Logo Creed - The Mystery, Magic, and Method Behind Designing Great Logos (Bill Gardner & Catharine Fishel, 2013)

The following eight designs were presented to the client for consideration. This trial is pretty close to the final.
This is the design that was ultimately selected.

I was starting to see a penguin in this design, so I was somewhat relieved I liked the orange bookmarker in this design, and also that the bird appears
when this did not get selected. to be smiling so much that his eye is scrunching up. The pattern on the bird
is nice, too.

This is one of five badge designs I had worked out. What can I say? Some Again, this is similar to the final, but I found the anchor element below was
folks like to watch TV; this is what I like to do, when my downtime permits. too distracting.

I like that this bird was flying but still reading.

This is where everyone thought the client would go, but she didn’t want to do
what is expected. We didn’t expect her to be living her ‘unexpected’ mantra
from her store at such a personal level, but I’m glad she did.

In the final logo formats, color was brightened and some type adjusted

CHAPTER 9 What the process can look like 101

Case study 6: After gleaning the necessary information and insights from my client via my
creative brief and follow-up questions, I start to thumbnail-sketch some
Von GlitsChka rough ideas. Our industry may be digitally driven, but ideas are still best
developed in analog form.
Von Glitschka is principal of Glitschka Studios, a multidisci-
plinary design firm in the Pacific Northwest area of the United I begin working out my design by drawing and redrawing it as needed to form
States. His studio shines as a creative hired gun for ad agen- the image, keeping a specific style in mind that’s appropriate for my project.
cies, design firms, and in-house corporate art departments. While I work, I consult plenty of reference material. Don’t try to do this from
An artist, author, and very popular blogger, Von is well known memory alone. For this project, I looked at other lion designs, and more
for his extreme attention to detail and dedication to drawing. importantly, photos of real lions, which helped me cue in on attributes that
(You can learn more about Von’s work at www.vonglitschka. make a lion distinguishable from all other large cats.
com.)

For this project, Red Lion Christian Academy, a private
school, had just changed ownership. The new owners want-
ed a new “corporate” brand that would appeal to parents as
well as a mascot that would appeal to students. The overall
goal was to create a new logo that reflected the school’s
renewed dedication to, and passion for, Christian education
to its families and the larger community. Von describes the
project.

“Their old logo was just boring type. The only graphic ele-
ment was a poorly rendered paw with a cross in it. I retained
some of that equity and turned it into a secondary brand
element in the new design, but re-created it so that it worked
well as an icon.

“Frankly, it’s too easy for a Christian client to play it safe
and end up with a sinfully mundane identity. To avoid that,
I pushed them to realize their new identity needed to be rel-
evant to those in the community.

“The first lion I created for them was tamer, safer, and not
as aggressive. They were concerned that it was too aggres-
sive, even though I had intentionally pulled that back a bit.
The dean is the son of the pastor of the church that runs the
school: I asked him, ‘What do lions do? They roar. Is that
wrong? It’s how God designed them: sharp teeth, growling,
aggressive, and a bit fierce. So why not take full advantage
of that design?’

“That really made them think, and eventually they requested
that I make the lion more aggressive, as the following series
demonstrates. This type of persuasion is important when
it comes to the creative process, and especially to identity
development.”

102

The process of drawing in design is progressive. I like to use tracing paper Once I have my base rough drawing done, I go to my light table and draw it
so that I can experiment more easily as I draw. If it doesn’t work or just isn’t out on one sheet of tracing paper using a mechanical pencil. This is where
feeling quite right, I try something else. I often have many layers of tracing I scrutinize all my shapes. I’m drawing my design so that it will serve as a
paper, each containing its own specific area that has been worked out to precise guide for me to build on digitally.
my satisfaction. I keep working on my drawing until I improve the overall
readability of the image and it communicates clearly. I now have the base
drawing done and can proceed to refine it further.

CHAPTER 9 What the process can look like 103

My final refined sketch serves as my road map for vector building. This is a All base shapes are now built. Breaking a design into more manageable
solid creative foundation I can now build on in my vector drawing program. simple shapes makes the whole process go faster.

My refined sketch makes vector building easier and more precise. It removes On a brand character design like this, I fill in a simple black and white, and
the needless guesswork and noodling as I’m simply building what I’ve already then print a copy and scrutinize the design, looking for areas I can improve
figured out in the analog stage. on before I proceed any further down the digital road.

Not every shape needs to be constructed point by point. Here, I use a simple With my design now in analog again, I begin to art direct myself by drawing
ellipse shape to form the eye. on my printout and improving the design where needed. This is far easier and
faster than attempting to do this type of exploration digitally. It also helps
at this stage to set the design aside and approach it with fresh eyes after a
period of time to make discer nment of any needed changes easier.

104

I take my own marked-up printout and make the changes to my digital file.

I go back and forth from analog to digital throughout the creative process.
Here, I printed out another black and white so that I can draw out how the
shading will be handled. Once again, this is far more efficient than trying to
do this on the fly inside the drawing program.

I scan my shaded drawing back in and use it to guide my vector building
again.

On most of my branding projects, I like to go in on a design and round off
specific vertices so that the design isn’t as sharp in these areas. This type of
detailing can be subtle, but its effect overall adds a lot to the final aesthetic.
This process is easily done using a plug-in called VectorScribe Studio, by
Astute Graphics.

CHAPTER 9 What the process can look like 105

This shows the final brand character design.

For my own clients, I put together a simple style guide to help them manage
their new identity moving forward. I provide this as a multipage PDF that they
can reference to know what files to give a vendor and so on.

This shows the full design context with the type treatment lockup.

This specific client needed a two-part identity, one geared for students
and all the various athletic programs, and one that was more reserved and
corporate for their front office use. Together, they work as a brand system.

106

Case study 7: “My process here was adding and subtracting—adding the
globe, subtracting the facial elements, adding this or that
Felix soCkwell and subtracting whatever else to find an appropriate com-
promise. A good deal of the time after having read the brief
Felix Sockwell is a designer whose wit and intelligence come and strategy, which in this case was quite good and exten-
through not only in his outstanding logo solutions, but also sive, I find the gray areas or added descriptors. It’s hard to
in his sketches and experiments. His strong voice becomes define, or in this case, redefine. But I usually address various
visible in his work, and not just through the wicked com- concerns as I’m working in the margins of the sketches so
ments he peppers his visual presentations with. (To learn that the art director or client can follow.
more about his work, see www.felixsockwell.com.)
“The firm’s original logo, which contained an image of the
In this project, Felix creates a new identity for a national finan- Statue of Liberty, had been in use for a long time and was
cial protection company. In the end, the company decided seen as conservative, formal, rigid, and cold. It also reduced
to stick with its original identity. But his work on the proj- and reversed poorly. The new identity needed to reflect car-
ect gives us an excellent opportunity to follow the designer’s ing, empathy, dynamism, and innovation. It needed to be
creative process. For this project, he is working with and more approachable and contemporary.”
addressing his in-sketch comments to an art director. Felix
explains the process.

where we are

too fussy? too simple?

where we were 107
CHAPTER 9 What the process can look like

The following screens build on the concept of “global” while maintaining the key element of the Statue of Liberty. The embedded comments are the designer’s.

