50

Project two Typographic design

Create a t ypographical l ogomark

Adobe Illustrator

Ariel Di Lisio reveals how to transform an existing font into a unique, attentiongrabbing logo
When creating a new logo, its important to ensure that your design is unique: this requires researching and planning your concept thoroughly, and executing it carefully. And it isnt just the aesthetics of the logo you need to consider you must also take into account where and how it will be used. How will your design operate in different media? Will it work across print, online and on stationery or other promotional material, and will it still work in smaller and larger sizes? Your logomark should be provocative, convey its message clearly and effectively, and place the brand firmly in the spotlight. In this project, I show you how to achieve this using an existing font as a starting point. Over the following pages, I take you through the process of creating a typographical logo from scratch, touching on all the essentials of transforming a font into a logo.

Ariel Di Lisio One half of Argentine design duo Negro Nouveau,De Lisio specialises in simple, bold typography, and has worked for clients across a variety of media, including print, web and motion. www. negronouveau.com

Skills Create a typographical logo Transform an existing font into a unique mark Convey a message clearly

Computer Arts Projects _April 2010 

www.computerarts.co.uk

CAP135.tut_typelogo 50

9/3/10 10:41:53

Create a typographical logomark

51

02

Before starting Step 6 work, first convert the font from a source into a vector file this will allow you to treat the text as an image. Go to the Type menu and select Create Outlines, or alternatively select the Type tool, and click Ctrl/Cmnd+Shift+O. Beginning to merge some letters, changing others, This will convert your type to outines, and let you edit the characters individually. such as "S"

Step 2

Step 6

01

Open up Illustrator, and start by choosing a typeface for your logo. Ive used Avant Garde here, in its Book version at 100pt, which is a good size to work at.

Then, to start work, we must convert the font to outline to work. It is not a source, now is a drawing. Cmnd + Shift + O.

Beginning to merge some letters, changing others, such as "S"

Process

04

LetterStep spacing 4and alignment are crucial in creating a logo that is both legible and aesthetically pleasing. To align the W with the T, select the letters, and go to: Window>Align>Horizontal Align Left. To align parallel points such as the W and A select the Pen tool, and draw a line following the slant of the W. Now duplicate the line by selecting it and, holding Alt are and Shift, dragging it to create a guide against Find lines that parallel points. which to line up your characters.

Carefully adjust the spaces.

03

Next, select Ctrl/Cmnd+Shift+G to degroup the letters. Look closely at the joins between the individual characters, and explore ways to link them creatively by slanting the W and the A for instance, so the lines of each letter sit parallel to each other. To straighten up the right-hand side of the letter A, select the four inside points, press Cmnd/Ctrl+Opt+J, and click Vertical.

05

As we have converted the type to outlines, we will have to manually adjust the kerning (spacing) between the characters. Simply select each individual character one by one, and adjust the spacing using the cursor keys until youre satisfied.

www.computerarts.co.uk

April 2010_ Computer Arts Projects

Step 5
CAP135.tut_typelogo 51 9/3/10 10:41:55

It is also important to handle manually

52
Step by Step

Project two Typographic design

Step by Step

Original T

remove the gray

Duplicate Cmnd + D. Reflect with reflect tool (o)

give space between both.

Original T

remove the gray

Duplicate Cmnd + D. Reflect with reflect tool (o)

give space between both.

06

Original S remove As I looked at S Add a part Now begin to merge and work into some of the letters,to such the gray. isstraightened that the top the as S. the S, which can be You must to select can be attached out to meet the horizontal arm of the T, for example. First shorten the top curve of the S, then select the the point topress remove to the horizontal points around the area you wish to remove, and the Delete key. Now extend the top of the S by adding aof the T and Add delete. horizontal line, and use the Pathfinders To Shape Area command (Effect>Pathfinder). For the T, remove the right-hand fork by drawing a shape over the top and using the Pathfinders To make a perfect curve, I recommend using the Pen tool (P), as this gives Subtract From Shape Area command. Now duplicate the remaining shape (Ctrl/Cmnd+D), and mirror it using you greater control over the Bezier curves. Zoom into your characters and tweak the the Reflect tool (O). Lastly, adjust the space between the two shapes using the arrow keys. points until youre satisfied with the results.

