Professional Documents
Culture Documents
BAmagazine.com
i U X
How to
set a text-only
logotype
Key is to work with the
natural pattern of your
letters. Heres how.
Continued
Continued
0660
Before&After
BAmagazine.com
i U X
Welcome to Nagano
Urban Grill, a popular midtown hangout. Our project is
to design its logotype. A logo is a
companys signature; its a distinctive way of writing its name. Some
logos include graphics, but most
do not. A good logo is bold, clear
and attractive, and it conveys an
appropriate sense of the company.
These qualities can be difcult to
combine in one word. The place
to start on a text-only logo is with
the natural pattern of its letters.
It goes like this:
2 of 23
0660
Before&After
BAmagazine.com
3 of 23
i U X
Letters have distinct shapes. Get familiar with these shapes. Each has its own kind of
expressiveness. The shapes will also determine what you can do with your design.
aceo bdgpq
hmnu ilt fjrs
kvwxyz
Hoops are lively, playful
Straights
3 of 23
0660
Before&After
BAmagazine.com
4 of 23
i U X
For example . . .
The name j.jill consists solely of straight letters that do not convey softness like
round letters do. Conversely, round pod is not naturally sharp and edgy.
lolliooo icicle
ba-bummm-ba-ba-ba-ba-bummm-bummm-ba-bummm . . .
ba-bummm-ba-bummm-ba-bummm . . .
ba-ba-ba-ba-bummm-bummm-ba-bummm . . .
ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba . . .
A words pattern can be expressed rhythmically. Rhythm is an unseen factor that affects
how we perceive a word.
4 of 23
0660
Before&After
BAmagazine.com
5 of 23
i U X
Start by setting your name in uppercase and lowercase, and notice the pattern that
forms, even if its subtle. Pay special attention to repetitive lines and shapes.
NAGANO
Uppercase
Two angled
One round
Two angled
One round
nagano
Lowercase
All round
5 of 23
0660
Before&After
BAmagazine.com
6 of 23
i U X
Pattern breakers
No resemblance
Nagano
No resemblance
Letters that look alike in Avant Garde look different in Adobe Garamond (above),
and the pattern disappears. The g that before was a circle is now a snaking, twisting line. As a rule, the more detailed the typefacedetails include serifs, terminals,
lets, varying stroke widths and so onthe less visible the pattern will be.
6 of 23
0660
Before&After
BAmagazine.com
7 of 23
i U X
Pattern makers
Your name can be given a pattern by the typeface. Pattern-making is the main
function of most decorative type.
Nagano
Repetitive loops
Repetitive angle
Calligraphic Sloop has a strong, graceful patternits letters arc and ow smoothly
from thick to thin and have common angles and loops. Extra swashesnotice the N
create similarity with other letters where none exists naturally. Any word set in Sloop
will automatically have a pattern and will always be beautiful.
7 of 23
0660
Before&After
BAmagazine.com
8 of 23
i U X
Shape makers
Similarly, your name can be forced to take shape. The two easiest techniques are
expansionspread your name outand compressionsqueeze it together.
Expansion (Above) Spreading your name way out disconnects its letters from each other. This
breaks whatever pattern may be present and creates a new onea neat row of dots.
The panoramic result conveys a sense of grandeur both understated and elegant. Very popular in
movie titles. The technique works with almost any typeface; set all caps for the cleanest line.
Compression (Above) Conversely, setting your name in a highly condensed typeface, then
packing it tightly together, yields a dense, powerful block. This technique is also popular in the
movies, because it can convey a massive, overwhelming presence, especially in all caps. At
small sizes its dense shape carves a distinctive silhouette thats easy to work with.
8 of 23
0660
Before&After
BAmagazine.com
9 of 23
i U X
So far, weve seen that the letters in a name can form a pattern. The typeface can make
or break the pattern. The typeface can impose a pattern of its own. In every case, the
typeface also adds meaning. The key to a great logotype is to nd a typeface that makes
the name look good and conveys the appropriate meaning.
To see this at work, well next set the name on a business card in nine different typefaces. The card will give us the added tools of color and layout. We will use only type,
with no graphics of any kind. Pay special attention to this, and youll see how clearly
and beautifullytype alone can communicate.
