Major Project I | Project
23/04/26 - 23/07/26 [ Week 1 - Week 14 ]
Nicco Chew Jin Xun (0366563)
Major Project I | Bachelor of Design (Hons) In Creative Media | Taylor's University
Tutor: Ms. Noranis
Table of contents
1. Instructions
4.
Feedback
5.
Reflection
Instructions
Project / Process Work
Where it started?
When Major Project I first began, I was interested in exploring the relationship between traditional Chinese culture and contemporary branding. Rather than creating another project that simply borrowed traditional visual elements such as calligraphy or Chinese patterns, I wanted to investigate how cultural values could be translated into a modern visual identity that felt meaningful instead of decorative.
My earliest proposal focused on the branding of a tea-related space. At that time, I was fascinated by ideas surrounding time, stillness and slow living. Tea culture naturally became my starting point because it represented a slower rhythm of life, something that felt increasingly absent within today's fast-paced environment. I imagined creating a contemporary tea brand that encouraged people to pause, reflect and reconnect with themselves.
However, after presenting the idea during consultation, my lecturer challenged me to think beyond aesthetics. Instead of simply designing around Chinese culture because it looked visually appealing, I was encouraged to ask myself why I wanted to explore this topic and what personal meaning it carried. The discussion made me realise that a successful branding project should begin with a strong concept rather than a visual style. I needed to identify a genuine problem worth solving before thinking about logos, packaging or colours.
Fig. 1. Discussion and feedback of week 1
Researching Traditional Herbal Sachets
Once I shifted away from the tea house concept, I began looking for another cultural object that could communicate calmness and emotional wellbeing. During this research process, I came across traditional Chinese herbal sachets, a practice that has existed for centuries but is becoming increasingly unfamiliar to younger generations.
The more I researched, the more I realised that herbal sachets were never simply decorative accessories. Traditionally, they were used as portable objects containing carefully selected herbs believed to calm the mind, regulate the body, improve focus and provide gentle natural fragrance. Despite this rich cultural history, they are now commonly perceived as something old-fashioned, medicinal or only associated with festivals such as the Dragon Boat Festival.
This contrast immediately interested me. While modern consumers actively purchase scented candles, perfumes, essential oils and aromatherapy products as part of their wellness routines, herbal sachets have gradually disappeared from everyday lifestyles. Rather than lacking value, they appeared to suffer from a branding problem. Their cultural relevance remained strong, yet the way they were presented no longer resonated with younger audiences.
To better understand this opportunity, I continued researching scent psychology, emotional wellbeing and contemporary wellness branding. I found that many existing fragrance brands focus heavily on aesthetics and ambience, while very few position scent as a functional tool for helping users regain focus or create moments of stillness throughout the day. At the same time, many wellness solutions had become increasingly digital through meditation apps, productivity tools and screen-based experiences. This highlighted an opportunity to create something physical, portable and screen-free that could quietly accompany users during their daily routines.
These findings gradually shaped the foundation of the project and helped transform what initially began as cultural research into a branding opportunity. Rather than preserving herbal sachets as historical objects, I wanted to reposition them as contemporary lifestyle products that could reconnect traditional Chinese culture with modern emotional wellbeing.
Gap Analysis
Logo Development
One of the biggest challenges throughout this project was finding a visual language that could balance traditional Chinese aesthetics with a contemporary branding approach. From the very beginning, I knew I did not want XUN to feel overly traditional, but I also wanted to avoid creating a logo that looked too modern or generic. My goal was to create an identity that respected its cultural roots while remaining relevant to a younger audience.
During the early exploration stage, I researched a variety of traditional Chinese visual elements, including seal carvings, window frames, architectural patterns, calligraphy, incense burners, and ornamental motifs. Rather than copying these elements directly, I studied their forms and proportions to understand what gave them a distinctly Chinese identity. At the same time, I looked at contemporary lifestyle brands to observe how simplicity, negative space, and clean geometry could create a more refined and timeless appearance.
One of the key decisions was using the Chinese character 薰as the foundation of the logo. Besides referring to fragrance and scented herbs, the character also has a personal connection, as it is the final character of my own Chinese name. This made the identity feel more meaningful and authentic, while also reinforcing the brand's focus on scent and emotional grounding.
Instead of presenting the character in a standard typeface, I explored different ways of reconstructing its strokes into a graphic symbol. Some early sketches stayed very close to traditional seal script, making the logo feel historical but lacking a contemporary lifestyle appeal. Other explorations simplified the strokes too much, resulting in a cleaner appearance but losing the cultural character that I wanted to preserve.
I also experimented with incorporating botanical illustrations into the logo, such as lavender branches growing around the seal. Although these versions communicated the brand's herbal aspect more directly, they eventually felt too decorative and limited the logo's versatility across applications. After testing the logo on packaging, stationery, and promotional materials, I realised that a simpler symbol would create a much stronger and more consistent identity. The final logo is a seal-inspired silhouette references traditional Chinese craftsmanship, while the simplified linework and symmetrical structure give it a cleaner and more contemporary appearance.
