think later
Services
Marketing Materials
Visual Identity
Art Direction
Client
Baruch College - ART3055
Location
New York, NY
Year
October 2025
Credits
Images generated with AI
Info
This project reimagines Tate McRae’s visual brand by shifting from her signature subtle portraiture toward a cinematic, storytelling-driven aesthetic inspired by 1950s monster films. By blending "Old Hollywood" art house motifs with a dark fantasy world, the design utilizes selective color and symbolic imagery to represent a transition from repressed emotion to reckless reality. Every element, from the curtain-themed dust sleeves to the anatomical vinyl art, was crafted to highlight McRae’s strength as both a dancer and a powerhouse artist.
Original "Think Later" Brand Context
To begin the re-design, I analyzed the existing Think Later visual identity, which centers on contemporary fashion and direct eye contact. This reference served as the baseline for the project, allowing me to identify the "subtle elements" the artist usually employs. Understanding the starting point was vital for ensuring that the radical shift into a 1950s fantasy world still felt authentically connected to the artist's persona.
Developing Brand Systems
This initial brainstorming phase focused on deconstructing the emotional core of Tate McRae’s music—specifically themes of heartbreak, power, and betrayal. I established a visual vocabulary where "soft inside" emotions are protected by "tough outside" metallic armor and bold, contrasting colors. By defining these "entry points" early on, I created a roadmap for a brand identity that feels both symbolic and striking.
Album Brainstorm Concepts
In this stage, I explored the "Giants vs. Dwarves" metaphor as a way to visualize independence and emotional growth. I began leaning into 1950s Godzilla satire to represent the artist becoming "bigger" than the people who hurt her. These notes served as the bridge between abstract feelings of loneliness and a concrete, cinematic fantasy world.
Rough Sketches of LP
Transitioning from words to forms, these rough sketches experiment with scale and composition to emphasize the "giant" motif. I explored the contrast between the artist’s powerful physical presence (her legs) and the miniature, crumbling world beneath her. This layout phase was crucial for determining how to utilize negative space to evoke both isolation and newfound dominance.
Final LP Sketch
The final concept brings together the "Old Hollywood" aesthetic and the monster movie theme through detailed packaging design. I developed a narrative transition for the user, moving from a closed curtain ("For When You Still Care") to an open one ("For When You Finally Don't"). Every detail, from the tracked A-side/B-side themes to the "Think Later" back cover, was planned to make the physical unboxing an interactive storytelling experience.
Brief Listen: Conceptual Tracklist
The tracklist was curated and split into two distinct emotional halves: "For when you still care" and "For when you finally don't." By assigning specific songs to the A-side and B-side, I created a curated listening experience that mirrors the visual transition from gray-scale heartbreak to "reckless red" independence. This intentional organization ensures that the sonic journey of the album is perfectly synchronized with the physical design and interactive packaging.
Cover: Front & Back
The full cover spread reinforces the 1950s Godzilla inspiration, utilizing a grainy, high-contrast texture to create a dark fantasy world. The front cover focuses on the symbolic strength of the artist's legs as she towers over a crumbling city, while the back cover uses "Old Font" typography and a "Think Later" tagline to embrace the consequences of her actions. Together, they form a cohesive "world-built" identity that feels both larger-than-life and deeply personal.
Sleeve Design
The dust sleeves serve as a narrative threshold, utilizing "Old Hollywood" theater motifs to guide the listener through an emotional arc. The grayscale "still care" sleeve represents the muted, cinematic past, while the vibrant "reckless red" spotlight on the "finally don't" sleeve signals a shift toward empowerment and bold independence. This interactive element transforms the physical act of removing the record into a symbolic "opening of the curtains" on a new chapter of the artist’s life.
Vinyl Disc
The vinyl pressing is the literal heart of the project, featuring a mechanical, "armored" heart motif that evolves from Side A to Side B. The transition from classic black wax to a striking translucent red mirrors the album's core theme: moving from a void of betrayal to a state of reckless, passionate healing. These discs act as a tactile representation of the "tough outside armor" discussed in the early sketches, protecting the soft, emotional core of the music within.
LP Re-design: Intro & Side A
The Side A presentation establishes the "Old Hollywood" framing, using a muted, grayscale theater curtain to represent the artist's initial state of emotional restraint. By pairing the monolithic "giant" cover art with the "For when you still care" sleeve, the design creates a somber, cinematic atmosphere. This initial phase of the unboxing experience focuses on the "subtle meaning" and the heavy, black vinyl that mirrors a void of betrayal.
LP Re-design: Transition & Side B
As the listener flips to Side B, the visual narrative shifts dramatically into a "reckless red" color palette, signaling a breakthrough into reality and self-acceptance. The open curtain and the vibrant red vinyl disc serve as a "healed heart" metaphor, moving away from the dark, ominous tones of the start. This transition effectively utilizes the "spotlight" motif to center the artist’s newfound power and strength.
Before & After Comparison
This side-by-side comparison highlights the shift from Tate McRae’s original, minimalist athletic aesthetic to a high-concept, cinematic narrative. While the original design relies on a static studio portrait, my re-imagination introduces world-building and symbolism through scale, perspective, and color theory. This visual evolution demonstrates a move from standard artist modeling to an immersive "LP Experience" that tells a story across every physical component.
Puzzle, Lego, & Stickers
The merchandise suite extends the "fantasy world" into the hands of the fans, encouraging them to literally piece together the artist's new reality. The Lego set and puzzle emphasize the "world-building" aspect of the project, while the sticker pack utilizes the recurring symbols of betrayal—the knife and the broken heart—as collectible icons of resilience. This tangible extension of the brand allows the "reckless" aesthetic to live beyond the music, creating a comprehensive lifestyle ecosystem for the album cycle.
Billboards
By placing the "Giant" motif in a real-world context like Times Square, the billboard campaign breaks the "fourth wall," making the artist’s metaphorical scale feel literal and unavoidable. The massive proportions of the legs towering over real-world architecture emphasize the theme of being "bigger than those who hurt her," effectively turning a city into a stage. The minimalist typography allows the striking imagery to do the heavy lifting, ensuring the brand identity remains bold and disruptive in a crowded urban environment.
