Contour Radio.
Hi Claire,
Following the brief, our conversations and the references we looked through together, we’ve developed three visual directions for Contour Radio.
Each one pairs a logo with a system for mixes, podcasts and guest sets.
How to read this review
Start with the marks, then see how each idea carries across episode artwork and artist features. The episode copy repeats across the examples so you can compare the layout, type and imagery directly. The three formats share the same width on screen.
Quarter Turn
A quarter-turn brings C and R together. Start with a ring divided into four. Rotate the lower-right quarter anticlockwise and the same curved piece forms the leg of the R. That quarter-circle becomes the recurring shape in the artwork. It can hang over a landscape, throw coloured light across a room or sit behind an artist in a portrait.
General Sans
Open, evenly weighted letterforms keep titles and episode details legible against photographic imagery.
Fontshare ↗Colour studies
The type picks up bright hues from the segment in the darker scenes and softens to blush against the warm landscape.
- TypeBlush#FBC8DF
- Artwork baseDark rock#3A1A10
- Artwork accentMagenta#A00047
- TypeAcid green#56F937
- Artwork baseConcrete#262624
- Artwork accentReflection#559925
- TypeSignal orange#E96603
- Artwork baseCharcoal#1E1E1E
- Artwork accentAmber#DC8200
Episode artwork
The quarter-circle moves between a bold crop and a physical object in the scene. Most versions anchor the copy at the upper left. The mountain study tests a centred stack.
Artist features
The same segment frames the portrait. A restrained palette ties the type and wordmark to the photograph while leaving the artist’s face clear.
Strata
Stacked C and R initials give the mark a vertical silhouette. Parallel lines build each letter in layers, like the percussion, bass and atmosphere that build up in a mix. In the artwork, the same idea becomes overlapping gradients and ribbed contours. With an artist in the frame, those layers carry into the silhouette.
Big Shoulders
Tall, condensed letterforms give the episode title and genre a strong presence within a narrow column.
Google Fonts ↗Colour studies
Dark type anchors the lighter layers. On the dusk artwork, pale coral comes forward against the deep violet.
- TypeDeep plum#502C32
- Artwork basePeach#FFCEAE
- Artwork accentSoft sage#B2B4A3
- TypeDark moss#1B2519
- Artwork baseSage#70A793
- Artwork accentPale mint#B7D3C1
- TypePale coral#FFCCBE
- Artwork baseInk violet#100815
- Artwork accentDusty rose#8F4250
Episode artwork
The left column carries the episode title, mix credit and genre. The right repeats the large mark, series description, SoundCloud link and invitation to follow.
Artist features
The two-column grid holds while the portrait takes centre stage. Colour and a second exposure through the clothing bring the guest into the same layered world.
Resonance
A single C is drawn from repeated strokes and turned in perspective. The compressed lines make the mark shift between a flat letter and a form in space. That rhythm expands into the artwork as concentric bands, arcs and light trails. Across flat graphics and more sculptural forms, the repeated curves suggest a vibration travelling through the frame.
Big Shoulders
Condensed capitals hold their shape against high-contrast artwork and leave room for smaller episode details.
Google Fonts ↗Colour studies
Bright title colours sit against the darker end of each image. Indigo, violet and plum come from the bands and light trails.
- TypeVermilion#FF4920
- Artwork baseBlack#000000
- Artwork accentIndigo#535086
- TypeLemon#FFF159
- Artwork baseDeep teal#16232A
- Artwork accentViolet#4A3D78
- TypeOrchid#E27DBA
- Artwork baseAubergine#210310
- Artwork accentPlum#431143
Episode artwork
Episode information sits at the upper left. A strip along the bottom holds the mark, series information and listening details, leaving the centre to the pattern.
Artist features
The repeated curves become coloured trails around each artist. Face, pose and light give each cover a different energy within the same grid.
The square and feed samples use the name Marc von Linden. The Reels sample uses Jenya.