9 of 23
0660
Before&After
BAmagazine.com
10 of 23
i U X
Avant Garde
brings out Naganos natural pattern. Simple shapes are bold and youthful, especially
in lowercase. Colors are interchangeable. This would be a fun, trendy place.
nagano
Wide
Medium
Narrow
nagano
urban grill
nagano
urban grill
urban grill
Bright chain of hoops and circles runs edge to edge and can be seen from
across the room! Urban grill subtitle is also in Avant Garde. Green and yellow
are fresh, secondary colors that can easily be swapped (right) with equally
bold results. Single-line design conveys restraint, a counterpoint to the exuberant circles. Note the letters are very close but not touching. Asymmetrical
divisions of spacewide, medium, narrow (above)keep the design active.
10 of 23
nagano
urban grill
0660
Before&After
i U X
BAmagazine.com
11 of 23
Sloop
has airy, sweeping lines that convey grace, elegance and taste appropriate for a visit
from the Queen (really). Centered layout and light, metallic colors add formality.
Nagano
Nagano
U
Nagano
11 of 23
0660
Before&After
i U X
BAmagazine.com
12 of 23
Adobe Garamond
is a text face in which Nagano has no pattern but a small amount of texture. Go with
what it has, and add more texture! Cockeyed setting is correspondingly rough.
URBAN GRILL
URBAN GRILL
Distressed serif typeface looks rough, weathered and crate-stamped, opposite the hard-edged minimalism of its urban environment. Earthy colors add
warmth. The words can be put just about anywhere except straight and
aligned; you want it to look a little thrown together. This technique looks especially authentic in a stenciled typeface
(inset), which hints of cargo, military,
nautical, safari and so on.
12 of 23
0660
Before&After
BAmagazine.com
13 of 23
i U X
has tiny, straight serifs that give it old, industrial-era overtones suitable for an
urban environment. Its clear, wide body makes it good choice for panorama.
urba n grill
urba n grill
urba n grill
13 of 23
0660
Before&After
BAmagazine.com
14 of 23
i U X
forces words into blocks that can be t together like masonry. Brick-wall colors
and artistic composition are right for an artsy, jazzy, bluesy, midtown hangout.
70%
85%
If you like Legos, youll like designing with Bureau Grotesque, whose dense
blocks you can stack and reposition endlessly and usually get expressive results. Pay attention to the negative spaces that form (white blocks,
above left), which are as important as the positive. Light Urban and Grill
colors recede, so the name stands out; note that both are tints of the
background color (above, center). Above right, artistically spare design
yields a powerful focal point; note the color emphasis on urban.
14 of 23
0660
Before&After
BAmagazine.com
15 of 23
i U X
Planet Kosmos
an
b
r
ll
i
gr
urban grill
15 of 23
0660
Before&After
BAmagazine.com
16 of 23
i U X
HTF Didot
is the look of New York cityall glamour, a beautiful choice for a chic, cosmopolitan
restaurant. With its fashion-model overtones, this would be a place to be seen.
Nagano
urban grill
Nagano
urban grill
16 of 23
0660
Before&After
BAmagazine.com
17 of 23
i U X
Lettrs Eclates
is a mangy but oddly cheerful typeface full of repetitive elements that have both
pattern and texture. The two-color setting adds class. Sublimely funky.
17 of 23
0660
Before&After
BAmagazine.com
18 of 23
i U X
Helvetica Neue
imparts a look of Swiss minimalism wherever it appears. Graceful, geometric and ice
cold, it is one of the worlds most famous typefaces. Expect stainless steel and glass.
Helvetica is the look of the modern, mechanized worldbeautiful, controlled and aloof. You can use it for anything, as long as
its tightly aligned, usually to the top and left. Helvetica looks best
tightly set and in a single size; differentiate words only with weight
and color. Its a cold typeface; youll need re-on-the-grill colors to warm it up.
