COLOR MATTERS...CONT.

I have found very interesting website:

http://www.colormatters.com/component/content/article/62-color-a-marketing/240-color-a-branding

that relates to colours and veriety of aspects. How is is seen in design, brand cretaion, its meaning and even about colour blindness.

"Color & Branding

Color Design and Psychology for Branding

Brands and color are inextricably linked because color offers an instantaneous method for conveying meaning and message without words.

Branding is a word commonly referred to by advertisers and marketing people, but what does it actually mean? Marketing experts define "brand" as the "name, term, sign, symbol or design, or a combination of them intended to identify a company's products or services." In other words, a brand communicates the "idea" of company or product. This is what forms the connection with consumers.
For example, in the illustration of the 3 brand images above:

The JAL (Japan AirLines) image has several components: The bird symbolizes flight and the color red communicates power. Red also symbolizes good luck in Asia. The circle and the color red reference the flag of Japan. Therefore, the brand image communicates powerful air transportation from a Japanese company — and good luck with the journey.

The AT&T image is an award-winning design. The globe symbolizes a world circled by electronic communications. More specifically, the symbol is made up of very carefully delineated 'highlight' and 'shadow' elements. As a result, the symbol may be reproduced to give the impression of a three-dimensional sphere that is lighted from a distance source. (Source) Test yourself on what blue symbolizes.

The UPS (United Parcel Service) image is an excellent example of how a single color communicates meaning. Brown symbolizes dependability and solidity. (It is not a snobby color; it is not high technology; brown is grounded in the earth.)

The Power of Images
A single image delivers a lot of information in a very short time because we perceive an image all at once, whereas reading or hearing often takes significantly longer to process the same information.
A recent study found that images of brands trigger religious reactions. (Source) Dr. Gemma Calvert discovered that when people viewed images associated with the strong brands— the iPod, the Harley-Davidson, the Ferrari, and others— their brains registered the exact same patterns of activity as they did when they viewed the religious images.

The Power of Shapes and Colors

Brands communicate meanings with the language of color and shape. As the overused cliché says, "A picture is worth a thousand words."
There are natural — or universal — associations evoked by shapes and colors that are common to all of us: For example, a horizontal line is stable and a diagonal line is dynamic. Red is hot and full of fire, blue is cool and watery — or intangible like the sky.
About Shapes
Colors and shapes work in harmony with each other to communicate. Therefore, an understanding of shapes is essential to understanding the power of color in branding.
Even the most basic geometrical shapes can be soft or hard, stable or threatening. The image below illustrates basic geometric shapes and contemporary symbols that evolved from basic shapes.

The Power of Color

Our minds are programmed to respond to color. For example, we stop our cars for red lights and go on green.
Consider the effects of color in the image of contemporary symbols below.

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The Power of Color for Brands

Brands and color are inextricably linked because color offers an instantaneous method for conveying meaning and message without words.
Color is the visual component people remember most about a brand followed closely by shapes/symbols then numbers and finally words. For example, the real McDonald's is easy to detect in the image below.

People see color before they absorb anything else.

Many of the most recognizable brands in the world rely on color as a key factor in their instant recognition. (See for yourself and take the "Recognizable Brands Test" at the end of this article.)

Why Color Matters Facts
Research has reinforced that 60% of the time people will decide if they are attracted or not to a message - based on color alone!
Color increases brand recognition by up to 80 percent. (Source: University of Loyola, Maryland study)
Read more color facts about "Why Color Matters"
Examples of Color Branding
1. Natural and Universal Color Symbolism for Brands

FedEx's two different color schemes are the best examples of the "universal" symbolism of colors. Green communicates ground services; orange communicates the high energy and speed of air transportation.

Advertisement

Another example can be found in a common household product—laundry detergent.

The next time you're in a grocery store, look at the colors of laundry detergents. An overwhelming majority are blue and orange. Blue symbolizes cleanliness and orange is dynamic energy. Therefore, a blue and orange package would clearly communicate "industrial strength cleaning power."