07

How to make double lines?

Original S

remove the gray. You must to select the point to remove and delete.

Add a part to the S.

As I looked at S is that the top can be attached to the horizontal of the T

Original Duplicate the W double the W and upload. then add the part that is missing. Then add the part that is missing. cut to the same height of the original W You must do the same process with the bottom of the W and A

Remove

Select the two lines horizontal of the A. Delete. To add the points.

Step 9

Carefully I added the double lines. It's a very much important task. And also remove part of some letters.

Remove

Select the tw Delete. To add the po

09

08

To create a sense of unity, and increase the complexity of the mark, experiment with the different letterforms. Here, I have incorporated the use of double lines highlighted in pink, but also suggested between the A and L of Talent to enrich the logo.

There are many different directions in which you can take your logo design, but one effective technique Step 9 could involve duplicating some of the lines that make up the letters, and removing others. To create the effect used on the W, select the letter, and duplicate it (Ctrl/Cmnd+D), positioning it diagonally parallel to the original. Add triangular to the of the duplicated letter using the Pen Carefullypoints I added the bottom double lines. tool and Pathfinder, and then cut important the top to match It's a very much task. the height of the original letter by And also remove part of some letters. using the Pathfinders Subtract command again. For the A, first remove the horizontal bar: select the two lines, and press Delete. Then repeat the process used on the W, focusing on the bottom of the A.

Computer Arts Projects _April 2010 

www.computerarts.co.uk

Step 8
CAP135.tut_typelogo 52 9/3/10 10:41:55

to match the diagonal Create a typographical logomark 53 of the A

For maximum legibility, its important that the spaces between the double lines are equal across the graphic. One way of doing this is to create a rectangle (R) with the same width as your desired space, and use it as a measuring tool to ensure that each gap is equal. When creating a two-decked logomark, its important to pay particular attention to the spacing between the letters (kerning) and lines of text (leading). To minimise dead space, it may be necessary to reduce the distance between certain letters such as around the E of Wasted, and, the N and T of Talent. Use guidelines and the arrow keys for this.

10 12

To further connect the two lines of text, extend the diagonal line of the A by selecting the horizontal line across the bottom of the left-hand leg with the Direct Selection tool. Then simply drag the points, ensuring that it lines up diagonally, and also with the bottom of the second row of text. You may wish to use guidelines again for this stage, if youre not confident in adjusting the points by eye.

11

you can make a rectangle on the extent of an area. Use that same ractangulo to maintain everywhere the same space. Use Rectangule tool (R)

Step 11

Ste

Also by choosing to make a mark in two two lines of text, it is important to treat of the forms that is applied between the two line

Havi at th words cont

www.computerarts.co.uk

April 2010_ Computer Arts Projects

CAP135.tut_typelogo 53

9/3/10 10:41:56

54

Project two Typographic design

13 15

Having completed the typographic treatment of the logo, I decided to balance the graphic by adding a large dot, which contains vital website information.

You can now experiment with the colouring of your logo. Create a black rectangle using the rectangle tool (R), select the letters, and change the colour using the Swatches palette (Window>Swatches).

14

Step 14
Having tested whether the logo still works at both large and small Having defined the typographic treatment, I decided to add sizes, you could adapt at your thelogo end and more balance to the logo, the ".com.ar" design for give a T-shirt by embellishing contained within a large dot. the design for fashion. To really push the concept of this logo, I added some extra lines following the letterforms. Select the Pen tool (P), and go wild just ensure you dont overpower the logo message.

Step 15

It is important to see how they work in black and color depth. Make a black rectangle, (rectangle tool (R). bring it back and change the colors of the logo to white (select de logo and change on swatches) Windows / Swatches. And you can let the point color as is. and the other option is to use the color magenta background raised in point. thus we have the options of the logo in the institutional colors.

Computer Arts Projects _April 2010 

www.computerarts.co.uk

Step 16
CAP135.tut_typelogo 54 9/3/10 10:41:56