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THE SYMBOL 

Recognized as an Oracle-like figure, Paul The Octopus captivated the world of football with his extraordinary psychic abilities during the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Amused and intrigued by this football oracle, an initiative was kickstarted to design a symbol, honoring the persona of Paul The Octopus. Fueled by imagination and relentless refinement, my goal was to create a symbol that is 'noble' (having a dignified and impressive appearance), 'neat' (orderly and well-organized), 'simple' (not overly complex) and with a sense of gravitas plus charisma (which are essence of Paul The Octopus)

Ironically, the design of the symbol eventually took over a decade to finalize. It did not occur to me that designing a symbol, which was not meant to be a difficult job, would take more than 12 years and over 3000 sketches. This process resulted in the creation of more than 400 distinct symbols, all of which were ultimately discarded before I finally arrived at one that satisfied me.

The finalized symbol comprises three (3) pivotal elements.  

The first element captures the Paul's contemplative gaze through a pair of mesmerizing crystals, symbolizing his possession of an extraordinary gift of prophetic power. The crystals were positioned in such a way that from the front view, they resembled a pair of sunglasses. The intention is to bring in the gravitas of the Oracle. However, as an Octopus does not wear sunglasses, this front-view positioning also creates a sense of charismatic visual effect. 

The second element represents the body of the octopus. Given that octopuses typically have eight arms and which may appear disorderly, the design of Paul's body ensures that only four of the arms are visible. Additionally, two of these arms are carefully arranged to follow the surface of the football, enhancing the overall tidiness of the symbol. The body is symmetrically designed, contributing to a neater and simpler appearance.

The third element depicts Paul holding a mysterious ball, symbolizing the hidden insights and knowledge he acquires through his mystical bond with the crystals.