• About the Program
• Career Opportunities
• Alumni Profiles
• Student Gallery
• Student Links
• Faculty

Objective

To develop conceptual thinking skills. To communicate ideas visually and verbally. To explore illustration and typography styles. To apply design principles to real-world visual communication problems.

 

Secondary objectives

To utilize the Adobe Creative Suite as design and production tools.

 

Description

Develop a visual branding experience for a local business. Your final presentation will include:

• logo sheet (color and b&w)
• letterhead
• No. 10 envelope
• business card
• one other application (i.e. signage, vehicle, web page, T-shirt, etc.)

When designing the letterhead, envelope and business card, consider paper as well as. Research paper stock at Kinko’s, Staples, Office Depot as well as online sources.

Your design must show an understanding of unity, emphasis, balance and color theory. When appropriate, utilize rhythm and depth as well.

If you decide to take a job as a marketing designer, you’ll find branding is hot topic today and a well-designed logo is the first step in establishing a brand. PepsiCo. is currently spending 1.2 billion dollars to support the new Pepsi logo and packaging which was designed by the Arnell Group (read up on Peter Arnell's controversial presentation to Pepsi).

• See examples of award-winning logos
• Read Under Consideration's "Brand New" blog
• Read up on logo trends at Logo Lounge

 

Procedure

1. RESEARCH FOR INSPIRATION: Research existing award-winning logos. Be sure to review books and trade publications (Print, How, Communication Arts). Look specifically for creative concepts and creative typography. Scan your favorite examples and publish your research on your personal projects page for critique (be sure to caption each scan and cite the source). Be prepared to explain why these examples are successful. Sorry, Internet sources will not be accepted.

2. MARKETING RESEARCH: Research the business you will be designing a logo for. If appropriate, visit the business. What is the history of the business? Are there any unique selling points for this business? Who is the target audience? Who is the competition? Acquire a reproduction quality logo of the business to use as reference and comparison to your new design. Critique the current logo. Analyze your research and write a written statement of objectives in the form of a memo (see sample brief). Email your brief as an attached Word document to pyoung.parkland.edu@gmail.com.

3. INCUBATION: Absorb the information you have gathered and sleep on it. Allow your unconscious mind to make connections for you.

4. DEVELOP THE LOGO CONCEPT: In your sketchbook begin to conceptualize ideas for this project (see examples of sketches). Make at least 10 sketches of all possible directions you might take this project. Edit your concepts down to your best three ideas and redraw them on 8.5 x 11 white paper using a felt tip pen. Scan and publish your concepts on your personal projects page for critique. Be prepared to discuss how your design meets the client's needs.

5. LOGO PROOF: Based on the critique of the above, use the computer to translate your sketch into b&w vector art using Illustrator. Generate a web-ready GIF or JPEG and publish your design on your personal projects page for critique. Be prepared to talk about how the design principles of unity, emphasis and balance are utilized in your layout.

6. BRANDING PROOF: Based on the critique of the above, make adjustments as needed and add color. Apply your color logo to a business card, letterhead and no. 10 envelope. Generate web-ready GIFs or JPEGs and publish your designs on your personal projects page for critique. Be prepared to talk about how your identity system is implemented consistently across all applications.

7. PORTFOLIO PREPARATION: Based on the critique of the above, make adjustments as needed and prepare a verbal presentation to "sell" your design to the client. Publish web-ready GIFs or JPEGs of your revised design on your personal projects page for final critique. Be sure to save all your files for future editing.

8. GRADING: Print two copies of your final designs on the paper of your choice. One proof will be returned to you after grading. File the graded proof in your Process Book for individual review along with all the preliminary work you did for the project (research, sketches, preliminary proofs, final proof). You will not receive credit for this project if any of the above elements are missing.

9. STUDENT GALLERY ARCHIVES: Once you are 100% satisfied with your project, prepare a low resolution PDF (smallest file size) of your project and drop it in Angel's drop box. Your project may be published in a showcase of student work on Parkland's website.