More global development.

The client asked that the statue have a face. Felix wasn’t sold on the idea,
but tried it. He felt that it reintroduced reproduction problems and made the
mark overly complex.

108

As he continued his studies, the designer introduced a shield element. 109
CHAPTER 9 What the process can look like

what was shown
before:

too little crown: too spiky, soften/round too much
components overall sperical accuracy: good

sperical accurarcy: in question

aesthetic: go “traditional”

globe’s axis: go central/strengthen

details: make limited/minimal

left side features: centralize

Lady’s presence make larger

overall thoughts: it’s too wispy,
isn’t balanced. centered,and
is too complicated.

To readdress it, let’s look at the
later stage drawing of the same
figure. It needs work.

so lets true it up assign global marks

too faceless Jason better but no
hockey masky
torch it lose relief/shadow
separate star from globe

making faces destroys enlarged figure connect neck
idea/movement/aesthetic centralized crown droop tablet

opened neck

110

More refinement and feedback.

me: at&t ref me: these are resolved you: readress/regress to
you: thin arm enough to show. every the older angle/axis.
curve isn’t perfect. If it
survives, I’m happy to me: I can live with it.
finesse every inch. But for Stare at it though.
now, let’s nail down the Seems off kilter. The
broad strokes. one below is sturdy/
more reliable.
you: break and KO
line

you: lose the
Jesus ref

me: somehow I knew this me: done (crown
was coming. I purposely is larger, arm is thinner,
distanced the lines. Isn’t chin is redrawn)
this: more Christian? good call(s).

you: thin arm when it comes to you: resembles a match head/ flame.
dangling/ chopping lines increase neg space.
you: align endpoint to south pole. me: because the light (torch) I usually try to connect
is implied in 3D the south pole them to something so they me: I showed these examples simply
placement is on back, similar to aren’t floating aimlessly to show that I tried and failed. I’ll try again
at&t (above). If we 2-dimentionalize in space. but given the size contraints I really
it, we’d have to lose the torch entirely can’t see this amorphic (realistic?) thinking
moving us forward.
here’s an example.
It isn’t scientific,
but when scrutinized,
those danglers that aren’t
connected end up
weakening the structure.

another way, the way I ended
up going, is to eliminate the
fussy traps and just show it
without too many tricks

me: this is a dangler, aesthetically I think we
or a floater. My theory, fall into this category.
or preference, is that If it helps I can summon
more detail draws up some more of my
more attention. We don’t older work to buttress
need more eyes on your analogy/strategy
this. We’d like to be on
our hero (her). btw- this one is 17 years
old. Still holds up!
me: I could live with this. Like it? me: The more attention we draw
Yes its matchy. Phallic. Weird. to the face, the lesser the idea.
But its resolved. It has to look effortless—as a broad,
quick stroke/ gesture.

CHAPTER 9 What the process can look like 111

The client continued to request that the statue’s face be in place (2). Felix presented both iterations,
although he highly preferred the faceless rendition (1).

This isn’t my favorite and probably isn’t yours either, but you may need This is reductive, rounded and ready (or half red-y). It uses a similar pose
to show it, along with a procession to give them a flavor, or education in to the current mark but is placed in a more potent form (circle) than the
minimalism. I could tweak this thing further, Lord knows, but this gives a oval. Warmer, friendlier, more approachable, empathetic, caring I tried to
pretty good idea of how the mark can be strengthened and simplified. imbue her with words from the brief and open up her face so we can see
The rounded edges and pure forms address some of the concerns in the her better. Cold + distant it is not.
brief and the shading breathes a little moder nity, or newness into it.

More refinements. Ultimately, the client decided it was not ready for a redesign and the project was never
completed

112

Case study 8: color, sound effects, and sensational 360-degree visuals that
feel like you are stepping into the space, being enveloped by
M o vV i n Gg B r a n d s , w i t h the image. The experiences they are creating are so much
C h i e fF C r e at i vV e o Ff fF i C e r more gripping than the alternative apps out there; those dis-
Mat heinl playing their properties on-screen are basically scanning in
content. The result is a flat look that lacks the charm of print.
Moving Brands, with offices in London, Zürich, and San
Francisco, offers creativity for a moving world. It’s a turn of “When the founders came to Moving Brands, they had the
phrase that is especially apt for a brand its team created for company name already and they had content. So we knew
Madefire, which offers through its app and creation tool a way what sort of stories they would do. Their team was coming
to transform the static worlds of graphic novels and comic to the table with a huge amount of experience, from building
books into interactive, immersive experiences delivered on software, to creating graphic novels and designing brands.
mobile devices. Moving—emotional and kinetic—worlds are This mix is unusual at the top of any business, and it is a real
brought to people on the go. pleasure to work with people at the top of their game.

Founded by Moving Brands CEO Ben Wolstenholme, re- “We began brainstorming in multidisplinary teams, incorpo-
nowned artist and author Liam Sharp, and technology wizard rating people involved with strategy, trends, graphic design,
Eugene Walden, Madefire is a digital publishing platform that user experience, and the client team. We teleconferenced,
reinvents visual storytelling. The company’s browser-based Skyped, shared on our FTP site, and experimented with
tool is intuitive, helping creators develop their own stories prototypes of the tool. One of the highlights for me was in-
into Motion Books. The creator is always the most important depth working sessions with Ben, Liam, Eugene, and Dave
entity in this equation, not some giant publisher. The creator Gibbons (creator of Watchmen). It was fascinating to be
remains in control of the story and how it is presented. (See shaping a brand with such a varied team. Everyone came at
www.madefire.com for more information.) it from their own perspective, but it was exciting to see how
much creative common ground we had.
“This is a new company bringing to life content from the
graphic novel space, but it also has technology at its core, “This virtual way of working was important as the new com-
which makes it akin to a technology start-up,” says Moving pany was being born while we were creating the brand. They
Brands chief creative officer Mat Heinl. Doing three things at had no office, and people were still in the process of being re-
the same time—creating the iPad app, creating content, and cruited and moving to California, where Madefire is located.
providing a tool that you can use to actually create Motion
Books—puts power into the hands of creators who in the “The identity is quite minimal, really. We wanted the con-
past may have drawn or painted their content by hand. tent to be king—not have lots of graphic jazz in the way,
as the Motion Book content is so strong already. The logo
“We saw that the people who have been creating the content itself drives all the visual language; it’s a play on the letter
have been pushed into the background. They are working M, implying an opening book, built out of circles. Someone
with massive publishing houses, and the publishing house observed it could slice your throat open if wielded at the right
dominates. It’s a terrible imbalance, really. These hugely tal- angle. That made us all chuckle, but we’re very happy that
ented people are often ignored. something so spare is recognizable but also can be at the
core of the rest of the design language so well. The pinch at
“With Madefire, the creators themselves create the story and the top and bottom of the logo, the radii, the circles, and the
can build the Motion Book. This is a ‘creators first’ philosophy. lines give us lots to play with when designing the UI buttons
They are empowered to create very immersive experiences and boxes, patterns on totes, and typesetting documents
that are gripping and thrilling. Madefire has managed to bring and posters. It’s very simple, very stripped back. We also did
graphic novels and comics to life using all the strengths of the not give them a set of heavy-handed guidelines, so as things
iPad—taking advantage of the screen resolution, richness of develop, they will have more leeway to be creative. We don’t
want the identity to be in the way.”

