LogoDesign:SimpleandSolidBrandMarks

GeorgeBokhua

Intro
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Familiarizeyourselfwithhelpfulcoretexts.
Thesebooksprovideanexcellentfoundationinclean,strong,minimalistdesign.Ifoundtheseveryusefulinmy
earlydays.
Considerorderingneworusedcopies,browsingonlinepreviews,orborrowingthemfromyourlocallibrary.
GridSystemsinGraphicDesign(JosefMullerBrockmann)

PrinciplesofTwoDimensionalDesign(WuciusWong)
TheBookOfSymbols(ArchiveforResearchinArchetypalSymbolism)

AnimalMark:MakingaMoodboard
1. Browsetheweb,magazines,orbooksformoodboardimages.
2. Foryourownmoodboard,chooseananimalyouloveandresearchimagesofit.
3. Startamoodboardthatallowsyouseethebestimagesallatonce.Inthevideoabove,I'veusedIllustrator.
4. Keepinmindthatyouarelookingforarecognizablesilhouette.
5. Asareminder,hereisthemoodboardofourfox:

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9.

Chooseyourreferenceimage.
Selectyourreferenceimagefromyourmoodboard.Alwaystrytoselecttheimagewithmostrecognizable
silhouette.
Addcolor.
Finalizeyourmarkbyaddingcolorthatfitsthestyle,energy,andspiritofyourchosenanimal.

AnimalMark:Sketching
1. Printyourimage.
2. Youwillneedahardcopyimagetotrace.
3. Traceyourimage.
4. Usingsemitransparentpaper(I'veused80%transparency),trytomake3050outlinesketchesoftheanimalin
yourreferenceimage.
5. Gettoknowyoursubject!
6. Bearinmind:Asalogodesigner,youareamasterofsimplification.Trytooutlinetheshapewithasfewstrokes
asyoucan.
7. Digitizeyoursketch.
8. ScanortakeaphotoofyoursketchandimportitintoIllustrator.

AnimalMark:Execution
1. Importyoursketch.
2. Ifyouhaven'talreadydoneso,importantyourdigitizedsketchintoIllustrator.
3. Refineyoursketch.
4. Trytooutlineasilhouetteofyoursketchinaclean,geometricallysoundmanner.Usetheminimumamountof
anchorpoints.
5. Ifyouhaveanydoubtsaboutacurve,trytospendasmuchtimeasyoucantofixit.Intheend,thefinerthe
curves,themorepowerful,beautiful,andempoweringthemark.
6. Itcantakesometimetoarriveattheperfectimage.
7. Myadvice:Whenyoufeelthatthemarkisdone,spendseveralmorehoursonmakingin"perfect."Atthatpoint,
againspendafewmorehourstomakeitevenmoreperfect.Afterwards,takeitinandenjoytheresultsofyour
hardworkandstrongeye.
8. Finalizeyoursketch.
9. FinalizeyoursketchinIllustrator,addgrids,etc.
10. Reviewthepostprojectadviceinthethirdvideoforhelpfulhintsandreview.

LetterMark:ConceptandSketching
1. Selectyourletterandconcept.
2. Chooseyourfavoriteletterfromthealphabet,andthendecideaconcepttoincorporateinyourlettermark.
3. Subjectslikearchitecture,science,andtechnologyareoftenagoodfitforsuchprojectsbecausetheforms
associatedwiththosesubjectsarewellsuitedtotheshapesofalphabeticalcharacters.
4. Sketch3050possibilities.
5.

Keepingyourconceptinmind,complete3050sketchesforyourlettermark.Gettoknowyourletter.Push

yourcreativevision.
6.
7.

Digitizeyoursketch.
ScanortakeaphotoofyoursketchandimportitintoIllustrator.Theformofasketchedmarkshouldbe80%
complete.

LetterMark:Execution
1. Outlineyourletter.
2. BeginexecutingyourlettermarkinIllustrator.Startwitharoughoutline.
3. Adjustandenhancethemark.
4. Onceyouhaveyouroutlinefigure,beginperfectingandrefiningthemark.
5. Payattentiontotheelementofnegativespaceandtheoverallbalance.
6. Intheend,whenyoulookattheresult,youshouldnothaveafeelingthatsomethingneedstobechanged.
Keeprevising,tweaking,refining,andworkingonyourimageuntilyoufeelsatisfiedthattheimagefulfillsyour
creativevision.

NegativeSpaceMark:IntroandSketching
1. Findasubjectthatcouldbemadeintoanegativespacemark
2. Therearecertainsubjectsthatcanbemadeintoanegativespacemark.Inprincipleanyideawillworkthathas
abackground(positiveshapedspace)overlappedbyforeground(negativespaceshape).Inmycasethingslike
handsholdingsomethingoranimalsheadsoverlapingtheirbodyesworkthebest.

NegativeSpaceMark:Execution
1. Executethemarkpatiently
2. Trynottosettlewiththeresultthatyouarenothappywith.Ifyouarenothappywiththeresult,donotexpect
otherstolikeit.Bystandersopinionsareveryimportant,askthemnicelytocriticizeyourworkanddonotget
upsetattheiropinion.Rememberbestmarkshaveauniversalappealsothinkofextraterrestrialsasclients.