Why So Blue?

Color offers an instantaneous method for conveying meaning and message. Our minds are programmed to respond to color. We stop our cars for red lights and go on green, we look at the color of certain plants and animals to determine whether or not they are safe for us to eat or touch, the bottom line is that color is a very important part of our daily lives. Symbolic meanings of colors have psychological connotations. Nevertheless, colors effect us psychologically regardless of any symbolism. And the psychological effect of one color can be very different from its symbolical significance.

If you understand the psychological effects of colors, you can employ them  deliberately. While perceptions of color are somewhat subjective, there are some color effects that have universal meaning. Colors in the red area of the color spectrum are known as warm colors and include red, orange and yellow. These warm colors evoke emotions ranging from feelings of warmth and comfort to feelings of anger and hostility. Colors trigger a variety of emotions and memories. The interpretation of color depends on age, profession, nationality, and personal preference.

Here are some general interpretations of colour psychology;

RED
Positive: Physical courage, strength, warmth, energy, basic survival, ‘fight or flight’, stimulation, masculinity, excitement.
Negative: Defiance, aggression, visual impact, strain.

YELLOW
Positive: Optimism, confidence, self-esteem, extraversion, emotional strength, friendliness, creativity.
Negative: Irrationality, fear, emotional fragility, depression, anxiety, suicide.

GREEN
Positive: Harmony, balance, refreshment, universal love, rest, restoration, reassurance, environmental awareness, equilibrium, peace.
Negative: Boredom, stagnation, blandness, enervation.

PINK.
Positive: Physical tranquillity, nurture, warmth, femininity, love, sexuality, survival of the species.
Negative: Inhibition, emotional claustrophobia, emasculation, physical weakness.

GREY.
Positive: Psychological neutrality.
Negative: Lack of confidence, dampness, depression, hibernation, lack of energy.

BLACK.
Positive: Sophistication, glamour, security, emotional safety, efficiency, substance.
Negative: Oppression, coldness, menace, heaviness.

WHITE.
Positive: Hygiene, sterility, clarity, purity, cleanness, simplicity, sophistication, efficiency.
Negative: Sterility, coldness, barriers, unfriendliness, elitism.

BLUE.
Positive: Intelligence, communication, trust, efficiency, serenity, duty, logic, coolness, reflection, calm.
Negative: Coldness, aloofness, lack of emotion, unfriendliness.

So the main reason I chose blue for my logo is because of the word – Thought = intellect, logic and intelligence. Also blue is the overwhelming “favorite color.” Blue is seen as trustworthy, dependable and committed. The color of sky and the ocean, blue is perceived as a constant in our lives.

Many people have used blue to convey intelligence, here are but a few examples;

I have not even scratched the surface of colour theory, but if you wish to delve deeper then the following sites are a good place to start.

• Colour Affects
• Logo Critiques
• Web Design Library
• Art School On-Line
• Easy Oil Painting Techniques
• Squidoo
• Precision Intermedia

Simplifiy the Thought

Because a – no one could see the figure without me pointing it out; and b – it wasn’t necessary, I took the question and exclamation mark out of the design, simplifying the design. And created this 3-colour design to show how it would work in colour on both black and white background, and that it would work in black and white on either background

My reasons for choosing blue can be found in the post – Why So Blue.

Then in further discussions I found out that people didn’t see the speech balloon shape, even though I can’t help but see it. But the shape was pleasing and the backwards ‘g’ ‘h’ and ‘t’ still received the ‘amused’ response that I wanted. So I created one final iteration –

Then I began to experiment with colour in greater detail. For the purposes of cost and efficiency, I looked into the Pantone colour; matte to be specific.

In the end I decided on Pantone Solid Matte 298M and the font is Gills Sans Ultra Bold.

Having a Random Thought

Towards the end of my design sketches I started to experiment with the use of question marks and exclamation marks, as can be seen in my last post of my design journal. While doing this I noticed that, when put together the right way, you can kind of make it look like a person. That lead to the sketch below.

The illusion's not quite there.

After sketching this I began experimenting with what is supposed to be the speech bubble.

Then it was suggested to me that I should try using fonts that already exist to create the design.

After sorting through fonts for a question mark that will enhance my concept, I combined it with the font ‘Gill Sans’ to create the iteration below.

