Vicarel Studios

Vicarel Studios Vicarel Studios is an artful branding and design studio in Denver, Colorado. Brand identity, packaging design, murals, lettering, and custom typefaces.

Be the brand they remember. Most of my career has been spent exploring the intersection of strategic thinking, brand systems and artful craft. I started Vicarel Studios to build, support and extend brands who want to be remembered. Vicarel Studios is an artful branding and design studio based in Denver, Colorado. We combine strategic thinking and artful execution to create products, brands, and experiences that people can't stop talking about; we do this for clients worldwide. WHAT WE DO
We provide bespoke creative services spanning brand identity and packaging design, illustration, murals, lettering, typeface design, and creative retainer partnerships. Most every engagement starts with strategy and ends with work that holds up on a shelf, on a wall, and most importantly: in the real world. WHO WE WORK WITH
Culture-forward and founder-led brands in CPG, hospitality, technology, spirits, cannabis, and lifestyle categories. We also partner with in-house brand teams and agencies who need a trusted, boutique extension to their creative team. We can lead a project from start to finish or plug right into your work flow. HOW WE'RE BUILT
Founder-led since 2015. I am on the calls; I do, oversee and manage the work; and I'll present the work. We scale to your project's specific needs with a trusted roster of designers, illustrators, animators, developers, and strategists, so nothing gets lost in translation. SELECT CLIENTS
Lululemon, NBC, Warner Bros., City and County of Denver, Axon, the Sheraton Downtown Denver, Captain Morgan, New Belgium Brewing, Holistic Industries, 50 Eggs Hospitality, Faherty, AYR Wellness, Einstein Bros. Bagels, and IonQ. We also run a small type foundry. Our retail typefaces, including John Muir Sans, are used by designers, brands and corporations around the world. In a world of trend chasers and mimicry: be the brand they remember. Start a project: vicarelstudios.com

SPECIALTIES
Brand Identity, Brand Strategy, Packaging Design, Murals, Environmental Graphics, Illustration, Hand Lettering, Custom Typography, Typeface Design, Art Direction, Logo Design, Visual Identity Systems, CPG Branding, Spirits Branding, Cannabis Branding, Hospitality Branding, Creative Retainers, Graphic Design

09/09/2026

The most important choice we made on this illustration project was to stop treating it like an art project.

Last year we were hired to create a series of artwork for Einstein Bros. Bagels new restaurant designs.

I always wanted to know what these types of projects look like from the inside, so I’m gonna share the whole thing with you, from start to finish. Everything that Carly and I worked on including the creative brief, the written concepts, the sketching, the refinements, the murals. As much as I can legally share.

One of the key takeaways from this series, IMO, is the importance of project framing. 

Framing your project as a DESIGN project as opposed to an ART project positions your client to give objective feedback. Objective feedback is measured against a project goal, which often prevents the unconstructive “I just don’t like it” feedback.

Though, the Einstein Bros Bagels crew was ace through and through, and they were nothing but constructive and insightful start to finish.

The next video is the creative brief itself, and I’ll be going through page by page (minus any proprietary info). 

If you have any questions, hit me below, and I’ll either answer them or cover them in the videos to come.
We have a mini case study of the project on our website if you’re interested to see.

In case it needs to be said, these are all my own opinions and not representative of the opinions of Einstein Bros. Bagels.

09/05/2026

Not financial advice. And quite frankly, I draw for a living, you shouldnt listen to me. You should ask a financial advisor… that’s what I do!

I feel like there’s a misconception in small creative businesses that you need to be making millions of dollars in order to start hiring out people to support you.

That’s simply not the case.

I’ve had an accountant for 12 years, a financial advisor for 10 years, and I’ve been hiring contract design, project manager and creative roles for over a decade.

The best thing I ever did was stop trying to do it all by myself.

Hire someone to do the stuff that you’re not good at so you can focus on the stuff you are good at, the stuff you love, and the stuff that’s gonna help you grow your business.

09/04/2026

You’re allowed to not understand parts of your business.

When I was trying to do it all myself, i was unknowingly squandering my own business’ success.

At some point, I accepted that I can’t, won’t, and shouldn’t do everything – it was the best, most liberating thing I’ve done for my lil design studio.

This “little thing” actually became a business.

Delegate the things that you don’t understand or the things that you’re not good at so that you can focus on doing the thing that got you into this in the first place.

The more time you can buy back that you don’t have to do the admin tasks, the more time you have for high leverage activities like your actual creative process.

08/11/2026

A few facts about my studio:

I’ve been doing this 15+ years.
We’ve worked for brands around the world.
This work has put me on reality tv, in an ambassadorship for Lululemon, and on stages around the country.
I’ve fu@ked up just as much as I’ve won.
I like b**r, bugs, and my buds.
This work actually keeps me up at night. Not because I’m stressed, but because I’m obsessed.

Anything else you wanna know?

I’m always so delighted to have the opportunity to contribute to projects like this – especially those that remind me of...
05/27/2026

I’m always so delighted to have the opportunity to contribute to projects like this – especially those that remind me of the joys of my youth

We were honored to explore and refine the wordmark for the rebrand.

The Danone Internal Design Team came to the table with a strong idea – a couple digital sketches for wordmarks that were working hard in the right direction – and we then supported through a wide and iterative exploration and refinement process within those styles.

With creative direction and oversight from Hyobin Kim, , , and their whole team; and lettering/design contributions from us: , and myself.

Modernizing the logotype while still maintaining some of the energy and dynamism from the previous logotype, is very nuanced, tedious and also very fun 🤗

Our contributions were just a small piece of the grand puzzle that is a large rebrand like this, and I’m always so in awe of the amazing work produced by this team on projects like these.

