julie’s noodles

the best soup dumplings in austin, now with a new menu.

Tools

Figma, Adobe Illustrator

Context

School assignment- Solo Project - 2023

PROBLEM

Julie’s has an outdated menu

  • Hard to read

  • Poor contrast

  • Visually unappealing

  • Poor heirarchy

GOALS

take what works and leave the rest

  • Reorganize menu

  • Keep traditional Chinese elements

  • Use logo & restaurant for inspiration

SOLUTION

re-designed menu

  • Separate Mandarin and English menu (front/ back)

  • Traditional Chinese elements

  • New modern graphics

  • Clear hierarchy

the process

restaurant interior & original menu

INSPIRATION

  • Maroon and cream color scheme

  • Traditional Chinese elements

    • “Carving” texture

    • Iconography (i.e., lanterns, dragons, clouds, etc.)

    • Emphasis on horizontal composure

  • Basis for color scheme

  • Animation style for new graphics

existing logo

IDEATION

Mood board

  • Aerial view or graphics of foods- creates appealing visuals & portion expectations

  • Modernization in the direction of the existing logo

DESIGN CONCEPTS

WHAT DIDN’T WORK & WHY

Simple or minimalistic designs= Julie’s menu offers a large number of food options

Vertical layout= does not align with traditonal Chinese design

Use of pictures for each menu item= crowded and busy with so many menu items

Modernizing without sacrificing brand identity

  • Lantern & noodle iconography in the style of the existing logo

  • Border elements with a traditional Chinese “wood-carved” feel

  • Lighter background for a fresher, brighter menu while maintaining the same color scheme

WHAT DID work

Layout & Hierarchy

  • Cleaner and more readable

  • More effective in quickly locating items

Reflections

  • Try out a textured background with Chinese cloud graphics

  • Improve spacing

  • More red incorporation

  • Test different font combinations

Future Steps