DESIGNERS THINK DIFFERENTLY A comparison of the thought process of designers to those not trained in the subject Amanda McIntyre
Designers Think Differently
Designers Think Differently a comparison of the thought process of designers to those not trained in the subject Amanda McIntyre
WHY
2
THE CASE STUDY
6
NON-DESIGNERS
10
DESIGNERS
26
THE DESIGN PROCESS
86
CONCLUSION
96
COLOPHON
101
CONTENTS
WHY
designers think differently
Designers and their work seem to constantly go unnoticed. No one seems to care or recognize the thought and effort that goes into creating a piece of art that can both benefit a company and clearly communicate a thought, feeling or idea to its audience. Many small businesses don’t budget for a well executed brand identity, something that is proven to aid in the success of a company, thus why many fail. In order to prove both the theory that designers are worth the time and investment, as well as being better capable of giving a business an original piece of artwork with thought and a concept to back it up, a submission-based case study was created. Through this case study, people from all different walks of life were asked to create a logo for a small business, one which most of society can easily relate.
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THE CASE STUDY
the case study
The company that earned its makeover is called Cafe Sushi located in Cambridge, MA. This is a real restaurant that has been around since 1984. Some things were obviously going right giving the length of time the establishment has been open, but after heavy research and gathering background about the business, it seemed as though there were many things this company could use that would greatly benefit the future for it’s owners. The submitters were told that their process, or lack of, was very important in the justification of their work. They were asked to not only to submit their final logo, but any sketches or research they did as well as a paragraph or two explaining their process and why the decisions they made effected their final design. They received a short background of the company along with some images of the current location, logo, website and some of the food they prepared.
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designers think differently
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NON DESIGNERS
non-designers
These submissions are representative of the quality that a business may receive when hiring friends and neighbors to design and execute their brand. This grouping is not particularly based on those with absolutely no artistic talent, just of those who have not been professionally trained in graphic design. Form and function may or may not be prevalent in these submissions.
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designers think differently
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non-designers | submission one
SUBMISSION ONE
Submitter one has been an engineer for the past 30 years. He was asked to design a professional logo, in a form in which could be potentially presented to the actual client. He used Microsoft Paint Shop Pro in his execution. The “concept� behind this particular design was that chop sticks were held over a bowl, possibly being dipped or heated. The designer of this logo may not have delved too deeply in his research unfortunately because I was unaware that sushi was ever heated, at least not by the consumer. This is not a logo for a fondue or hot pot restaurant.
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This particular typeface does not seem to fair well with a stroke. The thicks and thins are too predominant to utilize this in a productive way, causing the lettering to be extremely hard to read.
designers think differently
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non-designers | submission one
A big issue with this particular design is the quality of the file. It’s grainy and pixelated. If you try to re-size it, the resolution keeps getting worse...not particularly ideal for use in multiple sizes. He was asked to submit a larger file .png or .pdf but was unsure of how to do it after multiple attempts. This book is 5x5, imagine if it was 1000x1000, the logo would be completely unrecognizable.
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non-designers | submission one
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designers think differently
The inspiration of this logo came from the first page of a Google search of “sushi restaurant logos”. I believe that inspiration may be an understatement in this case and photocopying may be a better descriptive word to use. Taking the image from another logo and calling it your own is not only wrong, but you’re taking away the uniqueness of your brand.
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non-designers | submission two
SUBMISSION TWO
Submitter two is a senior manager at a well known restaurant. His submission was created in Microsoft Paint. His process also consisted of a less than extensive Google image search of “sushi logos”. He described his logo as a representation of not only the Japanese flag, but also two pieces of sushi as well. The dot of the “i” was also meant to replicate a piece of sushi.
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The broadway-esque typeface paints a completely different picture than the brush-stroke like feeling from the image. The drastic thick and thin weights of the typeface does not lend itself to be created in the same manner.
designers think differently
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non-designers | submission two
Unfortunately, I also Google searched and found this logo, which looks all too similar to the submitted piece. This particular piece is capable of being edited to suit the individual needs of each user. That being said, he did take the time to duplicate this logo in his own way, which may be worthy of some sort of recognition?
