SZW Schwarzwald Music Website | Layout Development

General layout developed for the Facebook page using all of the functional and graphic elements requested by the client. He only wants a single page which conveniently allows visitors to listen to his featured audio tracks, watch featured videos and check his list of upcoming events which link to Facebook Event pages. To conserve space he'd like scrollable boxes for each content module. Instead of a menu for navigating subpages, he requests a prominent horizontal menu of social networking links. Instead of audio player, he'd like to embed audio tracks from his Sound Cloud account.  Similarly he'd like to use You Tube embeds from his You Tube Channel.

Unfortunately, we cannot use this image of velvet curtains as a frame in front of You Tube video embed as he would like. I have suggested choices:

• keep current curtains as frame for JS or Flash slideshow of images
• find another image of curtains or some other image with more rectangular opening to use as background image to frame video embed.

 Client's original "lipstick grunge" mockup:

SZW Schwarzwald Music Website | Concept Development

Knowledge of the dub-step music genre and an understanding of this client's own unique musical style is the first and most important step toward concept development.

According to Wikipedia:

Dubstep is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in south London, England. Its overall sound has been described as "tightly coiled productions with overwhelming bass lines and reverberant drum patterns, clipped samples, and occasional vocals".

This genre with Jamaican roots is described with adjectives such as grimy, dirty and funky. The client, Schwarzwald defines his personal style as being particularly dark, sinister and heavy, yet having intelligence and classical motifs. When asked to provide a visual image to evoke the emotions for his styling, I was given the great marble sculpture, "Lucifer" for inspiration.

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Le génie du mal (installed 1848) or The Genius of Evil, known informally in English as Lucifer or The Lucifer of Liège, is a religious sculpture executed in white marble by the Belgian artist Guillaume Geefs

I  found this montage which we agreed on for an additional source of inspiration for styling.

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.