Designing a Brandmark using Letters
When I create design concepts for a logo, I experiment with all kinds of ideas when starting, using wordmarks, letterforms, brand marks, monograms, symbols, emblems and combinations of letters and symbols.
These are the major types of logos we see in our world, most commonly a combination of a symbol and a text with a unique typeface.
Context
The logo I designed last year, ‘BluePrint’ was for a project that involved recycling denim to reduce waste in the denim industry. I worked in the ‘Below Zero’ collective, and my role was to design the overall visual identity of a store. I created a 3D prototype using the BluePrint Logo in the centre of the store. That was the context for the logo. Now you’re probably wondering ok, then how did I make this and why?
Why the Letters
When designing logos, my way of thinking is if I’m not making an illustration or a complex symbol for the brand, I switch to using Letterforms, Wordmarks or a combination of Letters with a symbol. We collectively wanted the brand to be unique, future-oriented, abstract, sustainable, and organic, so a symbol or simple pictorial image would not have cut it. It needed to be simple, easily readable and unique.
So I combined the Letters ‘B’ and ‘P’, using the back jeans pocket in between the letters as a final touch.
In this image above you can see on the left, the first iterations I designed for the following two logos. The end result is on the right
Symbolism
The most crucial part was designing the letters and arranging them in a particular way, allowing the pocket to sit in the middle while also being easily readable. To soften down the brand and create a user-friendly experience around it, I designed the letters in a way that was round and heavy and full of life. These two letters sit on top of each other like materials in the denim, which reflects the word ‘Print’ very well in context, since its very rounded off as opposed to the letter B.
Contrasting
As a final touch, I contrasted the pocket, which made the letter P more easily readable and identifiable to a user.
Colours
I used a very saturated ultramarine blue, university blue, white, and black for the colours. These four colours were used as a style guide for the brand. No other colour was acceptable.
This is the first Info-type of blog I’m doing, I will be posting these weekly regarding the theory behind Logos and how I use it in my Practice.
To see this whole BluePrint Project and the end result, go to this link from my portfolio:
https://www.behance.net/gallery/156395181/BluePrint-Store-No-Waste-Challenge-Solution
That is All for Now – Maksim!