Visual Mess Studio: How It All Started

Every creative business starts with a spark.

Ours started with a what if?

For months probably five or six Visual Mess Studio lived only in conversations between us, Vithika and Rahul, co-founders of VMS. We’re designers, artists, and creatives ourselves, and like many artists, we kept circling the same thought: What if we built something of our own?

Not just another design studio - but a brand and website design studio created especially for independent artists and creative businesses.

Illustrators.


Painters.


Digital artists.


Potters, crafters, handmade creators.

People who love creating but often feel stuck when it comes to branding, consistency, and showing up confidently online.

The idea felt exciting… and also pretty scary. We talked about it endlessly, going back and forth, dreaming big but hesitating to take the first step. Until November 2024, when we finally said, enough talking, let’s do this.

We chose a launch date: January 1st, 2025.
A fresh year. A fresh start. And a quiet promise to ourselves.

The funny part? We didn’t even have a name yet.

No logo.


No colors.


No visual identity.

Just an idea, a shared vision, and a whole lot of creative chaos. It took us nearly 15–20 days of brainstorming, scribbling ideas, second-guessing ourselves, and late-night “does this sound right?” moments before we finally landed on a name that felt like us.

That’s how Visual Mess Studio was born.

Choosing Momentum Over Perfection

Once we had a name, everything suddenly felt real. The excitement kicked in—but so did the panic. Our launch date was approaching fast, and our own brand design studio didn’t even have a proper brand yet.

We could’ve waited.


We could’ve delayed the launch.


We could’ve aimed for perfect.

But that January 1st date meant something. It wasn’t about an audience or a big announcement—it was personal. So we chose momentum over perfection.

We designed a quick logo, picked two or three colors we both loved, and launched anyway. No overthinking. No waiting for everything to be “ready.”

The goal was simple: start now and figure things out later.

Our first logo wasn’t perfect. It wasn’t scalable. It didn’t have variations. But it had our name on it - and at that moment, that was enough. It felt special. It felt ours.

We shared Visual Mess Studio quietly. A post on Instagram. A few pins on Pinterest. Messages to close friends. Nothing fancy. But that small step brought us so much joy. It wasn’t polished, but it was real.

And that’s where everything began.

Learning as Artists Building a Brand

As days passed, we jumped straight into sharing content on Instagram. But soon, things started to feel… messy. Ideas everywhere. Tasks piling up. So much we wanted to say, but no clear direction on how to say it.

The truth? We didn’t really know how to market ourselves.

How do you talk about your services?


How do you reach the right audience?


How do you make your creative business feel legitimate?

We were figuring it out as we went - just like most artists do.

To get started, we began offering free brand design services. It helped us refine our workflow, build structure, and truly understand what artists struggle with when it comes to branding. Along the way, we shared behind-the-scenes projects, brand design tips, and even created a FREE Checklist - 9 Must-Have Brand Assets for Artists and Creative Businesses. It felt like a real step forward.

When Branding Yourself Becomes the Hardest Part

Soon, we realized the bigger challenge wasn’t creating - it was marketing ourselves clearly.

We couldn’t just point people to our Instagram and expect them to understand who we were, what we offered, or how we worked. There was no single space that told our story or showcased our services properly.

That’s when we knew - it was time to build our website.

So we rolled up our sleeves and got to work. Sketching layouts in notebooks. Translating ideas into Figma. Writing website copy - while learning copywriting from scratch. It wasn’t easy, but that’s the thing about building something of your own - you end up wearing all the hats.

Designer.


Strategist.


Copywriter.


Marketer.

And just when you think you’ve figured it out, something new pops up to learn. That’s part of the journey, and we’re learning to embrace it.

Rebranding Ourselves (Again)

Then came the moment we knew was inevitable - the logo.

Our first logo wasn’t scalable. It lost readability at smaller sizes. And most importantly, it no longer felt like a complete representation of Visual Mess Studio.

So we did what we always do.

We stepped back.


Thought about our audience.


Reflected on how we wanted Visual Mess to be perceived.

From there, we explored new typography, refined our direction, and curated a full set of logo variations that worked everywhere, from social media and websites to print and beyond.

This time, we weren’t just designing a logo.
We were building a brand system.

And with that, everything clicked.

Life After a Strong Brand System

No more guesswork.
No more late-night tweaks that don’t feel like you.

With a brand and website system in place, everything finally clicks. Your visuals speak for you. Your online presence feels effortless. Every launch, workshop, or update rolls out smoothly.

You build trust with your audience.


You charge what you’re worth.


Your business finally feels legit.

And instead of stressing over design decisions, you get to focus on what truly matters—creating more of the art you love.

Ready to Build Your Brand with Us?

What started as a messy idea is now Visual Mess Studio - a brand that embraces the process, the learning curves, and the beauty of figuring things out along the way.

If you’re an independent artist or creative business owner who’s ready to stop guessing and start showing up with confidence, we’d love to work with you.

✨ Let’s turn your visual mess into a brand that truly feels like you.