intro to logo design

1. Icons, Symbols, and Signs

2. The meaning of a symbol has to be learned. It isn’t always
apparent in the drawing.

3. Departing Flights Bus Transportation
Air Transportation Car Rental
Baggage Check / Claim
Baggage Locker Rental
Pictograms conveys its meaning through its pictorial resemblance to a physical object

4. Icons are restricted to graphical representation of familiar things, not
necessarily objects, and one can easily understand what they stand for.

5. Logo type
logo symbol
Combination mark

6. What are the most memorable attributes of airplane flight? Why do people choose it over a
train or bus? The arrow or chevron, and diagonal lines symbolize flight and speed. The circle,
often used to brand an airline, oceangoing vessels, or travel agency, signifies globe-spanning
capability.

7. Does this font, and do these shapes, suggest flight or speed? What else do they
suggest to you?
Using Symbols

8. USING SYMBOLS
If a symbol is an image of an object or being, it should be simplified to the point where the
important attributes attributes remain to support the message and help visual recognition.
These designers show the ‘braid’ shape of an ear of wheat, and added gold and green colors,
associated with wheat and crops.

9. USING SYMBOLS
When designing a symbol, the choice of color and degree of detail will depend on the type of
product or service, the audience being reached, how the symbol will be used, and how the
logo will be reproduced. What if the logo will be printed in a small format, embroidered, or
stamped into plastic or metal?

10. USING SYMBOLS
The purpose of a symbol is to illustrate one or more important attributes of the product or
service being branded. Why was the butterfly chosen for the brands below?
Network of Web services
including instant messenger, news
Record company.
Founders’ names: Chris Wright and Terry Ellis

11. Women and children’s shelter Table tennis products mfr.
Scents and bath oils
Why was the butterfly chosen for the brands below?
USING SYMBOLS

12. USING SYMBOLS
Working from primary sources for logo ideas.
What view of the chair best shows that it’s a rocking chair when simplified?

13. Clothing and gear for climbing and extreme environments
The logo below shows a very jagged mountain range. The actual mountains of Patagonia, a
section of the Andes, are indeed very jagged and remote, a formidable challenge for climbers
and hikers.
USING SYMBOLS

14. Clothing and gear for climbing and extreme environments
The photograph shows the North Face of Half Dome, at Yosemite National Park. The North
Face is a famous challenge for rock climbers, 3,000 feet of sheer rock face. This view is at a
slight angle to the northwest. Do you see how a side view of Half Dome could be simplified to
create the symbol below?
USING SYMBOLS

15. sports and exercise shoes and apparel
BRANDING APPLIED
Why did this designer choose these shapes, or ‘stripes’ to represent the company?
What is adidas famous for?

16. Old logo.
New logo.
CUSTOM FONTS

17. Does this logo ‘read’ differently in color?
WORKING WITH VALUE & COLOR

18. USING SYMBOLS

19. Design firm
Forestry high school
USING SYMBOLS

20. engineering and construction
Robel Steel
Manufacturer of steel structures.
Design, manufacture and
installation of steel structures
Both of the images below are fairly realistic, three-dimensional illustrations of the product or
service, even though they have been simplified to their basic components.
USING SYMBOLS

21. Frank Nesslage, photographer
Designed by Stephen Dziallas.
Nesslage, in German, means Lake Ness, or ‘Loch’ Ness.
USING SYMBOLS

22. USING SYMBOLS
Three different symbols for ‘Mercury.’ What images or ideas are the source for these symbols?
What is Mercury? What does Mercury stand for?

23. USING SYMBOLS

25. Suite of software applications.
Microsoft repeated the colors and basic relationship between type and shapes in the
Windows logo, to create the Microsoft Office logo. This ties the parent brand very closely to
the product, while supporting the message that all the Microsoft Office programs work
together.
Personal computer operating system.
BRANDING APPLIED
Microsoft News web site.

28. BRANDING APPLIED

29. BRANDING APPLIED

30. BRANDING APPLIED

34. Monogram sketches