Checking out various ?

.

Then I messed around with the placements of the elements to see if the effect held up.

The Economy

Click on image to see other great movie posters

Good design means as little design as possible. If you can remove an element within a design and that design still works, then you’ve practiced economy in design. There are no rules for using economy, if an element works in the composition with respect to the whole design, it should be kept. If it distracts from the desired effect, it should be re-evaluated for its purpose.

Graphic design is for identification, information, presentation and promotion. Economy of design furthers the concept of telling a short story with images. Everything needs to justify its continued existence. If you wish to retain something for the sake of tradition let that be a conscious decision.

This is a key goal in the case of user interfaces as economy breeds simplicity. Taking away from an interface means that there is less for a user to understand. Simplicity does not mean simplistic solutions, lack of functionality or limited information

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” – Leonardo Da Vinci.

Below are some logos that I have gathered which show economy in design.

The Name is the Logo

Just a circle

Elements removed, not added

For some more opinions on Economy and Simplicity, visit the following sites;

• Jeff Brace Design
• De Bono’s Simplicity Principles
• Weekend Gardener

The First Radom Thoughts

After coming up with a name for my company, I began brainstorming ideas. After looking at some of the ‘would-be’ competitors and there logos/marketing. I found a few Australian companies on the web and learnt that the more entertainment based designers had animated logos.

From this I decided that I decided that I should come up with animated logo for my animation company. In the first concept I had thoughts, (the letters spelling “Random Thought” falling out of a box. A play on the cliché ‘Thinking outside the box’. In the top left hand corner of the image below, you can see where I sketched this first idea.

If you follow the arrows you may notice how the design evolved through slight iteration in typography, (except for the brain design, I have no idea where that came from), into the full-page sketch below.

'Thought' created with pen tool.

After taking this design into Illustrator, I sat down and drew up a few different iterations.

These images lead to the two iteration below and a third idea that will be discussed in the next post of my design journal.

My attempts at Gestalt

Below are my attempts at creating a logo using the different laws of gestalt. Except for the last image which was something made during a class exercise.

Figure Ground

Closure

Similarity

Proximity

Continuity

Gestalt Exercise

Never-Rust

An exercise in Texture

During class we went through an exercise in using textures were we were given this logo that our lecturer made and then used Photoshop to create a textured background give the logo a bit of scratched look. But afterwards we had to use the same logo and recreate the exercise using our own textures and concepts. The one above was created by me using only the original logo.

Soundwave Typography

The problem with this course? Let me tell you a little story. There I was at the best Soundwave festival yet, and what was I doing? Studying the typography all the bands’ logo. Why can’t I just listen to the music? Because I study design. Is that fair?

All logos were scanned in from this booklet

My favourite Logo of the Day

Cut at the line, this is still readable

Great use of line

Sometimes breaking the rules is a good thing

Old school metal lettering

Looks dangerous

Shape and motion

re-Form-ed

Form – three-dimensional geometrical figure as opposed to a shape, which is two-dimensional, or flat. This does not require the production of a 3-dimensional object, the composition need only create the feel of existing in 3-dimensional space.

Forms are also recognisable shapes that provoke significant relationships in the minds of the viewer. It brings to mind something they can relate to, or envision existing in 3-dimensional space.

I’ve uploaded three logo, (none created by me), that I believe show three very different ways of creating with form.

3D Object

3D Space

3D by Tone

Ruskin's 'The Grand Canal

“Sculpture is not the mere cutting of the form of anything in stone; it is the cutting of the effect of it.” – John Ruskin

For more on Form and Design;

• Digital Web Magazine
• FORM Gallery
• Art, Design, and Digital Thinking

Random Thought

The first step in the design process was to come up with a name. Without a name I had nothing to design for.

I quickly dismissed the idea of using my name – ‘Marshall’. For one thing even I still think of batteries when I hear my last name. On top of that it doesn’t say all that much about me other than my name is a synonym for law officer.

Since I hoped to specialise in Flash animation, I looked at the other companies that provide this service. Many had entertaining names like Digital Lamb and Monkeystack. Companies with less interesting names such as Vision Media were less ‘animation’ based.

My main goal is to produce a logo that displays my weird sense of humour, so I came up with a name that says the same. Random Thought.