Ask the Designers: Dec. 2017

 

Welcome to the blog’s newest segment: “Ask the Designers.” Once a month, you’ll get an insider’s perspective on the life of our designers – President Shawn O’Mara, Vice President Jesse Mader, Art Director Nina Zivkovic, and Graphic Designer Laura Smith. We’ll give you tips, resources, and even a few fun facts about us.

 

1.     What is your logo design process like?


SHAWN:
I always  like to start with a client meeting to learn about the company and have them describe the brand personality. The more adjectives, the better! Then, I do competitor research. Next, I draw pencil thumbnails. I try to work in hidden messages or unique attributes. Then I do digital variations. Finally, I narrow it down to the top picks and send to the client!

JESSE:
It’s like naming a child… and then dressing the child. And then making sure the child’s personality matches the name and the outfit.

NINA:
I love to start off with keywords [mind-maps if needed, too] and then follow up with synonyms all to generate ideas I may not have thought of on how to relate the icon, monogram, etc. to the name of the company/business and what they do. Sketches are key, even if it’s on a scrap of paper. I usually take about 3-5 ideas and explore them digitally with variations to get that golden egg of excellence :)

LAURA:
I always start on pencil and paper with sketches. Then I create digitalized versions in black and white to make sure the logos could stand alone and could be reversed out. Then I move in to color options!



2.     What is your favorite logo you’ve designed?

SHAWN:
My favorite recent brand would be ARGO AI. This was a great combined effort with the client, Jesse, and myself.
JESSE:
The South Park Rib & Wing Challenge.

NINA:
Not counting from my favorites in the logo concept graveyard, my favorite official one is the new Cain’s Saloon logo. Combines my loves for illustration and architecture.
LAURA:
Since I’m still new to the industry, I would have to say the logo for Natoral Wand, an organic tooth care company. It has a natural, fun look to it, and was a lot of fun to create a brand around a product I had never heard of before, and help introduce it to the American marketplace.



3.     What is your favorite holiday tune?

SHAWN:
My favorite is “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” by Bruce Springsteen.

JESSE:
“Baby It’s Cold Outside” by Jesse Mader and Tarra Layne. Out now on jessemader.com, SoundCloud, YouTube, & coming soon to Spotify, iTunes, and Google Play. (For real though, my traditional favorite is “The Holly and the Ivy” and my favorite commercial song is “Papa Noel” by Brenda Lee.)

NINA:
It’s a definite tie between “(It Must Have Been Ol’) Santa Claus” by Harry Connick, Jr. and “If Every Day Was Like Christmas” by Elvis Presley depending on the mood.
LAURA:
Honestly a toss-up between “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” by Andy Williams and “All I Want for Christmas is You” by Mariah Carey.

Check back next month for more tips, resources, and fun facts!