JUDO NA MAXA is a dojo that demonstrates that martial arts can be approached with heart, empathy, joy and the characteristic, boundless enthusiasm of the Zagłębie region. The owners want to expand their offering by now inviting – in addition to the youngest warriors – adult martial arts enthusiasts too. Beata and Grzegorz gave me maximum creative freedom and supported me to the max in my design work on the rebranding. We sought out symbolism, parallels and references, and created a logo that says it all, designed to effectively and engagingly represent the JUDO NA MAXA dojo. The logo is uncomplicated, dynamic, symbolic and modern, whilst capturing the essence of judo – movement, energy and discipline.
On the one hand, the symbol in the red field evokes Far Eastern symbolism, a mystical hieroglyph – kanji – which, like yin and yang, contrasts two elements. Enclosed in an oval shape, close to a circle, it may be associated with the distinctive hanko signatures so characteristic of Japanese art, and with the emblem of Japan – the red circle.
On the other hand, we see in this symbol two spinning, opposing figures symbolising the dynamics of combat or training, referring to judo techniques, balance and rivalry – but also to teamwork and the fluid use of an opponent’s energy.
This rich symbolism is complemented by the colour red, which, apart from its obvious associations with Japan, is always linked to energy, dynamism, strength, combat and determination.
Beata and Grzegorz, thank you for choosing my studio to rebrand your dojo. This project was not only a pleasure for me, but also an introduction to understanding the wisdom of the Far East.
The project is currently being implemented.
