Brand Refresh: Mascot

[mcturco]

In this issue, we will discuss concepts for an AsyncAPI mascot.

Currently, we have Eve & Chan (their names represent events and channels)

I think while the concept of them is cool, I feel that we need to simplify their illustrative details and perhaps create characters out of basic shapes (they will feel more like a flat graphical drawing with few curves and minimal shading/coloring)

Key Deliverables

Initial Sketches and Colour:

• Develop unique and simplified sketches for both Eve and Chan.

• Based on feedback and suggestions, refine 4 approved design concepts for Eve & Chan.

• Create a colour palette for Eve & Chan. This palette should be simple and adaptable, ensuring that the characters fit seamlessly into various environments or contexts.

Pose Variations:

• Develop 4 distinct pose variations for the Eve & Chan

Documentation:

• Document how the colour palette can be adjusted for different settings or branding needs while preserving the characters' core identity.

• Provide descriptions of the pose and environment variations, explaining the choices made and how they contribute to the versatility and usability of the characters in different settings.

---

References:
The following references are to give us inspiration based on art style, not the actual character that is shown. We can use these drawings for inspiration to build the new look of Eve & Chan.

Reference 1: I enjoy the simple shapes and curves that this character has and the color palette is simple and adaptable for use in new environments.

Reference 2: Again, very simple shapes, colors, and facial expressions

Reference 3: These remind me a lot of Postman's "postmanaut", but I think we could potentially draw inspiration here from the body shape and translate that style to Eve & Chan fairly easily

[github-actions]

This issue has been automatically marked as stale because it has not had recent activity 😴

It will be closed in 120 days if no further activity occurs. To unstale this issue, add a comment with a detailed explanation.

There can be many reasons why some specific issue has no activity. The most probable cause is lack of time, not lack of interest. AsyncAPI Initiative is a Linux Foundation project not owned by a single for-profit company. It is a community-driven initiative ruled under open governance model.

Let us figure out together how to push this issue forward. Connect with us through one of many communication channels we established here.

Thank you for your patience ❤️

[WeeProducciones]

hi! this is our sketch of proposite for the mascot :), we design this mascot because we want to respect the first idea and use an alien. We think that is adorable, funny and very easy for put in all the elements of merchandising, but we want your feedback for continue working on this or think other idea if you don´t like. :)

[fmvilas]

@WeeProducciones I wonder if we can start a version without colors and just lines. Then add colors after we have a final candidate. And then put them in specific situations or placements once we have the mascot.

I specifically like the way Fido Dido was conceived. It's a simple figure but then 7UP put it in multiple places and situations. It's always recognizable, independently of the artwork.

[mcturco]

@fmvilas and I spoke about fido dido concepts in the past, and I started drawing some ideas for how Eve could look based on this art style. Here are my initial iterations, hopefully this helps!

[WeeProducciones]

Great, we can try these things that you tell us, fidodido is a pet that we love.
the adaptation is great

[derberg]

I just wanted to jump in here to say I love the idea as it reminds me of times when I was young

just eyes in your proposal could get more in line with ☝🏼 or to be more alien I suggest look on eyes of goats and sheep 😄

[WeeProducciones]

yes, they have been our inspiration. now we are working on a new proposal more similar to Fido Did

[derberg]

oh, interesting, Fido Dido seems strange for a mascot. It is kinda "long", which is I think hard to print on stickers and other stuff as then you need to make it big to show details. I hope you know what I mean.

while you current approach based on The Powerpuff Girls is "short".

"long"/"short" -> I'm referring mainly to legs that in case of Fido Dido make the figure, the mascot long, high. I'm not sure how to express it better 😅 I've never seen "long" mascots in tech

[fmvilas]

What I meant proposing Fido Dido as an example is that it's easily recognizable, easy to adapt, etc. I didn't mean it has to be lines or it should look similar somehow. It's more about its traits than its appearance. I hope it clarifies things a bit.

[WeeProducciones]

Hello! Sorry for the delay, it being so difficult to find the rigth personality.
This sketchs are our favorites, but are sketches yet. We think that they can be friends and appear toguether.
what do you think about this?

[WeeProducciones]

the intention is to work the cloud ship and maybe work the extremities

[derberg]

some inspiration from https://chat.openai.com/

[github-actions]

This issue has been automatically marked as stale because it has not had recent activity 😴

It will be closed in 120 days if no further activity occurs. To unstale this issue, add a comment with a detailed explanation.

There can be many reasons why some specific issue has no activity. The most probable cause is lack of time, not lack of interest. AsyncAPI Initiative is a Linux Foundation project not owned by a single for-profit company. It is a community-driven initiative ruled under open governance model.

Let us figure out together how to push this issue forward. Connect with us through one of many communication channels we established here.

Thank you for your patience ❤️

[nwanduka]

Thank you @derberg, @Mayaleeeee, and @aeworxet for all your feedback. It's great getting everyone's opinion on the design.

Looks like we're leaning towards D for Chan and C for Eve, with a few tweaks.

For Chan, seems like D is hitting the mark for most of us. @derberg, I hear you on the ears. I'll play around with those a bit.

