How We Designed MusiQuest’s Visual Identity
When we set out to create the visual identity for MusiQuest, we weren’t just designing a look—we were building a system. A system that would feel welcoming, encourage creativity, and most importantly, scale for years to come.
We wanted every illustration, character, and environment to support our mission: making music education fun, accessible, and expressive. That led us to three core design pillars: Inviting, Instructive, and Expressive.
The Three Pillars of MusiQuest’s Visual Style
Inviting
Music theory can be intimidating, so we made sure MusiQuest wasn’t. Inspired by classic children’s books and wooden toys, we leaned into a simple, friendly color palette and bold, readable shapes. Characters interact playfully—stacking, helping, and making eye contact—so that everything feels approachable and alive.
When possible, we try to make all characters facing the viewer or child, to greet them in a positive way. Our colors, shapes, and details all steer toward the inviting pillar by staying warm, soft, and intriguing. Ideally, these designs should feel like something kids want to pick up and play with. And we welcome that!
Instructive
Music is built on structure, and our illustrations reflect that. We designed the world of MusiQuest using modular, stackable shapes, like building blocks. This mirrors the way music itself is constructed—layering simple elements to create something complex and beautiful. Shadows and overlapping forms add depth while reinforcing the idea that learning music is a process of building knowledge, step by step.
I think of this like a basic drum beat. Its structured and fundamental. On top of that, we can play with little drum fills that feel expressive. The same could be said for the relationship between a rhythm and lead guitar. – visually, we try to keep our base shapes simple and structured, and then use linework and certain details to ‘style’ on top.
Expressive
Music is about self-expression, and we wanted the illustrations to be just as full of personality. Whether it’s a proud star shining bright or a determined rival character pushing players forward, every element in MusiQuest’s design was crafted to be energetic and emotive. Nothing in this world is static—every moment should feel fun, dynamic, and full of movement.
We spent a lot of time wondering what in this world is alive, what has music magically imbued into it, and where we want to define and break those rules. Ultimately, we’re not 100% certain yet. But we know that expression should be at the forefront of storytelling.
With that said, sometimes the lack of expression speaks its own volumes. For instance, we have SOME rock friends that are characters.. We also have plenty of rocks and stones that have no musicality nor emotion, life, or expression to them. This allows us the space to be able to lean into the rules when its helpful without getting stuck with them.
One more note on expression is simplicity. We want kids to feel represented and be able to use their characters and avatars to let their emotions show. So we’ve come up with a core base of emotions we often try to tap into when creating a new character. Are they sad, happy, ambivalent, nervous?
Why Modularity Was a Game-Changer
One of the smartest things we did early on was build an asset library. Instead of designing every single lesson from scratch, we created a flexible system where characters, props, and environments could be reused and remixed. This wasn’t just efficient—it was essential.
Because of this modular approach, we were able to hire a junior designer who, using our existing assets, illustrated artwork and story backgrounds for over 300 lessons. They didn’t have to reinvent the wheel—just follow the visual language we had already established. This scalability allowed us to maintain high quality while significantly increasing output, all while allowing me to continue developing the core story and visual identity.
Branding That’s Built to Last
Here’s the part I’m most proud of: this one design exercise has lasted us over six years. Every single time we create something new—whether it’s a new lesson, a social post, or an expansion of the platform—we go back to the same system we built at the very beginning.
This is the power of a well-thought-out visual identity. It’s not just about aesthetics—it’s about building something that’s sustainable and repeatable. When branding is done right, it becomes a tool, not just a style guide.
MusiQuest Today and Beyond
MusiQuest is more than just a music learning app; it’s an interactive experience designed to get kids creating. Our lessons combine voiceover instruction, hands-on creative tasks, and interactive quizzes to help students truly understand music—not just memorize it. By applying our modular visual approach to every aspect of the platform, we’ve built something that can grow and evolve without losing its identity.
And that’s the real success of this project: it still feels fresh, years later.
