Ashley Kinnard Studio developed the identity for Special Animal, an intimate and intermittent project by artists Siân Newlove-Drew and Billy Crosby. The identity is built typographically, using the words Special Animal set in a modified version of Goudy Catalogue. Chosen for its familiar, humanist tone and slightly intimate character, the typeface balances a sense of default readability with a softness suited to the project. Custom contextual alternatives were introduced for the lowercase “i”, replacing the dot with small symbolic forms such as a heart, diamond, or cosmic oval. These substitutions appear across titles and running text, allowing the type itself to form the primary identity.

Alongside this, a friendship bracelet motif was developed as a secondary graphic device. Constructed from characters arranged into a heart shape, the bracelet remains consistent in form while the characters within it change for each exhibition. Used prominently on posters and the website, it provides a recognisable visual anchor that subtly shifts between shows.

All printed material uses a single red colour, while the website is coded so the artists can update the bracelet characters themselves. The result is a simple but distinctive identity that remains consistent in structure while allowing small changes to register over time.