The Logo Process: A Design Dialogue
A logo begins with an idea… in the case of Yggdrasil Advisory, it is the legendary world tree — Yggdrasil — from Norse mythology. When we begin the mark-making process, we share our questionnaire with the client to help understand and define their ideas, wants and wishes for their business and their mark. The design dialogue begins with our questionnaire. The questionnaire leads the client to articulate particular preferences or biases, mood and emotions. After a review of the information and a follow-up with the client, we bring the key elements for their logo and communication goals into focus. And then the fun begins…
We start by brainstorming different possibilities — getting out as many ideas as we can create. This starts old school — sketching directly on paper (putting hand to paper has a direct relationship to the brain, provides greater freedom than fingers on keys). When our paper is filled with scribbled dreams, we start to translate the strongest ideas onto the computer.
For Yggdrasil Advisory, we began by incorporating tree references with different letterforms. We explore type and form in one color black and maybe add an accent color for contrast. Once these initial marks are recreated digitally, we share with the client to illicit their feedback, to continue the design dialogue. The process advances with multiple rounds of design and modifications based upon client input and direction. We experiment with different typefaces and tree imagery, proportions and alignments. As we continue to move down the design funnel (starting wide with a vast array of ideas, then narrowing down the possibilities as continue to refine), we introduce and explore color possibilities (keeping in mind the messages color communicate) until we reach the final mark.
“Logo, business cards, website, visual identity system…check. Studio Red did this all masterfully, on time, and under budget. However, what really sets Red apart is the team’s ability to find and scale the voice of its clients. I came to the process with a loose idea of what I needed to start my company. I left with a fully-fleshed and tangible way to articulate it to my clients and the market. Red not only made my services look better; it actually made my very services better through probing and deliberate questions throughout the development process causing me to reconsider what I delivered and how to frame things. If you are brave enough to engage in a highly innovative and rich experience sure to help you make your voice heard, Red is the design and branding firm for you.”
Initial sketches.
Initial logo concepts.
Final business cards.
Mockup of Yggdrasil Advisory website.