Based on the classification of graphics, logos can be divided into concrete logos, pictographic logos and abstract logos. When choosing a theme for a concrete logo, try to use elements that are familiar to people, and create individual elements on this basis.
1. Creative process
The designer accumulates various knowledge and experiences in his mind and expresses the logo through the creative process of the series.
(1) Collecting information
When a designer receives a design project, the most important first step is to purposefully collect all information and information related to the project. , which is the basis and important prerequisite for creativity.
A corporate logo is not just a combination of graphics or text. It is customized for the company based on the company's structure, industry category, business philosophy, and full consideration of the objects and application environments that the logo comes into contact with. A standard visual symbol made. Before designing, you must first have a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the company, including business strategy, market analysis, and the basic wishes of the top leaders of the company. These are important basis for logo design and development. Understanding competitors is also one of the important steps. The recognition of a logo is based on a full grasp of the competitive environment.
The more extensive and comprehensive the collection of design information, the better, and the more complete and detailed the better. Organize and classify the collected data, analyze the information, facts and relevant data, and divide them into key data and general data according to the degree of need, so that they can be used by designers and design teams respectively.
Key information refers to market analysis, product characteristics, current fashion trends, consumer preferences, competitor status, etc. that are closely related to creativity. This is the main basis for creativity and must be analyzed and researched in depth. , identify several problem points and list them in a certain structural order in order to discover some special correlation points between the design project and the target consumer group. The more connections you look for, the more opportunities there are for inspiration.
The collection of general information is also very important, and it is not just for the collection of special design ideas. You must do it carefully in daily life, be a thoughtful person in life, observe and experience life at all times, and put your own Record your experiences and discoveries for the purpose of accumulating creative ideas.
(2) Excavation elements
If the data collection work related to planning is detailed and comprehensive, it can be said that the designer has taken the first step of creativity. . Then, the next step will be to calm down and concentrate on chewing and digesting the collected information. This process is like digesting food, except that it is not in the intestines and stomach, but in the brain.
The work that needs to be done seriously now is to use the collected information with the tentacles of the mind, repeatedly examine a fact in the same way as below, and then use different opinions and insights to view the case, so as to Think about and explore its meaning with certain value connotations.
Element mining is the preparation for progress in the design and development of logos. Based on the analysis of the survey results, the structural type and color orientation of the logo are extracted, the spirit and characteristics to be embodied by the logo are listed, the relevant graphic elements are excavated, and the design direction of the logo is found to make the design work targeted. The following is the text A purposeless combination of graphics.
At this time, the designer's way of thinking is like playing a jigsaw puzzle. The tiles representing each thing can be combined and changed in different ways according to different ideas. When playing in the game, in the composition that can be summarized in terms of creative expression ideas, I can vaguely feel the existence of some kind of "meaning".
This "meaning" may create an unidentified and incomplete creative spark that may be a precursor to real creativity. These "meanings" may seem very vague, incomplete, and even a bit absurd for a while. However, you cannot let them pass by and you should immediately take the time to record them on paper.
If you want to find a successful idea, you must have a good attitude. When you are tired of jigsaw puzzles, you must have perseverance and perseverance and not give up easily. Picasso once said:
"Perseverance is a manifestation of self-confidence, hope and ability." Strong perseverance is the best partner of talent. You must fully believe that you will get the best creative solution.
This stage may be the most painful and torturous period in the creative process. To find a successful idea, you can only surface by diving under the water. The most important thing is whether you can enter the creative thinking space. This is what we call "dive under the water." Only by diving can you discover the ideas that generate creativity. After selection, combination, and sublimation into ideas, the pain of creativity lies in this diving and searching. process. Only through the accumulation of time, quantity, and 99% of efforts plus 1% of inspiration can ideas be sublimated to the surface, and creativity can finally be generated.
(3) Conception stage
This stage is the latent stage for the generation of creativity. This is a very important period for whether creativity can be generated. After a long period of hard thinking and The designer has put in a lot of effort in searching, and feels exhausted, and may still be confused in his mind. The only effective approach at this time is to temporarily free yourself from this dilemma, completely let go of the creative project, try not to think about this problem, and put the problem in your subconscious. At this time, you must enter a relaxed state of mind, do what you want to do, and do anything that directly or indirectly stimulates your imagination and creative emotions.
