SZW Schwarzwald Music Website | Original Logo

After difficulties procuring schwarzwald domain name, not to mention my advice to choose a domain name that's not difficult to say and spell, the abbreviation 'SZW' has been chosen to represent. Client chose MOD font, perfect choice for an artistic logo. Its broad width and geometric shape lends itself to a multitude of advance text effects and makes an excellent statement for the clients identity. Besides website logo, I can imagine limitless possibilities for CD/album covers, ads and posters. Even unadorned as simple black text this font makes a great typographic logo. This recreation of clients own design inspired by Milk and Blood Typography Poster photoshop tutorial.

SZW Schwarzwald Music Website | Client's Mockups

designables latest client, an audio producer who specializes in dub-step genre, needs a website and Facebook Fan Page to promote his music and network with other artist. His main objective at this point in his career is to provide an internet presence for keeping his colleagues up to date on his music projects and upcoming events. These primitive photoshop renderings were created by the client:

First concept uses logo created with Metropolis font from the German classic silent film.

Second concept uses MOD font

The client has conceived his own visual style which he calls "lipstick grunge." He has chosen velvet and marble as predominant textures for his look and feel. My only concern is that his current choice of colors (especially the pink!) doesn't quite communicate his dark heavy dub-step musical style which is often described by people in in his business as "dirty". This client clearly has some amateur graphic talents and some very specific ideas about the design for his website, but needs my skills to develop his concepts into professional graphic designs and a functional website.

Revised Logo: Website name change to Mirror Connect

- click image to enlarge -

Well, the site name is to be mirrorconnect.net.  ( domain name mirrormatch unavailable) Although revised logo lacks some of the the visual symmetry of mirror match, I actually liked mirror connect better for conveying "social network" aspect of the site. It broadens the audience for the site beyond just romantic relationships.

Mirror Match Finalized Logo Redesign

Finalized logo for Mirror Match Dating website.

This logo conveys an inviting message of love and romance in a friendly, casual atmosphere to a mainstream audience of predominantly single young adults. Bolder font also has better impact for reading and recognition on the web page.

It also fixed the problem of the original heart which was a font only licenced for "personal use" by replacing it with an licence-free illustration that actual fits redesign better .

The first concept after name change.

The original logo submitted with the client's assets.

The steps explaining the development of the final logo:

http://designables.blogspot.com/2011/07/mirror-match-original-logo.html

http://designables.blogspot.com/2011/07/mirror-match-logo-redesign-font.html

http://designables.blogspot.com/2011/07/mirror-match-logo-redesign-maven-pro.html

http://designables.blogspot.com/2011/07/mirror-match-logo-redesign-ubuntu-font.html

Mirror Match Logo Redesign | Ubuntu Font

The Ubuntu Bold font capture the contemporary casual mainstream feel I am lookng for. Its rounded character complements the roundness of the solid heart.

Ubuntu only available in Bold, so I used slight variation of color to distinguish the words. I also tighten up the logo by lowering the heart into a more balance position.

For the finalized logo, a little "icing" added to the words and heart for some slight dimensionality. The new reflection seems more balance by showing more than the tip of the heart. 

Mirror Match Logo Redesign | Maven Pro Font

Exploring the contemporary Maven Pro font which has rounded and angular characteristics for logo. The formal navy blue has been change to a more up to date casual and inviting bright blue. The heart's harsh bright true red has been desaturated to a softer red that's more pleasing to the eye.

Having a solid heart resolves the inability to have the the stroke on the heart matches the font's stroke thickness. The simplicity of the solid heart looks more balnced as well as communicates its symbolism (LOVE) better.

I have so me concern about the placement of the heart so high that it will not "realistically" be rendered in the reflection.

CBC Web Design: Evolution of Header and Letterhead

 [Click images to enlarged]

 First version with all the major elements established. Original Edwardian script for site title lack symmetry. The "3D MINISTRY' has balanced height, but 3D needs emphasized in center.

The The League of Moveable Type's Orbotron typeface (open source) was pivotal to the final design solution. This version is symmetrical with the "3D" emphasis front and center over the motto. This font not only provides both symmetrical height and width for the text elements, it fits the "technological", "futuristic"  theme of the black glossy, "iPad-looking" website interface. A few sparkles top it off.

Web site logo simplified for a print version. These early sketch need to be finalized in a salable vector image. Which can be re-sized with out degradation.

Designing a logo for this project has been very challenging.  None of the elements naturally fit together. I was charged with developing a logo based on an this amateur mall airbrushed T-shirt artwork. Finding the right font style for a composition using "3" and "D" on each side of "cross" took a lot of trial and error. I decided to incorporate the shield as a shape to enclose these 3 stubborn characters. The shield also provides an excellent visual motif for any Christian organization. It adds a touch of "traditional" imagery to the "modern" Tekky" design which reflects the church's objective to move the ministry of this 90 year old historic church into modern technology. The shield shape can be use in a varity of sizes, solid or outline, 2D or 3D in graphic design. See how the shield was used as icon throughout the Central Baptist web page design.

The cosmic rings from the website design has bee translated into two symmetrical "swooshes" for print.  The logo color scheme may adjusted by easily changing color/style of each background swoosh or as one ring. See upcoming post for examples.

Related articles

• How to Design Your Own Letterhead (brighthub.com)
• 10 Great Examples of Letterhead Designs (brighthub.com)
• Weekend Project: Styling Sidebar Headers (everything.typepad.com)
• 10 Free Business Letterhead Templates (brighthub.com)
• Unique Letterhead Printing That Works (business.ezinemark.com)
• Graphic Design Prices (adrinahdesign.com)
• Overview of Different Letterhead Styles (brighthub.com)

Reflections don't work for letter g.

When brainstorming for do main names, one of the considerations was the ability to translate it to good visual image or provide good letters for customizing fonts for designing text logo. Unlike my first choices pinkturtle & 153fish, designables just didn't inspire any visual imagery. It didn't provide any great letters, like A ,G, M, Q, W, X or Z, to play with. My first thought was do a perspective and reflection. Not gonna work with that tail hanging from the "g" . Reflections work best with type lacking a descender so the baseline of the flipped text lines up directly with the baseline of the original. Text made up of letters with tails like 'g', 'p', 'q', or 'y' don't make good reflections. My first choice "153fish" would have reflected well, Look it makes a nice block of type with no descenders Oh well maybe just a perspective.

Check out great Inkscape tutorials on perspective & reflection on screencasters.heathenx.org.