Multiple digital art pieces and illustrations, including a woman in traditional attire, abstract portraits, nature scenes, and stylized graphics.

Abstract

"Abstract" is a deck of 52 cards that uses imagery and words to bring form to symbolic ideas; words from various global cultures that describe phenomena and logic that English has no word for. Prompting the player with open-ended cards and combos, this deck can be used to unclog the mind and allow someone to aggregate their abstract thoughts into solid sentiments that others can respond to. Abstract is also a test of creating narratives - storytelling is a powerful skill anyone can possess and with regular use, these cards can prevent that skill from ever atrophying. 

Role: Graphic Designer, Illustrator

Team: Graduate Studies (Carnegie Mellon University)

Timeline: 3 months

Tools: Adobe After Effects/Photoshop/Illustrator/Indesign

Inspiration +
Art Direction

Various blogs and articles online were scoured for foreign words that define concepts that are intangible, such as Saudade (Portuguese for the love that remains after someone is gone), Mokita (a term from Papau New Guinea for a truth everyone knows but refuses to talk about), and Kaukokaipuu (Finnish for homesickness for a place you have never been to). Images that try to put form to these terms were made into cards; some were illustrated by myself, others were created as mixed media pieces.

A collection of various digital art pieces and illustrations.
A collection of various digital art pieces and illustrations.
Collection of tarot and illustrated cards with text, imagery of a person with plants, a girl meditating, and a forest scene.
A collection of tarot cards with poems and questions about love, beauty, memories, and personal reflections, each card in a purple gradient background.
A collection of six different illustrated cards featuring various artwork styles, including a woman in traditional attire, abstract blue and pink brushstrokes, a black and white sketch of a figure with long hair, a night sky with star trails, a black and white sketch of a person with tree roots or hair, and a cartoonish scene with characters and an exclamation point.
Various bookmarks and artwork on a wooden table.
Photo of several postcards or photographs spread out on a wooden surface, including a cartoon image of a surprised fox on a bright yellow background.
Two women sitting at a table in a room with large windows. One woman has dark hair and glasses, the other has long dark hair. The table has books, pamphlets, a laptop, a coffee cup, and a pink water bottle.

Usability
Testing

With a sample size of roughly ten, our team performed A/B testing to get a sense of how people use Abstract; do they get more out of it with a hands-off experience, or one that is more structured? Additionally, insights were gathered identifying the kind of guided experience users responded to the most positively. The data manifested themselves into a lot of changes and additions, including splitting the deck into art and word cards, developing a journal/worksheet for guided use, and a digital mobile product to further support the deck.

App Design

Sketch of three children looking up with a large abstract humanoid figure behind them, overlaid with a logo and the word 'ABSTRACT' on a mobile app login screen.
Digital illustration of a traditional Asian tea or hot water basin with floating bubbles, decorative patterns at the bottom, and a teapot or kettle in the background, accompanied by text about introspection and decision making.
Mobile app screen showing a calendar for September with selected dates from September 5 to 17, and an option to flip to a journal entry with a 'Continue' button.

Keeping an Inspiration Journal

The app tracks journal entries and cards used that inspire that particular entry, serving as a structured way for designers to engage creatively in their day to day routines.

A black and white sketch of a tall, shadowy figure with a bird-like head, wings, and sharp features, towering over three children. The children look up, with one showing surprise and another appearing curious or concerned.
A mobile app screen showing a gallery of digital artwork. The central piece features a person in a pink kimono with dark hair, sitting on a blue mat, holding a cup, with a white cat nearby and yellow light beams. Other art pieces include a black and white sketch of a girl with exaggerated hair, children looking at a large creature, a cartoon fish with an exclamation mark, and a stylized character with a beard surrounded by abstract lines.
Mobile app screen showing a background of star trails and a silhouette of a house with lit windows, a campfire, and logs, with a section about camera permissions for app functionality.

Collecting Cards

Not all cards are unlocked in the beginning; players experience new cards over time with each one expanding on a new cultural concept.