Are You Mad???

[GRD 4600] Individual Voice: The Bad Seed [Teaser Trailer, Title Sequence, Poster Series]

2011-03-29T15:41:00.000-07:00

Teaser

The Bad Seed (1956) - Teaser Trailer from Shane on Vimeo.

Title Sequence

The Bad Seed (1956) - Title Sequence from Shane on Vimeo.

Posters

[GRD 4350] Rnd 1: MODA Posters

2010-11-19T10:23:00.000-08:00

Lots of trial and error coming up.

[GRD 4350] Donor Walls

2010-10-18T23:41:00.000-07:00

This is a Donor Wall display at the California Academy of Sciences.

I really like the idea of the different symbols representing different donors. I wonder if each symbol stands for a different category because they are being repeated throughout the wall.

This can also fall into a way of categorizing those who contributed the most from those who contributed less.

More examples of Donor Walls

Tile Donor Wall (Wow)

[GRD 4200] Rnd 2: Logos

2010-10-04T11:32:00.001-07:00

[GRD 4200] RND 1: Logos

2010-09-29T10:42:00.000-07:00

Joel & Associates Billboard Versions

2010-09-29T08:10:00.000-07:00

I've changed the font color and size on the tagline and added a period to headline.
I like both but I think I'm leaning more towards Campaign 1.

Campaign Version 1 (Using J only)

[4th - Under Construction]

Campaign Version 2 (Using JOEL)

Boys and Girls Club "Be Great" Billboards

2010-09-29T07:16:00.000-07:00

Another example of great billboard advertising. I saw the Usher billboard on my way to work and just fell in love with this campaign.

Now this is a great way to use celebrities to advertise something so special. Each of the celebrities featured are alumni of Boys and Girls Club and by using their childhood photos, it's showing that every child has the potential to achieve similar success. Clever and true!

[3050] Printmaking Beginnings - Line Etch

2010-09-17T19:38:00.000-07:00

What I've done so far in Printmaking [just the beginnings].

I enjoy it and it's a lot of hard work, but what isn't? I've just learned how to wipe the plate correctly, which is a skill in its own.

I'm looking forward to experimenting further with this newfangled process [did I really just say newfangled? oy]

[GRD 4350] Joel & Associates Billboard Series

2010-09-07T12:55:00.001-07:00

[GRD 4350] Good & Bad Ads

2010-08-25T20:13:00.000-07:00

:)

Ikea Holiday Ads

Source

Mercedes Benz

Source

Malteser

Source

Clorets

Source

Frontline (Guerilla Advertising)

Source

:(

Starburst

Candies

Source

Very Old Apple Ad

Source

Remington CleanXchange

Source

Dr. Miracles

Source

[GRD 4400] Atonement Teaser Trailer

2010-04-09T10:54:00.000-07:00

[GRD 4250] The Plaza Banner so far

2010-04-01T00:44:00.000-07:00

I will be adding more info under the Plaza logo.

[GRD 4400] Paper Moon Title Sequence

2010-03-16T16:55:00.000-07:00

[GRD 4250] Earth, Wind and Fire "That's the Way of the World" CD Advertisement

2010-03-04T19:45:00.000-08:00

[GRD 4250] Earth, Wind and Fire "That's the Way of the World" CD

2010-02-27T13:34:00.000-08:00

[GRD 4150] "What's That Word?" Logbook

2010-02-10T10:11:00.001-08:00

As suggested, I plan to add a slight gradient to the background and also increase the shadows on the books.

[GRD 4400] Kinetic Type - Guilty Doughnuts

2010-02-02T19:03:00.000-08:00

[GRD 4250] CD/DVD Packaging Examples

2010-01-23T16:37:00.001-08:00

Just some inspiration for the upcoming CD Project :)

Had a little mini-photo shoot today displaying a few examples of cd/dvd packaging I found around the house. Even though they all have almost similar packaging layouts, its the clever designs of each that help make every set unique and successful.

