Design a visual identity for the 2023 and 2024 London International Chinese Music Festival, celebrating the fusion of traditional Chinese artistic elements with the festival’s international scope. The design should convey elegance, cultural exchange, and the universal language of music, while attracting a diverse audience.
Approach
Chinese Painting
Embrace the aesthetics of traditional Chinese painting, focusing on brush strokes, ink wash, and the harmony found in nature. Capture the essence of landscapes and cultural symbolism, using a limited colour palette effectively.
Chinese Music Instruments
Draw inspiration from the shapes, lines, and details of instruments like the guqin, dizi, erhu, pipa, and guzheng. Incorporate these forms harmoniously within the red, grey, white, and black colour scheme.
Concept
The design embodies the harmony between traditional Chinese culture and global musical exchange. A sophisticated colour palette (red, grey, white, black) is used to evoke elegance and cultural richness, while traditional motifs and instrument-inspired shapes reflect the festival’s commitment to cross-cultural understanding.
Deliverables
Logo Design: A unique logo inspired by Chinese musical instruments and calligraphy, harmonising with the festival’s colour palette.
Poster Design: A visually striking poster featuring musicians and scholars, using traditional motifs and a balanced composition.
Typography: A balanced typeface combining English and Chinese characters for readability and cultural authenticity.
Colour Palette: A sophisticated scheme of red (energy), grey and white (elegance), and black (depth).
Additional Materials: Banners, flyers, social media assets, and event signage, ensuring a consistent visual identity across all platforms.
Process
Research
Explored traditional Chinese art, music, and instruments, focusing on elements that could symbolise cultural exchange and universality.
Strategy
Defined the core concept: blending traditional Chinese aesthetics with a modern, international design language.
Design
Developed the logo, poster, and typography, ensuring cultural authenticity and visual appeal.
Extended the design to additional materials, maintaining consistency across all touch points.
Implementation
Rolled out the branding across all touchpoints, ensuring consistency and impact.
Outcome
The design successfully captured the festival’s essence, creating a visually cohesive and culturally resonant identity. The elegant colour palette, traditional motifs, and instrument-inspired elements attracted a diverse audience, while the universal theme of music fostered cross-cultural understanding.
