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VA301A/302A TUTORIALS

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An introduction to Logotype Design. This is a video of a powerpoint that was used as part of a class lecture. The pdf of this can be downloaded here.

The Logotype

This page has tutorials, class corrections and tips for my students who are expected to learn this material over two semesters. We start out by creating a logotype for an imaginary company or institution that they invent themselves at the very start of the course. Then this logotype becomes proliferated into a big visual identity that may also cover sub-categories, ranging from an initial stationery package all the way to product labels, logo applications to gift/promotional items, social media, a website, a brochure - all of which are brought together as the specimen pages of a branding identity manual at the end of the second semester.

LOGOTYPE SKETCHES

Before you get into the nitty gritty of elements such as typography and icon selections you need to come up with an idea. The best way to do this is by making lots of thumbnail sketches that you simply draw with a pencil on paper. The aim is not to make something perfect here but rather to come up with lots of alternative ideas and also to show variations of one idea. The gallery above shows many such thumbnail sketch procedures.

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A good resource that gives you lots of tips can be found here: https://99designs.com/blog/logo-branding/logo-sketching/

Once you have perfected your sketches you can then go on to the next step for which I am giving an example on the left. Here the task is to create design alternatives that revolve around one of the ideas that you came up with during the sketch phase: You test out different combinations of fonts and icons. 

 

Click here >>> to see the whole series.

Logo Sketches

FONTBASE _ A FONT MANAGEMENT TOOL WORTH GETTING TO KNOW

A very nice font manager that allows you to temporarily activate your fonts instead of installing them permanently. A great app, however one that does have its shortcomings (basically there is no "undo" feature) which is why I made this tutorial - to show you how to avoid the problems that you may encounter when you work with it. Download the installer here: https://fontba.se

Font Management

SHORT TUTORIALS ABOUT WHAT TO PAY ATTENTION TO WHEN PICKING A FONT FOR A LOGOTYPE

Font Selection Criteria

ART DECO FONTS - STUDENTS BEWARE! ;-)