ELEMENTS Logotype for Company Identity + Hope Lenhart
contents
introduction company briefing twenty-five words mood board inital sketches developed sketches design revisions final logotype details & application
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introduction
Design a logo for a company. Sounds easy right? Let me just say first off that this was the hardest assignment I have ever completed. For many people who are not designers, logos may seem like simple, easy-to-make, icons that represent something much larger. The process book is a vehicle that allows for a non-designer to step into the creative world and view all the effort they put into designing that one little logotype. Every color, line, white space, and curve has a meaning behind it. The planning, sketching and execution is the hard part. Welcome to my process. It is a long journey through trial and error, mistakes, failures, and the ultimate discovery of success. Enjoy.
company brief
ELEMENTS (renewable energy supply and chain) Elements, a renewable energy supply and design service organization offers products and design skills for residential solar power systems or other renewable energy electric systems. Their systems include the use of solar panels, wind (turbines) generators; they provide components for emergency power back-up, off-grid homes, RVs, solar water pumping, telecommunications, general battery charging, marine applications, grid tie electric power systems and efficent refridgeration.
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25 words
The first part of the assignment was to come up with fifty words that really describe the company you are designing the logo for. My fifty words exemplify the way my mood board was approached.
clean / innovative / fresh positive / resourseful / natural efficient / creative/ intelligent green / recyclable / energetic dependable / trustworthy advanced / productive renewable / powerful / light well-rounded / dynamic multi-functional / pure simplistic / modern
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mood board
My mood board is something I like to create with just the company description in mind, before I start any sketches. It helps me generate a feeling and connection with what I’m about to design. Throughout my process when I feel like I’m getting lost, I always refer back to the mood board for fresh inspiration.
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inital sketches
When I first began sketching, I really focused on the qualities the company was known for, especially their use of “power.� Once I explored every power-related idea I had, I started to think about how the company wanted to be defined. If the logotype solely represented a power company, then it would be misdirecting clients. The main characteristics of Elements as a company is the fact that they reuse their energy to create renewable and greener electric systems. With this in mind, I explored a new style of logotypes as you can see in the drawings with recycle symbols, and natural elements. These were the ones that I was critiqued to explore and refine.
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developed sketches
I went back to the drawing board after the first critique to perfect my styles and ideas. A couple different things sprouted from my experience, but I mostly stuck with what people though was appropriate. I was going on two main concepts, as you can see here.
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trials & research
Now for the hardest part. Rendering a logo to make it appear sophisticated yet simple and still get the main point across. Between seemingly endless research and trials, I started to enjoy where my logo was going.
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revisions
It ends up being between two logotype design styles. At this point, I knew I wanted to stick with the sunrise “e” logo, but there was something missing. At my most frustrated moment working on the sun rays and trying to fit the rays into the counter of the “e,” I got a different idea. I pulled out a piece of paper and began to sketch. What if I could incorporate a sun ray, land and the letter “e” in one single round form? Would that be possible? After a bunch of sketches I came up with a form I really enjoyed. Semi-abstract, yet still visually appealing and much clearer than anything I had previously been doing. Sometimes when you are so caught up in the process and execution it really helps to take a step back and look at everything in perspective.
I kept re-working the sun rays but couldn’t seem to get it right.
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final logotype
I combined the form of the letter e, the sun, the sun rays, and the land into one organic and circular form. The “e� is slightly visible, if you are looking hard enough for it. The orange color signifies how the company relies on the sun for most of it’s renewable energy, but the color can be easily changed to green to signify recycling, as the center black form almost can appear as an arrow. This logotype really encompasses everything I wanted to display about Elements company in a clean, deliverable manner.
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details & application
Well there you have it. Final logotype, completed. Here are some model applications to show how it would be used in the real world to promote the company.
Elements Energy Corporation
Elements Energy Corporation
Department of Resources Building F Room 27 450 Main Avenue Columbus, OH 32340-2323
Department of Resources Building F Room 27 450 Main Avenue Columbus, OH 32340-2323
Phone: (324) 423-4329 Fax: (432) 932-3289
Phone: (324) 423-4329 Fax: (432) 932-3289
Elements Energy Corporation Department of Resources Building F Room 27 450 Main Avenue Columbus, OH 32340-2323 Phone: (324) 423-4329 Fax: (432) 932-3289
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