Wynton Marsalis - Blood on the Fields CD Box Set

West Side Story Special Edition DVD Box Set

That Girl

Malcolm in the Middle

Alien

Scooby Doo (Yes, I have Scooby Doo on DVD)

[GRD 4400] Kinetic Type Ideas

2010-01-13T23:09:00.000-08:00

[GRD 4150] Diet and Exercise Log Book Examples

2010-01-13T22:55:00.000-08:00

Source

Journal cover
Source

Source

Diet journal that includes illustrations
Source

New Lightbox

2009-12-12T16:29:00.000-08:00

My previous lightbox, unfortunately, didn't make it past 6 months so I created a bigger and much more sturdy lightbox. I'm happy with it now but I just have to get the lighting right and I'll be even more satisfied :)

One of the shots I was satisfied with and didn't require any tweaking.

Untweaked

Tweaked

Untweaked

Tweaked

Of course one of my cats, Niles, had to disturb my test shoot.

Sniffing out this new contraption

Doing some cat modeling

The Housewife

2009-12-02T15:33:00.000-08:00

No, you can't come in!

2009-11-26T01:22:00.001-08:00

This chick sits outside my room and the minute I let her in she makes herself comfortable on my work. She must remain outside until I'm done!

[GRD 4020] Day in the Life of Shane Thomas

2009-11-16T11:55:00.001-08:00

Created a slideshow. Literally :)

[GRD 4020] Narrowed wine possibilites to three...

2009-10-21T20:22:00.001-07:00

1. Mad Housewife

2. Woop Woop

3. Running with Scissors

[GRD 4020] More Wine Possibilities....

2009-10-20T19:28:00.000-07:00

Went to the local winery today, couldn't take pictures so I wrote the names down of each.

Merryvale

6th Sense Syrah

Butterfield Station

A to Z

Couldn't find a picture of the actual bottle

Rustico

Running with Scissors

Woop Woop

[GRD 4020] Wine possibilities....

2009-10-18T14:12:00.000-07:00

Went out today and took some photos. I was going to buy the first one since it was my favorite but was reminded by a passing customer that we can't buy alcohol on Sundays. Dammit.

Oh and excuse the blurriness :)

1. Mad Housewife

2. Smoking Loon

3. Monkey Bay

Think Type #5

2009-10-12T14:24:00.001-07:00

Think Type #4

2009-10-12T14:20:00.001-07:00

Think Type #3

2009-10-12T14:19:00.000-07:00

Think Type #2

2009-10-12T14:18:00.001-07:00

Think Type #1

2009-10-12T14:13:00.000-07:00

Real men do wear pink

2009-10-11T12:20:00.001-07:00

The NFL has started a Breast Cancer Awareness campaign and they're showing their support by wearing pink on their uniforms,shoes, hats, etc. The NFL showing their support for Breast Cancer really hit home with me because I lost my Aunt Joyce and my grandmother, Odessa, to breast cancer. My aunt Penny is a recent survivor and I admire her for her strength to overcome this disease.

I have a pin that I carry with me all the time. I'll be wearing it this month to show my support :)

[GRD 4020] Blog Assignment #8 - Each week I feel as though I must check in at/with……

2009-10-10T22:21:00.000-07:00

1. Misprinted Type

2. Exo (Flickr page of a Graphic Designer)

3. Sarah France (Another Flickr page of a graphic designer/photographer)

4. And TCM just to see if any of my favorite old movies are coming on each week. Plus, old movies keep my stress level down :)

[GRD 4020] Junk Drawer Alphabet Final

2009-10-05T09:35:00.001-07:00

[GRD 4020] Blog Assignment #7

2009-10-04T18:19:00.000-07:00

I've gone back and looked at old magazines I've collected in the past few years for inspiration AND for my upcoming magazine project. I love the structured layouts with the masthead placed in the upper left corner. I also like the fact that there was not so much clutter on the cover as magazines today now have. This is something I plan to do with my magazine cover. Simplicity is key!

The first 3 I scanned in:

This one includes a brief description of the lead article on the cover (another idea, possibly??)

The many magazines of LIFE

Just recently started reading Valley of the Dolls. The cut outs of the "dolls" are in a strange way almost reminiscent of the process I'm going through to create my stencils for my magazine.