To the non-industry folks who don’t what goes into a rebrand like this, it’s wild. There are SO MANY moving parts: decisions, opportunities, research, consumer data, strategy, forecasting, iteration, etc. SO much is considered when doing a project like this.

Danone’s internal design team always has such an amazing creative vision, and I’m so grateful to work with these folks and contribute even a small piece to the amazing projects they put out.

And shoutout to the other folks who we didn’t necessarily work with, but contributed to this beautiful rebrand: Kasi Turpin Teresa Starkey Ashley Grove Scott Hull Priscilla Gragg Lindsey Lee Allison Linke Barbara Fleming Brooks Eric Flinn Rafael Acevedo Danone Sasha Alavian Read Gina Christie

Quick hop into the trend – I wanted to highlight a range: from clean, tight and simple to highly illustrative. Each of ...
05/04/2026

Quick hop into the trend – I wanted to highlight a range: from clean, tight and simple to highly illustrative. Each of these assets is a part of a larger visual identity systsem that was developed for each project.

Reminder: a logo does not equal recognition. A logo is a small piece of a visual identity system, and while I do feel that logos are an imperative piece of the puzzle, they are merely just a piece. It’s important to remember that the consistent and intentional use of the entire system in which the logo lives is how you start to build brand recognition.

Almost every project shown was a team effort, including contributions from our amazing partners as well as ,  ,  ,  ,  and quite possible others that I’m unable to recall at the moment 🥲

What are you supposed to think about when refreshing and subtly repositioning a brand? Here’s a more detailed look at th...
04/29/2026

What are you supposed to think about when refreshing and subtly repositioning a brand? Here’s a more detailed look at the brand refresh, slide-by-slide, as well as some explanation behind our design thinking.

1, Overview: The brand was repositioned to be warmer, more approachable, and nostalgic.

2, Inspiration: finding inspiration in the layouts and design language found in vintage labrary cards and warm reading nooks, the vision was to create a brand that immediately feels trustworthy and nostalgic

3, Creative brief: a necessary step in nearly every creative project to ensure alignment between client and creative

4, Assets: color palette and typography support the bramd positioning: warm, nostalgic and inspired by type found in books

5, Website: starting to show everything in action. It works in print and digital applications

6, Illustrations: style inspired by handwritten annotations and scribbles found in books, the illustrations depict cozy and book-related moments.
 
7, Signage / Wayfinding: a heavy use of the primary brand blue keeps the brand consistent and memorable. Even a simple sign “feels” like dream books.
 
8, Stickers/stamps: one of the brand elements in the system, inspired by library card stamps, can be used across a multitude of applications. CTAs, fun pops and perceived layers. These can be used in many ways.

9, Vinyl: with consistent asset application, even something as simple as window applications “feels like DreamBooks.”

10, Polymailer: even when used in just 2-colors, this application the stamp/sticker assets builds visual texture, warmth and builds trust with the customer by leaning on the nostalgia fostered by of our design inspiration.

11, bookmarks: further application of assets in use

12, IG stories: the brand can flex hard on both physical and digital applications

If you’re looking to find more clarity in who your business is, who you’re in business for, and how to communicate about your unique selling proposition, we’re here to help.

Client: DreamBooks
Creative Direction / Design: Adam Vicarel
Design: Matt Narca, Caroline Adams

Full DreamBooks case study on our website.

I’ve never been hired to design a w**e label – so I took it upon myself to hire myself to make some w**e for myself to m...
04/08/2026

I’ve never been hired to design a w**e label – so I took it upon myself to hire myself to make some w**e for myself to market myself as a studio who can do w**e branding. For you.

Key takeaway: self-initiation is important when you’re self employed. You get hired for the work you show.

Why Quaffable? Quaffable is defined as a beverage, often w**e or b**r, that is easy, pleasant, and enjoyable to drink in quantity.

If you ask me, I have yet to meet a b**r or vinho verde that wasn’t ready to be quaffed.

Illustrating myself with 4 arms, drawing, painting, computering all at once ... it’s a fairly accurate representation of the day to day over here at ol .

If there are any w**eries, vineyards or w**ey (note: not whiney) entrepreneurs out there looking for a hand with brand, packaging or campaign work, holler. I’ve got 4 arms ready to roll. Or, draw, as the case may be.

**ebranding

We’re tickled (delighted? stoked? jazzed? ... all of the above.) to share this project: a gallery artwork series and vin...
03/31/2026

We’re tickled (delighted? stoked? jazzed? ... all of the above.) to share this project: a gallery artwork series and vinyl murals for Einstein Bros Bagels 

Albeit a fun and playful illustration series, the final output was anything but subjective. 

We started with a comprehensive and strategic brief. 35 pages of strategy, positioning, big picture business objectives, defining the shifting target audience, and the vision for the future that helped us align on creative direction moving forward.

Approaching the project in this way allowed us to create super fun, illustrative and quirky artwork that objectively pushed the brand in the right direction. You gotta first create the box in order to then think outside of it.

If you scroll to the end of the carousel, I have a question — I’d be interested to know your thoughts

Einstines was a staple breakfast in highschool and college, and it was a very full-circle treat to have the opportunity to create work alongside of their team :)

This project was the final project that  and I worked on together before she moved on from Vicarel Studios to bigger and better things – what a banger to go out on, eh?!

Full case study on our website.

Client: Bagel Brands (Einstein Bros Bagels)
Studio: 
Creative Director & Principal Designer: 
Lead Illustrator: 
Illustration / Production support: 
Photos:  ()

Address

3455 Ringsby Court
Denver, CO
80216

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

(440) 465-0600

Website

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