Fig. 6. Final Logo (PDF)
Texture Experiment
One of the visual characteristics I wanted to achieve throughout this project was a tactile, handcrafted quality that could not be replicated through flat digital graphics alone. Although the branding system was created digitally, I wanted every application to evoke the feeling of traditional Chinese paper, printed materials, and aged textures. This became the starting point for a series of texture experiments conducted primarily in Adobe Photoshop.
I began by searching references from traditional Chinese paper, rice paper, old books, handmade stationery, and historical printed materials. What interested me most was not the paper itself, but the imperfections found on these surfaces. Small fibres, grain, ink absorption, uneven edges, and subtle colour variations all contributed to a sense of warmth and authenticity that is often absent in purely digital design.
To recreate these qualities, I experimented with multiple Adobe Photoshop & Illustrator techniques instead of relying on a single texture overlay. Different blending modes, opacity adjustments, grain effects, and paper scans were layered together to gradually build depth within the compositions. Rather than making the texture highly visible, I intentionally kept the effects subtle so that they would enhance the overall atmosphere without distracting from the typography or illustrations.
Fig. 7. Experimenting progress in photoshop
Another important experiment involved transforming photographic references into simplified line illustrations. I used Photoshop's Find Edges filter together with Threshold adjustments to reduce botanical photographs into clean black-and-white outlines. This process allowed me to capture the organic characteristics of each plant while producing a graphic result that could later be refined in Adobe Illustrator.
Graphics Elements & Illustration Development
To strengthen the visual identity of XUN, I developed a series of custom graphic elements instead of relying on stock illustrations or decorative assets. I wanted every supporting visual element to feel intentional and connected to the overall concept.
The illustrations were inspired by both the ingredients found in traditional herbal sachets and the atmosphere surrounding Chinese cultural aesthetics. I illustrated herbs such as lavender( 薰衣草), mugwort (艾草), and osmanthus (桂花), as these plants not only represent the natural ingredients commonly associated with herbal sachets but also reinforce the sensory experience of scent throughout the brand.
Besides botanical illustrations, I also created a collection of supporting graphic elements including ink brush strokes, abstract mountain silhouettes, flowing incense smoke, and hand-painted textures. Rather than functioning as decorative motifs, these elements help establish the quiet and contemplative mood of the brand. The brush strokes reference traditional Chinese ink painting, while the flowing smoke graphics subtly visualise the movement of fragrance as it disperses through space. The mountain forms symbolise stillness, balance, and a return to nature, reinforcing the brand philosophy of "A Quiet Return to Focus."
Throughout the illustration process, I intentionally simplified each element into a clean vector style. Instead of producing highly detailed or realistic drawings, I focused on reducing every illustration to its essential forms. This allowed all of the graphics to remain visually consistent while integrating seamlessly across different branding applications, including posters, packaging, stationery, hanging tags, and promotional materials.
Looking Ahead to Major Project II
Although Major Project I establishes the core foundation of XUN, the project is far from complete. Moving into Major Project II, the brand will continue to evolve through further refinement, experimentation, and expansion. Several visual elements, including the packaging system, digital experience, and brand applications, will be revisited and improved based on the feedback received throughout this semester and more.
Rather than treating the current outcome as a finished solution, I see it as the beginning of a larger branding journey. My goal is to continue refining every detail so that XUN can grow into a more complete, cohesive, and immersive lifestyle brand.
Final Compilation
Fig. 16. Final Mockups
Fig. 17. Proposal Presentation
Fig. 18. Final Presentation
Feedback
Fig. 19. Project Management Document (PDF)
Reflection
Experience
Developing XUN has been one of the most challenging yet rewarding design experiences I have undertaken. At the beginning of Major Project I, my direction was still uncertain. Throughout the semester, the project constantly evolved. Many ideas that I initially believed were successful were later reconsidered after testing them across different applications or receiving feedback from my lecturer. The logo, typography, packaging, and supporting graphic elements all went through multiple rounds of exploration before reaching their current form. Instead of treating revisions as setbacks, I gradually learned to see them as an essential part of the design process. Every iteration helped me better understand how branding is built through consistency, intention, and careful decision-making rather than isolated visual outcomes.
Observation
Findings
Through this project, I found that effective branding is ultimately about creating meaningful connections rather than simply designing attractive visuals. XUN began as an exploration of traditional Chinese herbal sachets, but gradually evolved into a lifestyle brand centred around focus, emotional grounding, and everyday rituals. This transformation was only possible because research, experimentation, and continuous refinement remained central throughout the design process.
I also found that traditional culture possesses tremendous potential for contemporary design when approached thoughtfully. Instead of preserving cultural practices exactly as they existed in the past, designers have the opportunity to reinterpret them in ways that resonate with modern audiences while respecting their original values. This approach became the foundation of XUN, allowing traditional Chinese herbal culture to be repositioned within a contemporary branding context.
Looking ahead to Major Project II, I recognise that the current outcome represents a strong foundation rather than a final destination. There are still many opportunities to further refine the packaging system, develop more immersive brand experiences, and expand the digital presence of the brand. Moving forward, I hope to continue strengthening every aspect of XUN, transforming it into a more complete and cohesive lifestyle brand while maintaining the balance between traditional Chinese culture and contemporary visual communication that has guided the project from the very beginning.
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