Design Exploration | Final Compilation & Reflection

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20.4.2026 - 24.7.2026 (Week 1 - Week 14)
Caitlin Ong Lynn Dee / 0343801 / Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media
Design Exploration
Final Compilation & Reflection

INSTRUCTION



Design Exploration

The module itself is collaborated with Centre for Counselling Services (CCS) where we have to create an original work for an upcoming wellness campaign for an artist/creator exhibition at the university. The theme for our creative work is mental health, and the work is based on our designated specialization. With the concept in mind, we have made sure it supports the message clearly and appropriately. The message intent ranged in so many different ways.

Message Intent:
  • Raise Awareness 
  • Educate 
  • Comfort 
  • Encourage Empathy 
  • Start Conversations 
  • Reduce Stigma 
  • Inspire Hope 
  • Express Personal or Collective Emotional Experiences


Fig 1.1 Design Exploration Project Brief

Portfolio Blog Entry 1 - Potential Idea So Far

Week 2

In terms of mental health, I am aiming to tackle the most overlooked problem currently happening in our society which parental estrangement. This type of phenomenon is rising issue due to being perceive as a stigma. Cause people in the younger generation to stay quiet or unable to recognize the toxic dynamic between their parents. 

I choose this topic is because from my own experiences where I starting to develop a straining relationship with my parents. Where I felt outcasted and treated as a burden to them and a lot of my insecurities stem towards them.

Fig 2.1 Project Proposal Outline


My goal is to create a mascot that comfort the adult child who is estranged from their parents. The message I had in mind is to celebrate individuality rather and enconcorating reconsile with the partent. The reason for this message is because some partents denied their toxic behiover making it imposible to fix relationships.

Initial Sketches 
As for the mascot, I choose it to be a bird to represent individualism, and it is design to be ugly to represent imperfection. Enhancing the message that it is Ok to be imperfect. 


Fig 2.2 Initial Mascot Sketches 


Week 3

To make sure the mascot is better represented I did further research on causes and effects on parental estrangement, and I even did some research on comfort IPs and how to make sure my IP is different from them.

Fig 3.1 Parental Estrangement Research

Fig 3.2 Mascot Competitor Research

Panda Sketches
From the feedback I was given I was instructed to do a turnaround. From that moment I realized that I am not good at drawing bird anatomy. So, I use a panda as alternative. But unfortunately, this plan backfired because according to Ms. Anis bears are oversaturated and misrepresent parental estrangement.

Fig 3.3 Panda Sketches Page 1

Fig 3.4 Panda Sketches Page 2

Week 4

I go back to the drawing board and expand the bird idea. I did some reflection and that's when realized I was fixated on the anatomy because I am thinking of realistic bird for a mascot and that approach is wrong. I notice that as longs as my character has the key elements of bird then it is fine.

As for the ugly aspect, I realized I was looking at it in a narrow point of what is consider ugly in mascot creation. I research kimo kawaii (gross cute) characters such as Cogimyun, Gudetama and Kogepan on how these characters fit in that category while being minimalist. I can sum up into two defining features such a depressed facial expression and asymmetry in their design. 

Updated Bird Sketches 

  • Sketch #1 - based on the idea of a dunce hat. This is meant to represent that the parent views their child as foolish and the coat represent insecurities. 
  • Sketch #2 - based on the teru teru bozu. It is a Japanese charm hung outside of the house to hope for sunny weather. The rainy weather is a metaphor to depression, and the sunny weather is a metaphor for finding peace.
  • Sketch #3 - the shape is inspired by a bedsheet ghost. To represent the adult child feeling neglected around their parents.
  • Sketch #4 - the shape is based on a mushroom. A metaphor to depression