CHAPTER 9 What the process can look like 113

Madefire exists as much in the real world as in the digital world. Moving Brands created these buttons, a
full stationery set, moodbooks, storyboard sketchbooks, and posters.

All the assets in the identity system take cues from the logo, using it as a thread to hold a very tight
system together.

The iconography style uses the geometric radii and sharp end points of For launch and events like Comicon, Moving Brands designed merchandise
the identity. including T-shirts, stickers, iPad totes, and badges. Swag is critical to build a
brand in an industry that attracts fanboys and fangirls like no other.

114

The logo, built out of four circles, forms an M and feels booklike in its form.
It comes to life on-screen through animation and sound design, creating a
sense of atmosphere and anticipation.

The full identity system for the Madefire brand, including the brand narrative, logos, wordmark, iconography, chiclet, and background textures 115
CHAPTER 9 What the process can look like

Moving Brands’ work captured trends in the tablet, reading, and publishing spaces in order to fully understand Madefire’s opportunity. We completed audience
definition, journeys, and wireframes to map the user experience.

Sharing is critical; both online via seamless integration of social profiles, and offline to foster and engage
the powerful community that exists within the industry.
116

Moving Brands began working with Madefire at its inception, together We looked at the relationship between the creators and readers, and how
defining the Madefire purpose as “A thrilling reading experience that’s the tool, the app, the content, and Madefire’s social presence would connect
shared. Creators first.” these two groups.

“The mark needs to be full of conviction; spare and instantly recognizable,” says Mat Heinl, Moving Brands.

The reading experience is heightened by the use of parallax, a technique that makes an object appear as
though it is positioned differently when viewed from different angles and different positions. In this case,
parallax was used to simulate motion as we see it in real life, thereby providing a heightened sense of reality.

CHAPTER 9 What the process can look like 117

CHAPTER Favorite

10 techniques

In this chapter, our identity Bill Gardner
experts share their tried-and-true
secret techniques. I generally start any logo de-
sign on tracing paper before
EvEry dEsignEr has his or her own special it ever makes it to the com-
puter. Most of my sketches
shortcuts and secrets that are tried and true—tricks that are no larger than 1.5 inches
come only from lots of hard work over many years. They can (3.8 cm). I draw that size for
be time and labor savers, idea generators, or visual sleights- speed and scale. This is a
of-hand—but what they have in common is that they aren’t size that is plausible for the
often shared with other designers. logo scale once it is being re-
In this chapter, the designers featured in previous chapters produced, and it gives me a
share their favorite techniques with you. These are tips that better sense of how it might
didn’t necessarily fit into the projects they were describing ultimately appear.
but are well worth sharing here.
To evolve the initial sketch, I will use two or three sheets of
118 tracing paper at a time. Laying a fresh sheet over the first
drawing, I will redraw the mark, adjusting challenges I have
with the first drawing. I might clean up a line or adjust a thick-
ness or proportion. If a logo is symmetrical I might draw one
half and then flip it over and draw the second half over the
same line. Then I lay the first sheet on top of this and redraw
it again, continuing to make adjustments.

When I am complete, it’s not unusual to see two or three to simplify the drawing. You may have forgotten altogether
sheets with the same logo drawn over and over but with that there was a spur since you are looking at a drawing
slight nuances. I find the hero drawing on the sheet and then and not a photo. You need that original information to make
I will scan it and take it to the screen. It’s then that I redraw your own edits and decisions. Editing is at the heart of be-
it in vector but with many of the challenges already worked ing a great logo designer. Making these decisions ourselves
out of the drawing. This redrawing process is cathartic for makes us successful. Emulating someone else makes them
me and lets me really think through the true value of an idea successful.
during creation. If it doesn’t pass the test on paper, it never
makes it to the screen, and that keeps me from showing an daVid airey
idea that looks finished but lacks soul.
I use mind maps to help me
Math was never a strong point for me in school, but as a consider as many different
designer, I know practical math forward and backward. If I’m design directions as possible.
creating an equally divided five-point item, I have to know It’s a relatively straightforward
that 360 degrees divided by five is 72 degrees, or by eight is process of word association.
45 degrees. Or at least I have to know enough about geom- You write a word that’s central
etry to use a calculator and figure this out. If I’m drawing a to the design brief and then
picket fence that fades into the background I have to know branch out from it, writing oth-
how much narrower each picket is as it recedes, and how er words that spring to mind.
much space to put between the pickets. I must understand These additional words could
a one-, two-, and three-point perspective and how to create come after some thought, or
and use one; that a primary light source needs to originate after researching the central
from a single point to realistically create shadows on a di- topic. The idea is to form as large a “thought cloud” as pos-
mensional object. sible, giving you a strong tool to refer to when it comes to the
next stage—sketching.
This is just a sample of the mathematical challenges a de-
signer has to quickly navigate. I have seen far too many de- A mind map allows the designer to quickly build a group of related topics
signers stumped by some of the simplest challenges, and through a natural process of word association.
the result of their effort shows it. Because these visual tenets
exist in real life, the consumer’s eye is quick to pick out any
design that is faking it. Picking up some geometry is not that
hard and it will help expand your understanding of space in a
way that will really expand your design chops.

I’ve always been fortunate that I can draw just about any-
thing without reference. This is great for a simple sketch, but
there is no substitute for using real life or a photo reference
to remind you of the details. This may sound stupid, but us-
ing another person’s drawing as your primary reference is
a mistake. I’m not suggesting that you not find inspiration
in others’ work. I think that it’s valuable to see how others
translate detail.

Every artist self-edits. If we don’t see the original, we are
just further editing the original artist’s edits. Let’s say you are
drawing a bird and looking at another artist’s drawing. That
person may have left the spur off the back of the bird’s leg

C H A P T E R 10 Favorite techniques 119

Paul howalt Brian Miller

I never submit major logo I trace things on the screen
changes to a client the same rather than using tracing pa-
day I make them. I do this pri- per. Some people print things
marily because many times I out and then trace over parts
get too close to the project, using tracing paper, but I just
and my perspective and ob- cut out that step. Your screen
jectivity get skewed. The fol- is the perfect light table: Just
lowing morning, when I get hold a piece of paper on its
into the office, many times I’m surface. Don’t press too hard
surprised to see shapes that or use a Sharpie. This is a
are off balance, type that is not optically centered or kerned, good way for you to experiment in the privacy of your office,
inequities in positive/negative space, and so forth. For some or it can be a good way to demonstrate a slight fix to a client.
reason, getting away from a “finished” logo opens my eyes to The gestural movement of your hand, on paper, can then be
the nuances of my rendering flaws. scanned and added to your work.

