OpenNyAI Makerspace — Branding and visual identity

OpenNyAI Makerspace is an initiative bringing together developers, designers, and domain experts to build AI solutions for India's legal and civic challenges. For the Kochi 2023 edition, I led the visual direction translating a technically dense space into something warm, approachable, and inviting to first-time participants.

The brief was to make AI feel less intimidating and more like a playground. I leaned into an illustrative, hand-drawn aesthetic, soft pastels, watercolor textures, and dreamlike compositions to position the makerspace as a space of exploration rather than expertise. The central motif of a floating, symbol-covered cube with figures orbiting around it became a recurring visual anchor: the idea that AI is a puzzle being solved collectively, in motion, with room for everyone.

My Role End-to-end visual design across:

Brand identity and illustration system

Social media graphics and content templates

Web banners and event landing page visuals

Presentation decks and speaker slides

Event collateral — posters, standees, ID cards, signage, and on-ground print materials

Short-form video assets and motion graphics

What I'm proud of Building a cohesive illustrated world that could stretch across formats from a 6-foot standee to an Instagram story without losing its softness or character. The illustration system gave the event a distinct personality in a category that usually defaults to grids, gradients, and stock tech imagery.

'Food for thought' presentation slides, designed as a quiet moment within the event narrative.