I created this ident for LAPO - a multi-disciplinary space in Lisbon functioning as a café, bar, restaurant, venue, and shop - this podcast intro translates the brand's mindfulness ethos into a continuous, flowing visual loop. Working directly with co-founder Bruna Lapo Guerreiro's illustration logo, the piece builds a tactile metamorphosis where static brand elements morph seamlessly into one another - from abstract forms and symbolic objects like a knight's helmet and open book to a delicate butterfly - before settling into the core identity and closing on their guiding philosophy, 'alimento para a alma' (food for the soul).
Morphing the Identity
Visually, the piece draws heavy inspiration from South American folk art and traditional woodcut prints - defined by thick, bold line work and high-contrast graphic shapes. The challenge was taking those stark, static forms and giving them a fluid kinetic rhythm. Using frame-by-frame animation, every transition was drawn to feel like a natural metamorphosis, letting shapes unspool and stretch into the next object without losing their bold graphic weight.
To balance the floaty, dreamlike pace of the animation, I built a custom sound design using strictly acoustic, non-digital Foley effects - avoiding synthesisers or digital keyboards entirely. Relying on real-world, natural sounds gave the visuals a grounding contrast, giving every morph and shift a tactile sense of weight and physical presence.
From Sketchbook to Storyboard
Early notebook thumbnails explored pure shape and form before mapping out the structure.
The first storyboard was simple - just a head cycling through light and shadow like an eclipse. Realising it needed more narrative weight, we expanded the sequence around Antonio’s core themes: warriors, knowledge, and the butterfly. Taking those ink sketches into structured storyboards allowed us to map out the fluid transformations before animation.