In a state of relaxed entertainment, inspiration may suddenly flash in your mind due to the stimulation of a completely accidental external factor. When the load is too heavy and the movement becomes inflexible, and you temporarily give up thinking about problems, the brain gets a rest. Due to the effect of inertia, the subconscious activities of the brain are still thinking about problems, and many "meanings" and "ideas" are still colliding and separating. Suddenly two molecules collide and spark, a new idea appears, and inspiration comes suddenly.
(4) Logo sketch
(3) Conception stage
This stage is the latent stage for the generation of creativity. This is a very important factor in whether creativity can be generated. During this important period, after a long period of hard thinking and searching, the designer has put in a lot of effort and feels exhausted, and may still be confused in his mind. The only effective approach at this time is to temporarily free yourself from this dilemma, completely let go of the creative project, try not to think about this problem, and put the problem in your subconscious mind. At this time, you must enter a relaxed state of mind, do what you want to do, and do anything that directly or indirectly stimulates your imagination and creative emotions.
In a state of relaxed entertainment, inspiration may suddenly flash in your mind due to the stimulation of a completely accidental external factor. When the load is too heavy and the movement becomes inflexible, and you temporarily give up thinking about problems, the brain gets a rest. Due to the effect of inertia, the subconscious activities of the brain are still thinking about problems, and many "meanings" and "ideas" are still colliding and separating. Suddenly two molecules collide and spark, a new idea appears, and inspiration comes suddenly.
(4) Logo sketch
To determine the "intention" of the design, you must first conduct a social survey through the information and requirements provided by the entrusting unit, and conduct a social survey on market information, sales targets, similar products, etc. Only by analyzing and studying the factors and mastering all aspects of materials can we get a more correct design idea.
According to the functions and effects of trademarks, designers must do the following three things:
1. Visual Identity
Trademarks are the image representatives of goods and companies. They must be clear and eye-catching, easy to recognize and remember, and must be differentiated from similar goods.
2. Convey information
Use a unique visual language to explain its meaning, express the content and characteristics of the product or business concisely and clearly, serve as a medium for communication between production and marketing, and create conditions for establishing credibility.
3. Personality characteristics
The appeal expressed by a distinct and strong personality and a complete artistic image makes it stand out among many products and has a lively and attractive publicity effect.
The above three design requirements show that trademark design has all commercial characteristics as the core, and combines product content with artistic form to form an objective law of visual communication, which is determined by the specific content of the trademark. Designers must establish the concept of market competition and be familiar with market competition strategies in order to grasp the laws of trademark design.
We must pay attention to the objective laws of trademarks. On the other hand, in terms of design ideas and artistic features, designers must use small things to see big things, and use less to win more.
The trademark is simple and bright as its artistic characteristics. It is as clear and strong as a signal, and it is clear at a glance. This requires that the image of the logo be more concentrated, stronger, and more representative than other art forms, showing a high degree of artistic generalization, embodying the visual art characteristics of seeing the big from the small, and winning more with less.
The visual artistic generalization technique is designed by the designer with vivid and concrete perceptual images based on aesthetic ideals. It is always accompanied by rich artistic imagination and passionate emotions, which deepens the theme and ideas, and then Achieve the artistic effect of using less to win more and using small to see big.
The attractiveness expressed with a distinct and strong personality and a complete artistic image makes it stand out among many products and has a lively and attractive publicity effect.
The above three design requirements show that trademark design has all commercial characteristics as the core, and combines product content with artistic form to form an objective law of visual communication, which is determined by the specific content of the trademark. Designers must establish the concept of market competition and be familiar with market competition strategies in order to grasp the laws of trademark design.
We must pay attention to the objective laws of trademarks. On the other hand, in terms of design ideas and artistic features, designers must use small things to see big things, and use less to win more.
The trademark is characterized by simplicity and brightness as its artistic features. It is as clear and strong as a signal, and can be seen at a glance. This requires that the image of the logo be more concentrated, stronger, and more representative than other art forms, showing a high degree of artistic generalization, embodying the visual art characteristics of seeing the big from the small, and defeating the greater with less.
The visual artistic summary technique is designed by the designer with vivid and concrete perceptual images based on aesthetic ideals. It is always accompanied by rich artistic imagination and passionate emotions, which deepens the theme and ideas, and then Achieve the artistic effect of using less to win more and using small to see big.
