19 November 2014

Today's topic: Logo Logic: Chapter 2

logotype

logo |ˈlōgō|
noun ( pl. -gos)
a symbol or other small design adopted by an organization to identify its products, uniform, vehicles, etc. : the Olympic logo was emblazoned across the tracksuits.
ORIGIN 1930s: abbreviation of logogram or logotype.

'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.' That's from The Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776.

Self-evident. Not needing to be demonstrated or explained; obvious. Should a logo be self-evident?

On Facebook I recently posted an image that's been the logo of a company since... always. It usually appears with at least one line of type under it however for the purpose of my post I covered over the type so that only the art was visible. I then asked, 'What do you see?' I got some interesting responses that were plausible explanations of the art... but none of the explanations hit the mark. That's not to say that the logo I used in the above experiment doesn't do its job. My point is that the art was open to interpretation because it didn't clearly represent that which it represented. I know that sounds like circular logic but pause for a moment and think about it. There's a limit to how far you can go with an image, a symbol, with art and still make a connection in the mind's eye of the viewer.

Unlike other forms of communication there are no hard and fast rules for logos. I for one hold the opinion that a logo should be self-evident. 'Logo' is an abbreviation of two words, one of which dates back to the 1930s: logotype. Perhaps my view is wrapped up in 'logotype' with the emphasis being on 'type' and for a reason that's self-evident to me. Just as the symbols we use to communicate with words, letters must conform to certain rules or they cease to be letters. The day any letter in our alphabet takes on the appearance of another of its 'siblings' it ceases to exist. Our ability to communicate is likewise diminished and to my way of thinking that would be a step backward for the human race. Erase enough letters from the set and we're back to the grunts of primitive man. And while some would have you believe that he never existed, cave art proves he did. Now there's art that's without a doubt, self-evident. Your thoughts?

Until next time...

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Pixel Art: Graphic design which focuses on visual communication and presentation. Pixel art is digital, involving the use of computer technology in a variety of ways.

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