Logotypes

Logotypes

• A logotype is a graphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations, and to individuals to aid and promote public recognition. Also called a logo.
• Logographic languages, coats of arms, watermarks and printing technology contributed to the contemporary logo.
• A boom in advertisement during the Industrial Revolution integrated typography and imagery together on the page. Typography itself was undergoing a revolution of form and expression that expanded beyond regular texts.
• Logos and other arts were expanding from storytelling to a differentiation of brands and products that the growing middle classes were consuming. As the commercial arts were growing, the US had 800 lithographic printing firms and employed more than 8,000 at 1890.
• Children's books, newspapers, and other periodicals were developing their own visual and editorial styles.
• Victorian decorative arts lead to an expansion of typographic styles and methods of representing business.
• By the 1950s, the visual simplicity and conceptual clarity that were hallmarks of Modernism as an artistic movement formed a powerful toolset for a new generation of graphic designers.
• Modernist-inspried logos proved successful in the era of mass visual communication ushered in by television, improvements in printing, and digital innovations. Modernization made logos simple.
• Logo design is an important area of graphic design, and one of the most difficult to perfect because logos are meant to represent companies' brands or corporate identities and foster their immediate customer recognition.
• Less is more! --> real people don't stare at and analyze logos, so it is important to make sure teh audience with immediately recognize the logo of the company.
• A logo has to be simple but has enough personality to stand out in a crowd.

5 Principles of Effective Logo Design

1. Simple--> Real people don't want to stop and stare at a complicated logo. Simplicity makes logos recognizable.
2. Memorable--> Keep it simple and appropriate enough that its memorable, people recognize it.
3. Timeless--> Make sure it works for many generations. Will it work in 10 to 50 years? Don't make it trendy because trends fade.
4. Versatile--> Make sure the logo will look good on a t-shirt, television, billboard and business cards. It has to be adaptable to size and medium.
5. Appropriate--> If a logo is for a toy store, make it fun for kids to recognize it. If it is for a law firm, make it serious and recognizable for a mature audience.

Ask yourself...

Is your logo look good in reverse colors and recognizable in different sizes? Will it work well for your intended audience? MAKING LOGOS IS NOT WHAT YOU WANT, BUT YOUR AUDIENCE AND CLIENT!

Color!!

Four Color Process
-technique for printing with full color
-CMYK

Spot Color
- a method of specifying and printing color in which each color is printed with its own ink
- cost effective when the printed matter only contains 1-3 colors, becomes expensive with more colors
- Pantone Matching System

Color selection should be based on audience.
Pay attention to color trends, trends come and go, but if it is for fashion...GO TRENDY.
Use 2-3 colors

Types of Logos

1. Combination Mark--> includes text and an image. (ex. McDonald's, Starbucks, AT&T, etc."
2. Iconic or Symbolic --> Compelling yet uncomplicated images that are emblematic of a particular 
company or product.
3. Wordmark--> just using characters.
4. Lettermark--> initials of company name.