Cigarette packaging is another example of color branding. Notice how every menthol brand uses some shade of green to distinguish menthol from the natural flavor of tobacco. Now that new tobacco laws in the U.S. ban the use of the word light to imply that some cigarettes are safer than others, cigarette companies are using gold, silver and lighter colors to circumvent the law.
Australia will be the first country in the world to require tobacco products to be sold in plain packaging. The new legislation will be implemented throughout the country in December 2012. Legislation in other countries may require dull olive brown packaging or graphic images of health risks on the packaging.

2. Creative and Imaginative Color Symbolism

Some brands break with color traditions. T-Mobile's magenta (hot pink) is an unexpected color in the crowded cellular communications marketplace. Risky but it does succeed in creating a unique identity of the brands.

3. Good and Bad Color Branding

The colors of football team uniforms are also branding images. But sometimes the colors are horribly wrong. For example, the colors of Wyoming's football uniforms were cited as one of the worst in college football. (Source) Why do you think that brown is such a tough color to accept as a sports uniform? It works for UPS. Here's a hint: Brown isn't the most powerful color of the spectrum. It's as dependable as Mother Earth, but it lacks energy.

In conclusion, if you're questioning the power of color in branding, look at this example:

Links: Recognizable Brands Test

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This article was written by Jill Morton, color psychologist and branding expert at Colorcom
©Jill Morton, 2012, All rights reserved / Protected by Copyscape

MAP OF MY THOUGHTS ON KATHY'S ID

IMPORTANCE OF BRANDING

That is true that without the logo small companies or any company will not be recognised in a wider context, meaning it will only exist perhaps locally. To be well known the person's ID needs to be special, memorable; something that will resemble his/hers purpose!

An IMAGE that will stand out and be memorable, will truly bring my client's full recognition with a hope of being remembered, valued and creating new interest and growth.

 

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From:

 

http://smallbizbee.com/index/2010/01/11/importance-brand-identity-logo/

 

RESEARCH - GRAPHIC DESIGNER DAVID AIREY

these are the points that I have learnt throughout my modules and its reasurring to see that great designers do still use pencils based ideas and that the skills of drawing are not too important. some helpful information on how to present work for the client.

FROM: http://www.davidairey.com/process/

"Chapter seven

From pencil to PDF

To be a good designer, you must be curious about life; the strongest ideas are born from the experiences we have and the knowledge we gain from them. The more we see and the more we know, the more ammunition we can stockpile for generating ideas.

I’m frequently asked how to integrate this stockpile into actual logo concepts, and that’s what we’re going to focus on in this chapter. We’ll look at the two vital steps in this process— mind-mapping and sketching—and then talk about what to include when preparing your presentation PDFs for the client.

Mind-mapping

Using mind maps helps you consider as many different design directions as possible, and at the stage when they’re most needed. It’s a relatively straightforward process of word association. You write a word that’s central to the design brief, and then branch out from it, writing other words that spring to mind. These additional words could come after some thought, or after researching the central topic. The idea is to form as large a “thought cloud” as possible, giving you a strong tool to refer to when it comes to the next stage—sketching.

Mind-mapping is particularly useful in the design profession because it’s very effective for working through these important steps of the design process:

• Getting into a creative groove 
• Collecting your thoughts 
• Generatingideas
• Associating words with images

I’ve been using mind maps for as long as I’ve been studying design. It’s a tried and tested formula, and other designers often ask me to provide more detail on the intricacies of this practice.

The fundamental necessity of the sketchpad

A by-product of sub-par design courses is that aspiring designers today see computers as the only truly necessary tool. On the contrary. By removing the computer from the creative process, you gain much more freedom when translating your thoughts.

You learned to draw before you learned how to use a computer. Why? Because it’s easier. It’s less restricting. And it’s more creative. You want a circle here? A stroke there? No problem. Just do it. Translating the same process to a computer requires unnecessary steps that hinder your creative flow. 

