Discover the branding and packaging design of Di Ligúria, a Brazilian pizzeria, blending Italian heritage with Brazilian charm.

When two Brazilian entrepreneurs with Italian heritage set out to create Di Ligúria, a pizzeria in Belo Horizonte, they wanted more than just a menu of pizzas. They sought a brand that paid homage to the flavors, traditions, and warmth of Italian culture while embodying the lively spirit of Brazilian dining. Designer Danilo Akan took on this challenge, developing a branding and packaging design that bridges these cultural elements seamlessly.

Di Ligúria’s brand identity is grounded in a love for Italian cuisine, inspired by the founders’ Genoese roots and the culinary culture of the Liguria region. Akan crafted a visual concept that honors this Italian foundation while infusing a relaxed Brazilian vibe. The name “Di Ligúria” itself is a tribute to Italy’s Liguria region, signaling an immediate connection to Italian authenticity.

Akan’s design approach captures this dual identity, focusing on simplicity, elegance, and a playful touch. Using negative space and bold typographic elements, Akan brings the essence of Italian tradition forward, yet retains a fresh, contemporary look that appeals to a wide audience. His design balances modern aesthetics with nostalgic elements of Italian dining, creating a memorable brand that invites customers to savor the Italian experience.

The most striking element of Di Ligúria’s brand identity is its innovative typography. Akan developed a typographic style that incorporates subtle nods to pizza and pasta, the core offerings of Di Ligúria. By using negative space within the letterforms, particularly in the letter “G,” Akan brings visual references to pizza slices and pasta strands. This clever use of negative space allows the brand to visually communicate its primary products in an understated yet effective way.

The logo’s typeface is both modern and classic, giving a nod to Italian design’s timeless elegance. This typographic style doesn’t just serve as a brand marker but becomes an integral part of the visual experience, subtly reinforcing the restaurant’s Italian roots while remaining approachable.

Packaging that Enhances the Experience

In addition to branding, the packaging design plays a significant role in delivering Di Ligúria’s identity. Packaging is designed not just for functionality but as an extension of the dining experience. By integrating graphic patterns inspired by Italian motifs, Akan’s design makes every pizza box, pasta container, and salad package an experience in itself.

The patterns, echoing Italian ceramic tiles and Mediterranean styles, contribute to the visual storytelling of Di Ligúria. They evoke the charm of Italy and the idea of gathering around a table with family and friends. With packaging that feels thoughtful and distinctive, customers are reminded of the quality and heritage behind each meal.

From the moment a customer sees the logo to when they unbox a fresh pizza, Di Ligúria’s branding and packaging tell a story. Each design choice reflects the founders’ desire to create a brand that goes beyond fast food and into a cultural experience, filled with Italian warmth and Brazilian vitality. Akan’s thoughtful use of typography, graphic patterns, and packaging demonstrates how design can capture a brand’s essence and elevate the customer’s experience.

For anyone looking to explore Akan’s creative process and Di Ligúria’s full brand story, more details are available on his website.

Di Ligúria’s branding and packaging design provide an excellent example of how design can connect cultural roots with a fresh perspective. Akan’s work successfully weaves Italian traditions into a Brazilian setting, delivering a design that’s as inviting as the food it represents.

Branding and visual identity artifacts

Discover how TRÜF’s “Weird Fishes” splash screen for Adobe Illustrator 2025 celebrates creativity with vibrant, minimalist illustration.

The Adobe Illustrator 2025 splash screen opens with a statement: creativity meets minimalism. Designed by TRÜF Studio, the “Weird Fishes” artwork that greets users embodies Adobe’s tools while making an instant visual impact. This splash screen not only excites users about the app but also showcases Illustrator’s dynamic possibilities, creating a memorable start to the creative process. Here’s a look at the creative vision, tools, and collaboration behind this unique splash screen update.

“Weird Fishes”: A Showcase of Creative Tools

TRÜF’s “Weird Fishes” centers on playfully stylized fish, created using Adobe Illustrator’s updated typography and 3D tools, which highlight the 2025 release’s expanded capabilities. This splash screen is a celebration of how Illustrator can bring out unique textures, gradients, and typographic designs, making it feel like a blend of traditional and digital artistry. The design follows Adam G’s distinctive style—minimal yet quirky, with each element purposefully crafted to show off Adobe’s creative potential.