On the other hand, I could probably make adjustments to a Strive for the “sweet line” by looking for what sticks out. Fix
logo forever and not be satisfied. You have to know when to lines with bezier handles on-screen. Keep looking and fixing,
stop tweaking and deliver. looking and fixing. You are not going to get it on the first pass.
But you can get that sweet line if you keep searching for it.
Miles newlyn
Just get started. You can research and research and re-
There are times, for logo re- search, but there is a point where you need to get started.
design projects, that it is pos- Digital is my preferred manner to start with, although I do
sible to advise a client that draw on paper, too. You can draw, reshape, flip, color, or
they don’t need to change do whatever. But if you don’t force yourself to start, there is
their mark at all. This informa- a psychology game that starts, one that makes you believe
tion helps to free them; it frees that this project is a huge deal that you can’t do. Get some
the team and the designer. It things on the page, and it will lead to something.
takes the pressure off and
puts everyone in a slightly Believe that you can do it. You have been trained to do it. It
more liberated frame of mind. will work out. It always does. I have never had an instance
when I could not do it—I have been doubtful and scared, but
When big jobs come up, some designers feel pressured to I can definitely do the job.
do something, even more so in these days of highly visible
online launches and reviews. Don’t fear spending time feeding your brain. It will pay off, but
you have to let the research stage end and let your experi-
Before I submit final logo comps to a client, I flip them hori- ence and training kick in. I sometimes find myself working on
zontally and adjust the art for balance. I also make changes a project for two days, and I don’t have anything on paper
after a vertical flip. My eyes and mind tend to play tricks on yet. But I have to relax: The clock is ticking, but this research
me after staring at a logo design for too long. Maybe I’m too stage always pays off. It leads you in unexpected directions. I
left brained or my desk is too close to the local nuclear power can go endlessly because of all of this front loading. If I don’t
plant, but I always find that my logos are better proportioned do that up-front work, what I come up with is shallower.
after utilizing this trick.

120

Some of the best advice I’ve ever gotten on creativity came Achieve balance. Try to fill the space between letters with
from a documentary on the band the White Stripes. Jack imaginary liquid. The amount should all be very similar. There
White was asked why they maintained a simple red, black, is no science; you just have to feel that balance.
and white aesthetic on everything they do. He said it was
because he was more interested in creativity, and limited Flexibility fosters success. Build plenty of flexibility into any
choices force people to be more creative. It can be better to mark you design. It will eventually be used in a different orien-
have just two crayons, versus the whole box. tation, or on a different substrate, or in another way you never
imagined, so build that into the design.
Felix soCkwell
Von GlitsChka
One of the reasons a large
identity firm like Landor hires Every designer should draw.
me is because I deliver (or Every project, to some de-
expulge) the science in less gree, should utilize drawing
time than normal. This theory, to formulate ideas and refine
one would argue, is that too them before the designer
much too fast weakens deci- jumps to digital and attempts
sion making, or perhaps po- to execute them.
sitioning. Not the case. [My
process is more exploratory. Before I begin concepting, I
There’s more rationality, more truth-telling from a veteran out- always ask myself, “What is
sider.] (From Felix’s website.) something crazy that the client would never go for that I think
would work great?” In my presentation, I try to show them
This symbol denotes one thing in all languages, across all that option, too, to push their comfort zone.
demographics. Though it was never presented to [the client],
it still stands out as an example of the kind of work I want If you design a logo that you think the client will like but you
to do: Timeless. Clever. Appropriate. Endearing. Conceptual. also believe is not appropriate for the audience, don’t present
Rewarding… and for everyone. (From Felix’s website.) the idea at all, or revise it until it is appropriate.

sherwin sChwartzroCk

Appreciate the details. I am
extremely anal when it comes
to logo and type design. It
drives me crazy to see curves
that are not perfect.

People just don’t know how
to build things and connect
them. There is no shortcut—
time and experience will show
you. For a designer, discipline is so important. You have to
be concerned with the smallest details—kerning, finessing
curves. That is the designer who will create the best marks.

C H A P T E R 10 Favorite techniques 121

CHAPTER Brainstorming

11

There’s real value in brainstorming, For designers, brainstorming can be even more painful. But
especially if you can involve why? Doesn’t your good idea combined with my good idea
other people. result in an even better idea?

i rEmEmbEr whEn I was in junior high school There are several reasons. Design is a relatively solo act, and
it is very much a work-in-progress situation. Nobody wants
art class. We were doing 6 × 6-inch (15 × 15 cm) lino block someone standing behind him or her offering comments—
prints. The teacher thought it would be interesting to com- you want to be the hands and the brain, working without
bine prints. I didn’t like that idea at all, and of course, my de- interference. And you certainly don’t want others to see your
sign got combined with a print created by a classmate with work until all the warts have been removed.
no artistic talent whatsoever. But the result turned out to be
everyone’s favorite, and it even won an award later. As much But if you wait until you have a completed product to do a
as I wanted the entire print to be mine, I learned to recognize big reveal and ask for feedback, you have missed an authen-
the value of collaboration. tic opportunity to improve every step of your process, and
therefore your design.
Brainstorming—combining mental forces with other peo-
ple—can be difficult for anyone. Egos become involved, and People feel shaky about participating in brainstorming be-
people like to claim complete authorship for themselves (at cause their fear of criticism outweighs their desire to create
least, when the outcome is a success). better work. The key word here is criticism. There shouldn’t
be any in brainstorming. Brainstorming is a free exchange of
ideas without negative feedback.

