LOGOS monica madelaine santa 9-2
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it 9
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2011
INVESTIGATION stage one
LOGO CREATION GUIDING QUESTION: HOW CAN ADVERTISING MANIPULATE OUR ACTIONS?
Client: The school Problem: SWA is in need of new Logos for the Areas of Interaction, IB Learner Profile, and Design Cycle. They have asked me to create a logo for each IB Learner Profile (10) and logos for either the Areas Interaction or Design Cycle (5). Target Audience: Students and teachers who use the Design Cycle, IB Learner Profile and Areas of Interaction Plan: I will design logos for the IB Learner Profiles and the Design Cycle. Time Allowed: 5 weeks Specifications & Limitations Need internet access/computer/drawing materials
Use appropriate software (PhotoShop, Pixelmator, etc) Must be appropriate and relevant for school Unit Objectives - Explore the various ways that Logos promote a company. - Learn to use a variety of software in order to create different logos. - Evaluate and justify the choice you’ve made based on dynamic and original the product is. Documented Evidence: Your documented evidence is like your diary. You start it when you first start making your design and it doesn’’t end till you have finished making your product. Take lots of photos, make notes on any modifications and add sketches and diagrams.
DESIGN BRIEF I will design and create 10 logos for the IB Learner Profile Additionally, I will also be creating 5 logos for the Areas of Interaction. All this will be made within the time limit by following the stages of the Design Cycle which is investigation, design, plan, create and evaluation. To do this, I will interview my client to understand what kind of logo they are looking for and create a gantt chart to manage my time. It is essential that I follow all the steps involved in the Design Cycle to successfully make all the logos. The create part will be done both during school and at home. Materials Needed Computer Internet access Pencil/pen/drawing tools Paper Photo-editing software Scanner and/or printer
Why? Making logos for the IB Learner Profiles will benefit both my client and the target audience because it will help them to remember the different attributes of the ILP
AREA OF INTERACTION
The Area of Interaction for this project is human ingenuity because it requires originality and creativity, which is essential when designing a product. I will have to conduct interviews and use my knowledge of IT to create a product that is appropriate and appealing to members of the SWA community. I will also be reflecting and evaluating on how I create the logo, which is part of human ingenuity according to the IB. Therefore, I believe the Area of Interaction that relates best to this project is human ingenuity.
BRAINSTORM Helps people to remember the IB Learner Profile & AOIs
Creative and innovative design
Appropriate to the school
Promotes education and learning
LOGOS
High quality
Aesthetically pleasing Consistent, common theme of the logo (e.g. color, theme, shape) Eye catching
SPECIFICATION Specification/Why?
Testing
Software
I will use Keynote/PhotoShop/Picnik or any other software that can help me design a good logo
I will try out different softwares or use a mix of softwares to determine which ones to use
Time
I will be given 2 weeks to design all 15 logos
I can make a schedule or gantt chart to manage my time
Size
The size should not be too big or small and should be consistent throughout all the logos
I will make sure the logos are consistent (size-wise) by keeping the template the same size
Aesthetics
The logos should be aesthetically pleasing, memorable, simple and appropriate for all ages
I will research existing designs and survey people for opinion on the aesthetics of the logos
Target Audience
The target audience are teachers and students because they are the ones who will be using the ILP and AOIs in school
I will interview the client to see what they believe the logos should look like
Function
The logos should represent the ILP and the AOIs within the SWA community
