Using AI to enhance my creative process.
Client: Self-initiated project
Role: Brand & identity design / Copywriting / AI image generation and editing
The background
The advancement in artificial intelligence since 2022 has been remarkable. This project showcases my approach to creatively enhancing visual storytelling and content ideation using this innovative technology.
This self-initiated, experimental project explores the visual identity of a fictional medicinal mushroom product and is inspired by the rise of medicinal cannabis brands and the docu-series 'Fantastic Fungi'.
The challenge
The challenge was developing and positioning the product as an active supplement to enhance cognitive function, mental health and overall well-being, in opposition to stereotypical perceptions of magic mushrooms and their misuse.
I developed the name, tone, brand vision and attributes below to help guide my decision-making and creative direction…
Brand vision:
We are higher being. We aim to transform how people approach mental health, cognitive enhancement, and personal well-being. We believe in the power of medicinal mushrooms and aim to create a future where balance, creativity, and improved mental function are within everyone's reach. By cultivating a connection to the higher being within each individual, we seek to unlock a profound level of self-awareness and potential. Our commitment to expertise, credibility, and innovative solutions empowers our community to transcend ordinary limits, achieving unparalleled heights of natural health and well-being.
Brand attributes:
Enhancement: Empowering individuals to elevate their cognitive and emotional well-being through scientifically backed, natural solutions.
Balance: Promoting harmony between mind, body, and environment, our products are designed to restore and maintain your internal equilibrium.
Creativity: Inspiring a surge of innovation and imagination, our offerings unlock the creative potential inherent in everyone.
Expertise: Rooted in decades of research and a deep understanding of medicinal mushrooms, our team brings unparalleled knowledge to the development of every product.
Credibility: Building trust through transparency, rigorous testing, and consistent results, we establish our reputation as a leader in the field of natural health supplements.
The process
My process is based on a discovery and research phase that helps me understand how to translate brand attributes or insights into an identity visually. Reference boards help answer questions like ‘What typographic tone balances creativity and credibility?’ or ‘What cues should the brandmark adopt?’
With a direction forming, I used MidJourney to develop and experiment quickly with an extensive array of imagery.
The serendipitous nature of describing reference imagery and rolling with the output prompts allows various new aesthetic styles to surface and be experimented with.
The key is to have a destination in mind but to let the journey be experimental. With this aesthetic, I aimed for an elevated, organic state of ‘higher being’.
The image below shows the reference image in the top left and the ensuing experiments that lead to developing a brand aesthetic.
After establishing a visual aesthetic, I created a consistent library of images of people in an elevated, blissful, flow state, and blended these with intricate mushroom gills and organic forms. Using MidJourney to develop and experiment quickly with an extensive array of imagery has dramatically enhanced my creative process.
I designed a simple brand mark by combining a mushroom with a third eye, which speaks to the product's elevated vision and focus benefits. I then paired my typography using a creatively playful display font to create recall with an unconventional sans-serif that feels balanced and contemporary. A monospaced font helps bring a credible, scientific edge to the packaging. A colour palette derived from the MidJourney visuals brings consistency and an elevated, ethereal feel to the identity.
I developed all messaging and branded design elements as part of this self-initiated project. The experience taught me how to develop consistent visuals and adapt my process further to incorporate AI into my creative ideation and exploration process.