Surreal Seasons – Design Framework

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TOGETHER WITH SURREAL / SUMMER 2023

Hey! This is Artem & Artem.

You are now watching our new case study, which covers a 1.5-month collaboration between us and Surreal — a go-to app for everything on-chain. In June 2023, the team at Surreal reached out to us asking if we could help them connect all the separated identity components into a versatile brand system that would cover their communication channels and influence the design of the product.

We have previously done this type of work and understand that connecting brand, product, communication, and other aspects of design culture into one logical, brand-driven system can be challenging. Fortunately, our past experience has led us to an idea of a Seasonal Design Framework - a methodology we have been working on for some time already. And yes, it seemed just the right thing to offer, adjust, and implement for Surreal's case.

In a few words, Seasonal Design Framework is a two-dimensional design language that consists of CORE, an evolving functional foundation used for default communication and product design, and SEASON, a temporary inspirational layer above it.

To make it work we’ve immersed ourselves into Surreal’s processes and internal culture, hewing away all the odd for CORE and going beyond creative borders for SEASON (BETA).

The 45-page document above and dozens of examples below are meant to give you the ultimate picture of what this is all about and why we think it does makes sense (even if it doesn't).

For logical purposes and in order to highlight the differences and similarities between CORE and SEASON layers, we've divided the following pictures in two sections. Bless you, stranger.

01 CORE