Wood_Backgrounds_2.tif

122

There are three key points to keep in mind and share with A fire-breathing armored dragon worked well for Reno Technology, a company
your fellow stormers before brainstorming occurs. First, there that makes industrial cooking equipment, but the solution was arrived at only
are no bad ideas. All ideas are considered good in brain- through the input of mutiple designers.
storming, so there should be no reason for criticism at this
stage. Second, if you want a fuller and more productive people aren’t dictating: They are just offering input. Think of it
brainstorming session, it helps if you can present the topic as an investment with your work, if it helps.
to your group in advance so that they can brainstorm on It is common for us to break larger projects into segments
their own in advance. Third, presenting an idea with a quali- and brainstorm on the different parts separately. We’ll work
fier sometimes helps to expand the circle of thought. For in- for several days, then have everyone put their ideas on the
stance, if you preface an idea by saying, “This might be crazy, wall. Some ideas may be abandoned, but at the same time
but what if we…” you might encourage the others to “think they spark another idea from another person that may be
crazy” and discover even more ideas. combined with your idea and make it even better.
Once you can get everyone (including yourself) past the level
G r o u Pp bB r a i n s t o r mM i n G of ego and having to have complete authorship, your work
will improve immediately. Everyone is working toward the
As mentioned previously, individuals in a group (or the entire same solution, but because we all come from different per-
group) are often slow to recognize the value of combined spectives, we all have fresh, new, fertile ideas.
authorship. There is no question, though, that the value of
your work increases by two, three, or more times when you Creating a wide range of visible reference imagery is a perfect way to start
work with others. the initial thought process on any identity. Moving Brands uses these large
idea walls to help spark the process.
You can use brainstorming at any point in the design process.
Brainstorming before you start design development gives
you a wealth of ideas and visuals that you very likely would
never have thought of on your own. Say you are working on
a logo for a heavy-metal manufacturing equipment company,
and you’ve been circling around the concept of a blowtorch.
But someone else might introduce the idea of an elephant
for strength, which leads to someone else suggesting a fire-
breathing dragon because it can burn through metal.

You absolutely have to have this kind of depth of ideas before
you begin designing. In my experience, I know that if you give
someone one idea, he will use it. If you give him two ideas,
he will pick one of the two. If you give him three ideas, he will
come up with a fourth. So get some help in priming the pump.

Brainstorming later in the process is valuable, too. In our of-
fice, designers will pull off to one corner of their screens those
ideas that are pretty much solidified and have the most po-
tential. The designer will walk us through her process thus far,
and the team can then offer their thoughts. Maybe they will
have a completely different interpretation of the work—they
might see your flower as a star, for instance, which might be
a very promising direction or the completely wrong message.
Either sort of feedback is invaluable. Remember that these

C H A P T E R 11 Brainstorming 123

solo BrainstorMinG anything can inspire

People who work solo usually crave the opportunity to have Our OfficeE maintains a massive library flush with all
interaction with other designers. When that’s not possible, sorts of books and magazines, and not just design titles.
talk to friends, your spouse, even your client. Everyone has Each designer adds to the collection items of his or her
opinions, and everyone has ideas. own particular interest—mythology, magic, folk art, an-
tiques, vintage toys, comics, and gardening, for example.
Unless you have learned to deal with the integration of ideas,
you are lacking a skill set. Seldom are you going to design Of course, the Internet is an endless source of visual in-
something that is a virgin birth. spiration. eBay is a very handy place to search for pic-
tures of almost anything, and in fantastic variety. Lexical
ForCed randoM Freenet (http://lexfn.com) is an old but still very useful way
ConneCtions to search for inspirational words.

I’d like to share with you a technique I learned while working list. Then I throw again for the next column until I have ran-
as a magician, which I did to put myself through college. The domly selected words from three or four of the columns. Any
technique is called forced random connections, and it was random selection process you decide to use will work.
originally developed by another magician in order to contrive
new effects. We use this brainstorming process in my office Maybe another column on the NBC project is labeled People,
whenever we create new identities. and under that header is the word unity. You might force a
connection between unity and variety, or unity and informa-
First, we assemble three to six category words—nouns, tion. Three or four words is usually enough to force a nice
adjectives, or adverbs—that in general terms best describe random visual group to work from. Don’t feel compelled to
the design problem at hand. Each word sits at the top of select from every column.
an imaginary column on the page. We always title one col-
umn Animorphic, and it will include living things that might The process causes a designer to force-feed his head with
represent the concept. For instance, everyone knows that disparate concepts and then watch for unexpected con-
NBC doesn’t sell peacocks, but it borrows on the conceptual nections to emerge. Some connections are dead ends, but
attributes of the bird—vivid and colorful—for its identity. So enough promising visual concepts bloom to keep the explo-
peacock would be in the Animorphic column for NBC. ration going. It also moves you past knee-jerk reactions and
expected responses.
The next step is to simply list more words under the header
word in each column. Using NBC again, if there was a col- I like this technique because it physically captures every
umn titled Television, related words might be watching, en- thought from a traditional brainstorming session and forces
tertainment, information, connection, and variety. Each col- you to consider it, rather than just letting it slip away. And
umn should end up with its own list of related words beneath when you are working with a group, it takes advantage of
the header. how different people think and are creative.

Up until this point, the process is very much like traditional
brainstorming. But now we would force ourselves to make
visual connections between columns. In our office, we liter-
ally will throw a die to determine which word we have to work
with: If I throw a five, I must work with the fifth word on the

124

From all of the gathered information comes the forced ran- WARRIOR + SWORD + INITIAL FLIGHT + BAG +WINGS
dom connection matrix, and from the matrix come solutions. CHARIOT + LIGHTNING + ARES
But the matrix is not a path that must be followed. Instead,
it’s more like a ladder that is as wide as it is tall: A designer WORLDWIDE + OLIVE LEAVES + GRECIAN
can climb anywhere on it in search of answers.
COINS + BLACK TERACOTTA + HELMET
F o r Cc e d r a n d o Mm
cC o n n e cC t i o n mM at r i x

To demonstrate how the forced random connection process
works, we will share how we used it to create an identity for
ARES, an e-commerce system that helps e-retailers to create
a more pleasant buying experience for their customers.

The name ARES is an acronym for Advanced Retail
E-commerce System, but it is also the name of the Greek
god of war. It was logical to take advantage of the mythologi-
cal figure’s connection with strength and protection.

One challenge with this project was to transform Ares, a
mythological character and all-around mean guy, into a figure
that represented strength and reliability. We also wanted to
help people understand how to pronounce the name, in the
event they were not familiar with it.

These explorations bring together different words and con-
cepts from the matrix. The final solution shown in the center
shows clear evidence of ideas first revealed in the matrix.

Mythological Computers Shopping Ecommerce Greek Animorphic To o l s
swords
gods monitor bag currency Greek key Ares arrows
celestial mouse cart coins urns Pegasus shields
keyboard register wings spears
Greek delivery credit card Pan helmet
package Chimera
warrior cicuiltry price tag lightning blk/terracotta
mail eagle
chariot digital stores E symbol tunics Grecian
armor mouse pad security architecture
flight worldwide dove
battle @ symbol lock columns horse
cycle olive leaves

C H A P T E R 11 Brainstorming 125

CHAPTER D i d y o u t ry…

12

Here is a visual thesaurus and The methods or techniques included in this chapter can also
kickstarter created to feed help you expand a good idea so that you are able to present
your head and hand. a more robust group of solutions to your client, all based on
your same original concepts.
if yOu’rE likE mE, you’ve experienced having
Be forewarned: A finite number of suggestions are presented
that perfect word at the tip of your tongue but not being able here—twenty-five, to be exact—and most are totally wrong
to coax it out of memory. Sometimes all it takes is a friend’s for your project. Some entries might be 5 percent right, oth-
prompt, or reading or seeing or doing something completely ers 67 percent right. It’s up to you to recognize the value
unrelated, and the word pops to the surface. according to your particular project.