The sketchpad is a conceptual playground—a tangible scene where an idea can be batted around and subjected to the immediacy of uncensored thoughts. Random concepts collide with intention. Suggestions are made. Some stick. Others are tossed. Eventually your concept develops structure, and only then are you ready to use a computer.

It’s vital to keep an open mind and not limit yourself during the sketching process. Even if your ideas seem too far-fetched, it’s best to make a visual note of all the thoughts that cross your mind.

Remember, too, that your drawing skills aren’t important.
What is important is that you churn out as many ideas as possible before turning to your computer. Your mind map gives you access to the most important thoughts you can associate with the company you’ve been hired to represent. Sketch based on a single thought. Merge two together. Combine a group. There should be a huge array of possibilities. Whatever comes into your head, sketch it before it’s gone.

Dress for success

Once you feel like you have several strong design possibilities, you’ll want to render them as presentational PDFs. You should always document your work in a PDF file, even if your presentation is in person. PDFs are helpful because the layout and formatting of the content is fixed—that is, it won’t change, regardless of the software your client uses to view it.

Because half the battle of creating an effective design lies in pleasing your client, make sure you render only your best ideas. Don’t include any designs you think might be unsuitable, or you risk diluting the quality of your great designs with sub-par possibilities. Including ideas that you’re not sure of also introduces the possibility that your client will choose the weaker candidate among a group of otherwise great options. 

Where Photoshop comes into play

Showing your designs in context—in other words, as they will be seen by others—is key to helping your client visualize how great you can make the company look. It’s comparable to buying a car. The car might show a fresh paint job and have that “new car smell,” but unless you take it for a test drive, you won’t be entirely convinced. That’s why showing your logo designs in context can be what finally cements the deal with your client.

Using Photoshop to add your logo concepts to photos of cars, building signage, billboard space, business card mockups, and so on, you can augment the PDFs of your best ideas for your presentation to the client. The more variety you create, the more consistent the usage becomes, and the more attractive the outcome will appear.

Most clients won’t have time to concern themselves with every step in the design process. They’ll be focused on the end result, so the more tangible your concepts appear, the more the client will be able to visualize the benefits.

As much as we like to think otherwise, books are judged by their covers, so make sure your identity presentations—the PDFs and mockups done in Photoshop—look professional.

Make sure, too, that you save your PDF files with the date in the actual filename, since there might be some back-and-forth with your client. Seeing the date in the filename helps with version control and ensures you and your client are looking at the same document when talking things through on the phone.

Let’s recap the main points of this chapter:

• Mind-mapping helps you consider as many different design directions as possible.
  
• Even the most simplistic designs are helped by an extensive sketching session.
  
• A pen or pencil offers much more control and creative freedom than a computer mouse, so don’t use a computer until your ideas are in place.
  
• Don’t fret if you think you can’t draw, because what’s important is that you document your ideas so that you can either build upon them or rule them out.
  
• Don’t be tempted to show a client all of your sketches, because there will undoubtedly be directions you don’t want to pursue, and it would be most unfortunate if the client chose one of those directions.
  
• Make sure your PDFs help the client focus on the idea, and not on an easily changed aspect like color.
  
• As much as we like to think otherwise, books are judged by their covers, so make sure your identity presentations look professional to keep clients on board. 
  
  
  
  
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RESEARCH - CONCEPTUALISATION OF A LOGO

 

MY THOUGHTS...

mind is the greatest tool a designer can have - correctly speaking a creative mind. I NEED TO DO A THINKING TIME! Do a map of the brief...of course that isn't difficult. Next step I will need to talk to a client's likes and dislikes. And masses of thoughts, visuals, sketches and doodles!

I must think of connection between Kathy and her audience; not necessarily using an image of a bird - her subject. As long as it will be memorable and relevant - then it will become a success!

