New Project: Creating an Identity Package

Hello Students,

An identity package is a corporate communication standard. It helps a company or organization present a uniform appearance to the world in its correspondence and communication. Being able to design a logo and then enhance it for an ID package is a strong design skill and one that is readily marketable to your potential clients.

Identity Package Assignment Details:

• When your final logo design is complete, create an identity package that expands on your logo design style and color usage. Look for elements you can play with, refer too or borrow from in the design of your identity package assets.
• Create a business card, letterhead, envelope design and CD Label. Use Indesign or Illustrator for creation of these assets but you can create your final ID package mockup with Photoshop.

Tutorial:

Use this tutorial as a guide to creating your Business card, letterhead and envelope. You will have to do some research and use your imagination. Look up the sizing and specifications of each asset before creating them, for instance the CD label, you can find a template to use through a quick google image search.

Link: How to create an identity package

Resources:

• Link: ID Package design done right
• Link: ID Package design samples

Examples of student work:

Have fun!

- Mr.W

Hello Students,
In this project you will take your strongest example of your previous logo design exercise (5 styles, 15 examples) and create a final logo design.

Final Logo Development Project:

• Take the strongest example of your previous project and develop it further, explore it's design, create 3 strong pencil sketches of your final design, explore layout and graphic options, choose the best version and render it as vector art
• You should work independently on this exercise and ask for help when needed or research your own answers online.
• You should work quietly but are encouraged to ask questions and share information.
• You must render your pencil sketched logo with Adobe Illustrator to create vector artwork as the final result.
• You will create and post a version in black and white and one in color, you will also post your 3 pencil sketches alongside your final vector artwork.

Vector Artwork Part 1:

1. Use a flatbed scanner to scan your pencil sketch artwork at a resolution of 300 DPI and save it to your computer in the JPG file format. If no scanner is available, use a high quality (or whatever is available) digital camera to take a picture of the design. Use a steady hand and make sure the camera is facing the artwork straight on. Then copy the photo to your computer.
2. Open a New Document in Adobe Illustrator and set it to Letter size, 8 1/2 inches by 11 inches, set the orientation to match your logo sketch paper, set the color to CMYK.
3. Bring the JPG file of your sketch into Illustrator by going to the File Menu and selecting Place, navigate to your image and click to place.
4. Scale the image if needed to fit within your page boundaries.
5. Save your document into a new project folder and title it " logo_version1.ai".

Vector Artwork Part 2:

1. Open the Layer Palette and set the opacity of the Pencil Sketch Layer to 75% and lock the layer.
2. Create a New Layer by clicking the New Layer button on the Layer Palette, rename it "black and white art".
3. Trace the line art of the pencil sketch with the Pen Tool, make sure all the curves are smooth and all the shapes complete. When complete modify the shape of the line with a custom brush or the Stroke Shape option in the Stroke Palette. Make every line graceful and precise.
4. When the outlines are complete fill in areas with black to create the black and white version.
5. When the B&W version is done, create a copy of that layer and rename it "color art". Edit that layer to become your color version. Use all the colors you want to see in the final version, gradients are allowed, choose your color palette wisely.
6. Pay attention to retaining quality line shape, good use of contrast and bright appropriate color usage.

Deliverables:

• 1 final logo rendered as vector art, in color and black and white.
• 3 pencil sketches that explore your final logo design alongside your final artwork.
• Due friday

Student Examples:

Low Performing

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Medium Performing

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High Performing

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New Project: Logo Design and Development

Students,

You will create a series of logo designs to explore different logo creation styles and then sketch and design a final logo design for use in your portfolio as a work sample. Once complete you will use this logo to create an identity package, which is our next project. Read the assignment details thoroughly!

I recommend you use Illustrator for this project. You could use the final logo design as the center piece to your final portfolio website, so consider logo themes that describe you and will work well in different environments.

Overview - Rules and Principals of Logo Design:

1. A logo must me describable

2. A logo must be memorable

3. A logo must be effective without color

4. A logo must be scaleable. So it should look good at 12"X12" and 1"X1".

Logo Design Assignment Details:

There are 5 logo examples below, you will create your own logo designs, 3 for each of the 5 styles for 15 designs. You will then design a final design utilizing the best of all styles, for the final design you will pencil sketch 3 different designs before evaluating the best choice and completing final artwork.

Create an imaginary company, organization or think of what you would like to do if you begun your own business. For instance if I was doing this assignment I would create logo's for Wilson Enterprises, Wilson Design Group or Wilson Co. etc.

Create 3 versions of each of the logo style examples below:

1. Typeface only: Create 3 logo's using a different font for each one. Pay attention to spacing between your letters. Think of clever ways you can make a simple font-only logo have impact. Use color, proximity, contrast to your advantage.

2. Typeface's combined: Create 3 logo's that use 2 different fonts, make your font choice strategic to add emphasis and draw attention.

3. Typeface plus an art element: Create 3 examples of an arranged logo that uses a typeface plus some simple elements, rectangles, lines or dots. Sketch on paper to aid your creativity if needed.

4. Typeface plus a shape or symbol: Create 3 examples of a logo that uses a typeface and an image or symbol that is relevant to your logo's subject matter. Sketch on paper to aid your creativity if needed.

