Identity Design Recognition is what every company wants. An identity must encapsulate everything the client wants to be. [“take a minimal amount of material and a minimal amount of effort-nothing wasted-to achieve maximum impact.”] Lou Danzinger

Identity Design Three Strategies of Identity Design Abstract: Nike Wing Iconocize: Red Cross + Combine visual elements: IBM GOAL: to create an ideal memorable fast reading graphic representation.

Branding Perception: Positive association Image: real or abstrated Representation: of client or product Words: slogan has an emotional connection

lettermark

symbol

logo

pictograms

combination mark

MARK STYLES Logo:words (company name) in type. Symbol: Marks used without type. Pictogram: Generic pictures that tell a story. Lettermark: letters (acronym) form the name in type. Combination Mark: symbol & type identify the company.

LOGO or Logotype While it is common to mix up these terms or use them interchangeably, a logotype is an identity that features a word or multiple letters, often with an icon or illustration embedded within the letterforms. A logo is a nonverbal iconographic identity. Some identities consist of one or the other; others incorporate both.

Traits of a Good Symbol Positive association: show the companies good side. Easy Identification: reads quickly, is remembered and recognized. Closed Gestalt: the eye flows toward the center, not away. Abstraction level: hit the level of the audience. Reduction: do not lose parts of the lines in the smaller symbol. Black line Art: the drawing style used to create a design. Negative (white) Space: is essential to designing an effective mark. Negative space is the figure/ground relationship. Symbol Weight: should be heavy. Flow: allow white space to exit the symbol. Direction: point up and right. Forward = positive.

Gestalt Similarity: objects look similar, grouped Equilibrium: visual balance Isomorphic correspondence: represents an emotion or association Closure: perceive the whole by filling in the missing information Continuation: move through one object Proximity: elements are placed close together Figure Ground: the eye differentiates an object from its surrounding area

Process to Identity Design Distill Translate Formulate Simplify

Distill Consider all the possible images and icon that might represent the client and weed out the ones that are no as strong. Accomplished through: Sketching Contemplation/brainstorming team Client discussion

Translate Working to graphically transform the selected elements and /or letterforms into an ideal representation of the client. Accomplished Through: Illustration techniques Type experiments Forms Figure-ground Line-weights

Bring all parts of the identity into visual agreement. With one another. Forms Line weight Size Fonts Icons Formalize Visual Consistency

The final design should be a graphically simple as appropriate. Works well large or small. Will reproduce in color or Black & White. Remove small dots, thin lines, fine textures. Read large and/or small. Serifs do not fall apart. Simplify

Exercise: 1.Brainstorm ideas for companies to redesign a mark. 2.Identify the client’s audience. 3.Draw icons/symbols that could represent the company. 4.Use the design process to get five mark versions. 5.HONORS: Create a mark for a real client. Bring in examples of their existing mark. Discuss with the client their needs and their audience. Project: 1. Traditionally illustrate the final version. 2. Design an application (brochure, stationary, label, package…) for the use of your logo/logotype. 3. Review handouts for the appropriate application. 4.HONORS: create a presentation for the client using Keynote. Assignment

Assignment Place Gestalt samples here Identify each sample by mark type, Gestalt principle, and traits of a good symbol.