Now, regarding Eve, @derberg, I get your worry about it being too close to Fire from Elemental. But @aeworxet, you made a solid point there, and I've got to say, I'm with you on this one. Plus, I think, if we just reuse the current illustration for Eve, doesn't that kind of defeat the purpose of this whole redesign? To simplify the design of mascots?

So from the feedback so far, here are my intended next steps:

1. I'll tweak Chan's design, focusing on those ears.
2. For Eve, I'm going to run with C.

What do you all reckon? I'm all ears if you've got more ideas brewing.

[Mayaleeeee]

So, as I mentioned earlier, about reaching out to Fran, I did, and below was his response @nwanduka

"I like the first option for Eve. Honestly, I think we should get rid of having 2 mascots and just go for one."

[nwanduka]

Awesome. Thanks for sharing this Maya. It's definitely given us something new to consider.

Fran's idea of sticking to just one mascot makes sense to me. If we're aiming for simplicity and minimalism, maybe start by reducing the number of mascots? I can't really think of other organizations with two mascots off the top of my head. At the same time, we've put a lot of thought into both Chan and Eve. So, it's a tough call.

Where we're at now:

1. D for Chan is still a choice.
2. For Eve, we've got votes for C. (I'm assuming the "first option" that Fran referred to is C)
3. And the new idea: potentially going with just one mascot.

What do you all think about this? Should we consider narrowing it down to one mascot? If so, which one do we keep?
@Mayaleeeee @aeworxet @derberg @fmvilas

[nwanduka]

Here's the link to the Figma file @Mayaleeeee

https://www.figma.com/design/tgSuADGYTg8l4OS0Rjf9Hi/AsyncAPI-Designs?node-id=1-1320

[aeworxet]

I preferred ears to the side
#12 (comment)

Referring to #12 (comment), I still think that the addition of upright ears in the fennec fox style would show attentiveness to the surrounding environment. It's a channel actively listening for events, after all.

I don't suppose the previous drawing can be used even as a symbol, because it was created using a complicated drawing style that doesn't work in black and white.

C and D, on the other hand, can be used for drawn comics, where one character is doing something and the other one is observing, or both are engaged in actions that can be understood from their postures.

someone might even be able to make a comic where Eve whispers something into the big ear of Chan (channel is listening to an event.)

[derberg]

well, @aeworxet I would love to argue, but the truth is I don't have good arguments that could contradict yours 😃

[nwanduka]

Quick update on the design. Adjusted Chan's ears. Couldn't decide on a color for Eve. Colors are from the Brand color palette. I'm open to feedback.

[aeworxet]

I didn't have access to image sources, so the changes are inaccurate, but they convey the idea.

• Chan's color:
  I'm thinking of lightening Chan's color to a more grayish one (I tried #84bcee), to emphasize the non-binary nature rather than masculinity.

• Chan's ears:
  I meant smaller, straighter, and nearly 90° vertical ears by default, like this and this.

  NOT 45° or 180° (though Chan could move them in different positions and directions like a real fox, if needed.)

  (Chan will have to tilt the head to listen to Eve, while Eve will need to raise the head to whisper in this case. In the current setting, Chan appears inattentive, while all parts of AsyncAPI Spec play aligned in one direction. Therefore, Chan (channel) and Eve (event) must be fully aware of each other)

• Eve's and Chan's height:
  It should be the same, measured at the feet and the top of the skull (below the haircut and ears) levels, to emphasize equality.

• Eve's color:
  I'd think of a version of light purple. I tried #a574cb, and it seems to play well in AsyncAPI's palettes.

• Eve's head:
  It looks a bit too big and disproportionate to me, but maybe that's because I made Chan's head smaller.

And now, the inaccurate pictures:

[Mayaleeeee]

Quick update on the design. Adjusted Chan's ears. Couldn't decide on a color for Eve. Colors are from the Brand color palette. I'm open to feedback.

Hi @nwanduka

Thank you for your update! I’ve received it and appreciate the progress you're making.

Unfortunately, I won’t be available to provide feedback until Wednesday next week, but I’ll review everything as soon as possible. In the meantime, feel free to reach out if you have any urgent questions.

[Mayaleeeee]

I didn't have access to image sources, so the changes are inaccurate, but they convey the idea.

• Chan's color:
  I'm thinking of lightening Chan's color to a more grayish one (I tried #84bcee), to emphasize the non-binary nature rather than masculinity.

• Chan's ears:
  I meant smaller, straighter, and nearly 90° vertical ears by default, like this and this.

  NOT 45° or 180° (though Chan could move them in different positions and directions like a real fox, if needed.)

  (Chan will have to tilt the head to listen to Eve, while Eve will need to raise the head to whisper in this case. In the current setting, Chan appears inattentive, while all parts of AsyncAPI Spec play aligned in one direction. Therefore, Chan (channel) and Eve (event) must be fully aware of each other)

• Eve's and Chan's height:
  It should be the same, measured at the feet and the top of the skull (below the haircut and ears) levels, to emphasize equality.

• Eve's color:
  I'd think of a version of light purple. I tried #a574cb, and it seems to play well in AsyncAPI's palettes.