That was the updated cover, I prefer the older version of the book cover because the Pepto Bismol pink color makes my stomach hurt:

[GRD 4020] New Idea AGAIN

2009-10-02T15:06:00.000-07:00

Complete 360. I wasn't getting far with the food idea, so I took it back to the drawing board.

Kind of odd how this idea came about but here's the story:

I was watching Family Feud and one of the questions was about what things do you put in drawers, someone answered junk and a light bulb went on in my head. I ran to my junk drawer and just started digging. I was also amazed at all the stuff I found in there. Talk about memories!

Not done yet of course, but I'm liking this idea better then the others :)

[GRD 4020] Alphabet so far....

2009-09-30T12:25:00.000-07:00

[GRD 4020] Now how did that get there?

2009-09-30T10:29:00.001-07:00

[GRD 4020] Another letter, OH and another Kinetic Type idea

2009-09-30T08:58:00.000-07:00

Another letter for my illustrative alphabet in another random place, 6 down 20 more to go...

And another kinetic type idea:

[GRD 4020] New Direction: Alphabet Leftovers

2009-09-28T19:59:00.001-07:00

I'll always take a bite out of food and then leave it in random places or I'll leave it somewhere and come back to find someone took a bite out of it, thus came the idea of an alphabet of food leftovers.

Made some words out of what I have so far:

[GRD 4020] Hansel and Gretel Bread Crumbs Alphabet

2009-09-28T08:13:00.000-07:00

[GRD 4020] Blog Assignment #6 - Mi Work Space :)

2009-09-26T11:23:00.000-07:00

Collages I made a while back

2009-09-26T10:28:00.000-07:00

A compilation because there's too many to post one by one lol

[GRD 4020] K-I-N-E-T-I-C - - - P-O-S-S-I-B-I-L-I-T-I-E-S

2009-09-25T18:06:00.000-07:00

Bomb Scene - Meet the Parents

It's a quest for fun! - National Lampoon's Vacation

Krammer vs. Krammer - Krammer vs. Krammer

[GRD 4100] Bicycling Magazine image ideas and possible lead articles

2009-09-24T09:36:00.001-07:00

I want to do something with stencil for my magazine. So here are some ideas of what I'd want to possibly try.

Since this magazine is geared towards my generation I thought maybe having my lead article be about the history of bikes since not many including myself know the basics of the bike and it would help to have a good idea of the history first in order to understand.

Here are some ideas:

History 1

History 2

[GRD 4020] Blog Assignment #5 - Vegas Baby!!!!

2009-09-18T13:55:00.000-07:00

The Las Vegas Strip is in a league of its own. It is rich with Typography and because there is so much going on, it sometimes gets to the point where you don't even know where to look. Glitter, sparkles, lights, gambli..whoops!

The Las Vegas Neon Museum Boneyard is the "dumping ground" for old signs that once lit The Strip. When, or if, I ever go back to Vegas my first stop is the Boneyard. Now I'd just have to find a way to bring them home with me....

And a Vegas post is NEVER complete without these three:

[GRD 4020] Swine Temple

2009-09-16T11:57:00.001-07:00

This is where I am currently at. I'm still working on the body text and I need to include the logo as well. For my poster I wanted to take a humorous approach to this situation. I believe that satire is a good way to ease the tensions surrounding this pandemic.

This sketch was my first idea, its a remix to the Animal Crackers song. I'm still debating whether I want to include this one as well.

[GRD 4020] H1N1 Brainstorming Board

2009-09-11T11:25:00.001-07:00

I decided to collect all the info I've found for H1N1 and paste them on a board to help me better understand this monstrosity. This method is proving effective because along with pasting them down, ideas were starting to pop into my head. Let's set the oven and bake this bi.... uh yea, whoops!

Notecard Doodle 1

2009-09-10T23:40:00.001-07:00

What is Graphic Design?

2009-09-10T20:35:00.000-07:00

The meaning of Graphic Design in less then 2 minutes.

[GRD 4020] Blog Assignment #4 - Inspirations

2009-09-10T10:24:00.000-07:00

Saul Bass. You could put me in a room full of Saul Bass posters and I'd never leave.

Vintage memorabilia (mostly advertisements and magazines)

This guy has an amazing collection of vintage memorabilia. I usually go there when I'm suffering from artists block.