Fig 4.1 Updated Bird Sketches

Portfolio Blog Entry 2 - My final, confirmed idea

Week 5

From Ms Anis and Ms Eunice feedback they prefer Sketch #1, but I prefer Sketch #2. At that point I couldn't pick one. So, I though may be those two can coexist by making the Sketch #1 bird the main mascot white Sketch #2 bird is the tiny companion. I thought the characteristics look dull, so I experiment on different body types or costumes 

Fig 5.1 Body Proportion of the Dunce Hat Concept Sketch 

Fig 5.2 Different Various of Teru Teru Bozu Concept Sketch 

Portfolio Blog Entry 3 - Project planning over 7 weeks

Week 6

We were tasked to prepare a presentation for our proposal. One of the requirements is to come up with a brand for my mascot. come up with a rational for my project and most importantly I have to provide a turnaround for my character. In addition to that I have to plan timelines for the project. Given my specialty I do not have much experience in creating a turn around to my mascot, so I spent a few days trying to figure out how to do it right, but at the end I did. As for the brand identity for the mascot, I wanted to have the art direction inspired by folklore genre. I added in what I had in the presentation. 
Fig 6.1 Folktale Illustration Mood Board


Fig 6.2 Final Mascot Design Sketch

Fig 6.3 Mascot Turnaround Progress
Fig 6.4 Mascot Turnaround Progress Part 2
Fig 6.5 Mascot Color Scheme Test


Fig 6.6 Final Mascot Turnaround 



Project Proposal Presentation


Week 7

Throughout the few weeks, I struggled in figuring out, a proper application for my character. Ms. Anis suggested that I did a comic book to communicate the theme of parental estrangement. Starting to look into the comic book idea, I found out it was more challenging that I thought it would be, so we had a brainstormed and my dad suggested to have the mascot on some merchandise. I then proceeded with the plan. 

While planning the collaterals, I stumbled upon a few challenges, it seems I find it difficult to make poses and expressions on the mascot that I currently have. I had to do a complete overhaul of the mascot and made some references to a cartoon character, Mordecai from Regular Show. With that reference in mind, it helped me understand the anatomy and expressions for the character. In addition, I started designing the brand logo.

Fig 7.1 Fig 6.6 Final Mascot Turnaround - Redesign Face

Fig 7.2 Logo Sketches

Fig 7.3 Logo Digtization Progress

Fig 7.4 Final Logo Design

Fig 7.5 Mordecai Character Sheet Reference

Fig 7.6 Mascot Overhaul Design Sketches

Fig 7.6 Mascot Overhaul Design Turnaround Progress


Week 8

Had a session with Ms Eunice, on the change of plans form comics to printing merchandise. She had to consult with Ms Anis. Ms Eunice also shared a few pointers with different colours on the logo from the black and white idea. Ms Anis then confirms the change is fine as long as I have rationalise the reason for changes.

Portfolio Blog Entry 4 - Deliverable status so far

Week 9 - 10

After touching up with the mascot color scheme, I got started on creating facial expression. The challenging part is maneuvering the mascot's beak to be in line with the specific emotion. So, I use AI to generate a set of emotion for the mascot. The AI generated emotions serves as a guide to draw the mascot's emotion properly. The same time applied to the gestures. 

Once I export all of my drawings from Procreate to Illustrator, I tumble upon another problem. The design is still too complicate to maneuver the limbs and recreating the asset from scratch in Illustrations take too much time. 

Fig 8.1 Mascot Overhaul Design Turnaround

Fig 8.2 Mascot Overhaul Design Emotion
Fig 8.3 Mascot Overhaul Design Gesture

After realizing the whole entire process has been horrendous. Have to take a step back revaluation. On what is needed to create a mascot character I go to ChatGPT to list down all the guidelines needed to create an IP character and what kind of character background details do I have to take note, on Figjam board.

Fig 8.4 Figjam Board Mascot Design Overview

Since my character design look too complicated to articulate in Illustrator I decide to simplify the design to a Japanese style. The reason why I choose a Japanese style is because I notice that characters like Sanrio, Rilakuma or even Chiikawa are minimalist in design, but they manage to be expressive making it appealing to everyone. To save time I used ChatGPT to create minimalist Japanese style version of my mascot character.