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designers think differently
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designers think differently
The problem of image quality seems to remain prevalent with this submitter. Pixelation is not an ideal look for a store front sign or even something as small as a postage stamp, both of which in this case would be blurry and distorted. Most logos should be capable of being easily readable at multiple sizes. In this case, the smaller or larger the image gets, the details become completely indistinguishable.
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DESIGNERS
designers
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designers think differently
Conceptual thinking plays an important role in the creation of something that is both beautiful and makes sense for the client and their audience. The following logos are meant to showcase the thought process that a designer goes through in the creation of their logo, showing the difference between a lack of process and of something that is thoroughly thought out.
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designers | submission one
SUBMISSION ONE
Submitter one is a graphic designer that recently entered the work field after graduating college. She was given the same background information of the restaurant along with the supplemental imagery. Her submission was created in Adobe Illustrator.
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designers think differently
CAFE
SUSHI 30
designers | submission one
defining the problem and collecting information
She said she began her process with thinking of all the words that she felt associated with the topic and based sketches off of them. “I began thinking about sushi, eating, the tools used, the color, and also looked at the letters of the name.� Doing this allows the designer to envision different aspects of the topic. Without mindmapping, the possibility of missing elements that correlate with the company vastly increases.
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designers | submission one
brainstorming ideas
The next step in her process is to sketch different possibilities for the logo. Keeping in mind the mood board she created, she said she tried to see what shapes could be combined and paired together. I did the same with the name "Cafe Sushi" as well, seeing what letterforms could be transformed into different shapes, or molded with the sketches.
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Sketching with pencil and paper allows the designer to test and erase without permanence. Exploring every possible option on paper gives a designer several options to push further.
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designers | submission one
first iterations
After exhausting the sketches on paper, she chose a route that she then proceeded to take to the computer. From this, she was able to perfect the images and move them around in the correct sizing. A designer goes through tens of hundreds of different trials in order to perfect every aspect of the logo, ensuring that every possible lockup has been tested in order to find the one that best fits.
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C FE SUSHI
C FE SUSHI A
C FE
C FE SUSHI
C FE SUSHI A
C FE SUSHI
Placement of “cafe” and changes in color and font weight of “sushi”.
CAFE
SUSHI
C FE
SUSHI
C FE SUSHI A
C FE SUSHI The addition of the “A” in cafe and a color change in “sushi”.
CAFE
SUSHI cafe sushi
C FE
SUSHI
S
FE SUSHI A
FE SUSHI CAFE
SUSHI
C FE
SUSHI
C FE
SUSHI
Placement of “cafe”, removal of the “A” and scale of the chopsticks.
cafe sushi
afe sushi
AFE SUSHI
cafe
SUSHI
SUSHI
C FE
SUSHI
C FE
SUSHI
Rotation of the chopsticks.
cafe
SUSHI
C FE SUSHI A
C FE SUSHI CAFE
SUSHI
C FE
SUSHI
Adjustment of the placement of the chopsticks and the addition of the “A” in cafe.
cafe sushi cafe sushi CAFE SUSHI
caf
SU
FE
designers think differently
CAFE SUSHI Placement and scale of the chopsticks as well an adjustment in color and type weight.
C FE
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designers | submission one
typography
I also had to decide on the correct typeface. I decided to go with Gotham because it is fairly modern and clean (much like how you would want a restaurant to be) and worked nicely with the minimal images I was adding to it. It was somewhat neutral, and I enjoyed the roundness of the figures which I thought would work nicely with the "sushi roll" concept.Â
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It’s important to choose the correct typeface for a logo/ brand. The wrong typography can give false impressions on a company and making sure that the font correlates with the imagery is part of a designers’ job.
CAFE SUSHI Typeface- Brothers
CAFE SUSHI Typeface- Arial
CAFE SUSHI Typeface- Bell Gothic
CAFE SUSHI Typeface- Knockout Cruiserweight
CAFE SUSHI Typeface- Din Pro
CAFE SUSHI Typeface- Lucida Grande
CAFE SUSHI Typeface- Aller
designers think differently
CAFE SUSHI Typeface- Gotham
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designers | submission one
second iterations
After the typeface was chosen, she went back to her digital sketches to play around with what images and colors fit best with the typeface. After doing several drafts of one successful idea, she was able to look at them all together and see which one communicated the restaurant’s image the best, which would end up being the final logotype choice.
