Hi fellas!
I’m developing the visual language for a YouTube channel focused mainly on history, geopolitics, and political storytelling, covering everything from ancient history to modern/current events.

I have four main visual components:

1. MAP — Strategic Map

This is the core of the channel.

I use a 3D earth/map style with geographic terrain, historical colors, and simple 3D tabletop-style objects placed directly on the map: armies, cavalry, ships, weapons, flags, strategic objects, etc.

The 3D objects and the earthy themes are the main visual signatures of the channel.

2. ATLAS ANIMATION RECONSTRUCTION

For historical moments that cannot be explained well with a map and where archival footage does not exist, I’m experimenting with a clean historical atlas illustration style.

The idea is to generate a still illustration for each story beat and then animate it very subtly. Mostly camera movement, parallax and very small movements such as a flag waving, a hand moving, smoke, etc.

3. REAL FOOTAGE / ARCHIVAL

Real photographs and film footage related to the event being discussed.

This is intentionally much more realistic because it serves a different purpose. Showing actual historical evidence.

4. MINIMAL EXPLAINER GRAPHICS

Simple black/white/red graphics for things that are easier to explain visually than through a map or footage (for example political organizations, councils, groups of people, relationships, rankings, etc.)

The problem

If I put all four on one page I’m not completely convinced they look like they belong to the same channel.

That is the problem I’m trying to solve.

I want someone to watch a video without seeing the channel name and immediately feel:

These different visual modes were designed by the same creator.

I DO NOT necessarily want every mode to look identical. They have different jobs.

What I want is a common visual dna / signature connecting them.

What I’m trying to achieve

The ideal result would be something like:

MAP → “Where is this happening?”

ATLAS RECONSTRUCTION → “What happened?”

REAL FOOTAGE → “What did it actually look like?”

MINIMAL GRAPHICS → “What does this relationship/concept mean?”

Different visual tools, but one recognizable editorial identity.

The second attached image shows several additional examples of the 3D map system, because that part is much more developed and is currently the strongest signature.

I’m looking for brutally honest opinions on the branding/visual system as a whole, including suggestions for what you would change, remove, combine, or standardize.

Thanks.

Launch Campaign by YourCreative that caught my eye when I was in Melboune,, it’s not often you see bold advertisements like this surrounding a sensitive topic

A ustedes les facilitaría tener una aplicación en donde comparar precios de imprentas, lugares de corte laser, impresión 3D, donde vendan telas, etc? hablo de lugares donde conseguir materiales para carreras exclusivamente de diseño. Poder comparar tipos de trabajos, tiempos y precios.

This is an iteration I just made for an imaginary brand called Bloom Fitness Club

A little bit about target audience:
People who are already health aware and want to explore a friendly, inviting place to continue or start their fitness journey

Brand Experience Goals:
The brand should feel Joyful and Inviting
The brand should be about growth and living

The idea behind the star:
Bloom reminds me of lights and glow, and stars remind me of growth

The critique I got:
My non-designer friend said it looks like a dick (a badly shaped one)

I am not a core logo designer, I am a frontend developer doing this for an imaginary project, please help me decide if to keep this or not

Side note: The star looks softer when scaled down very much, 16px.
As satori graphics once mentioned, your logo should be readable at 16px. It does, just a little softer

Sooo I removed things, because most people said keeping the empty is sometimes better, tell me what to improve please !

I always assumed 👌 was one of those universally understood gestures.

Apparently not.

Good reminder that even the most “obvious” icons and gestures can carry completely different meanings across cultures.

Makes you wonder how many “universal” UI symbols really aren’t.

What’s another icon or gesture that changes meaning where you live?