Notes on logo design
Some of the fundamental applications of drawing and type
Visual phenomenon "Figure ground"
"positive and negative forces interacting will always enhance and make your mark unique"
Line
Fairly self explanatory
sharp angles - "potentially dangerous"
soft curves - "implies a gentle, non-aggressive attitude"
Shape
Circle, cross, triangle, square
square = the most visually stable
circe + triangle = next most stable
rectangles + ellipses = the least visually stable
Figure ground
a mental puzzle
both positive and negative space have meaning.
the ying-yang symbol
think of a drawing that looks like a vase but could also be two faces
Pattern
"While sometimes this approach is useful in branding, it often runs the risk of placing the mark in legal jeopardy, since the simplicity of the approach also makes it less unique."
dealing with geometric shapes presents the temptation to continue the thought into a pattern.
Letterform
referred to in typography as ligatures
when two or more letters are joined to form a single image
Contrast
"Variations of letterform weight and size also help create a subtle meaning in the word mark the could not be obtained otherwise."
examples of CHICAGO and neWyORk (but more extreme) "These examples are reminiscent of the skylines as well as the personality of the cities they represent."
Image field
"It is important to realise that the area around the object can define it as well as the literal drawn of it."
Perception
three examples with a cross inside a square. 1 the cross does not touch the square, 2 the cross joins the square, 3 the cross extends out form the square.
1 the cross is weak, the square and exterior are dominant.
2 elements are in harmony
3 the cross is strong and the square weak.
TEN CRITERIA that must be considered in the development of a corporate logo
1 visibility
stand out
memorable
quick
2 application
how well can it be used - video monitors - stamps…
3 distinctiveness
does it distinguish its self from the competition
"It is important to note that many legal decisions are made based on how simulator a mark is to its competitor, and many challenges have been won in the courtroom."
4 simplicity
easy to identify
be sensitive to cultural or religious connotations
is it easy to identify in other cultures? (if it is being broadcast in other cultures)
5 retention
does the mark play a mental game
if there is a small amount of discovery involved in identifying the elements in a logo or the logo it's self people will feel more of an affinity to it. the 'aha' moment.
6 colour
good practice to design in black and white first, keeping colour applications in mind.
it should work in black and white (if it is printed in black and white … )
7 descriptiveness
it should be able to revile the companies product without being an exact literal translation.
8 timelessness
"You need to be careful not to follow current trends, for they have a limited life expectancy"
9 modularity
"all elements must work together to form a single voice"
it must work in unison with all graphic elements.
10 equity
the age, use and recognition of the mark.
it is only advisable to redesign if the new mark will have a higher equity than the original. e.g, it's probably not a good idea to redesign the coca-cola logo.
Big example in the redesign of a logo - apple, from multicoloured to solid. Steve jobs justification was that the company is no longer moving in the same direction which the original logo reflected.
3 categories of marks
Descriptive
visual imagery relating to the clients business
Symbolic
descriptive mark in the form of a metaphor
Typographic
graphic organisation of letterform.
"Novice designers allow the technology to dictate their conceptual strategy, which is a mistake, in my opinion." - Raymond Pirouz
2 phases of design
1 Conceptual phase - "In this phase, the designer studies the communication challenge at hand and begins the process of research, brainstorming, strategic thinking, planning and sketching to arrive at a series of potential visuals from which the optimal creative solution evolves."
2 Production phase - "In this phase, the concept sketch (or storyboard) is cleaned up, refined and produced as [application] ready art."
"Professional designers know that the conceptual (strategic and creative) phase of the process remains unchanged no matter what the application. Therefor, when developing logos, icons or symbols for any application, one must concentrate on the design challenge at hand, which ultimately always deals with a specific message that needs to be communicated to a certain audience in an engaging, visually stimulating, informative and memorable fashion."
upon involving the opportunity for motion "the logo can come to life as an animation, telling a story and helping to create a memorable branding experience for the visitor. If executed properly, this can translate to a more compelling delivery of a brand message with a choreographed beginning, middle, end and even back to the beginning (in the form of a loop)."
"Web/screen design opens up an entire new world of possibilities (many of which have not yet been discovered) to speed the evolution of the design profession."
"Understanding basic design principles and knowing how to apply them to the growing number of visualisation outlets is the key to long-term success in this evolving field."
HOW DOES THE DESIGN (OF LOGOS, SYMBOLS AND ICONS) CHANGE WITH THE EXISTENCE OF WEB/SCREEN-BASED DESIGN?
Laura Neuman (Netscape)
Incompatibilities in hardware
"Limitations in screen resolution, incompatibilities in colour palette across platforms and users' ability to adjust contrast and brightness on their monitors creates an environment where the designer can't predict what the final design will look like." - understand the basic differences between hardware platforms and monitor resolutions.
"We always try to start with a mark that looks good and is conceptually smart, even as a still frame." - Kyle cooper, Imaginary forces
"playing with the revel / resolve of a logo animation is a great way to make the symbol memorable with an element of surprise or drama." - Kyle cooper, Imaginary forces
REDESIGN
first need to analyse the current logo.
reasons for redesign vary
1 New leadership, new cep wants his own mark on the company
2 Financial reasons "the company may have undergone reorganisation and a new identity will convey (or hide) this - case in point, the newer United Airlines brand."
3 change of direction "Prospective analysis of the market" the company wants to shift to a new area, new image reflects this.
4 mergers. two companies into one
First point - Why (does the company want a redesign / new logo)
what is the company trying to achieve. - Is a new logo / visual identity the right way to achieve whatever they are going for?
THE FUTURE
"Print communications have been joined with electronic media and will eventually encompass most of our senses, including sight, sound, taste, smell and even tactility. Corporate identity can no longer be a mere graphic image of a company, but should represent the entire corporate soul: What was, is, and will be, expressed as a flexible identity."