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C FE
SUSHI Addition of a sushi piece being held by the chopsticks.
C FE
SUSHI
C FE
SUSHI C FE
SUSHI Size change and overall adjustment of the sushi piece.
C FE
SUSHI
C FE
SUSHI C FE
SUSHI Movement of the sushi piece along with the addition of the circle to ground the sushi.
C FE
SUSHI C FE
SUSHI Drop out of the circle behind the sushi, realizing that it clutters the piece.
CAFE
SUSHI Dropping the sushi piece because of the size, noticing that it may be too abstract and unrecognizable.
CAFE
FE
SHI
FE
designers think differently
CAFE
SHI SUSHI
E
A color shift back to black, realizing that a red “A� has no meaning to the restaurant and a repositioning of the chopsticks.
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designers | submission one
final logotype
She was able to make the correct adjustments and finalize the lock-up only after several renditions and small changes in the overall piece.
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CAFE
SUSHI
designers think differently
CAFE
SUSHI Final lockup of the logotype with the addition of the color in sushi, emphasizing the key word in which the restaurant is based around.
CAFE
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CAFE
USH
E
designers think differently
HI
Notice as well that this logo can be blown up to virtually any size without a lack in pixels or clarity.
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THE DESIGN PROCESS
the design process
Outside of the direct design world, the work and effort that is expelled in order to create a clear system of communication goes completely unrecognized. Society takes advantage of the ease of reading the nutritional facts label on the back of their macaroni and cheese box or the easily understandable directions on how to assemble the new kitchen table, not knowing or caring that countless hours of work went into the construction of the layout. Books, logos, typefaces– all of which are meticulously designed with months and sometimes years of research to serve the general public in one way or another. The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines graphic design as “the art or profession of using design elements to convey information or create an effect”. In order to effectively convey that information visually, many de-
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designers think differently
cisions need to be made in the design process. Critical thinking is the means by which designers observe, learn, analyze and make decisions. Because the clientele and target audiences for which designers design is so vastly broad, today’s communications are more global than ever before, and technology keeps changing every day, the job of a graphic designer has become increasingly challenging and important. It seems as time progresses and technology advances, companies and small businesses shortcut their design budgets by hiring non-designers to create their brand. Graphic design is known primarily as a creative field— Designers create designs. In any creative community, there must be a time for making and a time for thinking about what’s being made. Without critical thinking, the creativity
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designers think differently
of graphic design could not be appropriately applied, and without creative thinking, novel ideas might become stagnant. Knowing when to be critical and when to be creative, and knowing that those skills compliment each other, is a yin and yang in the design process. During the design process, there is a creative phase of idea generation. This involves being inspired, brainstorming, harnessing a sense of play, experimenting with many different ideas and unexpected combinations, and withholding premature judgments. Known designer Peter Elbow refers to the process of writing: “in two stages, being first creative and then critical– you will get practice in the larger skill of moving back and forth between conflicting temperaments so they enhance each other instead of fighting each other,” and, “By saying that you should
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the design process
go through two stages when you write I don’t mean to suggest that every scrap of writing must go through two stages. For if you get yourself to write freely during the first stage you will warm up all your faculties and some passages will come out just right the first time. You will achieve a kind of focus and concentration so that these passages— sometimes even entire pieces—will cook perfectly in your head. They grow out of that magic which some excellent writers can call on at will: simultaneous creativity and critical thinking.” This speaks to the design process as well. The more you learn and seek knowledge, and the more you create, the more habitual it becomes to think and to generate new ideas and a form of thinking. Creativity in design is not only important for the sake of the designer’s portfolio and reputation, but the utmost
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designers think differently
important for the sake of the business or message the design project is for. In today’s global economy and overloaded information-age, consumers have many choices. The more useful a service or product is, and the more creatively it is marketed, the more a consumer remembers it and is likely to buy that service or product. Visual language is described as a system of communication using visual elements. Speech as a means of communication cannot strictly be separated from the whole human communicative activity that includes the visual and the term language in relation to vision and the extension of its use to describe the perception, comprehension and production of visible signs. A designers process from start to end may vary slightly from one person to another, but the basic format stays the same.
