I love watching other people work. I take every chance I get to ask other designers about their personal creative process. Recently an awesome video done by Aaron Draplin for Lynda.com circulated through my network of design friends. Check it out:
My biggest struggle when creating a logo is finding the middle ground between a clever concept and a beautiful design. So I gave myself a design challenge, with the goal being to create a logo that didn't sacrifice its beauty for brains - or vice versa.
The Client:
Initially my head was filled with "Discovery" imagery like the American flag on the moon and explorers claiming new lands by piercing the soil with the flags of their nations. I chose to use an apple to communicate the idea of academics. It works both as a wholesome image appropriate for the middle school age group as well as a symbol of appreciation towards teachers.
I was interested in the similarity between these forms so I started sketching, focusing on how these visuals could be combined. I came up with a base design I liked and took it into Illustrator where I played with line edges, font pairings and all that jazz.
Here's what I ended up with:
I wasn't very strict about the 15 minute time limit but I pushed myself to concept, sketch and complete a digital round of rough drafts in less than 25 minutes. The color scheme and playful font pairing bring the logo to life, enhancing its fun, youthful and modern tone.
I had a lot of fun with this and it might become a personal monthly challenge. We'll see!
