TinkerTar | Buffalo Games | Ages 3+
TinkerTar is a single string guitar that makes learning a snap! The idea was developed by renown guitar-maker Brian Calhoun with the goal of teaching kids guitar at a much earlier age than would be possible with a multi-string version. He hand-crafted numerous prototypes and the results were amazing! However, Brian wanted the guitars to be accessible to a wider audience and I was assigned the task of taking the initial concept and designing a full line of guitars, packaging, branding, and the launch marketing materials that would take these guitars from one-off designs to mass market. They are currently available at Target, Walmart and Amazon.
Design - I created a mix of traditional guitar silhouettes and quirky icons that would be playful, eye-catching and have a bit of rock and roll nostalgia. Each guitar needed to be the same footprint in store, so despite their widely varying shapes, they were all designed to fit within specific size perimeters. In addition, I recommended the numbered frets be fully color-coded to aid in the playing and music reading process.
Branding/Packaging - Brian had already created a logo, but a full brand identity had yet to be developed. Together, we came up with a tagline and priority call-outs for packaging and marketing needs. I developed doodle icons and a composition notebook pattern that was a nod to The School of Rock, and worked with our factory to develop the box template and to secure the items included in each set.
Music Book - Because this is a learning instrument, we wanted children to be able to play right away! I designed a music book with twelve traditional children’s songs featuring color-coded and numbered finger placements, music notes, and words. Plus, there is a section that teaches about the parts of the guitar, how to hold a guitar, and how to care for it.