18 of 23
0660
Before&After
BAmagazine.com
19 of 23
i U X
Article resources
Typefaces
nagano nagano
urban grill
urban grill
Colors
1b
nagano nagano
urban grill
urban grill
Nagano Nagano
U
Nagano
U
C0 M30 Y100 K0
C50 M0 Y100 K0
C0 M0 Y100 K0
C0 M0 Y0 K20
6
7
2
3
4
8
9
19 of 23
0660
Before&After
BAmagazine.com
20 of 23
i U X
Article resources
Typefaces
Colors
URBAN GRILL
2a
10 11
1
3
4 Lettrs Eclates | 34 pt
2b
5
j.jill
C0 M0 Y0 K100
C0 M25 Y75 K5
Logo
13 C4 M75 Y100 K0
5 JJill.com
12
13
14
20 of 23
0660
Before&After
BAmagazine.com
21 of 23
i U X
Article resources
Typefaces
u r b an gr i l l
1a
1b
u r b an gr i l l
Colors
C0 M0 Y0 K30
C0 M100 Y0 K0
C0 M20 Y100 K0
C5 M5 Y5 K60
C9 M46 Y69 K2
u r b an gr i l l
2
3
10
11
21 of 23
0660
Before&After
BAmagazine.com
22 of 23
i U X
Article resources
Typefaces
urban grill
Nagano
urban grill
n
ba
ill
gr
ur
Nagano
urban grill
1a
1b
6
7
Colors
C100 M0 Y0 K0
C50 M0 Y100 K0
C0 M0 Y0 K100
C0 M100 Y85 K0
10 C0 M0 Y0 K30
10
3a
2
11
3b
12
13
14
15
16
22 of 23
0660
Before&After
BAmagazine.com
23 of 23
i U X
http://www.bamagazine.com/email
23 of 23
Printing formats
0660
Before&After
BAmagazine.com
i U X
Print
Format: Landscape
Page Size: Fit to Page
Save
Presentation format or
Paper-saver format
Back
Paper-saver format
How to
0660
set a text-only
logotype
1 of 12
Before&After | www.bamagazine.com
Welcome to Nagano
Urban Grill, a popular midtown hangout. Our project is
to design its logotype. A logo is a
companys signature; its a distinctive way of writing its name. Some
logos include graphics, but most
do not. A good logo is bold, clear
and attractive, and it conveys an
appropriate sense of the company.
These qualities can be difcult to
combine in one word. The place
to start on a text-only logo is with
the natural pattern of its letters.
It goes like this:
Straights
0660
Letters have distinct shapes. Get familiar with these shapes. Each has its own kind of
expressiveness. The shapes will also determine what you can do with your design.
aceo bdgpq
hmnu ilt fjrs
kvwxyz
For example . . .
The name j.jill consists solely of straight letters that do not convey softness like
round letters do. Conversely, round pod is not naturally sharp and edgy.
ba-bummm-ba-bummm-ba-bummm . . .
lolliooo icicle
ba-bummm-ba-ba-ba-ba-bummm-bummm-ba-bummm . . .
A words pattern can be expressed rhythmically. Rhythm is an unseen factor that affects
how we perceive a word.
ba-bummm-bummm-bummm-ba . . .
2 of 12
Before&After | www.bamagazine.com
ba-ba-ba-ba-bummm-bummm-ba-bummm . . .
Start by setting your name in uppercase and lowercase, and notice the pattern that
forms, even if its subtle. Pay special attention to repetitive lines and shapes.
Two angled
Lowercase
One round
nagano
All round
0660
Uppercase
One round
NAGANO
Two angled
Pattern breakers
No resemblance
Nagano
No resemblance
3 of 12
Before&After | www.bamagazine.com
Letters that look alike in Avant Garde look different in Adobe Garamond (above),
and the pattern disappears. The g that before was a circle is now a snaking, twisting line. As a rule, the more detailed the typefacedetails include serifs, terminals,
lets, varying stroke widths and so onthe less visible the pattern will be.
Pattern makers
Your name can be given a pattern by the typeface. Pattern-making is the main
function of most decorative type.
0660
Repetitive angle
Repetitive loops
Nagano
Calligraphic Sloop has a strong, graceful patternits letters arc and ow smoothly
from thick to thin and have common angles and loops. Extra swashesnotice the N
create similarity with other letters where none exists naturally. Any word set in Sloop
will automatically have a pattern and will always be beautiful.