That’s what this chapter is intended to help you with. It What this section does is no different from what any design
conists of a series of visual prompts that could help you take publication or logo book or poster website or art show visit
your ideas to the next step and see them with new perspec- will do for you. But by removing the randomness and by pro-
tives. That jumble in your head is a gold mine: The tools viding multiple examples of each method/technique, I hope it
shown herein can help you mine the treasure. will bring you more potent inspiration more quickly.

This is not a recipe book, and if you are here looking for Be mindful that production, budget, and other client limita-
starter ideas, stop now. Go back and do your due diligence tions should always be taken into account.
through proper research. Have some sketches/concepts you
like in hand, then dig in here, if you need to.

126

aMalGaMs Wolff Olins, Unilever

Technically, we know that a logo is often whittled down to its
simplest form. But sometimes that simple form can be made
from many things. Here, the sum is definitely made greater
by the parts. Everything about an organization is brought to-
gether and displayed as a single intricate but elegant shape,
part symbol and part explanation.

suggEsts:

a Greater Value in the whole

CoMPlexity reFined to siMPliCity

an in-dePth View oF an orGanization

diVersity oF CaPaBility or ProduCts

a deMonstration oF diVersity

Logoworks by HP, Carmita Products

United by Design, Earthmedia

Nikita Lebedev, Foodmobile Sakideamsheni, ACT
C H A P T E R 12 Did you try…
127

ConCentriC Device, Device
Kommunikat, Platanina
Instead of trying to just describe an organization in filled
shape or outline form, what happens if you take its logo and
extrude it like a Slinky? The premise here is that these de-
signs have a scientific nature to them. There is a history to
the design and the group it represents, and it’s valuable to
understand where it came from. The simplest of these logos
could be the result of nothing more than taking the outline
of an object and just repeating it inside itself. Or the design
could be much more complex: It could suggest the idea of a
transition—say, when an outline morphs back into its origin,
as in a design where a flower morphs back to a seed.

suggEsts:

the interior struCture oF an orGan,
like tree rinGs

oriGins

thinGs takinG shaPe, or PassinG
throuGh Phases

Motion

sCientiFiC ProCess or nature

Notamedia, gogol.tv Vanja Blajic, Web Application for project planning
128

Continuous line R&R Partners, Busch Entertainment
Face, Traveo
Students are sometimes asked to conduct this exercise as
part of their design training: Draw a scene or object with-
out ever lifting the pencil from the paper. The continuous line
shows process and the complete story at the same time.
Some of these designs contain a line with no beginning and
no end, while others are open-ended.

These designs have a more illustrative nature that is looser
and less stuffy than other designs, so likely they aren’t a good
match for behemoth clients. This approach feels lighter (al-
though it can be placed on a background to lend it more
weight), and definitely has a sense of whimsy. It involves the
viewer by getting him interested in the story and by asking
him to try tracing the path.

sS u g g eE Ss t Ss :

P l a y Ff u l n e s s

Motion

o n Gg o i n Gg P r o C e s s

sPontaneous Creation

Continuity

Felix Sockwell, arturo’s Schwartzrock Graphic Arts, Design Center, Inc. KW43 BRANDDESIGN, self-promotion

C H A P T E R 12 Did you try… 129

dry brush akapustin, KITT
GPaaprdenr eDr oDlleSstigund,ioS, wSewdeisdhisCh oCuonucnilcoilf oAf mAemriecraica
The stroke of a brush indicates an intrinsic artistic quality,
something rendered by hand. There is humanity and imper-
fection here, whether the stroke is transparent or opaque.
We can control it, but only to a degree. What you see is al-
most as important as what you don’t see.

A great diversity of technique is possible. From rash graffiti
to a more refined painterly stroke, there is immediacy here.

SuggeStS:

humAnity, A humAn touch

clichéd, but Artistic And AsiAn

orgAnizEd chAos

spEEd or immEdiAcy

Almosh82, bluegreen Kendall Ross, Precept Brands
KFDunn, Moro Restaurant
M3 Advertising Design, Osaka Sushi
130

eE n cC r u s t eE d Mattson Creative, Career Artist Management
Kongshavn Design, Kongshavn Design
You can use the surface of a logo to add more information.
By embellishing the shape with treatments that symbolize the
attributes of the client, you add value and depth to the pre-
sentation. The embellishment should never be just for deco-
ration, though, or an enormous opportunity would be lost.

For such designs, it is very important to watch scale, as re-
ducing a logo to fingernail size or less can render such sur-
face treatments into meaningless and undefined texture.

sS u g g Ee Ss t Ss :

Aa d d i t i o n aA l l aA y Ee r s o Ff i n Ff o r Mm aA t i o n

cC o mM pP l Ee x i t y

Ee Mm bB Ee l l i s h mM eE n t

Device, Priors

Asgard, Zaika Indian Restaurant

Jobi, Tiger Films cogu design, Yvonne Coutinho Glitschka Studios, St. Martin’s Press

C H A P T E R 12 Did you try… 131

Folds Kuznetsov Evgeniy | KUZNETS, Slovo
Creative NRG, Red Ribbon
When you fold something, you can see more than one plane
of that object in a 2-D world. That’s the idea for this category:
to show a one-dimensional object in a three-dimensional
way. And in addition to showing more than one dimension,
you can also show more of the object—an ideal opportunity
for the logo designer with a lot to say. All that extra surface
area offers new ways to organize and consider information.
These designs can turn what would ordinarily be flat into
something of great beauty and complexity.

suggEsts:

deePer thinkinG

the aBility to work with Materials

CreatiVe ProBleM solVinG

the aBility to reCoGnize Value that is
hidden to others

MakinG soMethinG out oF nothinG

MultidiMensionality

FaBriCation or orGanization oF sPaCe

Liquid Agency, Numonyx

Dragulescu Studio, Nevada Cancer Institute, MGM/Mirage 36 Creative, Z Travel Board
132

Ghosts designproject, Socius One Consulting
Iskender Asanaliev, Focus Lense Optik
These designs go against the premise of what a good logo
design is—that it should have all hard and distinct edges. Alin Golfitescu, Mobilink Pakistan
These are subtle, with some portions barely there. The idea
is that subtlety can be as mighty as a hammer: Nothing grabs
attention like an inviting whisper.

With this approach, you can convey the essence of some-
thing without being specific. For a human figure, for instance,
you do not need to specify the person’s sex, age, or race.
This is a universal treatment that offers the viewer the op-
portunity to engage and make the final decisions on what
is what. But it is not a good approach for distance viewing.

suggEsts:

an inVitation to CoMe Closer

deeP thinkinG

soMethinG CoMinG into BeinG or FoCus

transition

an eniGMa

Mystery

Iconologic, America’s Natural Gas Alliance Julian Peck, Futbol California Strange Ideas, Shadow Farm

C H A P T E R 12 Did you try… 133

glassine FPuatuul rReBanradn, dU, PUSPS

This effect does two things simultaneously: It raises a flat
logo off the page, as though the viewer could rub her finger
over it and feel a smooth dome or cap, and it introduces
the play of light, another aspect of dimensionality. This is like
crystal-capping your design, giving it sparkle and depth. Use
of this technique should be subtle as it can appear cheap or
dated if applied liberally.

