Against the Grain Theatre is an award-winning Canadian opera company committed to revitalizing the operatic art form by presenting an eclectic array of musical works in unconventional spaces and innovative ways. In 2015 Against the Grain Theatre commissioned me to redesign their visual identity, print and digital material, including a developing a new website and creative collateral for two critically acclaimed shows: Death and Desire and ATG’s Messiah. In recent years I have added a subbrand for Against the Grain Records and refreshed the ATGT website as they pivoted to online performances in response to the pandemic.

The new identity explores soundwaves, vinyl grooves and the letterform “O” (for “opera”) as the raw variables to produce a simple circular device that becomes the seed for infinite variations of “bent” logomarks—a riff on the fluid nature of the company, which performs unconventional productions in unconventional spaces.

Against the Grain Theatre
Playing with references to wood grain, soundwaves, vinyl grooves and the letterform ‘O’ (for ‘opera’) a simple circular device became the seed for infinite variations of ‘bent’ logomarks — a riff on the fluid nature of the company, which performs unconventional productions in unconventional spaces.
Against the Grain Theatre Logo System
Against the Grain Theatre Logo System
Against the Grain Theatre Colour
Against the Grain Theatre Scala
Against the Grain Theatre Letterhead
Against the Grain Theatre Business Cards
Against the Grain Theatre Tee Shirts
Against the Grain Theatre Stamps=
Against the Grain Theatre Tote Bags
Against the Grain Theatre Death and Desire Poster
Death and Desire poster — photography by Darryl Block.
Thumbnail images of web pages from the Against the Grain Theatre website
Against the Grain Theatre Messiah Poster
ATG Messiah poster — photography by Matt Barnes.