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the design process
defining the problem- conducting a questionnaire or interview with the client and figuring out the issue as opposed to jumping to solutions at this point is vital in the success of a design piece of visual communication. collecting information- conduct research focused on the industry itself, on its history, and on its competitors as well as researching into successful logo designs and current styles and trends that are related to the design brief. brainstorming ideas- sketching and developing possible logo concepts first iterations- moving paper sketches to digital ones in order to better sketch the possible logos. typography- choosing the typeface to match the feeling of the company/business. In this case an original typeface could become necessary. second iterations- adjustments and tweeks to the first iterations after receiving feedback
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A designer may jump back and forth within these steps until finalizing the logotype.
designers think differently
DEFINE
the problem
COLLECT
second
ITERATIONS
information
THE DESIGN
PROCESS BRAINSTORM
TYPOGRAPHY
ideas
decisions
first
ITERATIONS
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CONCLUSION
conclusion
Designers aren’t asking to be recognized for their work by name, they want to be recognized for their dedication. The form in which a designers’ work can be physical or virtual, and may include images, words, or graphic forms. The experience can take place in an instant or over a long period of time. The work can happen at any scale, from the design of a single postage stamp to a national postal signage system, or from a company’s digital avatar to the sprawling and interlinked digital and physical content of an international newspaper. Graphic design as a practice can be traced back to the origin of the written word. Once you arrange image and/or text to communicate a message, you are entering the world of graphic design. It can appear in any media – print, digital media, motion pictures, animation, product packaging, ect.
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designers think differently
To understand how much graphic design touches your life, image a trip to the movies. All around you will see the creations of graphic designers: · your cell phone screen to call your friend · to join you- user interface designer the newspaper with the movie times · and locations- advertising designer the Fandango website where you · purchased the tickets- web designer the popcorn container- package designer Play this game in different environments – your gym, an airport or a restaurant. The more you do it, the more your eye will develop a sense of all the graphic design surrounding you.
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Design is a funny word. Some people think design means how it looks. But of course, if you dig deeper its really how it works. To design something really well, you have to get it. It takes a passionate commitment to really thoroughly understand something, chew it, not just quickly swallow it. Most people don’t take the time to do that.” – Steve Jobs
designers think differently
As you begin to see how persuasive branding and design are, you will also see the need to develop your own graphic design presence. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll be competing with Nike’s branding department. It just means that your business should have it’s own professional look and style, just as you do. You wouldn’t cut your hair yourself of let your kids make financial decisions, so why would you trust someone with no artistic training to develop your visual presence?
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colophon
“ What Is Graphic Design?” AIGA. Web. 19 Apr. 2015. <http://www.aiga.org/guidewhatisgraphicdesign/>. “ The Design Process.” The Design Process. Web. 19 Apr. 2015. <http://discoverdesign. org/design/process>. “ Graphic Design.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 19 Apr. 2015. <http:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphic_design>.
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“ Sushi White Sesame Vegetables Wallpaper #76055.” Sushi White Sesame Vegetables Wallpaper #76055. Web. 19 Apr. 2015. <http://hdwyn.com/sushi_white_sesame_ vegetables_hd-wallpaper-76055/>. “ Use Real Butter.” Use Real Butter RSS. Web. 19 Apr. 2015. <http://userealbutter.com/2012/11/25/volcano-roll-sushirecipe/>.
designers think differently
“ Sushi Restaurant Logo - Ready-made Logo Designs | 99designs.” 99designs. Web. 19 Apr. 2015. <https://99designs.com/readymade/logos/63312>. “ Swish Shabu | Japanese Hot Pot and Sushi.” Swish Shabu Japanese Hot Pot and Sushi RSS. Web. 19 Apr. 2015. <http://swishshabu.com>.
“ Beef Roll Sushi.” RSS. Web. 19 Apr. 2015. <http://www.dishmaps.com/beef-rollsushi/17903>. “ Cafesushicambridge.” Cafesushicambridge. Web. 19 Apr. 2015. <http://www.cafesushicambridge.com>.
COLOPHON 102
Thank You!