Shoyu (WORK IN PROGRESS)
Shōyu is an open NFT marketplace, focused on developing the market and accompanying social features to allow creators and collectors a platform to create and foster their communities. It is a product of the Sushi crypto-currency.
Old artistic direction
Shōyu's previous logo/identity was intended to convey high quality/luxury values/ideas/messages. The choice of products shown, the serif font, the use of angular shapes, the composition, all tend towards a high level market niche.
New artistic direction
The only requirements, about this job, was to keep the name and the idea of the logotype, as well as the black and white colors scheme.
The previous visual identity conveyed values/ideas/messages (high quality, luxury...) that did not match Shōyu's new messages or values (accessibility, friendliness, modernity...). It is therefore necessary to redesign Shoyu in order to align with these new values.
As for the logotype, I kept the main visual base, but I adapted it to be more user-friendly and accessible, getting rid of the square shape and playing with more curved shapes. I tried to avoid the perfect circle and opted for a puffy square shape to give it a stronger personality. I also made the font bolder and stronger with the same goal of giving it a strong personality.
Simplicity
My goal is to create a balance between simplicity and personality.
Simplicity is intended to allow Shōyu to communicate about NFT. It is hard to communicate properly about NFT if you don't create enough space to let them shine, they need to be the focus of the communication. Since there is a wide variety of NFT designs, simplicity is needed to ensure that the design will fit the majority of them.
Simplicity is also a way to be accessible, to reach more potential customers. I created tools to build a simple design with black and white colors, simple shapes (derived from the logotype - the curved line above the "O", a macron and the body of the "O") and a flat design approach in some aspects.
Pesonnality
Too much simplicity means that the brand can become meaningless, soulless. This is where Personality has a role to play. Personality must allow Shōyu to stand out in the space. Shōyu must be recognizable at first glance. Personality will help to give credit, authenticity, a friendly aspect or seriousness to the platform. To help exist as a brand.
For Shōyu's personal communication (about communicating without using NFT), I created large black 3D shapes with a digital glitch pixelated effect. I created this glitch texture (with a slightly pixelated effect on some parts) to bring in color and add a digital reference. This allows Shōyu to not fall into the boring visual identity of a financial company. As a crypto project coming from Sushi community, it needs to keep a bit of what the crypto world is all about. A little bit of crazy, but not too much. A little serious, but not too much.
Samples
Mascot (WORK IN PROGRESS)
I developed a mascot, a little 3D r endered robot for Shōyu. A little robot with the shape of the Ō of Shōyu logotype. Something cute but mature enough to personify Shōyu a bit more.
I had this idea of using the icon's macron as a way to express the robot's emotions (like a dog's ears/tail for example). It can move, turn...etc. in order to makes the robot more alive.
Communication (WORK IN PROGRESS)