Fig 8.5 Simplified Japanese Style Mascot Design by ChatGPT

With the AI generate design it helps me to serves a guild on how recreate a simplified version of my mascot and I reconstructed again by using shapes in illustrator. I Even use guidelines to make sure all of the body parts are in line in each view. 


Fig 8.6 Simplified Mascot Design Reconstructed in Illustrator 

Fig 8.7 Simplified Mascot Design Turnaround

From the previous design I use eyebrows and changing the eyelid to convey emotion, but I so realized that would be too much work when making an extensive set of emotions. So, I use the Sanrio character Keroppi as a reference on how convey emotion without eyebrows or shifting eyelids. It pretty simple just use lines and that is it.


Fig 8.8 Kerropi Emotions Reference Sheet

Fig 8.9 Initial Emotions Set

As for the logo I revamp it making sure it is clean and stable by using a different font. I tried giving the logo more character by fusing the "W" and the "O"s together and the letter of the "LAND" word will be tiled. Like the previous design I added the eyes. Taken form the feedback the last time I added color on to the logo.

Fig 8.10 Updated Logo Design

Fig 8.11 Milestone 2: Project Deliverable Status Presentation Sildes

Portfolio Blog Entry 5 - Final output status

Week 11

After simplifying the mascot character, I expanded its range of facial expressions, gestures, and props to improve its versatility and emotional communication. However, I encountered a major issue when designing the props. Upon reviewing the previous work, I produced for Hatcha in my Design Portfolio, as well as IP character examples on Behance, I noticed that the props consistently followed a clear and cohesive theme that reinforced each character's identity.

In contrast, developing props for a mascot centered on parental estrangement proved significantly more challenging. Tackling a concept such as parental estrangement is complex because it is abstract, emotionally nuanced, and lacks a clear visual identity. Unlike established themes such as cafés, streetwear, or matcha, which have recognizable visual motifs and objects associated with them, parental estrangement does not possess tangible elements that can be easily translated into themed props. This made it necessary to explore symbolic objects and visual metaphors that could communicate the mascot's message while remaining consistent with its overall identity.

Fig 9.1 Updated Emotions Set

Fig 9.2 Mascot Gesture Set

Week 12

For the props, I initially designed items centered around the theme of travel, as it reflected the mascot's journey of discovering its self-identity. As the concept developed, I expanded the collection to include wellness-related items to emphasize the mascot's self-healing journey. However, after reviewing the overall selection of props, I realized that combining multiple themes resulted in an inconsistent visual identity. Rather than reinforcing the mascot's core message, the mixture of travel and wellness elements made the prop collection appear unfocused and lacked a cohesive thematic direction.

Fig 10.1 Props Design Set

Fig 10.2 Props Design Set

Fig 10.3 Collateral Assets 

As I reviewed the mascot's overall presentation, I realized that its earthy color palette lacked visual impact and did not create a memorable brand identity. To gain an objective perspective, I used ChatGPT to evaluate the design and identify areas for improvement. One of the most significant issues identified was the absence of a distinctive visual feature that clearly communicated the mascot's connection to parental estrangement. Without a strong symbolic element, the character's purpose was not immediately recognizable to the audience. As a result, I began studying successful real-world IP characters to better understand how effective branding uses distinctive visual features and consistent symbolism to communicate a character's identity and message.


Week 13

Inspiration #1: Moomin
I admire Moomin for many reasons. The character is highly recognizable, yet beneath its cute and gentle appearance lies a meaningful history. Created by Tove Jansson during and after World War II, the Moomin stories were influenced by the uncertainty and emotional impact of the war. Rather than depicting conflict directly, the stories present a peaceful fantasy world filled with kindness, acceptance, and hope, providing readers with a sense of comfort and escapism. The use of soft pastel colors and whimsical environments further reinforces this comforting atmosphere. This inspired me to explore how a mascot can communicate healing and emotional support without explicitly representing trauma.