Deep and implicit image beauty can be composed of imagination, artistic conception, metaphor, color, etc., and formal beauty with a complete structure can be combined by change, movement, contrast, balance, etc.
In the creative conception of trademark design, we must first fully reflect the commercial nature of logo art. The artistic language should not only have a popular and popular art form, but also be simple, concise, lively and interesting, so that people can understand and accept it. Second, the artistic image is signalized. Graphic design should be the finishing touch, as strong and stimulating as a signal, showing the characteristics of the product and quickly conveying the product's information. Third, artistic techniques are patterned. Trademarks are required to be as easy to recognize and remember as symbols. They must not only be clear at a glance, but also be impressive. Graphic design should show the beauty of simple and clear patterns, and have graceful and bright artistic characteristics. The above three points are interrelated and mutually restrictive, fully reflecting the special nature of the trademark's combination of artistry and commerciality, and the consistency of beauty and function.
3. Expression methods of logo design
The diversification of trademark forms and styles is not only an artistic requirement, but also meets the special needs of commodity diversification. Different artistic processing and expression methods should be adopted according to different contents and characteristics to reflect the artistic form of this specific content. For the purpose of direct reflection of an obvious perceptual image, create an artistic image to indicate the brand name, content and characteristics of the product, or use the nature of the business and its related things as a trademark.
(1) Express the image of the product;
(2) Express the name of the company or trademark;
(3) Express the content and nature of the business;
4) Express things related to the product or trademark.
Some of the above four types of expressions focus on one aspect, and some focus on both, but they focus on expressing a certain main link, rather than covering everything.
Create an artistic image with symbolic meaning as a trademark graphic in a metaphorical, descriptive or suggestive way, using imagination or pretense of a related thing or product.
(1) Symbolic: using something with a certain meaning or connection as a symbolic form to strengthen the personality and characteristics to be expressed.
(2) Simulation imitates or compares the characteristics or meaning of something to express the content and characteristics of the product.
(3) Allegorical: using something allegorical or related with similar inner meaning as a trademark. Generally, idioms, myths and legends are used to exaggerate and highlight the trademark or business content.
Designers must pay attention to cultural accumulation and understand the historical traditions and social habits of various countries in order to design such symbolic graphics.
4. Design and production of the logo
After the logo design plan is determined, in order to make the use of the logo suitable for different occasions and the production of different materials, and to maintain the precision and accuracy of the logo, in order to To maintain its credibility, seriousness and authority, the production of logo graphics must be rigorous and standardized, providing standard production drawings for different usage environments. The strict requirements for making drawings are:
(1) Clear lines;
(2) Clear graphics;
(3) Appropriate proportions;
(4) Reasonable layout;
(5) Accurate colors;
(6) Standard text;
(7) Perfect shape.
The production of a logo can be divided into two steps: graphic visual adjustment and standard drawing.
(1) Visual adjustment
The visual adjustment of logo graphics is a professional intuition of designers. It is a fine-tuning of graphics in order to achieve a certain visual harmony or contrast. The refinement of the logo design maintains the visual harmony of the logo graphics when the logo graphics are enlarged or reduced, giving the public a basic unified impression in different environments.
(2) Standard Drawing
The scope of use of logos is very wide. Logo graphics range from outdoor advertisements as large as more than ten meters to business cards as small as several centimeters. Designers must consider the adaptability and combination specifications of the logo in order to ensure the accuracy and consistency of the logo in different uses. Therefore, standard production drawings must be drawn. The production of standard drawings of logo graphics requires accurate and detailed dimensions and data, including the proportions, relationships, center points, radii, start and end of arcs, connections and radians of various parts of the graphics, as well as details of visual adjustments.
The standard drawing methods of dimension marking are:
(1) Mark the actual dimensions, such as length, width, height, diameter and radius, etc.
(2) Mark proportional dimensions, that is, based on a certain benchmark parameter in the drawing, and the rest of the dimensions are calculated according to multiples of this data. Once the benchmark parameters are determined, the required graphics can be drawn.
(3) For graphics that are specific and it is not suitable to use the size marking method, you can use grid coordinates to draw the graphics into the grid coordinates. When copying, determine the coordinate grid size as needed, and then press the graphics coordinates Once the position is plotted, the required graphics can be obtained.