SuggeStS:

someTHing THaT is prisTine or proTeCTed

Cleanliness

Being filled wiTH ligHT or liquidness

Gibson, Physio on the River

Porkka & Kuutsa Oy, Finnish Floorball Association

Kuznetsov Evgeniy | KUZNETS, Mitch Sport

Duffy & Partners, IC Corporation, the bus subsidiary of Navistar International instudio, Al Tamasuk

134

hH a n d mM a d e Bozell, Spellman Child Development Center
Mitre Agency, Brew Nerds Coffee
This effect clearly suggests the human touch, implying that
the personality of the organization is centered on individuals
and their concerns, not the brutal path of some megalith.
The geometries are not perfect, which is made clear in the
imperfection of line and shape. As such, these designs feel
friendly and approachable.

Ss u g g eE Ss t Ss :

tT hH e Hh u mM a n s pP i r i tT

C a r i n gG

Pp e r s o n a l s e r Vv i C e o r a tT tT e n Tt i o n

u n i q u e n e s s , o n e o Ff a k i n d

u n fF i n e s s e d

C o n C e pP tT o vV e r s u r Ff a C e

Green Ink Studio, Green Ink Studio

Elixir Design, From the Fields’

wray ward, Birmingham Museum of Art Deutsch Design Works, Budweiser
C H A P T E R 12 Did you try…
135

Mezzotint see+co, Ryan Webber
Rudy Hurtado Global Branding, Chico’s Chicken
From a production standpoint, this may be the cheater’s way
to achieve a gradation that can be easily reproduced. This
effect gives dimension to a design through tonality that is not
soulless. Its hand-applied look helps the viewer associate the
logo with other people, especially when there is overspray in
the design. It’s imperfect and a little raw.

SuggeStS:

tactileness

coarseness or grit

soMething historical or nostalgic

the huMan touch

Richards Brock Miller Mitchell & Associates, Blue Rhino Studio

Dotzero Design, The Neighborhood Early Childhood Center

Jon Flaming Design, Objex, Inc. Gardner Design, EmberHope
136

Monoline RDQLUS Creative, Expeditiously Delicious
ODC, Oubaai
These designs run counter to conventional design thinking
on logos: These are not substantial and hefty marks, but in-
stead demand attention because of their delicacy. A single
line weight can look like a highly perfected solution. The com-
monality is that you free yourself from describing form with
large blocks of color. There is a true transparency here.

There is a real elegance to a thin line and in being so under-
stated. This method is a quick way to upscale an image.

SuggeStS:

econoMy

elegance, less is More

FreedoM

MiniMal

Panache

One Man’s Studio, Anna Jones Photography

Walsh Branding, SR Hughes

Julian Peck, OpenHouse.com Paul Black Design, Mary Kay Cosmetics
C H A P T E R 12 Did you try…
137

Motion IDEGRAFO, Rollover
Cato Purnell Partners, CityRail
There are many ways to put something in motion visually:
You can make a logo look like it is falling, spinning, shak-
ing, zigzagging, or breaking apart. Each specific movement
sends a different conceptual message, but all suggest for-
wardness of life and activity. Something is happening, and
you are witness to it.

suggEsts:

aCtion

soMethinG that is aBout to haPPen

Cause and eFFeCt

liFe

sPeed

MSDS, RayV Michael Friemuth Creative, Tone Animation, LLC
Stilistica Studio, City Administration Kursk
Adrenaline Design, self
138

oPtiCal illusion Hayes+Company, Paul Grissom
Higher, Avorio Media
This confronts the viewer, causing her to stay involved with
it longer. As understanding emerges, so does ownership.
But optical illusions are not always appropriate for this treat-
ment—they have to fit the client’s message.

Plays with the mind and eyes. I can see two or three or more
things in it. New messages emerge. Being able to achieve
the impossible.

Some aspects of 3-D. Achieve something in 2-D, like tromp
l’oeil that you can never achieve in 3-D. A sense of personal-
ity about the company, something more playful or creative,
but not frivolous. More than originally meets the eye. We can
do what others can’t. Present the possibility that there are
multiple perspectives or solutions.

suggEsts:

a Puzzle, FiGurinG thinGs out

three-diMensional asPeCts

a sense oF Personality and Fun

PlayFul and CreatiVe, But not FriVolous

More than oriGinally Meets the eye

Ikola designs…, Ikola designs…

Gardner Design, McCluggage, Van Sickle, and Perry Architecture Murillo Design, Inc., Modern Design + Build

C H A P T E R 12 Did you try… 139

orbs Beveridge Seay, Inc., Atlas Strategies
Brandia, Lusomundo
There is something magical and mystical about an orb. When
used as part of a logo design it suggests that although the
organization it represents may be very technical, or that what
it does may be difficult to explain, what it provides is real,
solid, and trustworthy. We may not understand the complete
mystery, but we are able to see and hold it.

Another intriguing aspect is that the inside of the perfect
sphere of these designs can contain anything or suggest
anything. So it is a vessel that you can fill with any meaning
necessary.

SuggeStS:

Perfection

encaPsulation

cyclical

mystery

a container

volatile graphics, Labyrinth Hosting

Gardner Design, Martens Appraisal

Switchfoot Creative, Kiyon Strange Ideas, Oceania
140

PhotograPhic Stanovov, Cose Pruziose
APSITS, Diesel
Integrating photography into your logo offers interesting op-
tions. Do you fill a shape with an actual image or use pho-
tos on the logo surface? Do you let the viewers see enough
of the photo to understand what is being seen or just give
people a glimpse?

Such a design engages the viewer as it is uncommon to see
a photo as part of logo design. The photos are mysterious,
but they inject reality at the same time.

SuggeStS:

reality

truth

clarity of image

iconic symbolism

Traction, Tumelo Group

El Paso, Galeria de Communicacion

Big Communications, Joe Muggs Coffee Rikky Moller Design, Mattera TOKY Branding+Design, The Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts

C H A P T E R 12 Did you try… 141

Pixels LeBoYe, Forum Digital Graphic Forum
Gardner Design, Hutchinson Hospital
These tiny building blocks easily convey the sense of some-
thing being reduced to its barest components. Creating a
sense of scale is crucial to establishing the proper message:
You might imply an extremely close-up view of something
that is coming apart or the sense could be of many small
items coming together to build a larger whole.

suggEsts:

data or other eleCtroniC
inForMation; teChnoloGy

MoleCular struCture

BuildinG or deConstruCtion

MiCrosCoPiC View

workinG toGether

eight a.m. brand design (shanghai) Co., Ltd, C2 Medical Spa

Webcore Design

Burocratik—Design, Silver Squid Future Brand, Australian Film Institute
142

Rr i Bb bB o n s Paper Doll Studio, Breast Cancer Association
Seamer Design, Motek
For a while, every cause had its looped ribbon in a specific
color that supporters could wear to signal their allegiance.
That trend has likely led the way to using ribbons with dimen-
sionality and substance in logo designs.

