COMOTION 2025 PITCH RHYTHM

ROLE
Creative Director

SERVICES
Art Direction · Graphic Design · IIlustration

TOOLKIT
Photoshop · Illustrator · Cinema 4D · Houdini

CREDIT
Creative Directors
Junjie Pan · Chaoran Xu

3D Artists
Wei-Lin Lai · Yichen Shi

YEAR
2024

This is a collaborative pitch project we created for COMOTION 2025. For this year's visual direction, we wanted to build a brand new experience that differentiates from previous successful COMOTION events. COMOTION 2025 will center around the theme of rhythm, aiming to showcase the unseen structures that shape our daily lives. It will highlight the beauty of everyday order and the inherent rhythms governing our world, revealing the harmony and patterns often unnoticed in life's flow.

Concept Development

During the initial phase, my partner Chao and I began by collecting visual inspiration (not style references) that resonated with us—ranging from everyday observations to Pinterest boards and library archives. As we compiled our inspirations, we identified overlapping themes that naturally aligned. Through multiple rounds of discussion and brainstorming, we ultimately refined our focus and settled on "rhythm" as the core conceptual foundation for the project.

Sketches & Visual Exploration & Storyboarding

To embody the essence of rhythm, we engaged in freeform sketching and spontaneous doodling—exploring structural frameworks and logo iterations that balanced clarity with dynamic flow. Our goal was a composition that felt both clean and pulsating with rhythm.

Once the foundational layout felt cohesive, we introduced key conceptual elements into these frameworks, carefully composing them to achieve visual harmony while preserving the energetic cadence at the core of our vision.

Logo Development

For the COMOTION 2025 logo, our goal was to distill the essence of rhythm into a singular, dynamic mark—one that pulses with fluidity and kinetic energy. Even in its static form, the logo should visually suggest movement, allowing viewers to instantly envision its animated potential.

We prioritized:

Fluidity & Motion – Using curved geometries and balanced asymmetry to imply a natural, organic flow.
Structural Uniqueness – Crafting a distinctive form that remains memorable yet adaptable.
Clean Execution – Ensuring clarity and scalability across all applications.

Through iterative sketching and refinement, we arrived at a design that breathes rhythm—where every line and negative space harmonizes to create a visual cadence.

Color Scheme Experiment

We focused heavily on the audience's experience when engaging with our visuals, and color plays an essential role in shaping emotions and perceptions. For the color scheme, we aimed to develop a palette that works not only for the title sequence but also functions as a versatile brand identity. To align with the rhythm concept, we experimented extensively to craft colors that feel both calming and uplifting.

Font Choice

Within our visual system, typography serves as a fundamental medium for shaping rhythm and emotion. We deliberately selected Ninna for its exceptional balance of structural precision and fluid dynamism—a quality that directly manifests our 'rhythm' concept in typographic form. Complementing this, Riviera Nights provides restrained yet purposeful contrast, maintaining system integrity while ensuring dynamic visual cadence.

Visual Refinement Process

To better convey the intended experience to our audience, we meticulously refined every frame—fine-tuning color tones and visual hierarchy—resulting in significant improvements over the original version.

Special Thanks (Chao’s cat - Sharpay)

For Chao and me, this pitch was a truly special experience. We wanted to leave a meaningful mark during our time at SCAD, and that was the main motivation behind dedicating ourselves to creating a pitch for COMOTION 2025. As passionate designers, we learned so much throughout this process—how to collaborate, push boundaries, and, most importantly, how to accept loss and move on. Even if we didn’t get the chance to direct this year’s COMOTION, we are still incredibly proud of ourselves and this project.

Pitch Presentation

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