Symbols
Marks without type used to identify a corporation, agency or institution. Can be legally protected
Advantages: unique, simple gestalt. quick impact.
Disadvantages: costly to promote, explain. Confusion with other symbols.
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Pictographs
Public symbols. Used to cross language barriers for direction, safety, transportation. Use encouraged by all.
Advantages: Substitute for words. International
Disadvantages: Confusion with corporate marks. Cultural confusion
Lettermarks
Letters from name in type in type. Used to identify company, often to shorten long name. Not pronounceable.
Advantages: Letterforms readable. Abbreviate name
Disadvantages: Costly to promote. Heavy visual competition(letters)
Logos
Word or words in type. Identify company, brand, project, group. pronounceable. Can be legally protected
Advantages: Phonic, unique, easier, to promote
Disadvantages: Complex gestalt, type relation problems
Combination Marks
Symbol and logo used together, also called signature. Constant space relationship.
Advantages: label effect, unique, smooth recognition.
Disadvantages: Very complex gestalt. Redundant.
Trademarks
All of the above. Legal name for unique marks which may be registered, protected by law and sold if desired. First come, first served.
1. Positive Association
Symbol should show the image of a company or product in "best" or favorable light.
2. Easy Identification
Symbol should quickly and readily be recognized, remembered, and recalled
3. "close gestalt
Think of your closed hand or fist as "close gestalt." When you open it up your fingers point outward and create "open gestalt." Eve flow should be internal rather than external.
The perfect circle has ideal gestalt as it serves as a magnet for the eye.
4. Abstraction Level
Symbol must hit the understanding level of the intended audience. Very abstract marks are costly to promote and make, illustrated marks, and logos generally function as the best communication elements.
5. Reduction
Symbols should be designed to reduce in size effectively to 1/2" in diameter. Even smaller would be better. Be careful that the symbol does not lose parts as it becomes smaller. Test reduction success on visualizer. Use stat camera for final reduction.
6. One Color
Symbols should be designed to succeed with one color printing for economic reason. Color may be added to enhance the mark but it should not depend on color for visual success. Be extremely careful or screens and tints. They tend to either fill or disappea
7. Negative spaces
A thorough understanding of the figure/ground phenomenon is essential in designing effective marks. negative or white spaces should be carefully considered. There white shapes, through visual polarity reversal, can themselves become memorable images (star
8. Symbol weight
Visual wight of the symbol should as a rule be heavy. heavy marks tend to be simple marks. Heavy marks more successfully withstand reduction. Heavy marks offer more contrast to surrounding type. Light-weight marks make weak statements and have a more limi
9. Flow
Consider designing marks where the white space flows rather than becomes trapped. The eye then can move through the form rather than be stopped by it.
10. Direction
When directional indication is important in a symbol, pointing up and to the right is more effective than down or to the left. These, forward directions are perceived as positive by the viewing audience.
11. Metering*
Build marks with a limited vocabulary of structure. Mater and control lines and spaces. Beware or mixing linear and silhouette forms!