5. Shape or Symbol logo with typeface: Create 3 examples of a logo that makes the symbol or shape dominant and the typeface subordinant. Sketch on paper to aid your creativity if needed. Include a written explanation and description of your symbol or imagery.

When these versions are complete you may begin the final stage.

6. Final Logo: You must pencil sketch 3 different logo concepts, they must be original designs. When complete you will pick one and render it in Illustrator. Think about what your ultimate logo would be, sketch that and refine it. Then create that final logo with Illustrator or Photoshop. You must turn your pencil sketches in with your final work, you may sketch in your notebook if you like. Remember the Rules of Logo Design as stated at the beginning of this post.

Due Dates: Logo designs 1-5 are due friday

Previous Student Logo Designs:

- Mr.W

Logo Design Development Writing Assignment

Overview: This is a short writing assignment where you will research the logo history of a brand or company of your choice. Use the Internet to research the design, show different versions, and discuss the language behind the design. Below is a short video about the Apple logo, it covers the original versions and shows it's progression and development to its current form.

Research Assignment:

• Use the Internet to research the history of a logo of your choice. Choose a brand/company/organization that has been around a while for the best results.
• Read about the history of the logo design and the symbolism or meaning of the logo. Use search terms such as "history of the "brand X" logo" or "symbolism of "brand X" logo". Try different search terms and read everything you can find.
• Does your brand have different versions of the logo design? Download 3 examples. They could be older versions, newer versions or versions that were used in other countries.
• Seek to answer these questions: When was the logo originally created? How does the original logo design differ from the current logo design and why? Does the current logo design retain any elements from the original logo design? What is the meaning of the logo design? What does it symbolize?
• Save bookmarks or download any information you find. Take notes to use in your writing assignment.

Writing Task:

Write a 1-2 paragraph summary (14pt text, 150 words minimum) of what you have learned about the logo you chose to research.

Answer these questions in your paper:

• When was the logo originally created?
• How does the original logo design differ from the current logo design and why?
• Does the current logo design retain any elements from the original logo?
• What elements define this logo's "DNA"?
• Does this logo fit into one of the 5 catagories discussed in the lecture?

Paper should be typed in Microsoft Word, Pages or Google Docs, printed and turned in to the class inbox for grading.

Student Example:

Watching and Writing Assignment: Helvetica The Movie

Hello Students,

Today we will be watching the documentary film: Helvetica, which is about the origin, uses and influence of the typeface Helvetica. Watch the film closely and take notes to use for your writing assignment. Answer and complete all activities listed below on your own blog:

Helvetica The Movie Watching / Writing Assignment:

• Where does Helvetica originate from? What country? 
• What does the original name mean? What is it's translation in English? 
• What year was Helvetica created? 
• What is the design style that Helvetica brought to popularity worldwide? 
• List the names of 3 different design styles or design movements that are discussed in the film. 
• Write about some of the insight about design you have taken away from the film. You can provide quotes if you like. 

ACTIVITIES:

• Where can examples of Helvetica be seen? Can you spot some examples on our own campus? Use your camera and take a picture of a few examples and include in your blog post. 
• Name 4 Designers that appear in the film. Look them up and show examples of their work, research and provide links to websites and any biographical information about them. Post the information to your blog. 

Thinking More Deeply:
Choose one of the questions below to answer in your post.

1. How does a typeface create a mood, feeling or image? Can you describe an occasion when you had a particular reaction to something in print, not because of the content, but because of the typeface?
2. In HELVETICA, design writer Richard Poynor says, “The designer has an enormous responsibility” as the person who is “putting wires into our heads.” What does he mean? How would you define that responsibility?
3. Think of the font you most commonly use when working on your computer. Which one is it and why do you use that one?
4. American designer David Carson says, “Don’t confuse legibility with communication.” What does he mean? What’s the difference between them?
5. How is design an expression of the times? How does politics affect the art of design?
6. What is your reaction to the grunge style of type and design? Why do you think you respond to it that way?
7. Imagine that the post office, your local bank or other government or corporate entity whose signage is familiar to you started using a different typeface. How would that change their image or your feeling about that business or organization?
8. What might you take away from this film in terms of possible effects on your work or other aspects of your daily life?
9. What changes, if any, has this film made in how you think about print and graphic design?

New Project: Create a Package Design and 3D Mockup

Hello Students,

Your new assignment is to create an original package design that can be printed and assembled into a 3 dimensional mockup.

Package Design Assignment Details:

• Search for template designs for packages, find one you like or make an original design. Try a google search for "package template(s)". Here is a link I found
• Outline or trace your template in Illustrator... note the tabs for gluing/taping together and the folding pattern
• Come up with a product idea and create a package design, front, back, sides, top and bottom
• Include product name, information, ingredients, bar code, etc... 
• Take time to create interesting designs or illustrations, use your color theory, typography and design skills in all aspects of the package
• All artwork must be original, no tracing or processing of photographs unless you took the original photo yourself!
• Your project will be graded on originality and complexity of your package design.

Resources for inspiration:

Link: Packaging of the World

Link: Cool Hunter -  Power of the Package Design

Bonus Link: Vecteezy Free Package Templates in AI Format

Simple cereal box package template

Completed cereal package design

Have fun!

 - Mr.W