I will interview people and ask them if they feel the logos represent the ILP and AOIs well
Purpose
The logos should make members of the SWA community remember the ILP and the AOIs better
Test random SWA members if they can recognize each of the logos
Cost
The cost should be free
I will not pay for anything
Durability
The logo should keep with today’s trends and hopefully last for a while before it needs to be modified
I will research existing logos and see how they have modified it throughout the years
Ease of Creation
To a certain extent, the logos should be quite easy to make
Depending on the software, I can determine which software is the easiest and most efficient to use
CASE STUDY
1
2
3
Brand
Chanel
WWF
Apple
Target Audience
Women who like fashion
Animal conservationists
Computer and tech enthusiasts
Aesthetics
Simple, classic, black
Simple, black ‘n’ white, cartoon
Simple, monochrome, futuristic
Cost
~ $100,000
~ $50,000
~ $75,000
Function
Ease of Creation
A very effective, smart logo This logo immediately makes you that makes Chanel memorable think about WWF
This definitely makes Apple easy to remember
Simple but had a lot of thought put in
Very creative and must have taken a lot of thought
Not as easy to make as the other two but still memorable
INTERVIEW CLIENT: DAD WHAT IS A GOOD LOGO? A GOOD LOGO IS SIMPLE, EASY AND MEMORABLE. IT SHOULD STAND OUT AND NOT BE CONFUSED WITH OTHER EXISTING LOGOS. GOOD LOGOS ARE LOGOS LIKE THE NIKE, APPLE AND ADIDAS LOGOS. THEY ARE SIMPLE AND LOOK EFFORTLESS. WHAT COLOR DO YOU THINK THE LOGO SHOULD BE? IT REALLY DOES NOT MATTER WHAT COLORS YOU USE AS LONG AS THEY SUIT THE LOGO YOU ARE CREATING. FOR INSTANCE, IF YOU ARE MARKETING A PRODUCT FOR GUYS, YOU WOULDN’T MAKE THE LOGO PINK. IT’S IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN MIND YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE WHEN CREATING THE LOGO. HOWEVER, I DON’T THINK THE LOGO SHOULD EXCEED MORE THAN 5 COLORS AND IF YOU ARE USING GRADIENT, THE COLORS SHOULD BLEND. I PERSONALLY PREFER MONOCHROME COLORS BECAUSE THEY STAND OUT BETTER AND LOOK SLEEK AND FUTURISTIC. DO YOU THINK THE LOGO SHOULD BE TEXT OR ICONS? IT REALLY DOES NOT MATTER, YOU CAN EVEN USE BOTH BUT REMEMBER: SIMPLE IS BEST. EFFECTIVE TEXT LOGOS ARE LOGOS LIKE THE FEDEX LOGOS AND ICON LOGOS LIKE THE APPLE LOGOS ARE BOTH EFFECTIVE IN THEIR OWN WAYS. HOW BIG SHOULD THE LOGO BE? THE LOGOS MUST BE ABLE TO BE RECOGNIZED AT ANY SIZE. I RECOMMEND YOU KEEP THEM IN THE SAME TEMPLATE BUT IF THEY ARE RESIZED, THEY SHOULD STILL BE EFFECTIVE. FOR EXAMPLE, IF ONE OF YOUR LOGOS FOR THE IB LEARNER PROFILE IS IN A 100X100 SQUARE, MAKE SURE THE OTHER LOGOS ARE 100X100. WHAT SHAPE SHOULD THE LOGO BE? IT DOES NOT MATTER BUT THE SHAPE MUST BE CONSISTENT FOR EACH LOGO. WHAT SHOULD THE LOGO MAKE THE VIEWERS FEEL? THE LOGOS SHOULD MAKE THE VIEWERS REMEMBER EACH PROFILE BETTER. THEY MUST MEMORABLE BUT THEY SHOULD ALSO BE APPROPRIATE FOR SCHOOL. REMEMBER YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE! YOU ARE TRYING TO GET STUDENTS, TEACHERS AND MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL FACULTY SHOULD REMEMBER THESE LOGOS LIKE WE REMEMBER THE MCDONALDS OR BLACKBERRY LOGO.
SUMMARY OF INVESTIGATION In conclusion, it is evident that the most successful logos are the simplest ones. For example, Chanel, WWF and Apple logos all started relatively complicated but became simpler through the years.
My client also recommends that I make the designs simple. The color doesn’t matter as much as long as they complement each other and it is important to use an interesting font if I decide to make it a text logo. She also says that the logo a successful logo is memorable. If the logo is hard to remember, it’s probably not a great logo. From the investigation stage, I have learnt that I must make an simple but effective logo for the IB Learner Profiles, Design Cycle or AOI that will be appropriate for school.
WORKS CITED Chanel. Digital image. Anastasia Wendy. Feb. 2011. Web. 15 Nov. 2011. <http://anastasiawendy.blogspot.com/2011_02_01_archive.html>.
WWF. Digital image. Wikipedia. Web. 15 Nov. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/File:WWF_logo.svg>.
