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02 Visual Development Guide Megan Mashadchi
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02 Visual Development Guide Megan Mashadchi
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VISUAL DEVELOPMENT GUIDE
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CONCEPT
DEVELOPMENT
Previous Identity
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Initial Sketches
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Visual Concepts
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Further Explorations
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Digital Sketches
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Finalization
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Similar Logos
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03 FINAL DESIGN
Final Look
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Moving Forward
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DEVELOPMENT
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01 CONCEPT
Previous Identity
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Visual Concepts
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Previous Identity
In 1986, Steve Jobs paid renowned graphic designer Paul Rand $100,000 to create a visual identity for his computer company. Rand developed a unique 100-page proposal book for the NeXT logo that walked the reader step-by-step through the conceptual process to the final outcome.
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CONCEPT
NeXT was an American computer and software company founded in 1985 by Apple’s co-founder, based in Redwood City, California. The company developed and manufactured a series of computer workstations intended for the higher education and business markets. As was a common part of the Paul Rand design process, a presentation book was produced in order to help persuade the client that the proposed idea was the right direction.
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When Jobs was asked what it was like to work with Rand, he said, “I asked him if he would come up with a few options, and he said, ‘No, I will solve your problem for you and you will pay me. You don’t have to use the solution. If you want options go talk to other people.’” The NeXT logo mightn’t be a classic, but the style of presentation is.
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“It is desirable to keep the letter style simple, unmannered, and untrendy so as not to distract from the cube concept.” _Paul Rand
In its design, color arrangement, and orientation the logo is a study in contrasts. Kipped at a jaunty angle, it brims with the informality, friendliness, and spontaneity of a Christmas seal and the authority of a rubber stamp.Together with its lively, black silhouette it becomes a focal point difficult for the eyes to avoid. The unconventional, yet dignified, array of colors: vermilion against cerise and green, and yellow against black (the most intense color contrast possible) is designed to appeal to a youthful audience and to add a sparkling, jew’el-like touch to paper, package, or machine. It is the sparing use of brilliant colors on a predominantly black ground that produces this effect, like stars in the sky. In itself, a decorative and self contained device, the logo does not depend on extraneous embellishment or fancy backgrounds for its many varied applications. Poised at an angle of twenty-eight degrees, the black cube—even without color— is equally effective for black and white use.
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CONCEPT
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Visual Concepts
After clear understanding of the soul and mission of the brand, we had to come up with some keywords to come up with better ideas for the logo design. Below, there are some keywords that I came up with:
Education
Intelligence
Technology
Learning
Curiosity
Advancement
Teaching
Brain
Innovation
Geometric
Action
Calculated
Education Education is the process of receiving or giving systematic instruction, especially at a school or university. Advancement Advancement is the promotion of a person in rank or status. Just like opportunities for career development or progressing. Action Action is the fact or process of doing something, typically to achieve an aim.
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02 DEVELOPMENT
Initial Sketches
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Further Explorations
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Digital Sketches
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Finalization
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Similar Logos
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Initial Sketches
Exploration some symbols based on the keywords, education, advancement, and action.
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Initial Sketches
Here are some exploration with the brand’s name, using different type forms. We were generating divergent ideas, as much as possible at this point.
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VISUAL STRATEGY GUIDE
Initial Sketches
Some more Initial exploration with the brand’s name. We were exploring possibilities to narrow down the directions.
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OUR FUTURE
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The idea of the arrow seemed interesting and we decided to explore more sketches in this direction.
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VISUAL DEVELOPMENT GUIDE
Initial Sketches
More exploration with the brand’s name, using different type forms.
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DEVELOPMENT
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After reviewing all sketches, the look and feel of selected sketches seemed more appropriate for the new logo and we continued to explore.
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VISUAL DEVELOPMENT GUIDE
Further Exploration
Here are some more sketches based on the feedback and narrowing down the direction.
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The look and feel of selected sketches explored further and got us closer to the final direction.
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Further Exploration
We decided to have some explorations with the letter “N”.
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DEVELOPMENT
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Selected sketches pushed further towards the final logo design.
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Digital Sketches
Some digital exploration and refinements of selected logos.
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Finalization
Based on the feedback after reviewing digital sketches, we made some adjustments and refined the sketches to narrow down the direction.
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Similar Logos
Here are some logos out in the world that might have some similarities to our final logo.
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03 FINAL DESIGN
Final Look
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Moving Forward
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Final Look
The final logo is a combination of an arrow and the letter N.
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FINEL DESIGN
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FINEL DESIGN
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MOVING FORWARD
This whole process shows our story of developing the new identity in a detailed manner. Now, we have our new logo, the next step will be showing how the logo will be used in different contexts. Follow our story.
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Design Megan Mashadchi Typography Grad Proxima Nova Instructor Hunter Wimmer Course GR 604 Nature of Identity Fall 2018 Copyright 2018 by Megan Mashadchi. All rights are reserved. This book is a non-comercial project for educational purposes and it is not intended to represent the NeXT. Inc brand.
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