Project Overview
I designed a logo for a fictional company, referencing a bird as the identity mark. The goal was to match
the bird's
stengths to the company values while accurately effectively representing the company.
Sections
- Identity Mark Research ā
- Sketch Concepts ā
- Logo Creation ā
Symbolism played a significant role in choosing the identity mark. This added a special layer of
personality to the logo and maximized the sense of community that the company values.
Project Type
Independent Project
Identity Mark Research.
Project: I used ChatGPT to create a fictional neighborhood volunteer company, Community Care
Connections, where people
within their community use
their skills to assist their neighbors and in turn, they receive support from the same neighbors. ChatGPT also
helped me out with brainstorming a company name, mission, and values.
After understanding who the company was and what they wanted to accomplish, I researched birds that would
represent those values and goals well. I thought of many common neighborhood birds - like the mourning dove, the
robin, and the woodpecker. However, none of these birds were symbolic of the selfness nature of Community Care
Connections.
After listing the traits, characteristics, and symbolism of over eight neighborhood birds, I decided to use a
parakeet as the identity mark. This bird is social, known to be a good pet, and symbolizes devotion, trust, and
family closeness. Additionally, it is known for mirroring the words and actions of others, which I thought was
appropriate for a volunteer-based initiative.
Sketch Concepts.
I researched popular logo trends and designed multiple different styles of logos to ensure the logo
would be modern and unique. I marked each logo design on a scale (e.g. separated to overlapped, technical to
abstract, casual to chaotic). To achieve more variety in choices, I created at least one of each
of the following logo types: wordmark, monogram, pictorial mark, abstract, emblem, mascot, and combination.
Originally, I had planned to sketch over 20 logos. I wanted a wide variety to choose from when I finalized the
design. However, I quickly learned that designing logos was no quick feat. It required deep thought of layout,
symbolism, and responsivity across multiple sizes.
Logo Creation.
From my 10 logos sketches, I narrowed the selection down to my top two choices, focusing on designs that best
reflected the company values and maintained uniqueness. I shared the designs with my
peers, and they all agreed my top picks were also their top picks. They were the most unique while also
remaining calm and friendly. I brought those two designs into Adobe Illustrator to digitalize them, using the
pen tool to trace the outline of the logos.
I downloaded a slab serif font from Adobe Fonts for the words "COMMUNITY CARE" in the design. The font,
Clarendon,
reflected the neighborhood-side of the business. It is simple but eye-catching. I also chose to use a script
font for "connections" because of the handwritten and personal touch.
Critiques & Revisions.
I shared the first iterations of the designs with my peers to receive feedback and suggestions for
improvement. It was mentioned that while the overall designs were excellent and accurately reflected the
company, a few minor details could be
refined. I lengthened the birds' tails to balance the top and bottom of the logo. I also smoothed out the
lines, ensuring they still looked hand drawn to emphasize the human efforts put into the
company.
Project Results.
The chosen logo effectively represents the business, especially in the choice to use parakeets as the
identity mark. The symbolism of devotion, trust, and family closeness highlights the values and uniqueness of Community Care Connections.