Apple. Digital image. Apple Info Guides. Aug. 2011. Web. 15 Nov. 2011. <http://apple-info-guides.blogspot.com/2011_08_01_archive.html>.
Schrank, Brian. Apple Logo History. Digital image. Brian Schrank, PhD in Videogames and Digital Media, DePaul University - Portfolio. Web. 15 Nov. 2011. <http://brianschrank.com>.
DESIGN stage two
INQUIRER Pros Simple Clean fonts (Gill Sans/ Kayleigh) Professional color scheme Q represents “question” Cons Unimaginative No image
KNOW
DGEABLE
Pros Simple Clear font (Gill Sans) Professional color scheme The “LE” is actually a stack of books Cons Dull
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TH NKER Pros Simple Clean fonts (Gill Sans/ Kayleigh) Professional color scheme Relates to the “Thinker” attribute Cons The thought bubbles are cliche
RISK TAKER Pros Simple Clear font Professional color scheme Looks like a logo Bold Cons Can be tweaked to look better
BALANCED Pros Simple Clear font Professional color scheme Relates to the “Balanced” attribute Cons Too simple?
C MMUNICAT R Pros Simple Clear font (Gill Sans) Professional color scheme Relates to the “Communicator” attribute Cons Slightly cliche
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P E N I N D E D Pros Simple Clear font (Gill Sans Professional color scheme Letters are spaced wide apart to give the illusion of being â&#x20AC;&#x153;Open Mindedâ&#x20AC;? Cons Too simple?
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CARING Pros Simple Clean font (Gill Sans) Professional color scheme Relates to the “Caring” attribute Cons Cliche
PRINCIPLED Pros Simple Clean font (Gill Sans) Professional color scheme Cons Boring, not memorable Unimaginative Does not relate to being “Principled”
REFLECTIVE Pros Simple Clear font (Gill Sans) Professional color scheme Relates to the “Reflective” attribute Cons Cliche The reflection underneath is too strong
DESIGN 5 ‘
INVEST GATE DES GN PLAN
CREATE
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EVALUATION AGAINST RESEARCH
All my logos combined really can’t compare to a logo that has been made over a long period of time by a group of professionals. After all, they are more experienced in logo design, IT and typography than me. The Nike logo is much more effective because it’s simple and the “swoosh” is very sporty and just suits their whole image. I would say that some of my logos are quite nice. I particularly like my “Open Minded” and “Balanced” logos because of their simplicity and minimalism. I’m not big on my “Caring” and “Reflective” logos because they both are really unoriginal and cliche. I also need to work on my “Principled” logo because it has no relation to being principled whatsoever.
EVALUATION AGAINST RESEARCH
My logos looks really amateur compared to the Nestle logo. This is probably because Nestle has an actual team and invested a lot of money to make their design successful. Like mine, they have limited their colors to only one color (black) and have kept to one font. I also really like that the Nestle logo has the lines that make the logo flow really well. However, my logos relates more to the design cycle stages and will make it easier for my target audience to remember and memorize each stage better. I think I will have to improve the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Createâ&#x20AC;? stage logo because unlike the others, it does not have much relation to its meaning. I will work on improving that later.
DESIGN SUMMARY During the design stage, I designed 15 text logos, 10 for the Learner Profiles and 5 for the stages of the Design Cycle. I prefer to do text logos but if I suddenly think of a great icon logo, I may change it throughout the creation process. I personally think my logos are decent but could do with some improvement. I would like to change some of them to make them relate more to their meanings without making it too cliche. Also, I need to figure out a way to make the designs consistent size-wise.
