Corporate Identity [workshop] November 2009

The brief we were given for the corporate identity workshop really excited me. There was a large number of outcomes that could be designed and produced to represent a clients identity. My initial research included logos of design corporations as well as general logos using web sites and a number of books and blogs. I found Logo Savvy and The Logo Design Workbook particularly helpful when completing this project.

During sessions, Graham introduced us to a large variety of business cards, flyers, posters and other marketing items to help us contemplate what works and does not work within identity design. This helped me begin thinking of different methods of representing my client through business cards that were not just plain rectangles but cards that were wrapped, enveloped, plastic, folded, foiled and a whole range of other methods. The hardest part of the project was finding a name for my client as I believe this is the most important part.

I feel that my choice of using my clients forename was a successful one as I was able to create interesting designs by separating it into two parts, creating a wrap around on the edge of the card. After completing this project, I noticed this is also a method used on the chase business cards so I felt like I had used a great concept. This concept works really well with the designs, the dashed line connects with this to create a recognisable logo. The bird pattern gives a contemporary, delicate feel as well as sampling some of, what I felt was, my clients best work. This would have lifted the images on the stationary and given the overall identity a fresher feel. The web site is my favourite finished design. It is simple yet effective, easy to use and believable. It looks elegant, a true reflection of my client.

This project was definitely one of my favourites of the year as it felt like I was really working in industry, producing designs for a real brief. The brief introduced me to a new side of design I had never tried before. I successfully pushed aside my lack of experience and finished with a strong identity for Justyna with great supporting materials. I thoroughly enjoyed this project and learnt a great deal from researching logo and identity design processes to support my development.