Akatsuki
Icon Brand Book

Year

2022

Services

Graphic Design, Illustration, Branding Design, Icon Design

Software

Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign

Challenge

The primary challenge for the Akatsuki Icons project was to breathe life into these characters through illustrations while maintaining consistency. The slightly cartoonish style, with larger heads relative to bodies, required a delicate balance to capture the essence of each character accurately. Ensuring that the design not only resembled the characters' traits, powers, and personalities but also stayed cohesive and consistent across the entire set posed a creative challenge.

Goal

The overarching goal was to create a captivating set of character icons for the Akatsuki group that not only paid homage to their traits and powers but also maintained a cohesive and consistent visual identity. The brand book, guided by the mind map, aimed to encapsulate the planning, color schemes, and overall design strategy, providing a comprehensive guide to the project's visual elements.

Solution

The solution illustrated each Akatsuki character using the golden ratio method, adding a hint of cartoonish flair. Shrub and John Doe fonts were chosen for the brand book. Consistency across characters was ensured by aligning each icon with its traits while maintaining unity. The project captures the Akatsuki group's essence through captivating and distinct icons.

Sketches

The sketches for the Akatsuki project were crafted with careful attention to detail, aiming to capture the essence of each character while maintaining consistency across the group. I opted for a stylized, cartoonish approach, characterized by exaggerated features and oversized heads. This artistic choice not only adds a playful and dynamic element to the sketches but also ensures that each character remains instantly recognizable, contributing to the overall cohesiveness of the design.

Color Palette

In developing the color palette for the Akatsuki project, I drew inspiration from the group's distinctive uniform colors in the Naruto anime: red and black. These hues symbolize the unity and strength of the Akatsuki members while also reflecting their enigmatic and formidable presence. Additionally, I incorporated individual character colors to capture their unique personalities and traits, ensuring that each member's essence shines through in the overall design.

Fonts

In selecting fonts for the Akatsuki brand book, I sought to evoke the iconic and memorable qualities of the group's branding. The typefaces chosen, Shrub and John Doe, were carefully curated to convey a sense of mystery, power, and sophistication attributes synonymous with the Akatsuki. By incorporating these fonts into the brand book, I aimed to create a visual identity that resonates with fans of the anime while also communicating the group's distinct personality and allure.