Project
  • Encil the pencil
Design Tools
  • Procreate
  • Notability
Deliverables
  • Branding
  • Illustration
  • Copy

Rethinking Narratives for Children Through Concept Art

Encil The Pencil is more than a simple character; it’s a vehicle for helping kids engage with difficult truths through the power of storytelling and conceptual art.

The project’s aim is to create a medium that challenges conventional narratives and offers kids a new way of thinking about the world. The challenge was to craft a story that is both accessible to children and capable of conveying deeper, thought-provoking messages.

A pencil with its body curved upwards is drawing a straight, horizontal line on a white background, embodying the curiosity of the creative mind.

Concept Development: Crafting a Visual Identity with Purpose

The development of Encil The Pencil was centered around creating a character that could serve as both a guide and a storyteller. The pencil, as a symbolic tool for creativity and learning, was the perfect medium for conveying the project’s themes.

The design process involved balancing playful elements with visual cues that represent growth, introspection, and resilience. This visual identity became the foundation for the storytelling strategy, where the pencil’s “drawings” bring to life stories that encourage kids to explore complex ideas.

Inspiration

It’s no secret that Khala, my niece, is an artist. She’s a budding Aurélia Durand when she’s not painting or drawing.

My nephew, Khourtney, loves to tinker with found objects and build things from them. I love to watch you play basketball and pop wheelies.

A child with a short haircut is smiling and looking off-camera, holding Encil the Pencil while wearing a white shirt with black palm tree prints. The background is a vibrant red.
A hand holding a partially disassembled cylindrical device with exposed metal components and wiring, resembling the intricate inner workings of a mechanical pencil.
A child with braided hair and a wide smile looks directly at the camera, wearing a blue button-up shirt and a backpack, holding Encill the pencil against a blue background.
A sketch of a girl with curly hair and large eyes, drawn meticulously with a pencil on a piece of spiral-bound paper, lies gracefully on a beige surface.

Storytelling Strategy: Encouraging Kids to Embrace New Perspectives

The storytelling approach behind Encil the pencil was crafted to help my niece and nephew confront challenging topics in a way that is engaging and meaningful.

Each story told through the pencil explores themes like friendship, honesty, loss, and growth, presenting these ideas in ways that children can understand and relate to.

By using visual storytelling, the project encourages kids to think critically and empathetically about the world around them. The stories are designed not just to entertain but to foster curiosity and a willingness to question established narratives.

Three-panel comic: 1) A bird stands on a fence, eyeing Encil the pencil below. 2) The bird flies away. 3) Encil the pencil and a worm emerge from the ground.

Copyright and Creative Channels: Protecting and Sharing the Message

As a unique art project focused on conceptual storytelling, copyright protection was an essential consideration in bringing Encil The Pencil to life.

The visual and narrative elements were carefully copyrighted to maintain the integrity of the message while ensuring that the stories could be widely shared.

The distribution strategy involved selecting channels that prioritize educational and creative content, such as children’s book platforms, educational websites, and social media channels dedicated to art and storytelling.

Illustration of encil the pencil, a yellow pencil with an eraser, bending in a curve while drawing a straight black line, shown in four sequential stages of bending movement.

Life Is A Collection Of Moments

Collect the pencil NFT’s and trade them with others to create your own collection. Each NFT contains the full story and illustrations.

Discover on OpenSea (ETH)
Four digital drawings of pencils are displayed, each with a unique design and labeled with a title and price. Designs include a sketch, close-up, straight pencil, and bending enil the pencil.
An illustration of a bent yellow pencil with an eraser, drawing a straight diagonal line on a white background. The pencil showcases its unique flexibility in this minimalist artwork.
A curved yellow pencil with an eraser is standing upright on its eraser, making a line of small shavings on a white surface.
Illustration of enil the pencil, a yellow pencil with an eraser bent in an arc, set against a white background.
Encil the pencil

Visual Design and Character Development: Creating an Engaging Concept

The design of Encil The Pencil involved more than just creating an aesthetically pleasing character. The visual design had to reflect the depth of the project’s themes while remaining relatable and friendly to kids.

The character’s expressions, movements, and interactions were developed to convey a range of emotions and ideas. Every element, from the pencil’s “doodles” to its playful animations, was designed to invite children into a world of imagination where they can explore difficult truths through art and creativity.

Educational and Emotional Impact: Measuring Success Beyond Engagement

The success of Encil the pencil isn’t measured solely by engagement metrics but by the emotional and educational impact it has on its young audience.

Feedback from parents and educators has highlighted how the stories resonate with children, helping them articulate and process complex feelings.

By sparking conversations about honesty, change, and empathy, Encil the pencil has proven to be more than just a storytelling tool—it’s a bridge to understanding and a catalyst for thoughtful discussions.