Logo Design

1. Discuss what you thought about creating your logo.

 

I loved having the opportunity to create a logo representing 'me', and also without the help of computer design software. For the past 18 years I have worked as a Production Artist in a marketing department. Basically, I help prep and retouch images in Adobe Photoshop, and whatever else needs to be done to help the Graphic Designers. I also am familiar with Adobe InDesign and Illustrator. Most of the logo work I've done in the past I've created  for my own art business, and I've done it exclusively on the computer. I am a member of the Buffalo Society of Artists, and I have been volunteering on the 'brand strategy' team. We are trying to set up a cohesive brand platform so we are more recognizable. We also want to make sure that regardless of who designs materials for our events and exhibitions, everything has the same 'look'. 

2. Describe the process: creative thinking skills and ideas you used in the logo creation.

 

I began by thinking of designing a three-letter monogram that also showed that I was an artist. Also, I tried thinking of what might work on different platforms, such as letterhead, business cards, Facebook, Instagram, etc. I started with drawing geometric shapes, as seen below, I drew a rectangle, square and two circles. I eventually decide to use a square.

Very first ideas/sketches for my logo

One of my favorite artist's is Albrecht Dürer; although he is probably best known for his prints, I particularly love his self-portrait paintings. My maiden name is 'Demmin', and when I was working on my BFA in Art History, I noticed that Dürer had the same initials as me, and would paint 'AD' on his paintings. My last name is now 'Tasevski', but I wanted to somehow pay homage to Dürer's monogram with my own twist. My favorite painting medium is soft pastel, so I also wanted to incorporate that within my logo. A free clip-art image of a group of pastel sticks was a big inspiration to me. Initially, since it is an instantly recognizable symbol of an artist, I wanted to put a traditional artist's palette in my logo. Upon further consideration I decided to not to include a palette since you don't use a palette with pastels, you just grab the sticks and start painting.

Albrecht Dürer's monogram

Detail of an Albrecht Dürer self-portrait 

 

Inspiration for pastel grouping in my logo

I traced Dürer's monogram with the thought that I could somehow pull a 'T' for 'Tasevski' out of it and create a three-letter monogram. Doodling on tracing paper with pencil and a black Sharpie marker, I came up with a handful of potential ideas. I also kept a value study and color wheel handy for added inspiration. At first I was going to add color to my logo with colored pencils, but then I thought of using my acrylics in cyan, magenta and yellow that I used to create my color wheel in a previous week's module.

Sketches and Inspiration

Final Sketches for Logo

I ended up liking the square format the best with the monogram at an angle, breaking out of the square border, and a grouping of four pastel sticks painted in cyan, yellow, magenta and black. The logo was drawn in pencil on 300 lb. Arches watercolor paper, outlined with a black Sharpie marker, and the pastel sticks were painted with acrylics.

Logo Design in progress

Final Logo, Initials 'ADT' with Pastel Sticks

3. What was the most important discovery you made in the creation of your logo?

 

The most important discovery I learned is that it is not an easy task to come up with a logo (especially without using computer design software) that functions on so many different levels, as well as being easily recognizable. Top brands, such as Pepsi, McDonald's, Apple, are simple and immediately recognizable throughout the world. I am going to hang on to the logo I created and work on it in my InDesign software program. I like where my logo is headed, but I would like to see it sharper and more streamlined. Pictured below is the business card I currently use, showing the front and back that I designed in Adobe InDesign.

www.morganstreetdesigns.com Logo/Business Card

 

4. What is the most important information you learned from watching the videos, powerpoint, and reading material  for this project? What is your opinion of the videos?

 

The most important information I learned is that there are many designs, colors and symbols that a graphic artist plays around with before they've satisfied a customer's vision. You cannot present one idea and expect it to be a success, there is a lot of trial and error before the perfect logo can meet all of a customer's expectations.  A logo needs to be easy to understand, eye-catching, identifiable, and work on many different platforms. This is particularly important in today's world, where social media has become yet another platform where a logo must succeed in making your brand easily identifiable.

The videos were excellent, it was interesting to go 'behind the scenes' and see the evolution of a logo from the graphic designers' side and the client's side. It is essential to listen to what your client wants and do your best to transform their idea into comprehensive brand platform.