Bringing 100 Pieces of Art to Life with Starbucks Dot Collection
A talented team of artists used Starbucks iconic dot logo as inspiration for its holiday collection of 100 pieces of drinkware under $20.
Even from a distance, seeing a green dot on a cup of coffee means one thing. Starbucks.
This holiday, a talented team of more than a dozen artists at Starbucks used that iconic green dot as inspiration to create a collection of 100 gift-worthy pieces of drinkware under $20. The first-ever Starbucks® Dot Collection a dazzling variety of mugs and tumblers in five different shapes with 20 designs per shape.
“We gave the design team carte blanche to reimagine Starbucks dot logo with pieces that are both timeless and modern,” said Jennifer Quotson, vice president Global Creative, who led the design of the Starbucks® Dot Collection. “Some designs are sleek and modern while others are bright and whimsical. Together, they form a beautiful composition full of personality.”
Starbucks designers used spray paint, watercolors, cut paper, markers, oils, and photographs to create the art pieces behind the collection. Quotson shares a few of their techniques and mediums Starbucks designers used to in their creations.
“We gave creators a license to create,” Quotson said. “The final product is stunning.”
Texture, Dot Collection Piece: Cubes
Designer: Krispijn Larrison
“This design celebrates the memory and joy of learning how to draw three-dimensional shapes with my mom when I was a kid. The simple and playful lines I used back then are still a major component of my artistic expression today. To get the raised texture, we used an interesting printing technique that involved striking the decal with several layers of ink until the artwork began to thicken and rise from the surface.”
Street Arts, Dot Collection Piece: Black Graffiti
Designer: Fred Carriedo
“This design was inspired by the expressive street art found in cities across the country. By knocking out the art, the dot is represented through negative space. It took several attempts to achieve the effortless and continuous controlled spray. The best one was photographed and incorporated into the finished tumbler.”
Vintage Photography, Dot Collection Piece: Pike Place
Designer: Trista Sydloski-Tesch
“For this piece, I was inspired by our amazing collection of Starbucks photography. The dot is subtle in this retro photo, artfully placed to highlight the original logo that still hangs in our Pike Place store window. Polished stainless steel, coated in a translucent sepia tone with a matte positive image, mimics the effect of a vintage 1800s tintype.
Typography, Dot Collection Piece: Starbucks Letters
Designer: Marisa Crane
“This design was inspired by typography and design exercises. To start, I cut up our Starbucks wordmark into small squares and then pieced it back together, creating the unique pattern you see on the cup. The entire piece encapsulates the meaning behind the single dot.”
About the Starbucks® Dot Collection
A selection from Starbucks® Dot Collection 2014 will be available in participating Starbucks® stores in the U.S. beginning Nov. 12. Each store will have its own selection, and the full collection can be found at starbucks.com/shop, while supplies last.
