Published
25 November, 2024
by
Param Pratap Walia
Crafting 'The Scribble': Designing the Core of 'The Coop’s' Brand Identity
In branding, unique visual elements often become synonymous with a company’s identity. For 'The Coop,' this cornerstone is the 'scribble'—a playful, abstract shape reminiscent of a child’s spontaneous doodle. Inspired by the principles outlined in the blog post (Future Proof Design), I set out to create a semi-procedural system to generate these dynamic forms.
This post delves into the process of building this system—from the tech stack to the algorithms, culminating in a tool that streamlines branding applications for various mediums.
The Tech Stack: Blender as the Creative Engine
To bring the scribble to life, I leveraged Blender, an open-source powerhouse known for its versatile tools like shader nodes and geometry nodes. Making Blender the perfect choice for this project.
Building the Abstract Shape Algorithm
The heart of the system lies in its ability to generate abstract shapes. Here’s how it was done:
Base Shape:The process begins with a resampled circle, which serves as the foundation.
Procedural 4D Noise: This circle is displaced using 4D Perlin noise texture, allowing for precise control over artistic parameters such as distortion scale, seed, and roughness.
By tweaking these values, a wide variety of abstract forms can be generated, aligning perfectly with the brand’s playful aesthetic.
The Clay Algorithm: Adding a Friendly Finish
To align the scribble with The Coop’s approachable tone, I adapted a pre-made shader system: "Clay Doh - Tools & Shaders" by DoubleGum (available on Blender Market).
Modifications:
Color Adjustments: Customised to fit the brand's palette.
Displacement Tweaks: Adjusted the amount and pattern for a more approachable feel.
This clay-like texture added a tactile quality to the shapes, enhancing their childlike charm.
From Scribble to Vector: The SVG Workflow
One of the key requirements was to ensure the shapes could be used across various digital and print applications. Blender’s recent feature—converting Grease Pencil objects into SVGs—streamlined this process.
Workflow:
Abstract scribbles were converted into Grease Pencil objects.
These objects were exported as SVG files, ready for use in design tools like Figma or Illustrator.
This seamless transition between 3D and vector design made the scribbles highly versatile.
Adding the Sphere: Enhancing Composition
While the initial focus was on the abstract shapes, I decided to introduce a sphere into the composition. The sphere served two critical purposes:
Visual Rest: It provided a focal point, offering viewers a place to pause amidst the dynamic scribbles.
Simplicity: The recognizable form of the sphere balanced the composition, making it more engaging.
The Final System: A Branding Game-Changer
By combining the abstract shape, clay shader, and SVG export capabilities, I created a unified system that can:
Render Hundreds of Variations: Generate countless unique shapes in seconds.
Output in Multiple Formats: Provide both clay-textured models and editable vector files.
This system revolutionised the production of branding applications, saving time while maintaining a cohesive visual identity.
Conclusion
By blending procedural techniques with thoughtful artistic direction, this system exemplifies how technology and creativity can merge to create something truly unique.
Published
25 November, 2024
by
Param Pratap Walia
Crafting 'The Scribble': Designing the Core of 'The Coop’s' Brand Identity
In branding, unique visual elements often become synonymous with a company’s identity. For 'The Coop,' this cornerstone is the 'scribble'—a playful, abstract shape reminiscent of a child’s spontaneous doodle. Inspired by the principles outlined in the blog post (Future Proof Design), I set out to create a semi-procedural system to generate these dynamic forms.
This post delves into the process of building this system—from the tech stack to the algorithms, culminating in a tool that streamlines branding applications for various mediums.
The Tech Stack: Blender as the Creative Engine
To bring the scribble to life, I leveraged Blender, an open-source powerhouse known for its versatile tools like shader nodes and geometry nodes. Making Blender the perfect choice for this project.
Building the Abstract Shape Algorithm
The heart of the system lies in its ability to generate abstract shapes. Here’s how it was done:
Base Shape:The process begins with a resampled circle, which serves as the foundation.
Procedural 4D Noise: This circle is displaced using 4D Perlin noise texture, allowing for precise control over artistic parameters such as distortion scale, seed, and roughness.
By tweaking these values, a wide variety of abstract forms can be generated, aligning perfectly with the brand’s playful aesthetic.
The Clay Algorithm: Adding a Friendly Finish
To align the scribble with The Coop’s approachable tone, I adapted a pre-made shader system: "Clay Doh - Tools & Shaders" by DoubleGum (available on Blender Market).
Modifications:
Color Adjustments: Customised to fit the brand's palette.
Displacement Tweaks: Adjusted the amount and pattern for a more approachable feel.
This clay-like texture added a tactile quality to the shapes, enhancing their childlike charm.
From Scribble to Vector: The SVG Workflow
One of the key requirements was to ensure the shapes could be used across various digital and print applications. Blender’s recent feature—converting Grease Pencil objects into SVGs—streamlined this process.
Workflow:
Abstract scribbles were converted into Grease Pencil objects.
These objects were exported as SVG files, ready for use in design tools like Figma or Illustrator.
This seamless transition between 3D and vector design made the scribbles highly versatile.
Adding the Sphere: Enhancing Composition
While the initial focus was on the abstract shapes, I decided to introduce a sphere into the composition. The sphere served two critical purposes:
Visual Rest: It provided a focal point, offering viewers a place to pause amidst the dynamic scribbles.
Simplicity: The recognizable form of the sphere balanced the composition, making it more engaging.
The Final System: A Branding Game-Changer
By combining the abstract shape, clay shader, and SVG export capabilities, I created a unified system that can:
Render Hundreds of Variations: Generate countless unique shapes in seconds.
Output in Multiple Formats: Provide both clay-textured models and editable vector files.
This system revolutionised the production of branding applications, saving time while maintaining a cohesive visual identity.
Conclusion
By blending procedural techniques with thoughtful artistic direction, this system exemplifies how technology and creativity can merge to create something truly unique.