PLAN stage three
STEP BY STEP*
making a random logo *no one way to make a logo
GANTT CHART Task
Time to Complete (Minutes)
IBL 1
60
IBL 2
60
IBL 3
60
IBL 4
60
IBL 5
60
IBL 6
60
IBL 7
60
IBL 8
60
IBL 9
60
IBL 10
60
DC 1
60
DC 2
60
DC 3
60
DC 4
60
DC 5
60
Edit all the logos (final touches)
20
Export and print
10
TOOLS Computer
I will need a computer to design the logos
Internet
I need access to the internet to use certain software, download fonts and do my research
Keynote
I will use Keynote to create my logo because I am already familiar with this program and it has many functions
Photoshop
I may use Adobe Photoshop to design and edit the logos, however I am not as familiar with this program as I am with Keynote, Picnik or Pixelmator
Picnik
I will use Picnik to edit my logo because of its user friendly interface and nice effects
Pixelmator
I will use Pixelmator to create and edit the logos
PLAN SUMMARY In the planning stage, I pretty much created a simple step-by-step for creating a logo on KeyNote. It’s just a dummy (stand-in) logo but it shows more or less the way I create logos on KeyNote. Of course, there is no one specific way to design a logo and it is really up to the creator to experiment and find out which software suits him/her best. I personally included all the possible tools I may use in my tools and resources list. I have also justified why I will use it and what for. My gantt chart is also quite well planned out. I don’t know if anyone else can follow it as everyone has different time management skills but it’s clear and I don’t think people will have too much trouble reading it. Overall, my plan is really just a short snapshot of what I need, what I will do and when.
CREATE stage four
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EVALUATE stage five
EVALUATING MY PERFORMANCE
AT EACH STAGE OF THE DESIGN CYCLE Investigation – The objective for this project was to help SWA community members to remember the 5 stages of the Design Cycle by making logos to represent each stage. To do this, I needed to investigate. First, I interviewed the client to discuss what kind of product they want and based on the interview, they were expecting a memorable and professional logo design that would reflect the Design Cycle stages. I took notes on the requirements they asked for, researched different softwares and programs that could be used and made a case study for three existing products.This first stage of the Design Cycle helped me to think more in detail about the purpose of this project and what I needed to keep in mind to complete all the requirements from the client. We were asked to complete the investigation stage relatively quickly because the client wanted to give us more time to design and create the logos. Design – In the design stage, I created 15 possible product designs that were based on the requirements from my client and also the specification made in the investigation stage. I evaluated all the designs using the design specification and chose the one I thought was the best in the end. I explained why each designs did or did not meet each specification to clarify why the final design was chosen. I think I did a good job during the design stage as I made appropriate designs, evaluated all the designs based on my client’s specifications and used this to choose the final design and explain why it was chosen. I also compared my designs to existing designs and explained why my designs were successful or unsuccessful by listing their pros and cons. My design summary was quite brief but we also had to rush through this stage because of the short time frame. Plan – In the plan stage, I planned out the time and the steps to follow when making the logos. The step by step was very brief since we had to explain the steps without words and there is no one exact way to make a logo. The gantt chart shows how much time I will spend for each step so that I can make sure I am using the time efficiently when I start making the product. It clearly shows the steps and time I will take to complete the entire project. I also planned which software and applications to use which made it easier for me during the create stage. I was pretty pleased with what I had done during the plan stage although I don’t think it is as detailed as it could be. However, I don’t believe this is my fault as the time limit given was extremely short. Create – I was very eager to create the logos during the create stage. I had never used Photoshop or Adobe Illustrator before and it was both fun and frustrating to figure things out. Personally, it was making the documented evidence that really frustrated me. Although I understand why we have to do it, it was boring and timeconsuming. The product itself didn’t require hard work (I followed a tutorial) and it was really a matter of trial and error and playing around with the features. I must have followed a bunch of different tutorials but I couldn’t document that because it was just too tedious! However, I do think I did a good job documenting some evidence and making the logos. During the create stage I switched from using Photoshop to KeyNote because I was running out of time. If I could change one thing, I would wish for more time during this stage because I could have used that time to experiment with Photoshop and other programs. I did well during this stage but I wasn’t very efficient with managing my time. Evaluation – I think I evaluated in detail and explained why I did things the way I did it. I mentioned the successes and not so successful points of my logos and listed the modifications and improvements I could make next time. My evaluation includes in full detail my thoughts on the whole project in general and is my honest opinion about what I think about my progress, successes and failures. I think I made a very good evaluation and it will be useful in helping me the next time I do a similar project.
TESTING: MEETING SPECS Testing
Success?
Why?
