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Branding #33
Description
Doing some design work on the brand, feel free to fork the design, comment on layervault, whatevers.
https://layervault.com/garthdb/OSD%20Branding/Branding%20Postcards.ai/7
Doing some design work on the brand, feel free to fork the design, comment on layervault, whatevers.
https://layervault.com/garthdb/OSD%20Branding/Branding%20Postcards.ai/7
Activity
GarthDB commentedon Oct 1, 2013
It uses the original icon I made for stickers I handed out at blendconf.
GarthDB commentedon Oct 1, 2013
Also posted the designs and artwork on dribbble. http://dribbble.com/GarthDB/projects/162559-Open-Source-Design
GarthDB commentedon Oct 1, 2013
Also posted on Creative Cloud (the source artwork) http://adobe.ly/16emG3K
GarthDB commentedon Oct 1, 2013
Started discussion on Forrst and posted as WIP on Behance.
sodevious commentedon Oct 1, 2013
I just wanted to chime in and say that I really like the 2nd/3rd ones!
thexavismith commentedon Oct 1, 2013
This one is definitely my favorite. I'm not digging the mark as an outline though
GarthDB commentedon Oct 1, 2013
@ttimsmith you like the colors? or the typeface?
thexavismith commentedon Oct 1, 2013
I like the colors and the typeface. I like the mark (emblem might be a better word? I don't know) filled in though.
mrondina commentedon Oct 2, 2013
I agree. The outline of the icon minimizes the negative space of the pen icon within the circle.
GarthDB commentedon Oct 2, 2013
I'm going to aggregate the feedback here in one post - some seems like they are coming to a bit of a consensus.
Forrst:
I feel like the colors of the second one in conjunction with the type and logo of the first one would be a really solid winner -- I'm definitely partial to orange and red myself. Unfortunately, no Illustrator for me, only Photoshop, so I can't present a spin.
Dribbble 2 3:
Would be interesting to use Source Sans Pro using this style
I'd like the most this shape and font, but with your alternative orange colour scheme.
Also, maybe justifying the text centrally and placing the shape on the top of it would work even better. Having 'Open Source' and 'Design' in separate lines doesn't look very harmonious.
Email from Shawn Cheris (Design Manager, Brand + Icons at Adobe):
So first… why the pen nib? I'm not sure what it communicates about either openness or design. Unless you're making a specific reference to writing, hand-lettering or old-timeyness, it's kind of an odd metaphor (and one that's been used to death for the afore-mentioned circumstances).I'd probably forget about execution for a minute and get back to concept. Think about overlaps in metaphor ("open" + "design") and all the variations on those ideas ("open" = collaboration, feedback, iteration. "design" = formality, process, grid, classical design elements).
Formal comments:
I would definitely ditch the outline stroke version (or an outline stroke like that on just about anything). It's way too busy.
The kerning in all three lockups needs major love.
Pigeon Script (is that the font on the salmon colored one?) is extremely awkward and draws way to much attention to itself. It looks unintentional, like Illustrator auto-trace. Unless your intent is to say that Open Source Design is awkward and haphazardly assembled, I'd dump it for something a little more simple.
The kerning in the other two (Futura and Open Sans) both need serious love. The letters in Source Sans Pro are all crashing into each other (look at "urce" vs. "Open"… they're from two different worlds). Track that out and turn on optical kerning if you haven't already.
Same friend, different email.
The circle form is an easy one to play in. You can knock a lot of shapes out of it and have it still hold together. I'm not sure how much you feel the need to match up to that logo [he's talking about the open source initiative logo], but there's a lot of ways to get there. (though the logo and the strokes and all are kinda clunky)
I think the metaphors that most communicates design are grid and type. Doing something with grids could work. Or pixels, which are a kind of grid. Or a grid that turns into pixels. Or a stylized D for Design (maybe cheesy). Maybe something that speaks to digital design like bezier curve / handles? When I do stuff like this I try to spend an hour or two making spider diagrams.
OSD as an abbreviation / lockup is interesting, although only on its own (the O shape of the logo is supposed to be "Open" right?)
GarthDB commentedon Oct 2, 2013
A good amount of feedback on a first post. Also @kyleroderick said on twitter he's going to fork it on LayerVault and take a stab at it. https://twitter.com/kyleroderick/status/385260941203365888
kyleroderick commentedon Oct 2, 2013
Thanks for laying out all of the feedback so clearly above. Looks like you're on Illustrator CC using artboards. Any recommendation for working in CS6 on these files I've forked?
GarthDB commentedon Oct 2, 2013
@kyleroderick yes cc. I'll post a cs6 version so you can work on it.
GarthDB commentedon Oct 2, 2013
@kyleroderick download the cs6 version at https://creative.adobe.com/files/2c917292-e823-4369-920d-348e891d6383#
GarthDB commentedon Oct 9, 2013
Playing. Used Source Sans Pro instead of Futura - @sodevious. Could use a sanity check on the kerning and word spacing.
47 remaining items
mrondina commentedon Feb 25, 2015
And I realize that logos are somewhat independent in their use, but it still relies on large amounts of exposure before it is easily recognizable
una commentedon Feb 25, 2015
@mrondina i agree with your statements about the standalone logo. It would be aided with textual support next to it, especially on the website header
mrondina commentedon Feb 25, 2015
@GarthDB I think pairing it with type would go a long way
GarthDB commentedon Feb 25, 2015
Whatever we do, we'll need to work on the exposure front.
una commentedon Feb 25, 2015
YES! logo + type + icon system + color palette = win
ryanbrownhill commentedon Feb 25, 2015
@GarthDB @mrondina @una Agreed - typography should be first priority as a next step for our branding.
Then icon system, then color palette, and finally exposure.
With that said: any open source typefaces you know of?
I know of Open Sans, Source Sans Pro.
and also The League of Moveable Type
una commentedon Feb 25, 2015
I'm excited to synthesize this into a styleguide :) #121
GarthDB commentedon Feb 25, 2015
@ryanbrownhill Those are the primary ones. Some of the Google Fonts are open sourced.
mrondina commentedon Feb 25, 2015
@una @GarthDB @ryanbrownhill How important to the brand is the use of Open Source type?
una commentedon Feb 25, 2015
@mrondina I think its pretty critical. All of our assets should be open source and available for use by anybody. This will allow a style guide and brand that can be expanded without barrier
una commentedon Feb 25, 2015
Here is @ryanbrownhill's icon work as of right now for visual reference within the thread:
GarthDB commentedon Feb 25, 2015
True, and it speaks to our faith in the practice of open source applied to design. Typography is one of the few areas of design that are actually using licenses correctly.
ryanbrownhill commentedon Feb 25, 2015
@una Thanks - the exploration above was just seeing what elements make up the current mark and thinking where we can push it. Just sketching in the open.
I agree with @una & @GarthDB I believe using a open typeface is essential for our brand - we need to practice what we preach.
GarthDB commentedon Feb 25, 2015
that being said, we should feel free to bend the typeface to our will.
mrondina commentedon Feb 25, 2015
I don't disagree. Here are a couple of resources that I just googled and haven't vetted :)
http://openfontlibrary.org/
http://www.typewolf.com/open-source-web-fonts