- Maker: ‘Aolani Robinson
- Genre: Logo and Business Card
- Level: Graduate
- Program: Composition, Rhetoric, and Digital Media
- Course: WRIT 5800: Editing, Layout, and Design
- Instructor: Dr. Eric Mason
- Semester Created: Winter 2020
Description:
This logo and business card were created for a fledgling candle business in the process of being started by my mother. The focus of the company is on creating candles inspired by classic films, TV shows, and characters. The logo is designed to highlight the uniqueness of the candles offered by the company while also hinting at the Hollywood themes behind the company. The business card also features contact information for interested customers and investors to get in touch with the company proprietor.
Reflection:
I chose to use the free web-based software Vectr for this project due to its ability to be used across devices and its relative ease of use compared to Adobe Illustrator. The initial logo design was threadbare and consisted of a variety of type fonts with a candle standing in for the “I.” However, feedback from classmates hinted at incorporating the use of Hollywood motifs to go along with the chosen font. This allowed for the opportunity to highlight one of the prime selling points of the business the logo was intended to represent.
The next iteration attempted to use the limited shapes available to me in order to create something reminiscent of the marquee signs that I had seen before. Golden stars were included on the red panels of either side of the company name while a pentagon served as a pseudo crown for the top of the sign. This left something to be desired as it did not fully capture the feel that I was going for.
For the next and finished version, the stars were replaced with circles that were placed all around the perimeter of the name in order to truly elicit comparisons to the signs that I was mimicking. In addition, in order to maintain focus on the nature of the company, the pentagon was replaced with an enlarged version of the flame contained in the logotype.
The business cards went through a similar design process. I wanted the focus to be placed squarely on the uniqueness of the logo. Yet, I also wanted a background that would highlight this logo while remaining visually appealing. Using Canva for a similar reason as Vectr, I was able to find a dark night sky background that was plain enough to put the focus on the logo design as a centerpiece while also remaining interesting. The updated version was changed to include the improved logo and to further streamline the contact information so that nothing unnecessary was included.
As a whole, this process made me realize the importance of testing and revision for visual design. The feedback gathered from classmates was instrumental throughout the process. Learning to use the actual software itself was challenging at first, but my ability to create something unique grew as my confidence levels rose. I think that the final product was able to accomplish the combination of individuality and simplicity that I aimed for. This entire experience taught me that it is possible to create a good logo with only a few shapes and letters which will be useful for the future.