Form
I will try out different softwares or use a mix of softwares to determine which ones to use
☺
At first, I tried using Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator but it was too hard to use so I used KeyNote
Time
I can make a schedule or gantt chart to manage my time
☹
I didn’t follow my gantt chart but I thought this was ok because of the limited time frame given
Size
I will make sure the logos are consistent (sizewise) by keeping the template the same size
☺
The sizes of the logos are similar but because some words were longer than others, the length are different
Aesthetics
I will research existing designs and survey people for opinion on the aesthetics of the logos
☺
The aesthetics of my logos are simple, clean and have one element that make it interesting
Target Audience
I will interview the client to see what they believe the logos should look like
☺
It reaches my target audience because it is easy to recognize and appropriate to the SWA community
Function
I will interview people and ask them if they feel the logos represent the ILP and AOIs well
☺
The logos are quite memorable and some of the responses I’ve been given is that the logos represent the design cycle stages well
Purpose
Test random SWA members if they can recognize each of the logos
☹
I have not tested this yet
Cost
I will not pay for anything
☺
It was free so I didn’t have to pay anything
Durability
I will research existing logos and see how they have modified it throughout the years
☺
My logos can still be modified later on and is pretty modern looking
Ease of Creation
Depending on the software, I can determine which software is the easiest and most efficient to use
☺
It was actually really easy to make on KeyNote but using Photoshop was time consuming and difficult
SUCCESSFUL POINTS I like that the logos are very professional-looking and reflects each of aspect of the IB Design Cycle. Design-wise, I think it looks pretty cool. I think I was most successful with my investigation, design, create and evaluate stage because I was able to complete all of the required tasks easily. In the investigation stage, I researched a variety of existing logos and compared them to my designs. I also wrote a detailed design specification which was very useful in the design and evaluation stages. In the design stage, I created 15 designs which I really liked and evaluated them in my design summary. In the create stage, I met almost all the requirements my clients wanted and created a product that I and them were very happy with. I also think I did a good job in the evaluation stage because I am really sincere and honest about the things I liked and didn’t like and explained them in detail.
UNSUCCESSFUL POINTS I think I was least successful in the planning stage. My plan was quite rushed and I couldn’t really make an accurate step-by-step of how to make the website. I also failed at justifying why I made things the way I made them. I guess, I just wanted to do the things I wanted to do and not have to explain them. My plan evaluation was also really not and had lacked detail. I also couldn’t follow my gantt chart very well because I didn’t do everything on time. The days I worked on the site was varied and sometimes I did a lot of things, sometimes I didn’t do anything at all. Luckily, I managed to finish in time and my clients were still very pleased with the end result.
MODIFICATIONS/IMPROVEMENTS If I had more time, I would like to learn more about how to use Photoshop because I really have no knowledge at all on how to use it. I spent more time looking and following tutorials and I don’t think that was efficient. I would also like to make logos for the IB Learner Profiles but I didn’t have time to do them all. I also think I could have made the logos “match” more. They all have one similar element which is the font but the design aspect of the logos don’t really relate to each other although they do relate to the Design Cycle stages. I also think that although the logos are simple, not many people will recognize them. This is because the Create and Design logos might confuse people and Evaluate looks very similar to the Nike logo and people might compare it to sports. Luckily, my logos are attached to text so they may be easier to recognize because of that. If I had the money, I would also ask for a professional opinion because I would like more feedback on my work. I also think that I could have done more documented evidence and improve my planning next time.
IMPACT ON ENVIRONMENT/SOCIETY The logos donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a big impact on society but rather the individuals in the society. It may help them remember the stages of the Design Cycle better which in returns helps them in life because the Design Cycle basically lists the 5 stages to create or develop a successful product. If people are able to remember each of my logos, it may help them receive better grades and responses to the product they are making. As for the environment, it is mostly being created on a computer so in a way it is saving energy. However, using a computer means that I will have to use electricity which comes from a power station that may be using up our natural resources and contributing to global warming. The computer itself is produced from a factory that uses natural resources and releases toxic fumes that are causing air pollution which is harmful to the environment. However, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think it is something that is too serious because nowadays, the internet is everything. It would be silly to boycott such a useful source of information and social and business networking tool. I also had to print the logos in color which wastes some energy. I think the impacts are mostly positive because logos canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really be negative (unless it is offensive or inappropriate).
FINISHED PRODUCT