BLOCKED BOX
branding | packaging | illustration | type animation
| stop-motion | screen printing
For my thesis project, I researched the relation and significance that play, and its mindset has on creativity. Through this research, I discovered that play allows space for mistakes, trial and error, and exploration without pressure or consequences. Young children approach novel tasks in terms of play and their output is often highly original. As we grow up there is a loss of play and an increase in fear of failure. Through research and application, play, and its influence on mindset, divergent thinking, and perspective alteration ultimately increases creativity levels.
I have taken this research on play, it’s mindset, and its effect on creativity and applied it to creatives, in an attempt to fix creative blocks that designers experience in their work. For a design professional, a creative block or being stuck in a conventional mindset is not just discouraging but has the potential to affect a creative career.
That is why I created Blocked Box, a tool for designers to play with to dislodge the user from a conventional state of mind. This kit is a creative catalyst for inspiration when stuck on a project. Put your projects aside and step into a play mindset with Blocked Box, that allows space for mistakes, trial & error, and exploration without consequences.
THE PHYSICAL
EXHIBITION
I chose to screen print the packaging of kit for multiple reasons. First, I wanted a tactile feel to the kit, because of plays association with hands-on learning and the kit’s physical mediums for play. Second, I wanted a high level of vibrancy, ink for screen printing is applied thicker than compared to digital printing leading to brighter colors even on darker materials. Lastly, I wanted to utilize the customization aspects of screen printing which allowed me to print on different materials, as well as insure the correct color outcomes with hand mixing and testing.
LOGOTYPE
& LOGO
The name blocked box comes from three concepts, a creative block, “thinking outside of the box”, as well as the kits form, a box. These concepts also inspired both the logo and logotype.
In the logotype The placement of the ED in blocked is not only on the side of the form to make the box shape but also was arranged there to insinuate a turning the corner both literally and figuratively to becoming unblocked.
The X in box is used on all components within the kit as a logo and is a critical part of the branding. The X logo was formed by meshing a 3-d box with an X to make this branding element.
ILLUSTRATION
& COLOR
The illustration featured on many of the kit’s components is inspired by neurons firing in the brain. This firing of neurons is hopefully what is happening with the use of Blocked Box and shows creativity flowing.
Representing the brand are three bright colors, purple, red, and blue, chosen to wake up the user and inspire creative output. These colors are also paired with white, black, and brown cardboard/cardstock that is used for much on the packaging.
THE CARD
SETS
Blocked box use is centered around three sets of cards, when paired together lead to design prompts for the user to explore.
The first card set is Design Principles. Visual design relies on design elements as guidelines for good design. This card set makes the user think about, negative space usage, texture, scale, hierarchy and more.
The second card set is “what would X do.” This card set features people from influential celebrities, to artists, to movie or cartoon characters. This card set is all about getting out of your mindset. If you don’t know someone or their characteristics on the card check the cheat sheet for a list of each person’s descriptions.
The third card set is Mediums. Because of play’s hands-on based history. This kit provides the user with physical mediums for exploration. These mediums include clay, scissors, colored paper, markers with a thick and thin-tipped side, a pen, a stencil, a spirograph set, scratchboard, and pipe cleaners. Some of the cards do prompt you to use design mediums that are not provided in the Blocked Box kit, like a pencil, found objects, and some adobe creative suites including, Illustrator, InDesign, After Effects, and Photoshop.
By pairing one card from each set you have a new design prompt to play and explore, with the parameters that the cards provide.
Escape a conventional mindset.
Release that fear of failure and make space for mistakes.
Increase your divergent thinking and perspective alteration abilities.
Turn the corner from having a block to having been blocked.
BREAK THROUGH CREATIVE BLOCKS WITH BLOCKED BOX AND JUST PLAY.