Deadbolt Design Lab

05/21/2026

Select logomarks
2012-2026
© Deadbolt Design Lab

Enjoy!

👨‍🔬🧪⚡️✨

.now
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05/11/2026

DDL logo animation test.

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05/01/2026

Branding work for architecture and construction firm, Atlas Form.

©Deadbolt Design Lab, 2026

04/22/2026

LogoArchive is one of the go to sources for not only inspiration but education as well here at Deadbolt. I myself am a “student of the game” so to speak and I love learning about the craftsmen and women of the past as well as discovering new creatives. The idea of putting together works that best represent me and my career was daunting to say the least but I feel the marks collected are some of the most unique, successful and memorable to come out of the studio.

The collected works of logo designer and DDL founder Kyle Van Cleave include (L-R / T-B):

DDL Bolt logo
Warhorse Barbell Club
Upstate Merch
Mortenson Custom Construction (Jim Mortenson)
Bridge City Barbell
Planet Weird
Bluewater Labs (Easiway Systems)
Beaver State Love
YForia (unchosen)
Atlas Form

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04/16/2026

Join the Lab boss for live chat, this Friday at 6:30pm PST, on our Instagram page (instagram.com/deadboltdesignlab). Kyle will be answering questions, giving a State of The Studio, talking Ai, and probably rambling for most of the hour chat. See you there!

04/16/2026

New work available to view on Kyle's Behance page!

Branding for architecture firm, ATLAS FORM.©Deadbolt Design Lab, 2026

04/06/2026

Some recent mascot work for our friends at Nyle Water Heating.

03/10/2026

A new era for the lab is upon us.

DDL has undergone some major changes behind the scenes and with that we’ve decided our branding, voice, advertising, and even our services should reflect that as well.

Our vibe now deploys a more unified theme that blends where we’ve been (from VCD to Wild Giant to DDL) with the things that provide us inspiration. Staying is the idea of creation, experimentation, building and learning. The identity is a tribute to our love of sci-fi stories (Frankenstein, Jurassic Park, Star Trek and Mobile Suit Gundam), the colorful cosmic heroes of our youth (MMPR, Voltron, Transformers, Zoids, Green Lantern, and the Guardians of The Galaxy) as well as the eras we’re inspired by (Mid-Century, Retro Futurism, and 80s Synth). We have a lot of “likes” and interests and we finally feel like our company’s visual voice properly honors those things.

The new icon is a single bolt (the spark of creation and ideas), anchored by the letters DDL, and flanked by 4 smaller D letterforms. The icon is paired with customized type inspired by the classic ITC Machine and Fort Foundry's (and Clark Orr) utilitarian Shuttleblock. Additional assets include an isolated DDL and a flask icon.

The colors have evolved from our legacy green to a more classic, primary based, palette; a nod to mid-century design, hero color theory, and our 90’s upbringing. Bright green stays in the palette and is joined by orange (for Oregon State, the Baltimore Orioles, and our Dutch last name) and pink (for Memphis 90’s and the King of Rock & Roll).

Yes, we have had many marks and icons during our 15 years of designing. That is part of the fun for us; being able to push the limits with our own visual story is a major part of who we are. We have kept 10 of our favorite “heritage” assets to continue to use in promotional and merchandise capacities.

Change brings opportunity and DDL is ready for the challenge. It’s time we do what Roddenberry asked of us all and “Boldly Go”.

🖖👨‍🔬🪐🧬🧪🛸🚀🦖🥼👽🤖

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03/03/2026

I am logo designer and illustrator Kyle Van Cleave and welcome to my design house: Deadbolt Design Lab.

I have been creating marks, systems, identities for all levels of business and illustrating for apparel, print and sport since 2012. Deadbolt was founded in 2017 (as then Wild Giant) with my business partner, Ashley. My work is a wide array of styles, genres, mediums and inspirations. One look through my portfolio and you’ll find a blend of Swiss grid-based modernism featuring geometric symbols and type as well as dynamic, maximalist, illustration driven graphics. Some of the work we’re best known for was done in trade, for the studio, or for a good cause. Some of the work we’ve been paid a lot for we’ll never be able to show. I am proud of each pixel that has left the studio and I am eternally thankful to every person/business who has ever taken a chance on DDL and my work.

Outside of my work I am proudly from the great state of Oregon and am a skilled PNW propagandist. I have 2 wonderful children and 2 rambunctious golden retrievers. I am a massive nerd and have been since I sat in a movie theater in 1993 for my first big screen experience: Jurassic Park.

I haven’t spoken through DDL a lot in the past, but that is going to change. For too long I have tried to create a brand from my businesses. I don’t want to do that anymore. Deadbolt is a front, a character gimmick so to speak, and is used as a way for me to express my creative inspirations and interests. I love making cool and random s**t using DDL as the foundation; I truly feel I can’t do some of the things I have with my name, it wouldn’t make sense to be honest. At the end of the day Kyle is Deadbolt, and Deadbolt is Kyle. You do not get one without the other.

I am going to take this account and this business into some new areas and I hope you all tag along. I appreciate every single person who has followed, liked, shared, commented, purchased, and hell even trolled and talked s**t... I wouldn’t be where I am in my career without all of it.

It’s a new era for DDL and I am stoked to share it with all of you.
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02/09/2026

DDL Bolt Projects

Our studio’s take on the classic design sprint.

Contact us today to get started!
↳ [email protected]

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