Assignment 19: Research & Inspiration

AZUL SALON AND SPA

Research:

Most logos for spas and salons use cool colors or neutral colors because it suggests relaxation, as opposed to warm colors that are very strong and pop out more. Script-like or handwriting-type font is used because the curvy lines give a feel of slight motion or movement and a little bit of relaxation. Most cards have a dark background and a light, pastel colored font.

Logos: A graphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition. It is most commonly referred to as a LOGO. 

Business cards: It is an essential part of a stationary design. When you hand someone your business card, they will form an immediate opinion about your company. your business card does more than tell people how to find you: it says something about your company - its mission, its culture, and its goals. Everything from the colors, font, and texture, shade, and gloss of the paper you print on says something about you.

Inspiration:

soothing

relaxing

fun

simple

Brainstorming:

colors: light blue and brown, brown and light pink, or black and lavender purple

curvy lines for a relaxing feel

handwriting type font

Visual Hierarchy:

1. logo

2. Kylie Aiken

3. owner

4. email address

5. address

6. web address

7. phone number

8. fax number

Inspiration Pieces:
Business Cards:

The blue is a very
mellow colors so it
is very soothing, and the
flower on the bottom
has a lot of curves
so the flowing appearance
of the flowers is also relaxing.

The tiger like stripes looks
like water, so just looking
at the card makes me feel
extremely relaxed.

I like the colors used and
how well they contrast
each other. I also like
the simplicity of the design
and of the card in general.

Letterheads:

I like the stem that is going up
the page.  

I like the design and how
well it goes together.

Envelope:

I like how the hummingbird
is in both the logo and
in the background of the
envelope.

I enjoy the designs
and the colors.

Stationary Package

- The printed pieces that company utilizes for communication purposes.
- When establishing a business, it is very important that all communications are well coordinated and that the message of the organization is presented consistently.
- The basic stationary package includes business card, letterhead, and envelope.


Business Card
- It is an essential part of a stationary design. When you hand someone your business card, they will form an immediate opinion about your company. your business card does more than tell people how to find you: it says something about your company - its mission, its culture, and its goals. Everything from the colors, font, and texture, shade, and gloss of the paper you print on says something about you.
- Even though it is the smallest, it is the most important because it has the most information.
- Business cards typically include: 
     1. logo/company name
     2. employee name
     3. title
     4. email address (usually bold)
     5. web address 
     6. address
     7. phone number
     8. fax number
- Design Tips:
     - must be 2" x 3.5"
     - horizontal OR vertical orientation
     - check for accuracy
     - check for unity ... continuity among other pieces
     - typical margin is .25" to .125"


Letterhead
- A printed piece of paper used to send letters, memos, etc.
- Letterheads typically include:
     1. logo
     2. company name
     3. company address
     4. phone number
     5. fax number
     6. web address
- Design Tips:
     - must be 8.5" x 11"

     - must be vertical orientation

     - must leave room to write the letter, memo, etc - big empty space in middle

     - check for accuracy

     - check for unity ... continuity among other pieces

Envelope

- The packaging that contains the letter/ form when being mailed

- standard #10 envelope

- Envelopes typically include:

     1. logo

     2. company name

     3. company address

- Design Tips:

     - must be 9.5" x 4.125"

     - horizontal OR vertical orientation

     - must leave room for recipient's address and stamp

     - check for accuracy

     - check for unity ... continuity among other pieces

Assignment 18: Research & Inspiration

Research:
Wordmark is a logotype that incorporates your company or brand name into a uniquely styled type font treatment. It is just basically typography. The color pink on flowers means happiness and joy. Green indicates youth and renewal. 

Inspiration:
simple

cute

memorable

Brainstorming:
Mimi's Flower Shoppe

the "o" in flower can be a flower

fun, curly font for the name

maybe just the curly name and a flower somewhere by the name
the "i"s in mimi can be flowers

Visual Hierarchy:

1. flower

2. mimi's flower shoppe

color: pink flower, sky blue , light green, or light gray for mimi's flower shoppe, curly fun font for title.

Inspiration Pieces:

I like the colors chosen in this design.

I like how the f's are the stems of the flowers.

