Corporate IP image

1. Strong relevance (deepen the emotional communication between the enterprise and the user)

The cartoon image has temperature. Compared to the concept of cold enterprise, this strong relevance of the cold abstract enterprise in the form of cartoon image to open and the user's emotional link.

So what kind of business needs a cartoon image?

In general, the object of a business service is also a business, or a machine, then there is no need for a corporate cartoon image.

Often, it is the individual consumer that needs a cartoon image to convey the corporate brand. The enterprise itself is a virtual abstract concept, it is difficult to communicate directly with the user to convey the enterprise's philosophy or products, so that the user is also difficult to produce **** Ming. So enterprises can be through the corporate cartoon image of the company's image as well as some of the concept of materialization, you can communicate directly with the user, to bring the distance between the user and the user. Let the company has a temperature, so that the vivid cartoon image presented in front of the user's eyes.

Opened the market.

2. Fission spread (can create their own content, and through the expression/comics/animated movies and other rapid dissemination)

Cartoon image as an independent existence it is possible to create their own content, can be through the expression packet (WeChat/Qqq platform mostly), or four-cartoon animated movies or even games and other rapid dissemination. As long as the content is interesting, it is easy for people to spread it, and the fission of 1 to 2 and 2 to 4 spreads quickly among users.

For example, a wang air inhuman, with the twelve signs of the zodiac are a series of self-created IP image, in the microblogging on the microblogging to send a number of short cartoons, quickly become popular with millions of flow.

3. Can be commercialized (with the upgrading of consumption, consumers began to cultural consumption and service consumption transition)

With the upgrading of consumer groups, consumers began to cultural peripheral as well as service consumption of the demand is becoming stronger and stronger. Cute cartoon image is one of the ways to impress consumers to buy.

Principles of cartoon image design

1. Simple shape/color

A qualified cartoon image must have a high degree of recognition, the more complex the shape then the more difficult to remember. So the general shape of the cartoon image is generally can be composed of simple graphics.

The color of the image is also the same, in general, the cartoon image of the color of up to no more than three (which in the design is a general rule.). If there are too many colors, there will be a lot of interference, not conducive to quickly remember the characteristics of the image.

Cartoon images do not exist in real life, if you want the user to remember it at first, quickly attract the eye. Too complex image can not be done.

2. Sharp image

Cartoon image is best to have a distinctive character, whether it is soft and cute or cute and harmless or not, it can make the image more vivid, and bring the distance between the user and the user closer, that is, we often say that the persona.

3. Convenient extension

Cartoon mascot design out, is to be used with the operation. So in the later stage may have to do a lot of action extension, such as the above picture shows three cartoon image their hands and feet are relatively long.

Some students may have a misunderstanding, will feel that the shorter the arms and legs drawn, the more cute and cute, and can draw a lot less detail. We can look at the above picture of the second picture of the little yellow man, if it is particularly short hands, it may not be able to so hold the bear toy, if the hand is too short to do some action. This will lose the image in the later action to extend some of the tension, so we in the design of the mascot must be for the later extension of some more consideration.

The basic process of designing a corporate image

1. Confirmation of demand

The first step in designing a corporate cartoon image is to understand the demand side and confirm the demand, which will reduce the rate of rewriting, some demand side is very professional, will put their own needs (image type/product color/company business/products business) to mention the details, so that we can quickly find the right direction. Find the right direction.

Then we should do in and demand side? We have to ask more why, by asking questions to determine the main body of the cartoon image or narrow the scope. Try to visualize the demand. Then we can identify those demand questions?

(1) Determine the type of image

First of all, we have to ask the demand side of the question, the cartoon image in the species whether there is a requirement.

IP images on the market are broadly categorized into three main types, namely animal, character, and abstract cartoons. Regardless of the categorization of the image type, we generally add industry/product elements to the corporate image.

If the demand side does not have a specific image type in mind, then we should analyze the company/organization's industry and the users of its products to match the type of image and the specific category.

(2) Confirm the direction of color matching (default corporate product color)

Ask the demand side if there are any special requirements for color matching. If the demand side does not have specific requirements, then we generally default to the enterprise or product color/product color.

