Gareth Hardy - Smashing Logo Design: The Art of Creating Visual Identities

Smashing Logo Design

The Art of Creating Visual Identities

Gareth Hardy

Smashing Logo Design

This edition first published 2011

2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

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978-1-119-99332-2

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Publishers Acknowledgments

Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:

Editorial and Production

VP Consumer and Technology Publishing Director: Michelle Leete

Associate DirectorBook Content Management: Martin Tribe

Associate Publisher: Chris Webb

Publishing Assistant: Ellie Scott

Development Editor: Elizabeth Kuball

Copy Editor: Elizabeth Kuball

Technical Editor: Mike Rock

Editorial Manager: Jodi Jensen

Senior Project Editor: Sara Shlaer

Editorial Assistant: Leslie Saxman

Marketing

Marketing Manager: Louise Breinholt

Marketing Executive: Kate Parrett

Composition Services

Compositor: Indianapolis Composition Services

Proofreader: Susan Hobbs

Indexer: Potomac Indexing, LLC

Dedication

For Mum and Dad. Without you, this book would not exist.

Authors Acknowledgments

Many people have been involved in making this book a possibility. Id like to thank my editor, Elizabeth Kuball, for managing with great patience to decipher my confusing thoughts into coherent English, and Chris Webb for giving me this amazing opportunity. Id also like to thank Mike Rock for his invaluable advice and Charlotte Morris for being my human thesaurus and official logo tester. Id like to thank the vast network of staff at both John Wiley & Sons and Smashing Magazine.

Finally, a massive thanks to all the designers who submitted logos for the book and to the following people, in particular, for putting up with my questions and for giving me some of their invaluable time:

Milton Glaser

Leighton Hubbell

Nav Iqbal

Raja Sandhu

Mike Erickson

Glen Hobbs

Steve Douglas

Nadim Twal

Oguzhan Ocalan

Von Glitschka

Denis Olenik

Jan Zbransk

Josh Hayes

Kevin Burr

Galin Kastelov

Sean OGrady

Andrej Matic

Nathan Sarlow

Stephanie Reeves

About the Author

Gareth Hardy is a graphic designer based in Birmingham, England. He worked as a senior graphic designer but grew frustrated by the restrictions on creativity in the corporate environment, so he made the daring leap into freelance in 2008.

Gareths experience and knowledge spans the broad spectrum of graphic design. He has achieved a first-class degree in the field and been employed as a professional web designer. This vast arsenal of design-related expertise allows Gareth the opportunity to advise clients on the complete brand-identity package. He specializes in revolutionary brand-identity solutions for clients of all sizes, both domestically and internationally.

Gareth works under the tongue-in-cheek moniker of Down With Design. He also frequently writes articles related to design that provide a unique take on events. His works and more information about his background are available at www.downwithdesign.com.

Introduction

My first memory of being fascinated by a logo was when I was 4 or 5 years old, around the time my dad first introduced me to my favorite football team. Even at that tender young age, I thought it was great that I could identity with my team of choice by seeing the club crest emblazoned on the jerseys of the players and on the stadium that they played in. Id ask for the latest replica shirt for birthdays and Christmases, and I insisted that my whole bedroom be adorned with the official crest. The wallpaper, curtains, bed linens, lamp, rugeverything featured the logo.

I even spent time messing around with my own artwork by carefully tracing over a print of the logo I found in a magazine, until I felt confident enough in my own abilities to draw it freehand. These early behaviors practically carved out my career path. The beautiful thing about logos is that they can affect our lives without our even noticing. They have a lasting impact on designers and nondesigners alike. We live in a branded world, and thats not about to change any time soon.

In the years I spent employed as a graphic designer, the task I relished most was designing a logo. To this day, I still find logo design to be the most challenging and rewarding project of any of the different design disciplines that I undertake. Its a great feeling when you know that youve successfully answered a tough brief or made someone elses vision become a reality. My passion for logo design and brand identity led me to leave my full-time position as a senior graphic designer and enter the competitive foray of freelance. As a freelancer, Ive discovered that there are thousands upon thousands of talented designers out there, all striving to create the next great logo.

Recently, logo design has almost become its own discipline within the design field, creating a new emerging market. Im fascinated with exploring whether this shift will have a positive or negative effect on designers. The fact that youve picked up this book means that you have an interest in logos. Maybe you share a story similar to my own. By reading this book, youll learn what you need to know in order to stay ahead of the game and keep your ideas fresh and original.