Accessing Design Elements

Our brand has a variety of graphic tools that create a unique look and make us instantly recognizable.

When they’re used consistently, these elements create continuity among families of materials. Each of these elements can be used on its own or in conjunction with others.

Our design elements library is available as Adobe vector PDFs as spot color, RGB and CMYK files. They allow our creative platform to flex and may be utilized to support the needs of various communications.

Foundation bars

This set of design elements is a visual representation of our campus-wide commitment to foster expertise and responsibility in ethical leadership, cultural competence and community engagement.

Three equally sized maroon and white bars can be used to ground compositions, or embody compositions.

The bars should only appear in the specified colors from our palette, and always remain in groups of three.

Grounding bars

A group of three bars can "peek" in from the border of a composition, creating a focal point or "grounding" point for compositional grids. Three-fourths of the bar's length should be visible within the live area, so that their shape remains a rectangle, rather than a square.

Sample of the size of grounding bars

Compositional elements should be anchored in relationship to the grounding bars.

Sample of the possible placements for grounding bars

The bars may be placed proportionally across any border, vertical or horizontal, and their widths can expand and contract in increments of three.

Embody bars

A group of three bars can expand and contract to wrap around compositional elements, to enclose images or text, or to provide negative spaces for imagery.

Sample of the spacing for embody bars

The spacing between embody bars should remain proportional to the width of the bars.

Frames and diagonals

Establishing set margins for a communications piece helps focus visuals that organize text and imagery. But when that frame is deconstructed or broken by other visual elements, motion and energy can be the result.

Frames and diagonals can be used interchangeably to help organize compositional elements. Their flexibility allows for their visual impact to sway from conservative to dynamic, based on what the communication needs.

Standard frame

Set in color or white, a standard margin can be used on any piece.

Sample of a standard frame

Deconstructed frames

Either spirit bursts or diagonals can be incorporated to bend the enclosure of the frame.

Sample of a deconstructed frame using a spirit burst
Sample of a deconstructed frame using diagonals

Diagonal compositional accents

To add more motion and energy, you can crop graphic elements diagonally. These elements can be dialed up or down, based on the composition's visual needs.

Sample of diagonal compositional accents

Pride icons

Our library of pride icons is based on various vintage elements from our visual history. They are icons of culture and traditions, which our institution is both known and remembered for. The marks can be used across all audiences to provide illustrative accents, but always apply them thoughtfully. Since they represent our culture and traditions, use them based on an audience's familiarity with Missouri State.

Sample of the walking Bear pride icon

Walking Bear

Drawn from the seal of the state of Missouri, the walking bear icon can represent strength and bravery. In 1906, a joint committee of faculty and students determined not only the school’s colors, but that the bear should be the official school mascot, because of its symbolism and meaning within the state seal.

Sample of the founding state pride icon

Founding state

Our institution grew out of the fabric of our state values, and even though our impact and reach is global, we acknowledge our founding date and home state with pride.

Sample of the pennant pride icon

Pennant

Competition and pride were just a couple of the emotional driving forces behind our name change. This athletic pennant represents the spirit of achievement.

Sample of the spirit burst pride icon

Spirit bursts

The energy and inventiveness of our community can't be contained. To visually articulate the emotional investment in pushing our community and impact forward, organic bursts can be used throughout communications.