portfolio > MULTIMEDIA PRODUCTION
BRANDING, PUBLICATIONS & WEB DESIGN

MELANATION ZINE

Brand Representative | Online | Instagram | Facebook
Art Direction & Branding • Design Consultation • Print Design, Layout & Publications • Project Management • UX/UI Design

Credits:
Will Johnson

ROLE
Art Director
Brand Strategist
Creative Consultant
Design Lead
Production Manager
UX/UI Designer

CollaboratorS

JORDAN DELOACH | Editor in Chief & Designer
DARYA NICOL | Lead Editor & Designer
JONATHAN BUTLER | Editor
TAHRIAH GREEN | Editor
KIRA COLEMAN | Designer
RUTH TYSON | Designer
JILLIAN BUFORD | Designer
LAUREN LAWRENCE | Designer

  • Project Overview

    MelaNation Zine
    Branding, Publications & Web Design

    Brand Representative | Online | Instagram | Facebook

  • BLUF

    MelaNation, a multimedia art zine launched by BYP100 DC, served as a creative and political platform for young Black artists, writers, and activists. The project sought to amplify Black voices in the DMV while fostering radical political education and artistic expression.

  • Mission

    I was commissioned to develop MelaNation’s website and digital strategy, ensuring a cohesive, accessible, and visually striking online presence that reflected the publication’s mission of Black liberation.

    The project also involved refining its overall brand identity, including logo design, UX/UI elements, and digital content strategy.

  • Outcomes

    The revamped digital presence streamlined access to MelaNation’s content, improving engagement with contributors and readers. A structured submission portal allowed for easier artist participation, while a dynamic fundraising page increased financial support for future issues.

  • Impacts

    By strengthening MelaNation’s online presence, the project expanded its reach beyond print distribution, enabling wider accessibility for Black creatives and activists. The refined brand identity also reinforced MelaNation’s role as a vital space for cultural resistance and storytelling.

Key Contributions

  • Website & UX/UI Design

    Developed an intuitive, user-friendly site to showcase content, facilitate submissions, and drive donations.

  • Brand Identity Refinement

    Designed a cohesive visual language, including logo updates, typography selection, and a defined color palette.

  • Digital Publishing Strategy

    Built an online infrastructure to support multimedia content, ensuring the zine’s stories reached broader audiences.

  • Social Media & Engagement

    Created digital assets and promotional materials to amplify MelaNation’s presence across online platforms.

  • Fundraising & Outreach Support

    Developed digital tools to streamline donations and increase financial backing for contributors and events.

Challenge I

MelaNation needed a digital home that reflected its radical and artistic identity while maintaining ease of use for contributors and readers. The existing online presence lacked cohesion, and the submission and donation processes were inefficient, limiting the zine’s ability to engage with audiences.

Challenge II

Additionally, the branding required refinement to create a stronger visual identity that was bold, geometric, and collage-inspired—mirroring the zine’s print aesthetic while translating effectively to digital platforms.

Solutions

To bring MelaNation’s vision to life, I developed a robust digital strategy that aligned with its mission:

Website & UX/UI Development
Designed a visually compelling and easy-to-navigate website featuring submission portals, donation pages, and a digital archive of past issues.

Visual Branding
Refined the logo, typography, and color scheme to maintain a clean yet bold aesthetic that matched the print version’s distinct style.

Social & Community Engagement
Created branded assets for online promotions, ensuring a consistent presence across digital platforms.

Sustainable Digital Growth
Established a framework for future expansion, allowing MelaNation to scale its digital outreach and accessibility.

By merging striking visual design with streamlined functionality, MelaNation’s new digital platform became an essential tool for its community of Black artists and activists.

Read the Latest

Melanation: Issue 2

Melanation: Issue 3

Outcomes
& Impacts

Increased Artist Engagement
The streamlined submission process led to a 2x increase in contributor participation.

Stronger Online Presence
Cohesive branding and digital outreach expanded MelaNation’s readership beyond print.

Improved Fundraising Efficiency
Integrated donation tools made financial support more accessible, helping sustain future issues.

Amplified Accessibility
Digital publication strategy ensured that MelaNation’s content reached more communities, regardless of location.

CLIENT FEEDBACK

Thank you so much for all of your work on the MelaNation website, Willie! I appreciate your time and artistry so much!
—Jordan DeLoach | Founder., MelaNation Zine

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