Gatochy

[GRD 4020] Blog Assignment #3 - Design Trends - Stacking Type/Tight Kerning

2009-09-03T20:09:00.001-07:00

NRStudios

Skinny Ships

Chris Beesley

[GRD 4020] Another idea

2009-09-02T08:47:00.000-07:00

[GRD 4020] Collage!

2009-09-02T00:03:00.000-07:00

[GRD 4020] Here's the story....

2009-09-01T04:43:00.000-07:00

[GRD 4100] Concept Board: Bicycling Magazine

2009-08-31T22:57:00.000-07:00

Included samples of current typography styles I may try out along with photos for inspiration.

[GRD 4020] Idea #1

2009-08-30T22:31:00.001-07:00

[GRD 4020] Self portrait / Timeline

2009-08-30T10:34:00.001-07:00

[GRD 4020] Blog Assignment #2 -The Good and the Bad: Movie edition

2009-08-26T10:06:00.000-07:00

The Good:

Anatomy of a Murder - Saul Bass (the man is a genius!)

Vertigo - Saul Bass

Lady in a Cage (1964) Title Sequence - One of the most creative title sequences ever. Typography interacting with photography to create a chaotic but also tame sequence, strangely and successfully sets the mood for the entire movie.

Dead Ringer (1964) Title Sequence

Valley of the Dolls (1967) DVD Menu - Yes completely random but I love it! The pills creating the face and the photo montage in sync with the music just does it for me lol.

The Bad:

Pun?

Arnold in his usual typecast role as some kind of Hercules figure. Poster doesn't help much either.

[GRD 4020] Blog Assignment #1 - My top five!

2009-08-18T20:59:00.000-07:00

My favorites from the past three GRD courses.

Poetry in Motion - Television

Broadway Poster - West Side Story

Ads - Hanes Absolutely Sheer

Client Logo - Cocoa Bean Cafe

Specialty Item - Coasters and holder

Kinkos is officially dead to me

2009-04-25T09:54:00.000-07:00

Kinkos: 6 prints on glossy cardstock = $19.55
With the wonderful addition of colors printing way too dark and printing nothing bigger than 11x17

Imagers: 18 prints on glossy cardstock = $20.98
Colors on point and printing 12x18.

We have a winner folks!

Specialty Item

2009-04-22T23:24:00.000-07:00

A total 360 from the previous post. I chose to use a "Fun Foam" board for my coasters since cork is difficult to cut through especially when trying to cut circles. Here were my first tries. The edges were a little rough because I was moving the cookie cutter over and back a little too much but later on I just created a tight indent into the foam with the cutter and cut it out with my exacto knife.

Onto the holder and coasters, I wanted something simple and clean. I was going to originally place "coffee jokes" on the back of the coasters but I couldn't find any that weren't lame or less then a paragraph long, so Paige suggested I put coffee facts on the back instead. While customers get their "Cocoa Bean Fix" they can get their "educational fix" as well. Here are the stencils I created of the facts and painted them onto the back.

I wanted the holder to be very simple and I wanted it to be placed on display for customers to grab on the go or to simply take back with them to their seats. Either way its theirs to keep. It was hard trying to use an adhesive to glue that corrugated cardboard curve to the circle bottom so I decided to sew on the bottom instead thus creating an eco-friendly package.

Initial sketch:

Result:

Getting to know Mr.Stencil...

2009-04-14T20:38:00.000-07:00

Since I want to use cork for my coasters I thought of stenciling my text onto the coaster. So for the past 48 hours I've been learning to get acquainted with the stencil technique.

First tries:

Logo Stencil

I'm still working on the cafe part of my logo. I want to keep my logo this size because if I make it any smaller then it and cafe will disappear.

My idea for the first coaster

Out in left field but maybe a styrofoam coaster? (HEY IT WAS 3 AM!)

I will be using color in these. I want to keep it to a 3 color pallet. Have my logo be its usual colors and then the text be a different color. I'm still trying to figure out what I should write on my coasters as the main text.

Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to soak my hand in cold water.

