New Meaning Training - Character Designs
Jul. 2025 - Sept. 2022
'New Meaning Training' offers training and qualifications outside the structure of mainstream eductaion, inspiring young people through a range of possibilities and opportunities so that they can reach their potential and "take more control of their future".
For their 10 year anniversary, New Meaning Training wanted to create a video of testimonials and experiences from the young people involved. I was brought onto the project to create characters that would represent the young people. Illustration was the solution to soulless anonymity and face blurring. We could balance safeguarding and anonymity with characters that would still be relatable and personable.
Outcome
I completed six characters to be included as needed in videos and media.
Process
During my initial research of New Meaning Training, I found they used emojis and icons in their promotional video and thought I could incorporate them to create a cohesive visual language. In this vein, I decided to use the brand colours for the designs, to continue with the visual cohesion and continuity. The limited colour palette helped make the characters bold and eye-catching.
​I opted for a fineline style with cell shading, aiming for a bold, simple style reminiscent of comic books. Taking inspiration from streetwear, I wanted the designs to be relatable for young people.
I tested a few different options for incorporating the emoji heads and faces, as you can see in my sketchbook page and style test drawings below.
