Project 1: Logo Design
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Project Overview
Create a logo for an imagined brand using Adobe Illustrator. This project introduces students to the iterative design process while gaining facility with creating and manipulating vector graphics to communicate identity, character, and meaning.
Timeline: Classes 6-13 (September 22 - October 15)
Weight: 20% of final grade
Learning Objectives
In this project, students will:
- Become fluent with vector graphics fundamentals in Adobe Illustrator through iterative practice
- Apply iterative design methodology to systematic identity development
- Gain understanding of semiotics in logo design through analysis of symbols, signs, and meaning-making
- Develop systematic approach to visual problem-solving using structured ideation and refinement processes
- Practice giving and receiving critiques through peer feedback and professional presentation
Brand Requirements
Choose Your Brand Context
Create your own original 3-6 character name and select what it represents from one of these 4 brand archetypes:- Focus: Sustainable technology, apps, digital services
- Audience: Tech-savvy millennials and Gen Z
- Values: Innovation, efficiency, accessibility
- Tone: Modern, approachable, forward-thinking
- Focus: Arts spaces, galleries, performance venues
- Audience: Artists, cultural enthusiasts, creative professionals
- Values: Creativity, inclusivity, community
- Tone: Bold, sophisticated, inspiring
- Focus: Independent musician, band, or artist identity
- Audience: Fans, venue bookers, streaming platforms
- Values: Authenticity, creativity, artistic expression
- Tone: Genre-appropriate, memorable, distinctive
- Focus: Streetwear, boutique clothing, accessories
- Audience: Fashion-conscious consumers, lifestyle shoppers
- Values: Style, quality, personal expression
- Tone: Contemporary, aspirational, authentic
Naming Requirements
3-6 Character Combination of:
- Letters and/or numbers and/or punctuation
- Must be original (cannot be existing company/brand)
- Cannot be yourself or your name - this project requires creating identity for an "other"
Consider:
- Is it an abbreviation? What does it stand for?
- What does your organization/brand do?
- Who is the target audience?
Example Names:
- Z2Z: tech platform connecting zebra owners with party rentals
- 89/09: digital art gallery focusing on early 2000s net art
- MokAIA: street style photographer collective from Jakarta
- PR.FRM: 3d-printed accessories line for socially conscious consumers
- REA: initials and music nom de plume of Rashmi Eddie Abimbola, an electronic musician/poet from Hyderabad, India
Brand Description:
Write 2-3 sentences describing your specific brand: its name meaning, what it does, and who its audience is.
Project Timeline & Phases
Draft 1: Pure Ideation
Due: Class 8 (Group A) / Class 9 (Group B) - September 29/October 1Format: All-class group critique in Figma
Draft 2: Design Development
Due: Class 10 (Group A) / Class 11 (Group B) - October 6/8Format: Individual desk critiques + peer-to-peer groups
Final Draft: Graphic Tightening & Presentation
Due: Class 12 (Group A) / Class 13 (Group B) - October 14/15Format: Midterm Final Critique - formal presentation
Draft 1: Pure Ideation
Ideation Requirements
Create at least 15 different logo concepts exploring the visual character of your brand name. ALL in grayscale (black, white, and gray only).Required Breakdown:
- 3+ concepts drawn by hand, any mix of word, graphic or combined marks (pen or pencil on paper, NOT stylus/pen on tablet!)
- 12 concepts done in Adobe Illustrator
- 4+ word marks (purely typographic solutions)
- 4+ graphic marks (purely symbolic/iconic solutions)
- 4+ combined marks (integrated typography and graphic elements): NOTE: these are not just combinations of previous ideas (that will come in draft 2) but must be 4+ different, unique, original combination mark ideas.
Why Hand Drawing?
Hand-drawn concepts must be created with pen or pencil on paper to develop the hand-eye-brain connection and visual intuition using a non-reversible drawing medium. Your sketches don't need to be perfect—they're meant to communicate early-stage graphic ideas!Technical Specifications
- One logo per artboard in a single Illustrator file
- Letter-size dimensions (8½ × 11") for each artboard
- Hand-drawn concepts: Scan or photograph clearly, then place in Illustrator artboard
- Digital concepts: Must be created as vector graphics in Illustrator (not Procreate, Photoshop, Canva, etc.)
Presentation Format
- Export artboards from Illustrator as individual PNG files
- Upload to Logo Project Draft 1 Figma file using provided template
- Organize in grid layout for easy comparison during critique
- If you do more than 15, please bring them in! You are more than welcome to add more artboards to your Figma file, the template is just a starting point, but it should not be an ending.
