![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a6e2cb1752c68c265de0c69656d4d3b2/79959bd6-e13f-48de-b60e-bf56dc7dbc20_rw_1920.png?h=c16a88c1cc0bc9ec40987c428ae82524)
role.
Designer
classification.
Creative Direction / Packaging Design
/ Branding / Illustration
kawaii cafe.
For my senior thesis, I was required to develop a brand of my choosing. Inspired by the Kawaii culture in Japan and my niece's love of cats and the color pink: my goal was to create an environment similar to the Hello Kitty Grande Cafe in Irvine, CA. Kawaii Cafe is based on the character of my creation: Saku. He's a pink cat who works as a pastry chef in his patisserie. The following are some of the assets created for this project.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a6e2cb1752c68c265de0c69656d4d3b2/54bebab6-7244-456b-9ef6-a868e0a2fcd6_rw_1920.gif?h=c7f56613898e34319369d225896ced55)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a6e2cb1752c68c265de0c69656d4d3b2/c4ac3d26-1141-4f14-a48a-823a1e288e68_rw_1200.png?h=544b5d783cd5e19b5927850eb021e920)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a6e2cb1752c68c265de0c69656d4d3b2/60a6ba7b-e72e-4123-922d-f5107ec2a50d_rw_1200.png?h=3d207bae37ee6cce17aa84945e7051d0)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a6e2cb1752c68c265de0c69656d4d3b2/1d2d1cd7-c482-4e50-a028-69f6792ea84a_rw_1200.png?h=7b72ef03ec7f69204b92ca4e0d352a0b)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a6e2cb1752c68c265de0c69656d4d3b2/bdb942d5-1ed4-4e1e-94d2-162248b0dc51_rw_1920.png?h=ab6aafb26504d647b3c6271801d09348)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a6e2cb1752c68c265de0c69656d4d3b2/9e11c536-3ac0-4c36-964d-bf7774540834_rw_1920.png?h=b1ee4e6d52d79934d7bc2038f9880ead)
character design.
The look I had in mind for the character was straightforward: round and cute. After creating the cat's general body shape, I explored several facial expressions and sketched out various food items to go along with the cafe branding. After that, I refined my designs and went into production.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a6e2cb1752c68c265de0c69656d4d3b2/43a761ca-4922-4104-a4a3-210e6d088cfb_rw_1920.png?h=87f4322783aee758308dc0118e87f2b2)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a6e2cb1752c68c265de0c69656d4d3b2/3fe274a4-8ebb-4ba6-b69f-a6874e2cb163_rw_1200.png?h=79aa73760c6060b7e1ef86873646362f)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a6e2cb1752c68c265de0c69656d4d3b2/0958112a-00dc-4b45-8f03-aa2b7354ca16_rw_1920.png?h=85baeed60ebcf83ea742ea0e5776b0f3)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a6e2cb1752c68c265de0c69656d4d3b2/2f392339-a74b-4791-8d72-21ac39945ef2_rw_3840.jpg?h=b0a01f2fb7768461c4137edff0f5ea5d)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a6e2cb1752c68c265de0c69656d4d3b2/c37be937-729d-48c8-8550-357a503a92e0_rw_1920.jpg?h=07fe3cd4e0b78592521daa23d98f12ba)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a6e2cb1752c68c265de0c69656d4d3b2/33663f82-24aa-4706-8c77-399b00832181_rw_1920.jpg?h=bf1fe3c719fba485fce23d0bdc9cbbed)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a6e2cb1752c68c265de0c69656d4d3b2/e63e996c-a41a-4ec8-a336-1545fbdea323_rw_1920.gif?h=dbb66061c8cb34a626f4faf67ca5130f)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a6e2cb1752c68c265de0c69656d4d3b2/66dfa3a3-838f-4601-8ed6-5d918c00ee4b_rw_1920.jpg?h=28b1df2319caeca45b1203c65807a677)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a6e2cb1752c68c265de0c69656d4d3b2/dd3108fa-f059-47dc-a3aa-d56168363416_rw_1200.gif?h=351f4df83e2e5f2c15c69aedc22c73ee)