I must avoid something that has been done before - of course I will get inspirations from it; as well as I must avoid cliches. Why? Because they will go off!

What if I get frustrated when lacking ideas?......walk, fresh air, hobby??

Ideas normally reach a relaxed and clean state of mind - maybe even meditation will help?

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I must:

- be inspired by everything that I see

- do thumbnails/doodles, which then will be developed further and turn into firmer concept

- be ORIGINAL

 

 



 

RESEARCH - KEY TO SUCCESS AND THOUGHTS...

DURING THE RESEARCH I HAVE PLACED MY OWN THOUGHTS IN THESE BOXES:

RESEARCH - TYPES OF LOGOS..THOUGHTS

DURING THE RESEARCH I HAVE PLACED MY OWN THOUGHTS IN THESE BOXES:

RESEARCH - LOGO COLOURS

From past modules while at the University and the research on this webpage: 
http://www.logocritiques.com/resources/color_psychology_in_logo_design/ , I have found out that the colour plays an important role while creating a logo.

"Colour is a powerful tool to convey messages and  meaning in the designs. Eric Peterson states in there: "It’s probably the most powerful non-verbal form of communication we can use as designers. Our minds are programmed to respond to color. The subliminal messages we get from color shape our thoughts.We stop our cars for red lights and go on green, we look at the color of certain plants and animals to determine whether or not they are safe for us to eat or touch, the bottom line is that color is a very important part of our daily lives. It’s important for us as designers to use color appropriately and understand the meaning behind the colors we choose." 


RED: represents Action, Adventure, Aggressive, Blood, Danger, Drive, Energy, Excitement, Love, Passion, Strength and Vigor. Red is an intense color. It can summon conflicting emotions from blood and warfare to love and passion. It is often used in logo design to grip the viewer’s attention and has been known to raise one’s blood pressure or make people hungry.

Unknown designer - 1987. Colors represents the energy. Great choice. Uplifting and alerting response!



PINK: represents Appreciation, Delicate, Femininity, Floral, Gentle, Girly, Gratitude, Innocence, Romantic, Soft and Tranquil. Pink is a feminine color that conjures feelings of innocence and delicateness. It’s a softer version of red that can stir up visions of little girls, bubble-gum and cotton candy. The color pink is also widely associated with breast cancer awareness. It is often used in logos to add a feminine flare.

Unknown designer - 1959. The colour fits for a toy that is marketed to little girls. The typeface compliments the colour choice. It reinforces the brands positioning :gives the impression of handwritten message by little girl. 


ORANGE: represents Affordable, Creativity, Enthusiasm, Fun, Jovial, Lighthearted, High-Spirited and Youthful. Orange is made up of red and yellow and can represent attributes from each of those colors. It is more playful and youthful than red. You can commonly find it used in logos to create a playfulness or stimulate emotions and even appetites.

Designed by Tom Corey, Fred/Alan Inc., Scott Nash in 1984, Orange is a perfect color choice for Nickelodeon who’s target audience is children. Orange is fun, lighthearted and youthful which reflects the TV channel’s programing. The design of the Nickelodeon logo supports the youthful theme with the paint spattered backdrop and playful typography.




YELLOW: represents Caution, Cheerful, Cowardice, Curiosity, Happiness, Joy, Playful, Positivity, Sunshine and Warmth. Yellow, much like red, can have conflicting messages. It can represent sunshine and happiness or caution and cowardice. Yellow is bright and highly visible which is why it can often be found on caution and other road signs. Yellow is often used in logo design to get attention, create happiness and warmth.

Designed by Jim Schindler 1962 - McDonald’s is mainly yellow which fitting for this brand that focuses on children, playfulness and happiness. The red works well as an accent color and has been know to raise ones blood pressure and evoke hunger. Incidentally, this color combination has influenced many other fast food chains.


