dha 3352 :: identity + symbol

As you prepare to compile and design your company's standards manual, you will want to look around for inspiration. Today, many graphics standards manuals are available online– a perfect place to host design guidelines that will need to be accessed by a variety of people inside and outside of a company. This also helps to ensure that anyone who is using and implementing your identity can do it correctly– given that your style manual is easy to read, navigate, and apply.

An interesting historic example that can be found online is the New York City Transit Authority Graphics Standard Manual, documented in these photographic details. Unique to this standards manual are factors such as height requirements for signs, type spacing for particular signs, and reversal guides for the symbols.

A more typical style guide can be seen in the UCLA standards manual (.pdf), developed in 2004. It outlines the importance of a clear and consistent identity for a university of this size, as well as proper color uses and size requirements.

Read pp. 101-111 in your text and browse online to see examples of other unique standards manuals. Post at least one inspirational guide on your own blog.

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J.P. Morgan formed U.S. Steel Corporation, the first billion-dollar corporation in the world. [Source]

For Wednesday, February 25, you should have:

1. Five digital roughs (logotypes, symbols, and a combination), one per page in a 5-page .pdf
2. One printed sheet of all five roughs
3. Read pp. 72-87 in your text
4. Reviewed the blogs of those in your small group (at least)

This will help you be prepared for our small group critiques and maximize discussion time.

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Lettercult, a blog that showcases the work of people who are 'obsessed with letters,' is a great reference when considering proprietary type and custom logos. The custom logos section of the site has some inspirational examples to get you started thinking outside of the box of traditional type and the typefaces already created for you. Get to know the inherent shapes of your letterforms while working on your logo designs and have fun following the standards of your brand's personality!

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Now that you have been assigned your 'topic' or category to help you focus the creation of your company, start to familiarize yourself with the current conditions in that particular portion of American (or global) culture. Figure out what portion of your category interests you and focus your company around that idea.

Education
http://www.edutopia.org/
Human rights
http://www.hrw.org/
Finances
http://www.kiplinger.com/
http://www.forbes.com/
http://www.marketwatch.com/
Housing
http://www.hud.gov/

Any others? Post them as you find them!

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Bad logos are all around us. But it's not sufficient to just call them bad – you need to be able to clearly and succinctly explain why they fall into this dreaded category. While some logos may simply be aesthetically displeasing or simply difficult to read, others are unsuccessful for deeper reasons (i.e., conveying a promise of community service when the company has no community outreach sector).

Sometimes, looking back at logos we've designed can be inspirational and informative as well. In his blog, Speak Up, Brooklyn-based graphic designer and writer Armin Vit sorts through his rejected logos . . . and creates an engaging piece of information design in the process.

Read Armin's post, 100 Unused Logos and What they Reveal about my Design Inclinations >

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Why do we create logos? At the most basic level, a logo signifies ownership, while individualizing that 'owner' – be it a company, a service, or an individual. Logos employ all forms of representation (abstract, literal, metaphorical, etc) to convey what this owner signifies. Eventually, a logo can build into a complete identity system that tells a larger story about the person, place, or thing it represents.

As you keep a process blog this semester, chronicling the journey of identity exploration, consider how this blog is an extension of your identity – and how you can tell your viewers a bit about yourself in the process. You are each familiar with your own identity and understand different ways to convey this (clothing style, music preferences, etc.). Instead of designing a logo for yourself (which can be an endless task for designers), create a mood or style board (a collage of interesting images/typefaces/colors/styles that speak to who you are and how you'd like to be represented) that can be used as imagery on your blog.

More info on mood boards:
http://www.design-skills.org/mood_boards.html
http://www.lifeclever.com/5-reasons-to-design-with-mood-boards/

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