• Eve's head:
  It looks a bit too big and disproportionate to me, but maybe that's because I made Chan's head smaller.

And now, the inaccurate pictures:

Thanks for sharing this, @aeworxet

[nwanduka]

Unfortunately, I won’t be available to provide feedback until Wednesday next week, but I’ll review everything as soon as possible.

Alright @Mayaleeeee. No problem. In the meantime, I'll be tweaking the design based on @aeworxet feedback. Thanks for the feedback too @aeworxet.

[nwanduka]

I made some adjustments to the designs based on @aeworxet's feedback. Any thoughts?

[quetzalliwrites]

I made some adjustments to the designs based on @aeworxet's feedback. Any thoughts?

Wow, these are super cute! :)

[aeworxet]

Nah, Chan looks like a rabbit again.
What I did in #12 (comment) was simply adjust the angle of the ears to make them vertical and decrease their size. I didn't change anything else (except for the color.)
Chan's head looks smaller only because I couldn't paste it with the needed precision in the raster graphics.

@nwanduka
Could you please overlay your image with mine and apply changes only to the ears, because everything else about Chan's appearance looks great to me?

[nwanduka]

How's this? @aeworxet.

[aeworxet]

@nwanduka
The ears still need to be made a bit smaller and more vertical.
I would also make the legs of both a little longer to maintain proportionality of their bodies.

[Mayaleeeee]

I made some adjustments to the designs based on @aeworxet's feedback. Any thoughts?

Well done, @nwanduka and thanks to @aeworxet

I prefer the legs here for both (Eve and Chan) than the one in the image below. And I agree with Ash on improving the ears, as it is now, it looks like a Ninja, especially with the mask on the face.

A part of me thinks we should remove that mask. What do you think? @aeworxet

Or could there be a specific reason why you used it? @nwanduka

[aeworxet]

A part of me thinks we should remove that mask. What do you think? @aeworxet

I support the approach of a mascot being easily recognizable, and a non-existent creature with a unique, memorable shape (initial Chan but with adjusted ears) fits perfectly.

Many real animals have unique stripe patterns on their muzzles that make them recognizable.

I prefer the legs here for both (Eve and Chan) than the one in the image below.

I'm asking to make the legs of the mascots just about ten pixels longer, so they don't look like low chairs.

[Mayaleeeee]

A part of me thinks we should remove that mask. What do you think? @aeworxet

I support the approach of a mascot being easily recognizable, and a non-existent creature with a unique, memorable shape (initial Chan but with adjusted ears) fits perfectly.

Many real animals have unique stripe patterns on their muzzles that make them recognizable.

I prefer the legs here for both (Eve and Chan) than the one in the image below.

I'm asking to make the legs of the mascots just about ten pixels longer, so they don't look like low chairs.

Thanks for the input, @aeworxet

I feel the shape of the ears and body already makes the character unique and recognizable. If we’re aiming for a “non-existent” creature, I think it’s okay to remove the mask. However, we could also test both options (with and without the mask) to see how they compare.

As for the legs, I prefer the rounded, shorter look—it looks good and feels more balanced—with the proposition of the upper part.

[Mayaleeeee]

Unfortunately, I won’t be available to provide feedback until Wednesday next week, but I’ll review everything as soon as possible.

Alright @Mayaleeeee. No problem. In the meantime, I'll be tweaking the design based on @aeworxet feedback. Thanks for the feedback too @aeworxet.

@nwanduka

When feedback comes in, please hold off on updating the designs until we’ve all agreed on the changes. This will help avoid back-and-forth and ensure we’re all aligned before any updates are made. Once we’ve come to a decision, I’ll give you the go-ahead to proceed with the changes.

Thank you.

[black-snow]

Quickly scrolling by to say that Chan looks like Stitch ...

[aeworxet]

This version: Yes, it has a similar form of ears and body, despite the mask.

This version: No, it has a different form of ears, body, and stripe pattern on the muzzle.

Images of Stitch

[black-snow]

I'm not here to argue about it for there's no point. All I'm saying is that this is what I associate with it (no matter what shape the ears have).

[Mayaleeeee]

@nwanduka
Please remember to update us on this task today.

Thank you.

[nwanduka]

A is the last revised design of Chan
B incorporates @aeworxet's feedback with the ears smaller and more vertical, and the legs longer
C is B but without the mask as @Mayaleeeee suggested.

I placed them side by side to make size comparison easier. Any thoughts?

[aeworxet]

I obviously vote for B. C looks incomplete without the mask, and A appears out of proportion.

[nwanduka]

Hi @Mayaleeeee, I'd like your feedback on the updated design I shared.

[Mayaleeeee]

A is the last revised design of Chan
B incorporates @aeworxet's feedback with the ears smaller and more vertical, and the legs longer
C is B but without the mask as @Mayaleeeee suggested.

I placed them side by side to make size comparison easier. Any thoughts?

Thanks for the update, @nwanduka

Option B looks better compared to C (without the mask).

However, before moving forward, kindly update the legs of the mascot to look like the one below - but more rounded so it won't look like a chair.

The hand here looks better and free, too. Please, update thas as well.