Draft 1 Assessment Criteria
- Ideation Breadth (40%): 15+ concepts meeting category requirements
- Conceptual Exploration (40%): Range of approaches, creative risk-taking
- Technical Execution (20%): Clean hand drawn photo/scan, clean vector graphics using the pen tool and demonstrating engagement with bezier curves, proper file organization
Figma Presentation Template
Duplicate this template file and rename to your name - DO NOT put your work directly in the all-class template
Draft 2: Design Development
Refinement Process
Based on group critique feedback, select the 3 strongest directions from Draft 1. Create at least 5 iterations of each selected direction (15+ concepts minimum):- You may now introduce color using principles from Color Theory lecture and readings
- Explore variations in weight, proportion, spacing, and treatment
- Test readability at multiple sizes - include small version (roughly 2×2" or 200x200px) in corner of each iteration. The small version might just be a scaled down version of the large version, but this is designed to test legibility at a small scale, so if your design becomes illegible when scaled down, consider how you might adjust it: if something gets removed, simplified, spaced out, etc...
- All work completed in Adobe Illustrator using vector graphics
Decision Documentation Required
Annotate your iterations in Figma with brief (1-2 sentence) comments explaining:- Why you selected these 3 directions from Draft 1
- What specific changes you made between iterations
- How you applied feedback from critique
Technical Requirements
- Work in Illustrator using a single file with multiple artboards
- Export individual PNG files for Figma upload
- Each iteration must include a small version (~2"×2") in lower corner of each artboard page
- Come to class with Illustrator file open for individual professor critiques
Draft 2 Assessment Criteria
- Systematic Development (40%): Thoughtful iteration on selected directions
- Technical Refinement (25%): Improved craft, exploratory use of color/tone
- Feedback Integration (25%): Evidence of incorporating critique responses
- Decision Documentation (10%): Clear rationale in annotations
Final Draft: Graphic Tightening & Presentation
Graphic Tightening Process
After Draft 2 feedback, select your strongest logo direction for final refinement. Focus on precise technical adjustments to enhance the logo's effectiveness as a unified graphic whole.Technical Refinements to consider implementing:
- Line weight consistency and hierarchy
- Spacing relationships between elements
- Color value and contrast optimization
- Proportion fine-tuning for better balance
- Legibility at multiple sizes and applications
This phase emphasizes micro-adjustments rather than major conceptual changes—refining the visual details that make a logo function cohesively.
Final Presentation Requirements
Logo Presentation:
- Large version on main artboard
- Small version on adjacent 200×200px artboard
- Both versions exported as PNG files
Process Documentation:
- Show evolution from Draft 2 through graphic tightening
- Include as much process as necessary to demonstrate your design and decision-making
- Clear articulation of final technical and conceptual decisions
Mockup (Optional ):
- Simple mockup application showing logo in context (business card, app icon, etc.)
- Demonstrates understanding of logo function in real-world usage
- Consult this Illustrator mockup tool tutorial
Final Presentation Assessment Criteria
- Conceptual Strength (30%): Logo effectiveness for brand and audience
- Visual Execution (35%): Professional-quality craft and graphic tightening
- Process Integration (35%): Clear evolution from ideation through final refinement
Technical Guidelines
File Organization
- Name Illustrator file: lastname_firstname_logo_project.ai
- All artboards in single file with clear labeling
- Export naming: lastname_firstname_draft1_01.png (etc.)
Vector Graphics Best Practices
- Use vector shapes and paths (not rasterized/bitmap elements)
- Consistent stroke weights throughout design
- Proper use of fills vs. strokes for clean scalability
- Organized layers and groups for easy editing
Color Specifications
- Draft 1: Grayscale only (black, white, gray)
- Draft 2 & Final: May introduce color using color theory principles
- Consider accessibility - ensure sufficient contrast ratios
- Test in grayscale - logo should work without color
Figma Submission Guidelines
- Export high-resolution (300 ppi) PNG raster files from your Illustrator artboaeds and post work to designated Logo Project Figma file
- Use provided templates for consistent presentation
- Label all work clearly with your name and draft number
- Follow file naming conventions as specified
Assessment Rubric Summary
| Phase | Weight | Key Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| Draft 1 | 30% | Ideation breadth, conceptual exploration, technical execution |
| Draft 2 | 30% | Systematic development, documentation, refinement, feedback integration |
| Final | 40% | Conceptual strength, visual execution, process integration |
Grading Scale:
- A (90-100%): Exceptional work demonstrating mastery of learning objectives
- B (80-89%): Strong work meeting most objectives with minor areas for improvement
- C (70-79%): Adequate work meeting basic requirements with some gaps
- D (60-69%): Below expectations, missing key components or showing limited understanding
- F (Below 60%): Unacceptable work not meeting minimum requirements
Success Strategies
Time Management
- Start immediately after project introduction - ideation takes time!
- Use class work sessions productively for individual guidance
- Attend all critiques - peer feedback is essential for development
- Don't wait until last minute for technical troubleshooting
Design Process
- Embrace the iterative process - first ideas are rarely the best
- Take risks in Draft 1 - explore unexpected directions
- Listen actively in critiques - write down feedback to reference later
- Focus on refinement over reinvention in final phase
Technical Skills
- Practice Illustrator tools regularly through exercises
- Ask questions during work sessions - don't struggle alone with technical issues
- Maintain organized files - clean file organization shows professional practice
- Test at multiple sizes throughout process, not just at the end
Remember: Process is just as important as final product! This project emphasizes the iterative design methodology that will serve you throughout your design career.