As the Linocut course is ever nearing, I have been thinking about the image I want to use for it. I want to come up with a logo for my blog and artist projects. It is very difficult to come up with something that is both sort of unique and also to ones liking. I have been plugging through the books on design and art that are in the house and trying to come up with something that is not a direct copy or something so similar to everything that has been seen. I admire graphic designers, that can come up with ideas that look original and fresh when just about every idea has been used in the past.
Many things inspire me, but I have a more modernistic taste in my appreciation of graphic design. I love the poster art of the 1920s onwards and the Art Deco period is definitely a key part of this. There is plenty to admire even in our current time. But I think that poster art encapsulates a time of design that very much made the modern media of marketing. I guess with the advent of firstly the radio and then latterly the T.V. changed not only the way we communicated but also the way the message was transported. Up until then, it was purely down to the printed word and or picture. Not saying that groovy graphics didn’t exist but there was a point where there was an explosion of ways to get one’s message across.
Rather than try and give a history lesson on the last century’s design developments I will stick to cherry-picking the influences that lead me here and creating a logo for ABC. There seems to be a core idea that can be adapted to different scenarios, but one that kind of fits the ethos of the venture. I have tried out several different ideas as can be seen from the pic I have added. But I came back to the idea that a branding iron signature fits. It is a simple thing that will fit into many places and can also be adapted to other tasks or projects with relative ease. In this day and age of branding being as important as the thing. Having an eye-catching logo is not only important it is also crucial that it is done well. Now I know that all of this is subjective but the fact the world’s biggest brands have obviously honed their image to be recognised anywhere in the world.
I don’t want to go all anamorphic, but more along the simplistic line. I think that this project will be best suited to live in the black and white space and then maybe colour added at a later date. Much like the Linocuts, I like the simplistic ones. These are the ones that resonate with me the most. I think the thing about the major brands is you don’t have to think about what they are you just subconsciously know.
ABC isn’t a particularly easy logo to make as there is the American T.V. channel and a whole range of other companies that have their imagery out there that I can clash with. But in some ways, it is easier as it is so simple. Picking the branding iron idea helps in that no one (so far) has done it but also makes for simple design. Going with the quick and dirty just get it done mode and then adapt later is definitely much easier than coming up with the final best, polished design. It might change a bit but the principle won’t and so there shouldn’t be too much conflict if change is made. Unlike where name changes and logo changes are made and then no one knows who it is.
So with all that said I am working on the first iteration in both digital and physical form.
Until the next time…