Specialty Ideas

2009-04-12T13:53:00.000-07:00

My ideas:

1. Tea Samples (in a box)
2. Bumper Sticker
3. Key Chain
4. Coaster
5. Ornament
6. Tiny Alarm Clock (time to get your fix!)
7. Coffee Stirrer
8. Napkins
9. Air Freshner (type to hang in your car mirror)

Then I narrowed them down to three and sent them to Paige this weekend:

1. Coffee Stirrers
2. Ornament
3. Coasters

Paige said she liked the coasters idea and that I could create a series of them and create a nice package to place them in. I'm researching various coasters right now and will post some inspirations later.

Now this is what I call clever!

2009-04-10T13:45:00.001-07:00

Ad Update

2009-04-06T21:14:00.001-07:00

Made the logo / contact info a little bigger and then printed it out at actual size. Legibility is much better.

My first homemade lightbox!

2009-04-06T14:10:00.001-07:00

Over the weekend I decided to make a lightbox and I am happy to say I am very proud of it. I'm thinking of doing one using white foamboard so that I won't have to cut holes in it. I can just cut the sides and attach the light sources to them.

The setup

First shot trying to get the lighting right

I think I got it:

Mi ads

2009-04-06T13:23:00.000-07:00

I have 2 target audiences that I wanted to hit, students and employees. I originally had a different idea with the student portion of the ad, but that got mixed reviews so I changed it to where it would be something that one could easily relate to (when they haven't had their Cocoa Bean "fix".)

1st Ad:

2nd Ad:

Collaborative aka "Book Page"

2009-03-28T20:35:00.000-07:00

I wanted to do a collage style portrait displaying my current and possibly unhealthy obsession with online shopping. Since I have a good amount of packages lying around the house I thought it would be a good idea to incorporate those actual pieces into my collage.

Fail

2009-03-26T21:01:00.000-07:00

You know when you finally receive that package that you've been waiting for and you're just so happy and full of excitement that its finally here and you want to open it right away and you're trying so hard to get it open and you wonder why its taking so long to open then you finally get it open and you wonder why it took so long to open in the first place?

Yea well, yea:

(hangs head in shame)

Ad Inspirations

2009-03-24T20:37:00.000-07:00

A few unique ads I found:

Type is dominant in this ad. Since the ad has a lot going on it was a good idea to allow some negative space between the central image and large text .

I like this ad because of its clever use of imagery. Once again negative space helps to create breathing room and as the ad states, separates the actual product from the pack.

Literal and unexpected approach to an ad about allergies. Creates a relationship with the viewer since a good majority of people, including myself, know just how that guy feels.

This one caught my eye a while back and I had been meaning to scan it in. Just one photograph and one simple graphic combine to create a very effective and creative ad.

Thought I'd post a few old school ads as well:

Simple ad showcasing the relationship between cereal and milk. Let's be friends!

Weird and literal. Love it!

Envelope............with the address ;)

2009-03-09T23:00:00.001-07:00

After all that work, I forgot to add the address to the most important piece of the stationery, the envelope. I thought of putting the address beneath the café but it seemed like the letters were fighting with each other so I decided to move the address up and substituted the arrow in the additional space to allow some breathing room between it and café.

Yay or nay?

Stationery in progress

2009-02-23T23:01:00.000-08:00

Keeping continuity in mind, I wanted my my entire stationery to reflect my logo. If my logo is simple and straight forward, then my stationery will do the same. Since the main part of my logo is the shape of the bean I wanted to repeat that shape throughout my stationery. The letterhead originally just had a rectangular border, but that didn't relate back to my logo so I began to play with curves. First I had them located at the top and bottom of the paper and then I thought to try them on the sides which lead to my idea of creating the shape of the bean. I had the curves outlined in brown at one point which made the letterhead a little cramped so Paige suggested I get rid of the borders and see how that would look.
Onto business cards, I wanted to incorporate the bean as well but with just the initials. I thought by bleeding it off the edge the viewer would still be able to relate that particular curve the initials created to my logo. On the back, leaving that negative space at the top immediately draws the eye to the most important thing, the owners name, which I enlarged and put in color. Contact information is important as well and I put those in color too, but I decided I was going to put them both in brown since that green did not come out well in small font.

