Task 01 of 2.4.3
Figure A: A design process that involves going back to the research stage at multiple iterations from J. O’Grady and K. O’Grady.
The above chart is what best shows my process for designing these logos. I started off with a general research session where I learned everything I could about the subjects and created mind maps. These mind maps became a starting point for my initial sketches. Once I had exhausted my initial impressions of the subjects, I went back to do more in depth research. If there was a type of design, I liked I would research more into the subject and what it means to Reykjavik or how it affects the lives of citizens. Once I had a large range of logos I looked to see if any of the subjects overlapped or had any interaction.
Figure B: Geographic Logos
For these sets of logos, I did a batch where I experimented with the lighthouses’ forms and shapes. In another batch I played with the Bay of Smokes moniker and with waves and mists. In many of the photos of the lighthouses there was either large amounts of mist or smoke from the water. I decided to combine the swirl logos with the lighthouse logos to create a new design that used the strength of both.
Figure C: Modern Culture Logos
For these I started with creating geometric designs of famous buildings from the area. In this case I started with the art museum. As I continued designing, I realized that maybe I shouldn’t tie the city down to one building, but I wanted to still play with an abstract logo. I continued to play with the shapes I got from the museum until I got something that resembled an abstract R.
Figure D: Tradition Logos
During my research sessions I found that Reykjavik is a fishing village. I started to play around with some motifs centered around that. I created some plain fish logos. Then I created some fish logos that combined the trident figure from the sun voyager. I combined the two but found the logo still needed some work. I went onto fish hook motifs and found a way to combine the three sets of designs.
Reference
O’Grady, J. V., & O’Grady, K. (2009, February 01). [Design process that has multiple iterations]. Retrieved January 30, 2019.
Moving Forward
In regard to the critiques from my classmates I have learned to be clearer about my ideas and use more notes. Communication is key and one can always improve. The main feedbacks I received from assignments involved paying attention to the smaller details. Usually when I got hit for points it was from small things like grammar. In the future I am going to pay attention to the smaller details. It is like painting. You can get the point across well enough with getting the overall shapes right, but it is the small things that make the piece pop. By paying closer attention to all the details I can elevate my work to the next level and get closer to mastery.