The splash screen, as Adobe intended, isn’t just a loading screen. It’s a reminder of what Illustrator users can “Dream Up.” As Alex Fernald and Gleren Meneghin, Adobe’s staff designers, emphasized, the splash screens are not only entry points into the app but connections to Adobe’s creative community. They bring in commissioned art, linking Illustrator users to other creators while inviting exploration of the software’s capabilities.

Balancing Art and Function in the Design

This splash screen’s journey began the old-fashioned way—on paper. This initial sketching phase gave TRÜF the freedom to experiment with the composition, exploring the balance of shapes and lines. Once refined, the concept moved into Illustrator, where TRÜF fully explored the software’s features to enhance the digital version. In a brief, 90-second process video, TRÜF showcased their workflow from sketch to the finished splash screen, a rare peek into how minimalist, impactful design comes together.

A User-Centric Approach to Illustration

Adobe’s splash screens, including “Weird Fishes,” are a result of ongoing feedback from users. Through surveys sent to product teams, Adobe designers Alex and Gleren learned the nuances that users valued in the loading screen—like minimal launch delays and artist recognition. This feedback shaped the design, ensuring the new splash screens would spotlight the artist while maintaining the program’s efficiency.

To make the splash screen visually immersive, Adobe made adjustments based on past feedback. The artwork was enlarged, and the artist’s name appears in a larger, bold typeface, creating a clearer hierarchy that celebrates both the art and artist. As the Adobe Spectrum design system evolved, so did the splash screens, aligning with modern standards while preserving Adobe’s commitment to showcasing diverse creative voices.

Reflecting Adobe’s Evolution with Modern Minimalism

Historically, Illustrator splash screens have evolved alongside the Adobe brand. From early versions in the 1980s, featuring iconic art references, to today’s community-focused pieces, these screens highlight a shift from static visuals to dynamic creative introductions. Adobe’s recent redesign, led by Fernald and Meneghin, reimagined this format to center both the artist and the Adobe brand, using clean type and colors while expanding the visual space for the artwork. This shift reaffirms Adobe’s mission to foster connections within its creative ecosystem.

The splash screens across Adobe products are meant to offer a consistent brand experience, but each one also tells a unique story, showcasing the latest in illustration and design through collaboration with Studio team artists. Adobe’s team expanded the artwork’s size, adjusting its specs back to 2019 dimensions to create a more immersive user experience. The Adobe wordmark in red stands beside the product name in black, emphasizing the connection between Adobe and its creative community.

The Legacy and Future of Adobe Splash Screens

“What’s next?” is a question Adobe’s designers are always answering. With the 2025 Illustrator splash screen’s debut at Adobe MAX 2024, Adobe introduced the latest evolution in Creative Cloud. These splash screens remain essential touchpoints, showcasing new work, enhancing user experience, and connecting each user to Adobe’s creative network.

TRÜF’s “Weird Fishes” invites Illustrator users to think beyond the ordinary. It’s a nod to the creative possibilities the software enables, a tribute to digital and analog techniques, and a reminder that every creative journey begins with opening Adobe Illustrator.

This splash screen illustration is a subtle invitation for creatives to make the most of Illustrator’s tools and capabilities, setting the stage for inspired design from the moment they open the app.

Illustration artifacts

Pillow manufactured by Adobe. Photo courtesy of Adobe

Discover how amStudio’s branding and visual identity of Chooch captures authentic, handmade aesthetics for fashion accessories.

Chooch, formerly known as Flat Fifteen, has redefined its brand to better reflect its founder Francesca Kappo’s evolving vision. With the guidance of amStudio, this rebrand has transformed the brand’s identity from a broad handmade focus to one that is solely centered around fashion accessories. Chooch stands out with its playful name, unique backstory, and brand elements that weave together storytelling, imperfection, and tactile aesthetics.