Ribbons are a great way to create a line or path that has
dimension. A ribbon’s two sides could be different colors or
sheens that indicate perspective, light direction, and what it
is made of. All of those factors can add information to a de-
sign, apart from the logo’s actual shape.

Ss u g g eE Ss t Ss :

Tt Rr a vV e l i n Gg tT h rR o u gG h s pP a Cc e o rR tT i Mm e

F l e x i Bb i l i tT y o rR mM a l l e a Bb i l i tT y

l i gG h Tt n e s s o Rr a bB i l i Tt y tT o F l o w

redeemstrategic, PT. Lithinai Hudriai

Ddeeee dDuunnccaann

Karl Design Vienna, Inarea/Massimo Ferrero Felix Sockwell, aids Modern Dog Design Co., Power

C H A P T E R 12 Did you try… 143

sCriBBles Almosh82
Kraftwerk Design Inc., Terravant W ine Company
This direction is all about quick, frenetic activity, although it is
done with precision and care. The scribbles aren’t created in
a completely controlled manner, but they are crafted in such
a way that the message still comes through clearly.

In addition to the shape/structure of the design, the quality of
the line can also communicate a lot, depending on what it ap-
pears to be drawn with: Is the line jagged and sharp or loopy
and soft? In all, there is clearly a person behind the design.

suggEsts:

Chaos

CreatiVe exPloration

enerGy

a Childlike nature

an unknown outCoMe

Potential

huMan exPression

X3 Studios, Cros

Newhouse, Permanent Record

Pearpod, Team Razoo Logo Design Works, Hand Pick
144

sS e l e Cc t i vV e fF o cC u Ss SALT Branding, San Francisco Design Week
Kalach Design , Visual Communication
With this technique, images are partially in and partially out
of focus. They command the viewer’s attention: Are my eyes
playing tricks or is that really what I am seeing? It involves the
viewer in the process and thereby captures his attention for
a longer period of time.

sS u g g Ee Ss t Ss :

aA cC e r t Aa i n l e vV e l o fF Mm y Ss t e r y

Ff o Cc u sS o n sS pP e cC i Ff i Cc e l e Mm e n t sS

sS o mM e pP aA r t sS aA r e Mm o r e i Mm Pp o r t aA n t t h aA n o t h e r sS

e Mm e r gG e n Cc e Ff r o mM t h e Pp Aa Ss t

Aa Ss e n sS e o fF pP l Aa cC e

Liquid Agency, ZERO1

LBiiqt euni dc oAugret ,nBc yo,t sZqEuRaOr e1

Denis Aristov, Ministry of Commerce of Perm Region Hand Dizjan Studio, Cˇ r nomerec Centar

C H A P T E R 12 Did you try… 145

series Hulsbosch, Woolworths Limited

These designs applaud the individual pieces of the whole.
Their core design clearly relates all the pieces, but each piece
is distinct. It’s an approach that package designers frequently
use, but it’s handy for identity designers, too, especially in
a retail setting or when there are many products under the
client’s roof.

suggEsts:

diVersity

Many oFFerinGs

FlexiBility

relationshiP

Gardner Design, College Hill

Sunday Lounge, Weathervane Farm TOKY Branding+Design, Spaces
146 born, Wook

shadow MINE, Stanford University
Schwartzrock Graphic Arts, Wiese Creative
Whenever you give something a shadow, you tie it into the
page. It’s an indication that something might be three-dimen-
sional or at least floating. But shadows should be part of the
message, not just an effect. A shadow can also take on a dif-
ferent shape from the object casting it, providing a secondary
message. It can also be cast onto a suggestive surface, such
as water, to add more to the message. Shadows can also in-
dicate light direction and strength as well as the color of light.

suggEsts:

More than one diMension

Mystery, intriGue

sPlit Personality

liGhtness or FloatinG

FlyinG

Cronan Group, Verio

Device, MathEngine

Jon Flaming Design, Central and Southwest 01d, Moscow Business School
C H A P T E R 12 Did you try…
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TransparenT Yury Akulin | Logodiver, Agilis
Brandient, Europharm
There came a point in corporate culture, early in the 2000s,
when every organization suddenly wanted to be more trans-
parent. They were speaking metaphorically, but that notion—
combined with the advent of new software tools and the
ability to publish in RGB—has made transparency both an
artistic and symbolic treatment for logos.

Layering, stacking, peeling away, melding: With transparency,
multiple thoughts and objects can be exposed. In fact, every-
thing is exposed and open for the viewer’s consideration.

SuggeStS:

mUlTiple layers

openness or TrUThFUlness

ClariTy

dimensionaliTy

visionary

Roy Smith Design, Fortuna

Tur ner Duckworth, Tassimo

Visua, Australian Paper Momentum Worldwide, Momentum Worldwide
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Triangles Siren Design, Berkeley Estates
Vladimir Isaev, Telecom Trade Company
With these designs, the sum is greater than the parts. They 01d, QXSolutions
indicate that you could not achieve this solution with the sin-
gle pieces. The many components come together to work
as a team. There is a scientific aspect to the geometry of
the form that can suggest a higher level of understanding or
process.

There is also an embedded playfulness that reminds the
viewer of puzzles or game boards. Part of the pleasure of
these designs is that the viewer can imagine creating them
herself or moving the pieces around. You can also suggest
dimension as well as light directions with shadow and shades
of color.

SuggeStS:

Teamwork

UniTy

BUilding

UndersTanding Things on a higher
or more in-depTh level

Complex or simplisTiC

sTrUCTUre and order, geomeTry

sysTems, inTegraTion

FlexiBiliTy

demoCraCy

Dee Duncan, Razorfish Bigoodis, Deerta Gardner Design, Graphic Impressions
C H A P T E R 12 Did you try… 149

vibrate Studio GT&P, AJ Mobilita’ Srl
Judson Design, Cradle Robbers
This concept is really a subset of motion, but it has a more
controlled nature. Here, there is a quick shaking or vibrating
that creates an out-of-focus image. Maybe the printing is out
of register, or maybe the elements in the design are com-
ing together or apart. Something is going on that forces the
viewer to engage and figure it out.

SuggeStS:

movement

energy

Something breaking apart or Coming together

inCompleteneSS

emergenCe

Strategy Studio, Dub Rogers Photography

Gee + Chung Design, 3-D Motion

PUSH Branding and Design, Blur MediaWorks G l i t scchhk kaaSSt ut uddi oi os ,s ,MMoot ttot oAAggeennccy y
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