GREEN: represents Crisp, Environmental, Fresh, Harmony, Health, Healing, Inexperience, Money, Nature, Renewal and Tranquility. Green represents life and renewal. It is a restful and soothing color but can also represent jealousy and inexperience. You can often find it used in companies that want to portray themselves as eco-friendly.

Designed by Dunning Eley Jones in 2008. Green is suitable logo color choice for a TV channel who’s programing focuses solely on nature and animals. There’s a significant amount of controversy surrounding this logo. So whether you like the logo or not, I think we can agree that the various tones of green are right on for this channel. The color conjures up imagery of jungles, grasses and nature in general.

BLUE: represents Authority, Calm, Confidence, Dignity, Established, Loyalty, Power, Success, Secure and Trustworthy

Blue is calming and can stir up images of authority, success and security. Most people can say they like at least one shade of blue. It is probably the most popular color in logo design and can be seen extensively in government, medical and fortune 500 company logos.

Designed in 1972 by Paul Rand. Blue in the IBM (aka “Big Blue”) logo represents a company that is non-threatening yet stable and established. When Rand redesigned the IBM logo he replaced the solid type with 8 horizontal bars to represent “speed and dynamism”. While the logo typically isn’t used in its original blue today, it is still a very prominent color in the IBM brand.

PURPLE: represents Ceremony, Expensive, Fantasy, Justice, Mystery, Nobility, Regal, Royalty, Sophistication and Spirituality

Purple implies royalty, mystery, spirituality and sophistication. Because purple is the combination of red and blue, it has both warm and cool properties. The color purple can be found in many education related and luxury product logos.

Unknown designer. The Hallmark company uses the slogan “When you care enough to send the very best.” The use of the color purple in the logo supports the marketing message of the company. It implies royalty, expense and sophistication which is reinforced by the crown icon that hovers over the type.

BROWN: represents Calmness, Depth, Earth, Natural, Roughness, Richness, Simplicity, Serious, Subtle, Utility and Woodsy.

Brown indicates nature, woodiness, and utility. Brown is used in logos related to construction and legal logos due to it simplicity, warmth and neutrality.

Designed by Paul Rand in 1961 and FutureBrand in 2003. UPS uses the color brown to differentiate itself from the competition (i.e., the USPS and FedEx). While the color may be received by many as utilitarian, boring or conservative, UPS has taken ownership of the color and used it as a point of distinction. In the 2003 redesign the introduction of yellow brings some warmth, friendliness and a certain richness to the mark.

BLACK: represents Authority, Bold, Classic, Conservative, Distinctive, Formality, Mystery, Secrecy, Serious and Tradition. Black is technically, the absence of all color. It’s a powerful and conjures authority, boldness, elegance and tradition. Black can be found in many logos for its boldness, simplicity and sophistication.

The James Bond 007 logo is solid black. The color choice for the classic spy movie’s logo works well. 

The color represents the authority, mystery and sophistication that is a part of 007 movies.

GREY: represents Authority, Corporate Mentality, Dullness, Humility, Moody, Practicality, Respect, Somberness and Stableness

Grey, is somewhere between black and white. From a moral standpoint, it is the area between good and evil. It is also known as neutral and cool. Grey is often used for the type within logos because it is neutral and works well with most other colours.

Unknown designer. The logo for the luxury brand Swarovski, maker of lead crystal glass, is grey. The grey could be viewed to represent the lead that is a part of the product the company makes, but also represents the respect and authority that comes from the history of a company that has been around for over 100 years.

WHITE: represents Cleanliness, Innocence, Peace, Purity, Refined, Sterile, Simplicity, Surrender and Truthfulness. White is the universal color of peace and purity. It can often be found in logos as reversed text or negative space

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Designed by Saul Bass in 1978.  

While green may be the more prominent color in the Girl Scouts logo it also uses the negative space to create the silhouettes of two faces. The combination of the silhouetted faces and the white create a certain purity and innocence in the logo.

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Another very good websit is:  http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2010/01/28/color-theory-for-designers-part-1-the-meaning-of-color/