A collection of film props that bring the Brothers Grimm fairy tale "The Devil with Three Golden Hairs" to life.

A Matter of Three Hairs

Film Branding

A series of tangible design props that bring the Brothers Grimm fairy tale "The Devil with Three Golden Hairs" to life through the lens of Wes Anderson's visual aesthetic. Each document, letter, and artifact corresponds to key scenes in the narrative, creating a physical archive of a folk tale.

Scope:

Brand Identity
Art Direction

Conceptualization
Packaging Design

Design Strategy

Copywriting

Advertising
Image Generation (Adobe Firefly, ChatGPT)

CHALLENGE

Fairy tales exist as oral and literary traditions but lack physical documentation within their fictional worlds. The story spans multiple locations (villages, castles, enchanted forests, and hell itself), each requiring distinct visual languages while maintaining cohesive design. Balancing historical authenticity of 1800s Germanic ephemera with Anderson's stylized symmetry and color sensibility demanded careful navigation between period accuracy and contemporary artistic interpretation.

INSIGHT

The most compelling props in Anderson's films function as both narrative devices and standalone design objects. They feel authentic to their world while maintaining artistic coherence. Germanic folk art and Fraktur typography provide a rich foundation that naturally aligns with fairy tale aesthetics.

ANSWER

A comprehensive collection of scene-specific props including royal decrees, forged letters, travel documents, hell's administrative paperwork, and civic problem-solving certificates. Typography draws from Fraktur and Biedermeier traditions while color palettes blend muted Anderson pastels with earthy Germanic folk art tones. Each piece employs period-appropriate aging techniques, hand-lettering, wax seals, and layered paper construction to create artifacts that feel discovered rather than designed.

Progress Deck

Description
This deck highlights my process while a project is in progress. This is important as it emphasized the design thinking that is used when formulating a project regardless of medium.

View My Process page for how I created this project!

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