Shape makers
Similarly, your name can be forced to take shape. The two easiest techniques are
expansionspread your name outand compressionsqueeze it together.
Expansion (Above) Spreading your name way out disconnects its letters from each other. This
breaks whatever pattern may be present and creates a new onea neat row of dots.
The panoramic result conveys a sense of grandeur both understated and elegant. Very popular in
movie titles. The technique works with almost any typeface; set all caps for the cleanest line.
4 of 12
Before&After | www.bamagazine.com
Compression (Above) Conversely, setting your name in a highly condensed typeface, then
packing it tightly together, yields a dense, powerful block. This technique is also popular in the
movies, because it can convey a massive, overwhelming presence, especially in all caps. At
small sizes its dense shape carves a distinctive silhouette thats easy to work with.
Wide
So far, weve seen that the letters in a name can form a pattern. The typeface can make
or break the pattern. The typeface can impose a pattern of its own. In every case, the
typeface also adds meaning. The key to a great logotype is to nd a typeface that makes
the name look good and conveys the appropriate meaning.
To see this at work, well next set the name on a business card in nine different typefaces. The card will give us the added tools of color and layout. We will use only type,
with no graphics of any kind. Pay special attention to this, and youll see how clearly
and beautifullytype alone can communicate.
Avant Garde
urban grill
urban grill
nagano
nagano
brings out Naganos natural pattern. Simple shapes are bold and youthful, especially
in lowercase. Colors are interchangeable. This would be a fun, trendy place.
nagano
urban grill
urban grill
nagano
0660
Medium
Narrow
5 of 12
Before&After | www.bamagazine.com
Bright chain of hoops and circles runs edge to edge and can be seen from
across the room! Urban grill subtitle is also in Avant Garde. Green and yellow
are fresh, secondary colors that can easily be swapped (right) with equally
bold results. Single-line design conveys restraint, a counterpoint to the exuberant circles. Note the letters are very close but not touching. Asymmetrical
divisions of spacewide, medium, narrow (above)keep the design active.
Sloop
Nagano
U
Nagano
Center the layout in both directions.
0660
has airy, sweeping lines that convey grace, elegance and taste appropriate for a visit
from the Queen (really). Centered layout and light, metallic colors add formality.
Nagano
U
Adobe Garamond
URBAN GRILL
is a text face in which Nagano has no pattern but a small amount of texture. Go with
what it has, and add more texture! Cockeyed setting is correspondingly rough.
URBAN GRILL
6 of 12
Before&After | www.bamagazine.com
Distressed serif typeface looks rough, weathered and crate-stamped, opposite the hard-edged minimalism of its urban environment. Earthy colors add
warmth. The words can be put just about anywhere except straight and
aligned; you want it to look a little thrown together. This technique looks especially authentic in a stenciled typeface
(inset), which hints of cargo, military,
nautical, safari and so on.
urban grill
g
u r b an gr i l l
a
a
70%
0660
has tiny, straight serifs that give it old, industrial-era overtones suitable for an
urban environment. Its clear, wide body makes it good choice for panorama.
n
u r b a n g r i ll
7 of 12
Before&After | www.bamagazine.com
If you like Legos, youll like designing with Bureau Grotesque, whose dense
blocks you can stack and reposition endlessly and usually get expressive results. Pay attention to the negative spaces that form (white blocks,
above left), which are as important as the positive. Light Urban and Grill
colors recede, so the name stands out; note that both are tints of the
background color (above, center). Above right, artistically spare design
yields a powerful focal point; note the color emphasis on urban.
85%
forces words into blocks that can be t together like masonry. Brick-wall colors
and artistic composition are right for an artsy, jazzy, bluesy, midtown hangout.
Planet Kosmos
n
ba
ill
gr
urban grill
Nagano
HTF Didot in lipstick red on white will stop trafc, and
in this case, because of the name, it also has Japanese
overtones. Didots superne lines make the presentation
unusually striking. An ideal complement is Helvetica
Ultra Light, whose line weight matches
Didots serifs (inset). Red, gray, black and
white are always powerful together.
