这是我为自由开源软件社区 KDE 设计的吉祥物小绿龙恐奇 (Konqi) 和邻家女孩凯蒂 (Katie)。

• KDE 官网：https://kde.org/
• 恐奇的故事：https://community.kde.org/Konqi
• 恐奇和朋友们的图库：https://community.kde.org/Promo/Material/Mascots

概念成型于 2012 年前后，在 KDE 的吉祥物重新设计活动中被选中。这套图是第二版设计，大约在 2018 – 2019 年左右定型，造型相对最初版本更现代化一些，采用了平面卡通的简洁风格，广泛见于 KDE 5 以及之后的各种软件、网站以及社交媒体。

恐奇和凯蒂并不是我首创的角色，他们早在 KDE 3、4 时代就已经存在了。恐奇是 1999 年发布的 KDE 帮助中心的卡通助手角色，类似于微软 Office 助手大头针、瑞星小狮子等。他的首版是具有 1990 – 2000 年代典型欧美卡通风格的 3D 吉祥物，初代设计者是 Stefan Spatz。凯蒂则是 KDE 妇女小组基于恐奇派生出来的角色。

虽然当时的吉祥物设计评比活动也接受全新设计的方案，但我认为恐奇和凯蒂已经是 KDE 社区认同的一部分，是应该被尊重的遗产，所以选择了更新他们的设计而不是设计全新方案。我觉得这更加符合自由开源软件的精神。

我在设计新恐奇的时候强化了他唯一与 KDE 相关的设计要素：字母“K”，并将这个要素转换成了他头上的龙角，同时为了造型的简练，去除了背后的蝙蝠翼，磨圆了他尾巴的骨板，让他看起来更“无害”一些。

Konqi and Katie are the mascots I (re)designed for KDE, a free and open source software community. Konqi is a little green dragon, and Katie is the girl next door.

• KDE website: https://kde.org/
• Konqi’s backstory: https://community.kde.org/Konqi
• Konqi and friends gallery: https://community.kde.org/Promo/Material/Mascots

My first version of Konqi was created around 2012, it was chosen in the Konqi revamp/redesign contest. A second version was created around 2018 – 2019, it has a more streamlined, modern visual style. This version can be seen in many places since KDE 5.

Konqi and Katie weren’t my original characters. They are redesigns of the old Konqi and Katie from the KDE 3 and 4 era. Konqi first appeared in KDE 3 Help Center as an animated assistant (similar to Microsoft Office Assistants, Clippy), replacing Kandalf as KDE’s mascot. The original Konqi was a 3D dragon created by Stefan Spatz. Katie was derived from Konqi’s design by KDE Women Group.

Although the mascot contest also accepted new mascot proposals, I decided to renew Konqi and Katie instead. In my opinion, they are part of the community’s identity, and their legacy should be respected.

I gave Konqi and Katie antlers that shaped like the letter K to emphasize their connection with KDE. I also removed the wings and rounded their spikes for a more friendly look.