Last weekend I was at the happiest place on earth. As a graphic designer I constantly walk around looking at signs, packaging, web sites and Disneyland provides that in abundance. While standing in line for the Toy Story ride I started admiring the fairground posters that are displayed every 10 feet. The posters (for those of you that have never visited the park or have never noticed them) are based on the traditional circus and fairground posters. The Toy Story characters are depicted on each poster. Check them out next time your there.
I decided to look into the way I design. I came to the conclusion that it doesn’t matter if I working on a logo, a web site, packaging or a complete brand identity the process follows a very distinct pattern.
1) Excitement in starting a new project and the possibilities it holds.
2) Panic. “What the hell am I doing, I have no idea how to do this, the client will hate it, I’m a fraud.” This is soon replaced by step 3.
3) Research. I scour the web for ideas and thoughts. Seeing what others have done but only for direction, never to copy. I read design books, Magazines (not necessarily design based) for ideas. I gather these ideas on the electronic job folder for later reference.
4) Usually coinciding with #3 are the thumbnail sketches. No matter how good the computers or software gets I believe there is no substitute for a pad of paper and a pencil. It is the quickest way to get thoughts on paper and the best media for retrieving those thoughts.
5) Start work translating thumbnails into digital format (Using Adobe CS)
6) Repeat #2 for a while, drink wine, give up, go to bed.
7) Wake up, review work. Realize that I’m not a total moron. Continue with work, finish work, present to client.
I responded with “Yes, but they’re, well . . . . .Apple”
So, what makes a good logo, or more to the point what makes components of a good logo recognizable?
1) COLOR: Starbucks. How many of you have been driving along wanting a cup of coffee staring at the buildings going by, looking for a Starbucks? OK, pretty much everyone, right? So, what are you looking for? The word “Starbucks”?, The little mermaid graphic? (Did you even know it was a mermaid?) . . . . No, everyone is looking for the big green circle. Can anyone tell me right now what font Starbucks use? How about if it’s serif or san serif? No? . . . That’s because the most important thing about their logo is the color green and the fact it’s a circle. Remember a few years ago Starbucks went back to their roots to dispel the whole corporation tag that they were getting? Some raving intellectual decided that the smart thing to do would be to change the one thing that customers identify with (the green circle) and make it brown. The only thing they kept (other than the circular shape was the mermaid (which nobody looks at) and they change it. They instantly lost their brand recognition and within a few months changed the logo back.
2) SHAPE: Apple can change the color of their logo as they have done many times because the main focus of the Apple logo is the shape not the color. They have a very simple shape, which has a very distinct look. Take any fruit (or vegetable for that matter) and cut out a semi circular shape out of it and you will automatically think of the Apple logo. Similarly if you take the Apple logo and make it bright orange you will still know it is the Apple logo. Where color (and texture) does come into play with Apple is with theirs brand. The stark, brushed metal, minimalism of their products, ads and stores give them a distinct look.
So, if we can take any fruit and take a chunk out of it and it looks like the Apple logo then the most important element of the logo is not the apple itself but the bite mark.
3) On occasion all that is needed is a strong type treatment. Most logos for movies are based on a unique type treatment. But even the business world relies on type treatments to get brand recognition. Look at Coca-Cola, Disney, IBM. It doesn’t matter what color they are you know who they are.
So, in conclusion, what makes a logo distinctive? I think the old saying “Keep it simple” says it all. A simple shape, a single color, a readable typeface.
Apple® is a trademark of Apple Inc.
Starbucks is a trademark of Starbucks Corporation.
Last year I was hired to help brand a line of natural dog food. The first task was a logo and then the packaging. For the logo I decided to use the recognizable shape of a dog tag.
I saw a disturbing ad on Craigslist the other day.
“Graphic Designer/Receptionist Wanted”
I’ve been a graphic designer almost 25 years. When I started most graphic design was done on boards with an Xacto knife and glue. Photos were screened on a camera and the thought of type on a curve gave the best of us anxiety.
Typography and proof reading were separate skills performed by separate people, and photographers, designers and copywriters all worked together and sung for peace. There was structure and a hierarchy to the graphics industry and there was happiness throughout the land.
When desktop publishing came along I knew that this was the future so I bought a Mac and a copy of Adobe Illustrator (3.0 I think) and locked myself in a room for a week. Then came the “I can do that” mentality from clients who bought a Mac and a copy of Quark or PageMaker and soon realized that there wasn’t a “Create Brand” or “Design Logo” filter in Photoshop.
The next path on the journey was the World Wide Web. Seeing the writing on the wall I started learning Dreamweaver, Flash, and acclimatized myself with the idiosyncrasies of web design. This was a necessary evil but did give us a preview of what was to come. Actionscript, Java, PHP, and a multitude of other programming languages soon reared their ugly heads.
“Social Media” was next. We had to promote for our clients using SEO (Search Engine Optimization), Twitter, MySpace, Facebook, Blogging, e-blasts, the list goes on.
Now we are expected to design, photograph, program, write, promote, and sell. All separate careers a few years back.
I guess my point is to ask the question “where will it end?” Don’t get me wrong. I’m up for a challenge. I actually like designing web sites in Flash, I use Facebook and Twitter on a regular basis and obviously, I blog. I find SEO interesting (What can I tell you; I’m a geek . . . . Well, at least we’ll inherit the earth!) but all of these things should be a bonus to anyone who wants to hire me, not a requirement to even get an interview.
So, Here is an ad for the next wave of graphic designers:
“Graphic Designer/SEO Specialist/Shiatsu Massage Therapist Wanted.
Must be fluent in HTML, Ebonics, Morse Code, and Aramaic.
Compensation: Dependent on ability to juggle (balls, fire sticks and chainsaws)
A few months back I was asked to design and develop a portfolio web site for the photographer Jose-Gilberto Izquierdo. I love designing web sites for artists. They are open to creating something unique and I especially like it when the client says "I don't know what I want the site to look like, what have you got? I trust you". This gives me the license to create a work of art of my own.
After reviewing the images and talking with the artist I had a clear idea of how I wanted the site to look and more importantly, feel. I’m not going to start talking about the thinking behind the site. That would be like telling you how to feel when watching a movie or reading a book. Checkout: www.lilithimage.com. I’d love to hear your comments (good and bad).
WARNING. Some of the photographs contain nudity.
