bipolar disorder awareness foundation
Bondpolar is a brand identity project that I designed during the "Communication Design" course at Pratt. The challenge was to develop a brand identity for a fictional non-profit organization, centered around an issue of personal interest.
With this in mind, I created Bondpolar – a foundation that promotes bipolar disorder awareness.
I worked on a range of design assets, such as logotype, graphic motifs, and design mockups. Additionally, I created both motion graphics for social media advertising and a website landing with animated UI elements.
research & ideation
Concept research began with with understanding the topic. Bipolar disorder is a mental illness that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, concentration, and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks.
Based on my topic research began with word association related to bipolar disorder illness – both good and bad.
I was listing all the words, phrases, and concepts that came to my mind when thinking of this illness and its implications, both for those who are affected by bipolar and their loved ones.
This exercise helped to identify a name for the organization, which paved the way for communicating my vision.
Central themes revolved around bonding polarity and envisioning life's journey as a healing path.
Visual inspiration
People affected by bipolar disorder experience severe emotional rollercoasters during their depression and mania episodes.
To reflect this constant mood shift I created these patterns made of repetitive contrasting-colored shapes.
The inspiration for primary colors arose from the image of a sunrise, representing the notion of new beginnings. Each day, we wake up with the hope that it will bring positive outcomes, even though we may encounter personal struggles in our lives.
Design application
The animation portion of the project was particularly exciting because it allowed me to apply my newly-adopted Adobe AfterEffects skills for the first time.
It was gratifying to see a static design come to life while learning how to create digital experiences emphasized by motion.
Learnings
Finding the right concept takes a lot of exploration and experimenting
The Bondpolar project allowed me to experiment with different design solutions and techniques in order to find the most effective way to communicate the brand's message. Building on peer feedback and newly learned design tools and animation techniques, I explored multiple iterations of design concepts before finding the right fit.
Design choices need to be backed with rationale
While working on Bondpolar, I was trying to stay away from subjective reasoning ("I made this because I like it"). Design decisions must be made with a cohesive system in mind, rather than basing choices on personal preference, which is highlighted in the reality of a design job. This also helps to frame and present design concepts in a more clear and compelling way.
Motion design is most powerful when it reinforces the brand concept
Working on animation assets for Bondpolar made me realize that there are countless ways motion can bring a design to life. However, “movement” becomes truly powerful when applied purposefully, with the aim of communicating the brand's message on both large and small scales.