Linework:

Linework is a business management tool for tattoo studios and artists, designed to simplify the administrative tasks of bookings, payments, rent settlement, and financial reporting. With 17 years of experience in the tattoo industry and four operating studios, the entrepreneurs behind Linework wanted to launch their brand in the USA and came to us for help with creating their new identity.

We worked closely with the client to develop a brand profile to appeal across the tattoo industry and varied artist culture. This included their brand story and design from visual identity through to UI of the sales and marketing platform. A brand platform for Linework to use across their product and communication as they scaled.

(Work developed under ANTI)

The tattoo industry is a diverse and richly traditioned craft, encompassing many different cultures, styles, and techniques. When designing a brand identity that could speak to all these branches of the industry, we looked to unite them. By focusing on the work, process, and craft of tattooing, rather than specific styles, we could create a professional space that all members of the industry could relate to and be a part of.

Linework serves as a connector, bridging the gap between the underground tattoo world and the recognition it deserves as a professional craft and the industry’s 1.9 billion USD annual global market.

Our concept for Linework, centred on their role as industry connector, represented the seamless workflow and progress of the craft. We called this concept "The line in work" and used it to inspire the logo design; a line in the letter I to reference Linework's digital presence in the industry.

We developed a visual language that included a friendly, approachable typography and illustration style to represent the dynamic line of Linework; used for framing in animations and other content.

Our primary colour palette was defined by strong, digital colours capturing the energy and lasting quality of the brand, in contrast with a spectrum of skin tones that serve as a canvas for tattoo artists.

“All of us at Linework are incredibly satisfied working with Nonspace. We wanted a branding package that we could use for our software as well as our digital communication channels, and so on.

The challenge was to hit a very varied target group, while at the same time we wanted an anonymous but still distinctive expression. The tattoo industry consists of many different cultures and parts of society, which can be very typical. Therefore, we saw it as a challenge to create a brand that did not fall under any of those types but which at the same time stands out and is recognisable.

Art, marketing and design have been part of my job for over 18 years, and I was really amazed at how Nonspace solved the challenge.

There were good processes in everything from the workshop to the finished product. We have received very good feedback from the industry on our look in both software, social channels and website.”

- Kai Robin Ree, Linework CEO