Fig 11.1 Moomin Illustration #1  

Fig 11.2 Moomin Illustration #2

Fig 11.3 Moomin Illustration #3

Inspiration #2: Gudetama
Gudetama is well known for its iconic lazy and unmotivated expression, which resonates with feelings of exhaustion, stress, and burnout experienced by many people in modern society. Despite its negative attitude, Gudetama's bright yellow color is consistently used throughout its character design and merchandise, creating a strong and recognizable visual identity. The cheerful color palette softens the character's pessimistic personality, making it feel humorous, relatable, and approachable. This demonstrated to me that contrasting visual elements can effectively balance negative emotions with a positive and appealing character design.

Fig 11.4 Different Variation of Gudetama

Fig 11.5 Gudetama Merch Set #1

Fig 11.6 Gudetama Merch Set #2

Inspiration #3: Kogepan
Like Gudetama, Kogepan gains much of its appeal from expressing negative emotions. As a piece of burnt bread, Kogepan represents feelings of failure, disappointment, and low self-confidence. However, these pessimistic traits are balanced by its simple rounded shape, soft proportions, and cute appearance, making the character feel endearing rather than unsettling. This inspired me to realize that a mascot can portray emotionally complex themes while remaining approachable and comforting. It reinforced the idea that expressing sadness or vulnerability through a cute character design can foster empathy and emotional connection with the audience.

Fig 11.7 Kogepan


Mood Board
From the very beginning, I intended for my mascot to convey raw and authentic emotions by incorporating imperfect traits, similar to how Gudetama expresses laziness and emotional exhaustion. However, due to my poor wording and communication, the intended message was not clearly conveyed to Ms. Anis and Ms. Eunice during the design critique. As a result, I received feedback that led me to refine the mascot in a way that made it appear overly clean and sanitized, causing it to lose much of its emotional authenticity and distinctive personality.

For the mascot's branding, I wanted to evoke a melancholic atmosphere that blurs the boundary between serenity and sadness. To establish this visual direction, I created a mood board featuring Impressionist-inspired garden paintings by artists such as Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh, Robert Lewis Reid, and other anonymous painters. Many of these artworks share cool color palettes and tranquil natural scenery, creating a quiet, reflective atmosphere. This visual approach helped me explore how feelings of melancholy can be expressed in a gentle and comforting way rather than appearing overly dark or distressing, aligning with the mascot's message of emotional healing and self-acceptance.

Fig 11.8 New Mood Board

Recolored Mascot
I looked though the internet for different types of pastel color scheme and try different combination and playing around the brightness and saturation levels, figuring out when or not which color pops.


Fig 11.9 Mascot Color Scheme Test #1

Fig 11.10 Mascot Color Scheme Test #2

Fig 11.11 Mascot Color Scheme Test #3

Fig 11.12 Mascot Color Scheme Test #4

Fig 11.13 Mascot Color Scheme Test #5


Week 14

Final Design
One of my original inspirations was the Teru Teru Bōzu, a traditional Japanese charm believed to bring good weather by warding off rain. I initially interpreted it as a personal metaphor for overcoming emotional hardship and depression. However, I later realized that this symbolism was too abstract and unlikely to be understood by the audience without explanation. To make the mascot's message more immediate, I decided to redesign its body as a completely white, ghost-like figure.

The ghost-like body symbolizes the loss of identity experienced by individuals who spend much of their lives trying to fulfill their parents' expectations instead of discovering who they truly are. By replacing the Teru Teru Bōzu reference with a ghost-like form, the symbolism became more direct and easier for the audience to interpret.

