The End Is Near!!!

So as you may have seen or read previously, you guys know that I've been working pretty much all summer long on branding a bubble tea cafe start-up business for my cousin called "Chibi's Boba Tea". Which will be opening soon now in Orlando, FL. Opening date details will be released soon, and I will be sure to post about that for all the Floridian readers of my blog. Definitely a new hang out place to chill, sip of boba tea and check out cool art/anime.

Anyways, it's been a trip doing the process work for this one little logo, but I think we've come to a conclusion. Listen to your illustrator/graphic designer. They know what they're doing/talking bout since they're been trained for exactly what you're asking them to do. That being said, here's the gist of all the process work I did for this logo. And I'm quite happy w/ the results. :]

So it all started from this little page in my sketchbook. This is where the idea for the logo and mascots came from. ^^;; All big things come from small beginnings right? :]

Then I mocked up the sign and my initial sketch into a hanging sign/poster format that can be seen in the shop window and outdoor greeting sign. And after I busted out a round of mascot options. Some "CHIBI" characters. 

And of course, I had to do some sign mock-ups w/ the mascot. And after looking them over my cousin and his team chose the 20's flapper couple. 

I came up w/ some final sketches w/ the boy and girl. And then I proceeded w/ some experimental color mock-ups. 

I think I went a lil' overboard. But I honestly was open in my direction with color and style. The shop concept was still very basic and this logo was going to be the jump off point to what the style, decoration, and interior decoration for the shop. So I tried to draw inspiration from other bubble tea shops and more of a retro color palette from old movie posters and old video games covers. But I knew it wasn't working out quite how it was supposed to. I got too caught up in the little details of the drawings and made it too complicated. It was no long "CHIBI" and I got feedback from my cousin's team saying they wanted the boy and girl to be cuter/younger looking. More SIMPLE, and less complicated. I admit, that's one of my fault, I tend to get caught up in the tiny details and have to stand back to see the bigger picture often.

So after that I started on the basic type development because the store needed the store sign soon, they signed the lease and were getting antsy.

They came to me after saying they wanted to try something new w/ the mascot. So I came up w/ a bubble tea cup after looking at some pics of other game company logos that my cousin showed me. 

And after a little tweaking I came up with these guys. :] Meet "Chibi" and "Boba". 

So once I got the type set I explored with making it a big more dimensional and I really enjoyed making them look "bubbley" for bubble tea.

I did a bunch of color palette options and in the end they liked the first colorway I made. :D Classic complimentary color scheme. :] A few tweaks here and there and VOILA! 

Here's the final product. And I'm still working on more designs and sprucing up the vertical design with the boy and girl. 

But I've got a bunch load of projects I've been working on this past August that I have yet to post about. And I've got a couple projects I'm doing with some potential clients. So I hope you guys stop by to check those out in the coming weeks! :D

Love, Erica.

P.S.  I'm giving away a free limited edition watercolor painting to the 100th like on my facebook page. I will be posting up the finished painting up on my  blog for all pandas to see. Spread the word and best of luck to the future 100th liker! XD Here's the link to my fb page @ https://www.facebook.com/PandaErica.

PREVIEW. . . WIP Chibi's Boba Tea Logo

Just a quick post before I go to bed. Here's a lil' teaser as to what I am currently working on right now. Almost finished w/ the final drawing and then tomorrow I'll be working all day & night to finish up the final colors. Let's see how far I can get tomorrow! Planning for an early start to my day w/ a morning jog. ;] Hope it's not TOO excruciatingly hot out tomorrow morning. But whatever. At least I'll sweat more. ;]

Goodnight!

Love, Erica.

Chibi's Boba Tea

Hello Everyone,

I'm back from my trip from NYC. It was a rather hard reality check for me. I suppose graduating from college gives graduates some kind of an ego, an outer armor of some sort that blinds most of them into thinking that it will be easy to get a job. Unless you are one of the top 5% of top talent or amazing cover letter/resumes or someone who knows someone within the company, the likelihood of you getting a call back or being hired from a studio/agency is pretty slim. And I learned that the hard way. 

But alas, that does not mean I will stop trying. I will keep applying everywhere, and keep showing people my artwork, and keep putting my manuscripts out for people to read an give feedback. As depressing as this economy is job-wise, I cannot fall into the depressing funk that most college grads seem to be trapped in. I'm glad to have a big supporting family behind me and a handful of amazing friends who inspire and encourage me to do my best. And so that is all I can do: do my best and keep doing what I do. :]

To end on a more light hearted note, this past father's day was AMAZING. Here's a picture that will probably embarrass my other lil' cousins, but says in one picture what a thousand words cannot explain. I'm so blessed to have my loved ones in my life. 

Til' next time.

Love, Erica

p.s. I neglected to add that the above character silhouette studies are for my cousin's new start-up company Chibi's Boba, an anime/bubble tea cafe that I was given the opportunity to design its logo and subsequent art/illustration/graphic content that they will need for (hopefully) years to come. And it all starts from these thumbnails. More to come from this logo as it progresses along. And much more art to come. I'm currently trying to revamp my carbonmade account and looking into exploring different social media forums to display my art. And well much more art in general. Thinking about diving into the whole patterns design craze. Anyhoot, tty real soon!