While in the process of working on my stationery over the weekend I also began to experiment with different types of paper. I like to collect a lot of old magazines and memorabilia, and I came across an old scrapbook I bought off ebay a few years ago. I noticed that it had a lot of empty paper in the back, and I immediately thought I could try this paper out for my stationery. I loved the sepia tone and the quality wasn't too bad but since the paper is older than me and my parents, it tears very easily, so thank goodness there's a fair amount of sheets for me to use for mistakes like that.

I cut a few sheets into 8.5 x 11's and did a test print on my computer for my business card. I kept my fingers crossed since my printer is unpredictable and I didn't know how it was going to handle the new paper, but hey the result was better than I thought it would be:

I also found a few variations of brown cardstock paper at Michael's Craft Store. These had a smoother surface than the scrapbook paper and didn't have as many little specks. My printer happily accepted this paper as well. Here was the new letterhead without the brown outline and 2 new business card ideas.

I want to do two since both business cards are aimed towards different audiences. The first is for professional use, mostly for other companies, corporate,etc. The second, which is my favorite, is geared towards the general public and would most likely be handed out in the store.

Business card 1:

Business card 2:

This is currently where I am at so now onto the envelope!

I. Am. Out.

2009-02-22T22:20:00.000-08:00

Been working all weekend improving my stationery and watching Night of the Iguana. Now its time for me to cure this lovely headache!

The cocoa bean lost weight

2009-02-10T08:54:00.000-08:00

After critique, I took a looooonnnnnggggg look at my logo and I realized though it has a distinct shape, the sides were not evened up. It was also suggested by my classmates that I fix the bean's "N" so that it would be much easier to read. The tip of the "N" use to be pointy but it wasn't matching up with the ends of the A, so I made it flat to balance it out. Also, the letters in the previous cocoa bean were too bulky so I decided to scale them down.

So last night I printed and sketched on the print so that I could work off what was already in the computer instead of making an entirely new sketch.

Oh and I have decided to eliminate the word "final" from my vocabulary so I'm going to call this the DEFINITE possibility :)

Taking just a little break from logos

2009-02-06T09:57:00.000-08:00

I began working on an illustration for "The Bad Seed" I based it off an illustration I had made for it a couple of months ago but I never got around to using it.

Just to give ya a little idea, the story is about a little girl named Rhoda.

She has blonde pigtails and plays innocent to everyone around her, including her mother, who starts to find out just how evil she is.

(I couldn't decide which color I liked so I'll just post both)

The sketch

Note: The movie is perfect. Patty McCormack as Rhoda is amazing!

The Grand Finale

2009-02-05T09:36:00.000-08:00

Worked on colors in class yesterday. I wanted to keep it to 2 colors since too many colors would be unnecessary and would take away from the image. I based these colors off the cocoa bean pod which usually comes in a variety of yellows, green, browns and reds. The bean represents the outer shell and the cocoa beans are the interior.

I found it.......Again!

2009-02-03T12:01:00.000-08:00

An entirely different look from the previous post. I had been working horizontal with the bean all weekend, then an idea came into my head to try it vertical. I not only wanted the letters to create the image of the bean but I also believed the closeness of the letters would reflect the sense of security and warmth one gets the minute they walk into the café.

These were quick sketches. Just trying to get the shape of the bean down:

(Excuse the eraser left overs)

Then I went back and made a cleaner sketch to be scanned into my computer:

After our in progress critique, I placed my sketch in Illustrator and traced using the pen tool and WAH-LA!

Yep, good times!

Evolution of the Cocoa Bean

2009-01-30T10:27:00.000-08:00

12-step evolution of the cocoa bean.