The Meaning Behind “Chooch”

The rebranding from Flat Fifteen to Chooch came as Francesca Kappo shifted her focus. The name “Chooch” is personal, rooted in a nickname given to Francesca by her uncle. He also played a foundational role in the brand’s beginnings, supplying her first batch of deadstock fabrics from his 1990s fashion label. These fabrics continue to be a vital part of Chooch’s accessory designs today, emphasizing the brand’s commitment to sustainability and storytelling.

The name itself is more than just a rebranding—it’s a celebration of heritage and identity. Short, memorable, and fun to say, “Chooch” captures the playful spirit of the brand. As Alam Mohammed, founder of amStudio, notes, the name’s flexibility in pronunciation makes it a warm, approachable identity that consumers can connect with personally. This idea carried over to the logo design, where the doubled O’s have a playful, imperfect alignment, mirroring the brand’s handmade ethos.

Playful Imperfection: The Brand Identity

Alam Mohammed and his team at amStudio developed a brand identity for Chooch that prioritizes authenticity. Hand-painted illustrations are central to this, appearing across the brand’s packaging, website, and social media. This choice keeps the look grounded, tactile, and relatable, evoking the feel of handmade fashion. By maintaining this aesthetic, the brand sets itself apart in a market often dominated by hyper-polished digital imagery.

The branding extends beyond static visuals. Chooch’s social media and marketing leverage stop-motion animations, adding a dynamic yet still homemade feel. This use of motion emphasizes the brand’s accessible nature, where every element ties back to the concept of imperfection being perfectly beautiful. The stop-motion clips give life to the fashion accessories, highlighting the fun and creativity behind each product.

Chooch’s narrative goes deeper than playful design. By continuing to use deadstock fabrics, Francesca Kappo honors her roots and commits to a more sustainable future. The tactile branding elements mirror this philosophy, creating a seamless experience from the physical product to the digital space. The history of the materials and the personal touch behind the brand make each accessory more than just a fashion statement—they become a story in themselves.

The rebranding also came with strategic moves to elevate Chooch’s market presence. The bags are now featured at the Victoria and Albert Museum’s shop as part of the first-ever Naomi Campbell exhibition. This collaboration has not only introduced the brand to a wider audience but also solidified its standing as a contemporary, fashion-forward label. The exhibition has boosted Chooch’s brand awareness and increased its social media following, translating to more sales and a growing fan base.

The Chooch rebrand exemplifies a growing trend: the embrace of imperfection in design. By favoring hand-drawn illustrations, irregular alignments, and a conversational tone, amStudio has given the brand an inviting, human feel. This approach rejects the overly polished and instead celebrates the beauty of the handmade. It’s a move that resonates well in today’s world, where consumers value authenticity and transparency.

Chooch’s rebranding is a masterclass in how thoughtful design can reflect a brand’s core values. From its name rooted in personal history to its playful logo and tactile illustrations, Chooch stays true to its story. Alam Mohammed and the amStudio team have created a brand identity that isn’t just about looking good—it’s about feeling real, celebrating imperfections, and staying connected to tradition. As Chooch grows, its story continues to inspire, reminding us that the imperfect is often the most perfect of all.

Branding and visual identity artifacts

Discover ChainGPT Labs’ unique Web3 branding and web design with seamless 3D animations and a modern interface.

ChainGPT Labs stands as an ambitious venture, propelling innovation in the blockchain and Web3 startup world. A project backed by the ChainGPT team, this platform provides strategic funding, incubation, and acceleration services tailored for the Web3 ecosystem. To visually represent such a forward-thinking initiative, a distinctive and cohesive brand identity was crucial.

The design challenge was clear: introduce ChainGPT Labs as a part of the existing ChainGPT ecosystem while ensuring it had its unique presence. The team behind this creative endeavor adopted a strategy that balanced modernity with a recognizable brand connection.

Typeface Selection and Visual Cohesion

One of the design cornerstones is the typographic identity. The chosen typeface blends sleek, experimental, and monospace styles, reminiscent of sci-fi aesthetics yet grounded enough to maintain clarity. This combination brings a futuristic yet approachable vibe, mirroring ChainGPT Labs’ mission of bridging advanced technology with user-friendly design.

