used to keep items cut for customers organized for pickup.

Laser Profiles

For online branding, profile avatars were designed for each laser to use in the appointment booking system. These icons feature clean vector illustrations that are angled to reflect physical position in the shop to help users remember which laser is which in the space.