About me
My name is Olga Sarunova. I’m a brand and communication designer completing my degree in Communication Design at HSE Art and Design School.I’m interested in working with founders of independent brands and teams behind cultural projects to create visual identities that express what makes them distinctive.
My projects
This collection features five student projects exploring branding and cultural communication. It offered me the freedom to experiment, discover unexpected connections and pursue ideas beyond the constraints of commercial briefs.Each project explores a distinct subject and responds to its own creative challenge. Together, they reflect my approach to transforming research and visual experimentation into distinctive identities, each with its own character, concept and visual language.
1 // The Golden Ring: new meanings in familiar forms
The ChallengeThe task was to develop a visual identity for a humorous, potentially viral campaign that reimagines the cities of Russia’s Golden Ring. Based on unexpected insights gathered from open sources with the help of AI, the concept contrasts the cities’ official positioning with what they actually live and breathe — but rarely communicate publicly.The ApproachThe project’s visual concept revolves around the letter «O» resembling a ring shape that transforms into different visual representations for each city.The IdentityFor the visual identity, I opted for neutral tones and simple shapes, which help maintain the lighthearted and playful nature of the concept.
2 // Turbrand Gus-Khrustalny
The ChallengeThe task was to create a tourism identity for the city of Gus-Khrustalny.The ApproachI studied the history of the city and the main features that characterize it.The IdentityThe concept is based on the diamond-engraving technique for crystal. The imagery of the pictograms consists of the city’s natural and architectural features.
3 // SHARNIR font
The ChallengeThe task was to create a display typeface for an exhibition of ball-jointed dolls.The ApproachFor my work on the typeface, I decided to study the mechanics of doll joints and use them to create modules for the construction of the letters.The IdentityThe letters are composed of modules connected by built-in hinges, offering flexibility—you can arrange the parts of the letters however you like.
4 // Road Sign Calendar
The ChallengeСreation of a conceptual 2026 calendarThe ApproachI decided to adopt a travel theme, using recognizable road-related iconography and the poetics of seasonal moods as a foundation.The IdentityThe posters function as a full-fledged calendar and an art object for urban spaces.
5 // House-palimpsest. Elista
The ChallengeСreation of a conceptual visual research.The ApproachThis book emerged from a long-term observation of the urban environment of Elista.The IdentityIn the process of documenting the city through photography, my focus was not on individual architectural structures or monuments, but rather on recurring visual motifs that subtly bind the city together into a unified cultural space.My approach
What I enjoy most about design is discovering the idea behind it. I like to explore a subject in depth, understand its context, ask questions and find unexpected connections before shaping its visual expression.I often search for a metaphor that reflects the essence of a brand. It serves as a conceptual foundation for typography, colour, composition and imagery, bringing all the elements together into a coherent visual language.For me, every design decision should have a reason to exist. By taking the time to explore and understand the concept, I create visual identities that feel distinctive, meaningful and full of character.