The website, crafted with a focus on interaction, features seamless 3D animations. These animations not only add depth but also engage users in an immersive digital experience. The modern, functional interface ensures smooth navigation while highlighting essential content. The design isn’t just about aesthetics; it delivers on usability, ensuring every visual element contributes to a cohesive narrative.

3D Animations: Bringing Ideas to Life

3D animation plays a pivotal role in elevating the digital experience. Each animation is thoughtfully integrated, making the browsing experience lively without compromising performance. These elements align with Web3’s ethos, suggesting a digital landscape that’s both dynamic and innovative.

Balancing Innovation and Brand Familiarity

Designers also needed to ensure that ChainGPT Labs felt like an extension of ChainGPT’s established identity. The visual ecosystem leans into bold aesthetics while subtly referencing familiar brand cues. Strategic use of color, shape, and layout ties the Labs’ identity back to its origins, achieving a harmonious balance between innovation and brand recognition.

Why It Matters for Design Enthusiasts

For graphic and interface designers, ChainGPT Labs offers an inspiring case study in brand expansion. The project exemplifies how visual elements can maintain brand consistency while pushing creative boundaries. This thoughtful integration of typography, 3D animation, and a user-focused interface marks a new chapter for digital design in the Web3 space.

For a full breakdown of the design elements, visit the work of Sigma Software Design at https://sigmasoftware.design/.

Visit the website at labs.chaingpt.org

Web design artifacts

Dive into the thoughtful editorial design of ‘EN TORNO A LA MATERNIDAD,’ crafted to resonate with themes of motherhood.

Pau Marín’s project, EN TORNO A LA MATERNIDAD, explores the essence of motherhood through a refined editorial design that merges visual storytelling with emotive impact. The design embodies the themes of care, strength, and the cycle of life, delivering a visual experience that’s as insightful as it is aesthetically appealing.

Design Approach and Concept

At the heart of this project lies a narrative-driven approach. Marín carefully crafted the layout to reflect the nuances of motherhood, using visual metaphors and deliberate design choices. The typographic elements are minimal yet impactful, guiding the reader’s eye through the content seamlessly. Serif and sans-serif typefaces interplay to emphasize the transitions between vulnerability and empowerment that define the maternal experience.

Photography plays a crucial role in this work, capturing tender moments that resonate with authenticity. Each image, strategically placed, adds layers of meaning, complementing the textual narrative. Marín’s ability to weave text and imagery together in a harmonious flow highlights the power of good editorial design to evoke emotions.

Layout and Visual Hierarchy

Marín’s layout decisions ensure readability while also inviting reflection. White space is used masterfully, giving the design room to breathe and allowing the reader to absorb the emotional weight of the content. The flow from one spread to the next feels intentional, never rushed, mirroring the natural rhythms of life.

The visual hierarchy emphasizes important sections, using bold headings and thoughtful subheadings. This structure not only aids in navigation but also underscores key messages without overwhelming the viewer. The balance between text, imagery, and negative space is a testament to Marín’s understanding of editorial design principles.

Thematic Consistency and Visual Metaphors

Colors in the project echo themes of nature and nurture, employing soft pastels and earth tones. These choices create a calming yet evocative palette that enhances the emotional resonance of the design. Visual metaphors, like the cyclical patterns in layouts, symbolize the never-ending cycles of care and love associated with motherhood.

For designers and illustrators, EN TORNO A LA MATERNIDAD serves as an inspiring example of how editorial design can amplify storytelling. The project encapsulates the emotional and cultural dimensions of its subject matter, offering a blueprint for blending design and narrative seamlessly.

Discover more about this project and Pau Marín’s impressive portfolio on Behance at behance.net/paumarn1.

Editorial design artifacts

Credits and thanks

• Fina Perelló Andreu
• Maria José Fuentes Perelló
• Nuria Fuentes Perelló
• Nuria Marín Fuentes
• Claudia Marín Penella
• Pablo Lázaro Ballester
• Diane Gello
• Irene Martinez De La Vega
• Andrea Peregrín Moreno
• Coribel Zubillaga García