Scholar Studio Branding Concept
3D, 2D and Cel Exploration
This Scholar is a concept focused creative studio that enjoys playing with emerging tech. This case study explores the process of capturing a glimmer of their brand in a small vignette/branding tool.
The solution presented tries to first address the content Scholar creates: being a well versed studio that focuses on tools as a means to support story they have a variety of approaches. The solution uses 2D, 3D, and Cel to touch on the variety of the studio. The challenge was to create a "story" within 2-4 seconds. The solution's story is an exploration of movement and composition through a mesh of techniques.
Another challenge was the brand, the logo specifically. A challenge was how carefully did we have to tread to both have the shapes of the logo recognizable but create interesting compositions that lead you around? The shapes and their combination helped drive the solution. Each shape and it's interactions were so decidedly unique that even small cuts of a few of them boasted the scholar brand.
Tools Used Maxon Cinema 4D - Adobe Photoshop | Aftereffects
The Challenge
Research on Scholar provided a lot of avenues for exploration when it came to how this animation could look and be produced. The challenge lied in how to make those explorations feel unique.
"Which were strongest, and why?," was the largest question
Directions at A Snapshot
Out of the 8 directions explored 4 of them explored the beauty of the scholar logo and the rest explored interaction with the logo and itself or the space around it.
Narrowed Direction
Direction 4 | Float
This solution presented similarly as Light Tracing but explored the graphic forms in graphic 3D space. The goal wasn't gestalt but to celebrate the forms of the logo.
Chosen by my director
Direction 1 | Light Tracing
The idea of this direction would have been to celebrate the forms as gestalt piece and bring it together. Light brimming the forms of the logo, feeling both graphic and 3D.
Direction 5 | Curtains Up!
This solution is interaction between logo parts and space, using 2D cel animation to produce smooth and beautiful movement. This solution plays a lot on the process of crafting a story with your hands via hand drawn animation.
Direction Synthesis
Combining the three proved to be the best decision sequence wise.
Direction Mix
After review the proposal to mix Curtains Up and Float! was made. The combination feeling more fleshed out technically and having an ability to play more with style.
For this solution style was delivered in the form of a "skin." A design aesthetic that could be applied to any of the directions. The direction chosen being the first one, Direction A.
Direction A | Light and Graphic Glass
Direction B | Figure Ground explosions
Direction C | Design Board
Finalizations
Development Passes
Things that change between animations
Second Pass Animation
This is the timed out animation without secondary elements or finesse. The unifying blocks of style A to be added.
Final Pass Animation (1920 x 1080 Aspect Ratio)
This is one of three aspect ratios for the final animation, the 1920 x 1080. The different formats highlight more or less of the logo. The intent is to drive the need to see each iteration, creating engagement.
Size Iterations
Part of the deliverables were adaptions for difference size as this branding vignette would be used in different spaces. Here are the variations for use.
Final Pass Animation (1080 x 1920 Aspect Ratio)
Final Pass Animation (1080 x 1080 Aspect Ratio)
Final Pass Animation (1920 x 1080 Aspect Ratio)