(3) Confirmation of style and tone

To ask the demand side two questions in the direction of style and tone.

The first question to ask the demand side whether there is a very favorite or very disliked style? Most of the demand side they do not have a favorite image style, but it is generally proposed to dislike the style, so we can avoid such a risk, to narrow our design scope

Secondly, we need to ask the demand side whether there is an audience in the age / gender distinction. For example, there are industries that are more serious, if we draw styles that are cuter or younger, this is definitely not appropriate.

(4) Confirm whether there is a requirement for the overall shape of the image

Generally there is no requirement for the overall shape of the demand side, we have to confirm it to avoid the risk of rewriting.

Above we ask these questions are whether the question, not open questions, with a yes or no such questions in order to make the demand side clear its needs, so that we can accurately obtain effective information.

In addition to this, we need to fully understand the enterprise's industry/corporate culture/product concept/company slogan/user profile, etc., the clearer the information about the enterprise, the more full and figurative our image cartoon.

2. Brainstorming

When we confirm the demand, we can use some methods to find inspiration, these methods we collectively referred to as brainstorming.

(1) divergent thinking

Divergent thinking is one of the best ways to use, when we get the needs of the head empty, some students will wait for the inspiration, but the inspiration of this little cutie does not come, so how quickly we can use the same formula as the output of inspiration? Divergent thinking is a good way.

We first prepare a large sheet of paper, drawing four large circles, as shown above. Respectively, in accordance with the industry - user image - spirit - consistent with the order of the image written to the circle, and then began to write around each circle associated keywords, think of what to write. You'll end up with a divergent thinking chart like the one above. In the process of writing we are inspiring, and ultimately summarizing from the matching image as well as the first three key points, and taking into account the degree of difficulty and other factors to determine the scope of its image.

(2) Mood board use

01 First we summarize the keywords of the enterprise project according to the needs analysis

02 Second we write its derivatives (similar to near-synonyms) of the keywords just listed.

03 Then we take these words to a photo material website (e.g. Visual China) and enter a query in the search box. A selection of images are selected that you decide best explain the term.

04 Start listing the images that best match, summarizing the same color or hue based on a keyword.

(3) The use of the two-picture method

The two-picture method means that after the specific archetype has been identified, two separate types of pictures are to be found. One type is the prototype of the real photo reference (visual China / station cool Hailo), so that we can know what characteristics of the prototype as well as the details of the photo is much better than we think of the effect. Another category is that we want to do the image of the prototype of other people's excellent works of reference (petals / beauty leaf / .pinterest), we can learn through other people's colors, techniques, elements extracted and applied to their own design.

3. Design and drawing

After confirming the needs and brainstorming, we know the image of the species and the general style of the cartoon image. Next we can start the specific design of the cartoon image.

(1) sketching

This requires us to put our ideas on paper with a sketch of the appearance of the drawings, do not require a very delicate drawing, only need to be able to understand the style of expression can be, we need to think of a variety of ideas are drawn to the book, and finally, we will be summarized according to these sketches, and finally find out the general image of our confirmation.

(2) determine the color

After the basic confirmation of the sketch, combined with the emotional version of the method, you can quickly color on the sketch, you can give more than a few options to facilitate comparison. The overall color of the mascot to follow the principle of color but not three, that is, the image on the body of the color of up to no more than three. (This step can also wait until after the completion of the software drawing)

(3) software drawing

After the completion of the sketch, to refine the sketch out of the final image. Generally we will use ps or ai with pen or vector graphics for drawing, this step we call software drawing. Because of the consideration of future application scenarios are diverse, we generally recommend using Ai to draw, because Ai is a vector software, zoom in and out is not distorted. And Ai is adjustable anchor points and smoothing tools can make the shape more rounded and smooth.

With the line drawing will determine the color to fill in the corresponding position, such as over the lack of confirmation can also be done at this time.

(4) the relationship between light and shadow

We are in the market or some designers exchange sites, many mascots will give some light and shadow. This will make the image more three-dimensional, and rich.

We have to give a light source point, and then according to the location of the light source will be the image of the lighted surface, backlit surface, reflections, projections and highlights roughly give out, pay attention to the overall unity.