My Role
Brand Identity
Visual Identity
UX/UI Design
Illustration
Product Design
Tools
Figma
Illustrator
Procreate
Photoshop
BookBud, is a revolution in book reading applications, reimagining every aspect of the reading experience, from aesthetics to functionality, to bring users a truly exceptional platform. As a result of passion for reading and commitment to making things simpler, more enjoyable, and aesthetically pleasing - they’ve created a space where book lovers can come together and explore literature in ways never seen before. BookBud is more than an app; it's a vibrant community. Offering engaging reading challenges to spark literary adventures, book clubs to foster connections with fellow readers, and opportunities to build lasting friendships through shared love for books. Where other reading apps fall short, BookBud rises above.
This project aimed to revitalize BookBud. Research and defining core values (Functional, Welcoming, Personalized) established the foundation for the brand's visual identity. This included selecting vibrant colors, typefaces (Unbounded Medium, Montserrat), crafting the logo, and designing the app for desktop and mobile. The guiding principle was simplicity, in line with the client's vision, adding fun through illustrations and badges. The goal: prioritize books, enhance reading experiences, and encourage more reading. The result blends a passion for books and design, delivering the pure joy of reading in a user-friendly, visually appealing manner.
The client stressed the need to avoid a too literal logo design, especially in overemphasizing the book element, given the name already contains ’book.’ Using ’Unbounded’ was an intuitive choice. The letter ’B’ subtly suggests a book opening up for reading, maintaining a clean and readable aesthetic. Both the logo and mark have softened edges, reflecting the welcoming core value. The primary logo color, deep teal, is adaptable to various brand colors as needed.
The desktop and mobile applications held paramount importance for the client, with a strong emphasis on aesthetics and user experience. Usability was a top priority, achieved through research, discussions with the client, and iterative design. Many similar apps had functional foundations but suffered from excessive complexity in information presentation
To maintain a consistent visual identity, brand colors were sparingly used to highlight crucial elements, including navigation tabs (e.g., Home, My Library, Community, Bestsellers, Popular, etc.) and within illustrations, progress bars, and buttons. Areas like the splash page, login, and signup were pivotal for the client, emphasizing user-friendly accessibility and a welcoming environment.
In the list section, users categorize preferences as ‘Want To Read,’ ‘Currently Reading,’ or ‘Finished.’ I simplified the process, aligning it with the brand’s aesthetic, providing a straightforward popup menu with textual cues and relevant illustrations for clarity.
Through the discover process the client also mentioned the possibility of branded items that could eventually be either purchased online or included in some sort of membership. Book bags, cozy sweatshirts and bookmarks were undoubtedly on the list of items to include.
