Graphic Design: Japanese Candy Packaging and Animal-Themed Graphics
Hello from Friday morning! Yesterday I visited a Japanese candy shop for kids. The shop specialized in selling candy that was popular when my parents' generation was young, so a lot of the candy I saw was rare. I love the vintage feel of the candy labels. I also love the bright, bubbly colors and cute look of all the packaging. I think I saw some of my favorite graphics that day in the candy shop!
Part of the reason why I chose to explore graphic design here in Japan was because I love the fun, animated, cutesy quality of a lot of Japanese graphics. These candy boxes are a perfect example of that. They aren't afraid of printing fun, bright colors in Japan, which is a key element of the 'cute' look. I'm not sure if it's because it's cheaper to print with brighter and more colorful ink here than in the States, but I've noticed that the colors of just about everything here are richer and pop more. This photo doesn't quite do it justice, but in person, the colors are deep and luxurious. My eyes, used to the duller (cheaper) ink in the States really gravitated towards these bright colors. Sure, we see plenty of vibrant colors on screen or in clothing, but there is something really special about seeing them in print.
Another key element to the 'cutesy' look is to put animated animal characters everywhere! I love the distinct qualities of Japanese animal characters that make them so loveable-- distorted, giant eyes, simple shapes, blushing cheeks, and always a cute, happy expression. These cute qualities, known colloquially as 'kawaii', are apparent not only in graphic design, but in every aspect of Japanese culture, often showing up in consumer goods and advertising. Everyone takes part in the cute culture, not only children. But this is all no surprise given that Japan is where Hello Kitty and Pokemon originated. Here are some more examples of animal-themed.....everything:
I also love the Japanese characters transformed into squishy bubble letters. Japanese characters themselves are beautiful, with their intricate and delicate strokes. The pairing of two distinctly Japanese design elements--the gorgeous traditional characters with the kawaii-style bubble quality-- is so eye-catching and beautiful to look at.
Another element of Japanese graphics that I've noticed are rainbow gradients.
Here are some more examples from http://gurafiku.tumblr.com/, one of my favorite Japanese graphic design blogs.
I'm off to Harajuku today, so I'll no doubt have more to say on the topic of the 'cute culture' soon!
Another key element to the 'cutesy' look is to put animated animal characters everywhere! I love the distinct qualities of Japanese animal characters that make them so loveable-- distorted, giant eyes, simple shapes, blushing cheeks, and always a cute, happy expression. These cute qualities, known colloquially as 'kawaii', are apparent not only in graphic design, but in every aspect of Japanese culture, often showing up in consumer goods and advertising. Everyone takes part in the cute culture, not only children. But this is all no surprise given that Japan is where Hello Kitty and Pokemon originated. Here are some more examples of animal-themed.....everything:
I also love the Japanese characters transformed into squishy bubble letters. Japanese characters themselves are beautiful, with their intricate and delicate strokes. The pairing of two distinctly Japanese design elements--the gorgeous traditional characters with the kawaii-style bubble quality-- is so eye-catching and beautiful to look at.
Another element of Japanese graphics that I've noticed are rainbow gradients.
Here are some more examples from http://gurafiku.tumblr.com/, one of my favorite Japanese graphic design blogs.
I'm off to Harajuku today, so I'll no doubt have more to say on the topic of the 'cute culture' soon!
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