From Username to Visual Universe: The Meaning Behind MelonCollage

Back in the day, I had a personal Instagram account where I used the name Melloncollie, inspired by Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, the album by The Smashing Pumpkins. It’s not that it was my favorite album—though I do like it—but I always felt there was something special about it. I even bought a T-shirt once because I was drawn to the overall concept. The album title felt like the promise of a compelling story.

In late December 2024, I had the idea to create an Instagram account to share my collages. Honestly, I didn’t think too hard about the name, and even I couldn’t have imagined how meaningful it would become to me. Melloncollie eventually turned into MelonCollage, as an extension of that original wordplay—and because I realized that the heart of my work is precisely melancholy and nostalgia.

At the time, I didn’t have a plan, but things have gradually started to make sense. One time I caught myself thinking about how the album’s cover art is actually a Victorian/Renaissance-style collage. Maybe that detail was stored away in my subconscious, and that’s why I chose the name so quickly. It makes sense. I think it’s one of those covers you just can’t forget.

Even when I was sketching ideas for my logo, I came up with a bunch that simply didn’t work for what I wanted to convey—until one day, the idea of the eye came to me. Once again, I think the famous crying baby face used in the album tour merchandising was somewhere in my mind, at least subconsciously.

As I kept developing my visual identity, it also became clear to me that my color palette would resemble that of a melon. I love those colors, but more than anything, they convey the soft vintage feeling I want to evoke. Likewise, I felt the name of this blog was a natural extension of my Instagram handle, since my intention is for each post to become a piece of a much larger collage. I don’t expect everyone to know the reference behind the name and the album, but I like the idea that some might think it’s simply about the sweetness of a melon.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that we shouldn’t underestimate the personal tastes we’ve collected throughout our lives—because we never know when our subconscious might bring them back to help us create something wonderful.