Julia Marchowska - Near

Black Dragon takes over Bangkok

Near, a blockchain platform, needed an animated promo to announce their presence at an industry event in Bangkok. We decided on an art direction that simultaneously addresses the modernity of the client's industry and traditional Asian art. How did it turn out?

Hand-Drawn Animation & Character Design

Animating a dragon is a dream come true for any fan of Asian animation. To be inspired by Spirited Away? Couldn't ask for a better reference!

For this animation, we had to refine the client's mascot. A quick research on Asian dragons, their symbolic differences and representations, and it was clear - we'd be using a Japanese dragon - three-toed. The Japanese black dragon symbolizes knowledge and experience. Sounds much better than the symbolism of the Chinese black dragon, i.e. revenge, doesn't it?

We finalized the design in Near's brand colors. That fresh green adds a bit of an edge.

Backgrounds

Due to a tight timeline, we decided to play with only two locations - a cave and a city panorama. When creating the backgrounds, we were inspired by traditional Asian painting and its contemporary interpretations. A clear contour and soft lines were essential. We went beyond our usual aesthetic and it was a very refreshing process!