Bark Point is a fictional mobile application I created to fulfill an Introduction to Graphic Design assignment at Boston College. If one day developed, the app would serve as a centralized database for pet caretakers to track the daily activities, appointments, and medical needs of their pets.
Creative Exploration
Exploration for Bark Point's branding and core iconography began with simple iterations of canine forms to reflect the dog-centered purpose of the app as well as it's fun and easy-to-use characteristics. Beginning with many overlapping circles with diameters corresponding to Fibonacci numbers (thus satisfying the golden ratio), the initial character was formed.
Converting these exploratory shapes and characters into app-sized, readable, and recognizable icons required a variety of simplifications and iterations. Each version differed in terms of complexity and cartoon-like quality based off of both the initial sketches using Fibonacci circles and dog photographs found online. Icons at this stage also began to draw on Bark Point's essential informational purposes with the inclusion of the location icon throughout iterations.
Design Solutions
The foundation of the fictionalized Bark Point brand lies in utilizing seamless design to centralize pet care in an intuitive way. Therefore, an extremely limited bold-but-simple color palette was carried through from initial designs to mirror the agility and ease of the Bark Point app. Furthermore, iconography that combines canine and map features add a small element of whimsy to the brand's identity, reminding users that collaborative pet care can be both straightforward and fun. Elements of the nose and mouth were greatly simplified from previous designs, while the contour of the nose was widened and given a slight gradient shine to polish and clarify these intentions.
Effective iconography may then be integrated into a phone's home screen, or showcased alone. The nose element of the icon was used to create an even more streamlined lockup for a clean look that is complimented by copy and original feature icons in the final informational page.