0660
ur
urban grill
HTF Didot
Nagano
8 of 12
Before&After | www.bamagazine.com
urban grill
is the look of New York cityall glamour, a beautiful choice for a chic, cosmopolitan
restaurant. With its fashion-model overtones, this would be a place to be seen.
Lettrs Eclates
0660
is a mangy but oddly cheerful typeface full of repetitive elements that have both
pattern and texture. The two-color setting adds class. Sublimely funky.
Helvetica Neue
9 of 12
Before&After | www.bamagazine.com
Helvetica is the look of the modern, mechanized worldbeautiful, controlled and aloof. You can use it for anything, as long as
its tightly aligned, usually to the top and left. Helvetica looks best
tightly set and in a single size; differentiate words only with weight
and color. Its a cold typeface; youll need re-on-the-grill colors to warm it up.
imparts a look of Swiss minimalism wherever it appears. Graceful, geometric and ice
cold, it is one of the worlds most famous typefaces. Expect stainless steel and glass.
Article resources
urban grill
10 11
URBAN GRILL
Nagano
Article resources
URBAN GRILL
1a
1b
5
6
7
2
3
1
2a
2b
4
12
13
14
Typefaces
1 (ab) ITC Avant Garde Gothic Book
a) 73 pt, 80 letterspacing
b) 17.5 pt, 10 letterspacing
2 Sloop Script One | 80 pt
3 Helvetica Neue Ultra Std Light | 8 pt
Typefaces
1 Adobe Garamond Regular | a) 84 pt,
30 letterspacing (Distressed in
Photoshop using the Eraser tool)
2 (ab) Clarendon Light | a) 16 pt,
10 letterspacing; b) 20.5 pt,
15 letterspacing
3 City Stencil D Medium (Distressed in
Photoshop using the Eraser tool)
4 Lettrs Eclates | 34 pt
Logo
5 JJill.com
10 of 12
Before&After | www.bamagazine.com
C0 M0 Y0 K20
C0 M0 Y100 K0
C50 M0 Y100 K0
C0 M30 Y100 K0
Colors
C0 M25 Y75 K5
C0 M0 Y0 K100
Colors
0660
urban grill
nagano nagano
urban grill
urban grill
nagano nagano
U
6
7
Nagano Nagano
j.jill
7
8
Article resources
urba n grill
g
urba n grill
ill
gr
1a
1b
2
3
9
10
11
1a
1b
6
7
9
10
Typefaces
1 (ab) Copperplate Gothic 32BC
a) 18.5 pt, b) 8.5 pt
2 Bureau Grotesque Extra
Compressed Black | 64 pt
3 OL Franklin Triple Condensed
25 pt, +10 letterspacing
Typefaces
1 (ab) Planet Kosmos | a) 50 pt, b) 20 pt
2 HTF Didot | 80 pt
3 (ab) Helvetica Neue Std Ultra Light
a) 24 pt, 30 letterspacing;
b) 47 pt, 30 letterspacing
4 Helvetica Neue Std Bold | 47 pt
60 letterspacing
C9 M46 Y69 K2
C5 M5 Y5 K60
C0 M20 Y100 K0
C0 M100 Y0 K0
C0 M0 Y0 K30
Colors
9
10 C40 M68 Y62 K67
11 C19 M86 Y97 K8
C0 M100 Y85 K0
C0 M0 Y0 K100
C50 M0 Y100 K0
C100 M0 Y0 K0
Colors
10 C0 M0 Y0 K30
11 C13 M25 Y44 K2
12 C13 M34 Y76 K0
13 C23 M64 Y87 K16
14 C19 M86 Y87 K8
15 C40 M90 Y100 K10
16 C36 M70 Y73 K61
0660
urba n g rill
2
2
n
ba
ur
urban grill
Nagano
Article resources
urban grill
urban grill
Nagano
11
3a
2
12
11 of 12
Before&After | www.bamagazine.com
16
15
14
13
3b
0660
12 of 12
Before&After | www.bamagazine.com
http://www.bamagazine.com/email