Vector Illustration: Logo Design

So, i've been teaching Digital Multimedia again this summer but for IT students this time. We're done with Advanced Photoshop lessons and it's time for them to learn vectors with Illustrator. This week, I gave them activities to practice their vector muscles by tracing shapes with the Pen Tool. It is the most basic skill one must have in order to make vectors but takes a lot of time to master vector Illustration. I asked them create their own logos based on their made-up company or organization. Some were pretty okay, others impressed me but most were just blah. XD hehe. Anywyas, here are some of the output of my students.

by Carl Zarraga

by Iris Palivino

Basically, there are 5 types of Logos. First is the Brandmark or the icon/graphic style logo such as the famous Apple Logo and Nike swoosh logo. Second is the Wordmark that simply uses the name of the brand or company with a specific font style / treatment that embodies its brand. It's very common for technology companies like Sony, Samsung, Microsoft and websites like Facebook and Ebay. The logo above and below are examples of wordmark logos.

by Nikole Legaspi

by Ritz Lai Limson

The third type of logo is the lettermark. It is like the wordmark but it uses the initials of the company which has a long name. Examples of lettermark logo are the logos of IBM, HP and KFC. The logo below is an example of a lettermark. The fourth type of logo is the combination mark. It combines both brandmark and lettermark or wordmark. Some logos like the famous swoosh logo of Nike can stand of its own but if the word Nike is combined, it can be considered as a combination mark. This is also called as a "lock up" version of the logo.

by Ritz Lai Limson

by Ray Casimiro

by Ray Casimiro

The last type of logo is the emblem. It incorporates the whole name of the company or organization. It is sometimes called a "Seal" such as the school seals and government offices. They are also used in coat of arms and car/motorcycles logos such as Ferrari and Harley-Davidson. The logo below is an example of an emblem.

by Jhung Mendoza

by Zaid Palma

by Hanica Cabato

I also shared to the class some tips on designing a logo. Some of the best logos are the flexible ones. They can be in colored version, greyscale or black and white. They can be placed in letterheads, resized as a tiny icon for a website, enlarged for billboards, or engraved in wood without losing its legibility and brand quality.

by Hanica Cabato

by Renzo Wee

So these are some of the creations of my students. Some of them have the innate talent in creating on their own and some really had a hard time just even sketching on their own. I know that not all students can come up with a nice logo such as these ones but all i can do is guide them and give them the materials they need to create one. It's always up to the student if they want to push their limits and do something beyond the four walls of the classroom. Anyways, what can you say about my student's works? Ill post some of their previous works soon. For now, im back in planning my lessons and checking assignments. :D