Vision, structure, and coherence for creative work in motion. Creative direction at Saint Violet supports artists, writers, designers, and creative business owners working across ideas, identity, visuals, and long-term projects. This work helps clarify what you’re building, how the pieces relate, and where to focus your energy as the work grows.

Some projects arrive fully formed but scattered. Others are emerging, half-articulated, or carrying too many possibilities at once. Creative direction provides a way to step back, see the whole system, and make decisions with intention rather than urgency.

The approach here is editorial in nature: attentive, contextual, and grounded in long-term thinking.

This may support: A specific creative project / A broader creative practice or body of work / A brand or creative business rooted in personal vision / A moment of transition, growth, or redefinition

Areas of Focus:

Vision and concept development
Clarifying creative intent, values, and point of view
Narrative framing and positioning
Brand direction for artists and creative businesses
Visual identity guidance and refinement
Editorial structure across platforms or formats
Project scoping, sequencing, and prioritization
Reference building and aesthetic positioning
Aligning creative work with sustainable business realities
Long-term thinking around growth, coherence, and evolution

Who This is For:

Artists and writers developing a body of work
Designers refining their own studios or practices
Creative entrepreneurs building brands with depth
Projects that sit between art, commerce, and culture
People with strong instincts who want sharper articulation
Creatives who feel overwhelmed by possibility rather than lack of ideas

Visual identity support for artists, writers, designers, and creative businesses who need a clear, cohesive visual system for a project, practice, or brand.

This may support book projects, creative studios, small presses, exhibitions, cultural projects, and creative businesses that require a thoughtful, durable identity rather than a one-off logo.

May Include: Visual identity concept and direction / Logo and mark design / Typography and color systems / Art direction and visual references / Core brand assets and usage guidance

Investment: Starting at $2,500, depending on scope and deliverables

Focused creative direction for a defined project, phase, or production. This option works well for time-bound or complex projects such as events, exhibitions, films, publications, festivals, launches, or multi-format creative work that benefits from editorial oversight and conceptual coherence.

May Include: Concept and creative direction / Narrative framing and positioning / Visual and editorial guidance / Creative decision-making support / Structured feedback and refinement across phases

Investment: Quoted per project after initial conversation

Longer-term support for creatives and creative businesses navigating growth, iteration, or sustained output.

This engagement is suited to artists, studios, and brands who want consistent creative partnership over time rather than project-by-project troubleshooting.

May Include: Ongoing creative and strategic guidance / Support across multiple projects or platforms / Thought partnership around vision, direction, and evolution / Periodic recalibration as priorities shift

Format: Monthly or quarterly advisory relationship / Limited availability

Investment: Retainer-based, scoped individually

Creative direction and strategy projects begin with an inquiry and move through a structured, collaborative process designed to support clarity, alignment, and thoughtful execution.

Projects begin with a brief inquiry outlining what you’re working on, what you need support with, and where the project currently stands. This helps determine fit, scope, and whether creative direction is the right container for the work.

If the project feels aligned, we’ll schedule an initial conversation.

This is a focused, exploratory call to talk through the project in more detail. We’ll discuss goals, constraints, timelines, and what success would look like from your perspective.

This conversation is used to clarify direction, identify the appropriate engagement type, and determine whether to move forward.

Following the conversation, you’ll receive a written proposal outlining:

Scope of work and focus areas
Engagement format and timeline
Deliverables or phases, where applicable
Investment and payment structure

This proposal is designed to create shared expectations before any work begins.

Once the project begins, we start with a discovery and direction phase. This may include:

Clarifying vision, intent, and priorities
Reviewing references, materials, or existing assets
Establishing conceptual and visual direction
Aligning on tone, positioning, and goals

This process ensures a clear creative direction before design begins.

With direction established, the work moves into active development. Depending on the engagement, this may include:

Visual identity design and refinement
Creative direction across project phases
Editorial or narrative framing
Ongoing guidance and feedback

Work is shared at defined checkpoints to ensure alignment and momentum, including structured review and refinement rounds, agreed upon in advance.

At the conclusion of the project:

Final assets or documentation are delivered, where applicable
Next steps or future phases may be discussed
Some projects transition into ongoing advisory support

Each engagement closes with a clear handoff or continuation plan.