I like the font of the name
because it is swirly
and twirly like flowers.

Assignment 17: Research & Inspiration

Research:
Color plays an important role in logo design. It can illicit different feelings and emotions from the audience. Appropriate colors are needed depending on the audience. Since my audience is to  adults, pastels and more soothing colors need to be used, as opposed to vibrant colors for kids. A green is a good color to use because the audience will immediately think of nature and trees.

Inspiration:
simple

catchy

neat

simple, bold font

Brainstorming:
-What kind of message am I trying to communicate? trying to capture adult's attention to look at the logo and notice the landscape business

-Who is my audience? adults

-What kind of visuals will work for this audience? Maybe a tooth or toothbrush

Visual Hierarchy:

1. tree's

2. Three Tree Landscape

color: green outline loop, black loop, green trees, white and green bold words.

Inspiration Pieces:

I like the different shades of
green, as well as the use
of arrows and leaves.

I like the simplicity of the
logo.

Logo Types

- A graphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition. It is most commonly referred to as a LOGO. 
- As printing costs decreased, literacy rates increased, and visual styles changed, the Victorian decorative arts lead to an expansion of typographic styles and methods of representing business.
- LESS IS MORE because real people in real life situations do not stare at and analyze logos.
- Modernist: inspired logos proved successful in the era of mass visual communication ushered in by television, improvements in printing technology, and digital innovations. Modernism made logos simple and effective.
- Logo design is an important area of graphic design, and one of the most difficult to perfect. This is because logos are meant to represent companies' brands or corporate identities and foster their immediate customer recognition.
- A logo needs to be simple, but have enough personality that it stands out in a crowd.


5 Principles of Effective Logo Design
1. Simple - simplicity makes a logo design easy to recognize, versatile and memorable. Good logos feature something unexpected or unique, without being "overdrawn." (The Nike swoosh)
2. Memorable - an effective logo design should be memorable, which is achieved by keeping it simple yet appropriate. (The McDonalds Golden Arches)
3. Timeless - an effective logo should be timeless. Will yours stand the test of time? Will it be effective in 10, 20, or 50 years? (London's Version of Marta - Underground)
4. Versatile - An effective logo works across a variety of media and applications. For this reason, logos should be designed in vector format, to ensure that they scale to any size. (WWF Panda)
     - Is your logo still effective in one color?
     - Is your logo still effective in reverse color (ex. light logo on dark background)?
     - Is your logo still effective the size of a postage stamp?
     - Is your logo still effective as large as a billboard?
5. Appropriate - how you "position" the logo should be appropriate for its intended audience. or example, a child-like font and color scheme would be appropriate for a logo for a children's toy store, not so much for a law firm. (Toys R Us)


Color
- Four Color Process - a technique for printing with full color. The four colors reproduce all colors of the spectrum when mixed in proper proportion. Also called full color printing. (CMYK).
- Spot Color - method of specifying and printing colors in which each color is printed with its own ink. Spot color printing is effective when the printed matter contains only one to three different colors, but it becomes prohibitively expensive for more colors.
- Pantone Matching System - it is a system by Pantone where every printer in the world uses the same specific colors of inks.
- Color plays an important role in logo design. Color can illicit different feelings and emotions from the audience.
- Interpretation of color may vary depending on age, gender, and cultural demographics. So color should be carefully considered based on your target audience.
- Colors also tend to follow trends, just like fashion. So a new vibrant company may want to follow current trends, whereas a bank may choose to stay with a more conservative color palette.
- Keep your color palette to two or three. Too many colors will increase your cost of production. As well, it may cause a chaotic design.


3 Types of Logos
1. Combination Mark - combination marks are graphics with both text and a symbol/icon that signifies the brand image that you wish to project for your company or organization
2. Iconic/Symbolic - Icons and symbols are compelling yet uncomplicated images that are emblematic of a particular company or product. They use imagery that conveys a literal or abstract representation of your organization. Symbols are less direct than straight text, leaving room for broader interpretation of what the organization represents.
3. Wordmark (entire name)/Lettermark (initials) - a logotype that incorporates your company or brand name into a uniquely styled type font treatment. (only text). It is just basically typography.