In addition, the ghost-like body introduces a subtle fantasy element that aligns with the mascot's comforting and whimsical aesthetic. The plain white body also creates a strong visual contrast with the bright red cone-shaped hat, naturally drawing attention to it and suggesting that the hat holds special significance within the mascot's story. This contrast helps establish a clearer visual hierarchy while making the mascot more distinctive and memorable.

Fig 12.1 Final Mascot Design

Turnaround

Fig 12.2 Final Mascot Turnaround

Emotions

Fig 12.3 Final Mascot Emotion Set

Gestures

Fig 12.4 Final Mascot Gesture Set

Initial Secondary Color Scheme
Secondary is complicated to tackle because I don't want it to blend in too much with the character, yet it has to stay consistent for the branding. The secondary color is only use for props.

Fig 12.5 Initial Secondary Color Scheme

Initial Secondary Color Application

Fig 12.6 Collateral Assets with Initial Secondary Color Application

Final Secondary Color Scheme
Finally, I select the color that is both minimal and it stand out 

Fig 12.7 Final Secondary Color Scheme

Prop Colors Application Process (Rejected)
Originally, I want it to be use as graphic element but due to lack of time a lot of components have to be scrapped.

Fig 12.8 Props with Final Secondary Color Application Attempt #1

Fig 12.9 Props with Final Secondary Color Application Attempt #2

Logo Redesign (Rejected)
I thought the logo looks too goofy but then those logo design didn't go well with the mascot, so I scrapped it.

Fig 12.10 Logo Redesign Process

Brand Colors Scheme
After going through some color palette on the internet. Pick them one by one to see if it is suitable for the branding of the character. Those colors are only use for application, like logo and collaterals 

Fig 12.11 Brand Color Scheme

Final Logo

Fig 12.12 Final Logo

Sticker Design

Fig 12.13 Sticker Design Process 


Final Outcome

Collateral Artwork 

Fig 13.1 Final T-shirt Design Artwork 

Fig 13.2 Final Tote Bag Design Artwork 

Fig 13.3 Final Sticker No. 1 Artwork 

Fig 13.4 Final Sticker No. 2 Artwork 

Fig 13.5 Final Sticker No. 3 Artwork 

Fig 13.6 Final Sticker No. 4 Artwork 

Fig 13.7 Final Sticker No. 5 Artwork 

Fig 13.8 Final Sticker No. 6 Artwork 

Fig 13.9 Final Sticker No. 7 Artwork 

Fig 13.10 Final Keychain No. 1 Artwork 

Fig 13.11 Final Keychain No. 2 Artwork 

Fig 13.12 Final Keychain No. 3 Artwork 


Collateral Mockup


Fig 13.13 Final T-shirt Mockup 

Fig 13.13 Final T-shirt Mockup
 
Fig 13.14 Final Sticker Mockup

Fig 13.15 Final Keychain No.1 Mockup

Fig 13.16 Final Keychain No.2 Mockup

Fig 13.17 Final Keychain No.3 Mockup

Final Presentation


FEEDBACK


Fig 14.1 Assessment Task 2: Project Development

REFLECTION

Experiences
Honestly it was a tough experience to go though It was the first ever project I is free will and majority of the time I am lost. We are encouraged explore in another field from our course or outside of our course. When it comes the wellness can be challenging to solve a mental health relate problem within my specialization. As tired think and think until I hit a block. The first time that pop up in my mind mascot deign. For the mascot I choose to tackle the theme a paternal estrangement since I have issues with my parents nowadays and it is a topic that is rarely touch upon. Thought the development journey was a bumpy one because I stumble a upon new guidelines for mascot creation every now and then

Observation
Ms. Anis greatly help figure most of the pitfalls when experiencing during unknown territory during development. However, my supervisor can left thing open ended which make me more confused. With that something. It is helping to use AI to see the overview. Of the project and look for mistakes. Or even help me guild on area that I am weak at.

Findings
During development I always go back and forth due to unforeseen technical issues, and I learned that something I need to step back and go through all of my material to see if I am on the right track.

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