Gestalt refers to theories of visual perception developed by German psychologists in the 1920s. These theories attempt to describe how people tend to organize visual elements into groups or unified wholes when certain principles are applied.
HOW TO APPLY GESTALT PRINCIPLES
Logo Design
You are about to open your very own business – It looks like you are going to need a LOGO!!
SO, WHAT’S A LOGO?
THREE TYPES OF LOGOS
RESEARCH: Decide on a business career path that best suits your interests and personality. Find at least 10 logos of your company’s competition. You must identify the type of logo and find 2 or more examples for each type.
PLANNING!
First, you will need to decide on the name of the company and all relevant information (products, clients, etc..) before starting. Answer the questions below to help you shape your corporate identity system.
SO, WHAT’S A LOGO?
- The word “logo” comes from the ancient Greek meaning “word.” In a way, a logo should sum up the company’s goals, philosophies, and products in a single word.
- An identifying mark, such as a logo or trademark, communicates a great deal about a product, service, or organization. A company’s identity should be distinguished from the competition. A logo should be unique, memorable, and recognizable at a glance. The shapes need to be visually interesting and complex to attract attention, but they need to be simple enough for people to easily figure out the meaning.
- The type, shapes, and symbols should be designed with an appropriate style that expresses the spirit or personality of the product, service, or organization. The visual characteristics of each design element project a particular image and response from the viewer. Color has to be carefully considered, as they convey different symbolic meanings. Since a logo becomes the face of a company, it should convey exactly what the business stands for and strengthen its overall image.
- Logos should consist of few colors and work on a variety of different scales.
THREE TYPES OF LOGOS
- Logotype/Wordmark
- The company or product name is depicted in a unique style. The type forms can be altered, manipulated, or even hand drawn to create visual interest or impact.
- Accents or symbols can be incorporated within the logotype. The graphic elements should interact with, surround, or even form the letters, but they should not be an equally weighted part of the logo.
- Iconic/Symbolic
- This type of logo includes neither words nor letters. Only simple symbols, images, and shapes are used to represent the company or product.
- Symbols can be pictorial: containing an image or images which represent real objects, or abstract: a non-representational image or object.
- Combination Mark
- This is a combination or the types of logos listed above. A symbol and text are carefully integrated together, placed side by side, or one above the other.
RESEARCH: Decide on a business career path that best suits your interests and personality. Find at least 10 logos of your company’s competition. You must identify the type of logo and find 2 or more examples for each type.
PLANNING!
First, you will need to decide on the name of the company and all relevant information (products, clients, etc..) before starting. Answer the questions below to help you shape your corporate identity system.
- What is your company’s name?
- What products or services will you sell? (Be very specific)
- How large is your company, and where is it located?
- Who are the potential customers? (Define in terms of age, gender, nationality, economic standing, etc..)
- How will a customer benefit from buying your product?
- Does your company fill a current need in the market? How?
- What other businesses already sell the same product/service?
- How will your company stand out from the competition?
- How will you advertise to reach potential customers? (TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, search engines, word of mouth, billboards)