1. Just getting my idea down on paper.
2. Changing the angle by turning it on its side. First attempts at wanting the "C" to create the bean.
3. Creating a distinct shape.
4. Trying to darken the "C" to make it noticeable.
5. Way out in left field! "C" has officially disappeared and readability becomes a major issue.
6. Creating an outline of the "C" and bolding the letters. Trying to leave tips of the "C" off the end of the "N" to make it noticeable.
7. Trying to get the text to take up more space within the "C." The ends of the C no longer have tips and its starting to read as "Ocoa Bean Café"
8. Using the text without the "café" or the outline of the "C." I was trying to erase the outline, but I had darkened it in so much that it had permanently made its mark.
9. Getting somewhere. Trying another attempt at creating shape.
10. I think I've found it! Shape is very distinct and readability is no longer an issue.
11. Grayscale in the computer.
12. Black and White logo with "café"

Phase #1 - Cocoa Bean Cafe sketches

2009-01-20T17:29:00.000-08:00

This client wasn't originally in my top three but after passing by it a few times throughout the week I figured it was time for a change and I thought I would have fun with creating a new logo for them. Cocoa Bean Cafe is a little coffee shop located in a Publix shopping area. It's a very calm, relaxing place with free Wifi (YES!) They also serve various pastries and drinks, pretty much your default coffee shop. I made some sketches trying to incorporate the text into the cocoa bean. I want the text to create the image instead of actually drawing it which is what the "C" is doing in the first bean sketch. I'm having a hard time deciding whether the C should be lighter then the other text or darker. I tried some other ideas as well and will continue to experiment with this client throughout the week.

Their current logo:

Phase #1 - Capers sketches

2009-01-20T17:21:00.000-08:00

I narrowed my clients down to 2 and this is the first set of sketches for Capers. It's a family friendly restaurant with a Mediterranean atmosphere and wonderful, flavorful American food. Since its located in an area that is sort of a passing through "aka: short cut or on the go" area I wanted to incorporate some type of movement in the logo, which also led me to bring in the use of road signs. I've already eliminated a few of these since they look a little too "Nascarish."

Something I want to learn to do...

2009-01-19T10:56:00.001-08:00

I've recently become obsessed with Dynamic Typography. I need to find the program for this stat so I can teach myself!

Good Logos (IMO)

2009-01-13T16:29:00.000-08:00

A simple logo with a main image and text. The 3 warms colors give it a kind of retro feel. It was clever to make the flame and the text "light" the same color because the first thing the viewer sees is the light image which acts as a guide that leads the eyes down to the light text.

© Ryan Imel

This logo appeals to me due to its simplicity. Sticking to 2 colors and 2 readable fonts make it appealing to the eye and the linking of the GoGo creates a successful relationship with the text

© Jam Factory

This image serves as a monochromatic scheme starting from light green and dropping down to dark green and finally to black which serves to complete the composition and display the most important part of the logo, the company's name.

©Yours, Saawan's

What Makes a Good & Bad Logo

2009-01-11T16:21:00.000-08:00

I found some tips on what makes a good logo from Voila Logo Design:

What Makes a Good Logo?

Tips and Tricks for good logo design

One of the most important marketing tools is a logo. Your logo should be eye catching. First impressions are paramount. An appealling and professional logo will help build confidence in a company and brand.

Product Conveyance

A logo can optionally include product meaning. For example, if you are an estate agent, incorporating an illustration of a house with your logo would help convey your business to customers. A potential customer searching for a property who happens to be browsing the web or a catalog will make an instand association with your logo. From a commercial and marketing perspective we can't recommend using this technique enough.

Beautiful Logo Design

Because of the high contrast and high impact nature of logo design it is essential that they are beautiful. The objective of good logo design is to wow your customers.

A logo Is For Life.

A logo is the foremost important aspect of company and product branding. The association between product and logo is what companies build reputations and a following on. Hence the reason 'a logo is for life'.

Found this article from Creative Herb:

What Makes a Bad Logo?

There are many ways to make your logo irritating, unmemorable or downright wrong. I’ll save the details for another time, but here’s everything summed up into one piece of advice. Don’t over-complicate things. That’s right, it’s that simple. Many people tend to add a billion little meanings into their logo or company name. Or they think they are smart by basing their company name on an inside joke that should be kept at the dinner table. And I’m using logo and company name interchangeably because they are similar enough in their function.

Many people don’t realize that there are other companies out there trying to dig into the same piece of pie. When your company logo or company name is on a big list of choices, you want something simple and direct. Because people do not have time to research every single one of the options available, so any logos that give a vague sense of purpose will be skipped entirely.