First Step - Finding Some Inspiration!

The examples below were pieces I discovered across my internet travels. This inspiration will be used for color schemes, type treatments, stylistic approaches, etc.

The Whitt Logotype - image 1 - student project

The Whitt Logotype - image 2 - student project

The Whitt Logotype - image 3 - student project

The Whitt Logotype - image 4 - student project

The Whitt Logotype - image 5 - student project

The Whitt Logotype - image 6 - student project

The Whitt Logotype - image 7 - student project

The Whitt Logotype - image 8 - student project

The Whitt Logotype - image 9 - student project

The Whitt Logotype - image 10 - student project

The Whitt Logotype - image 11 - student project

The Whitt Logotype - image 12 - student project

The Whitt Logotype - image 13 - student project

The Whitt Logotype - image 14 - student project

The Whitt Logotype - image 15 - student project

The Whitt Logotype - image 16 - student project

The Whitt Logotype - image 17 - student project

The Whitt Logotype - image 18 - student project

The Whitt Logotype - image 19 - student project

Next - Begin Concepting!

Just like in the videos, I wrote "The Whitt" continuously until I found a good combination of letterforms that I wanted to pursue further. All in all, it's somewhat based off my handwriting - but through the editing process it becomes more and more unique. The below examples were the 3 chosen sketches I decided to finalize further.

The Whitt Logotype - image 20 - student project

The Whitt Logotype - image 21 - student project

The Whitt Logotype - image 22 - student project

Finalize Those Concepts!

After the editing process that took place in "3 Concepts to Finalize Further" I ended up with these below finalized pencil sketches.

The Whitt Logotype - image 23 - student project

The Whitt Logotype - image 24 - student project

The Whitt Logotype - image 25 - student project

Initially, 3 concepts were developed for the client to choose from. In this special instance, I developed a 4th concept because we both weren't 100% feeling the direction the logotype was heading in. We sat down and dicussed our thoughts on the concepts. We came to the conclusion to develop a 4th concept based around the script on the sausage house down the street from the Airbnb. That 4th concept is what you see below and what ultimately what became the final logotype.

The Whitt Logotype - image 26 - student project

Below is a bit more of the behind the scenes process to develop the prominance of the word "The". Various quick sketches were drawn to show the many ways we could customize the overall feel.

The Whitt Logotype - image 27 - student project

Exploring the Secondary Mark

I noticed I totally forgot to explain my process and mindset for this horseshoe mark in the videos. Sorry about that! Anyway, to show a bit of the process, take a look at the screen grabs below. Lots of sketching on paper, further edits in Adobe Illustrator, and beyond. You can see the process the horseshoe mark took from each screenshot. Definitely wanted to utilize the unique "W" as well as a simple yet professional horseshoe. It's difficult to make a horseshoe not look so "dude-ranch". After a little trail and error, I think we got to a good place!

The Whitt Logotype - image 28 - student project

The Whitt Logotype - image 29 - student project

The Whitt Logotype - image 30 - student project

The below photo is the finalized secondary mark for usage across social media, favicon, etc., pretty much anything at smaller scales. Just like the logotype, you should make sure other elements (in this case, a horseshoe) work alongside one another. I curved the ends of the horseshoe just a tad so it wasn't so sharp - matching the tiny amount of roundness I included in the logotype. Additionally, the negative space within the horseshoe is the same thickness as the stroke around the "W". Relationships and continuity is key!

The Whitt Logotype - image 31 - student project

Time to Vector the Logotype!

Just like the videos show, I went back and forth toggling those handles to get this logotype perfect. Correcting the color, contrast, kerning, composition, angle, and more. You can see my crazy process below - lots of exploring of colors, shadows, tittle shape (dot of the "i") and more. Like I've mentioned before, the process is the most important part! Archive it all!

The Whitt Logotype - image 32 - student project

The Whitt Logotype - image 33 - student project

The Whitt Logotype - image 34 - student project

The Whitt Logotype - image 35 - student project

The Final Logotype

After all of the concepts, finalization, vectoring, and beyond, you've got yourself a final vectored logotype to share with your client. As you can see, it's never a simple straight-forward process. Every client is completely different and also needs something completely different. Keep that in mind when you're designing because you obviously don't want everything to look and feel the same.

The Whitt Logotype - image 36 - student project

Mock it Up!

To bring the presentation to the next level and really have the client fall in love with your concept, I'd suggest mocking up your logotype on whatever medium is desired/required. Obviously in the case of a coffee shop, mock it up on a coffee bag, cup, etc. If you're creating a logotype for a flower shop, mock it up on a vase, apron, plastic, etc.

In my scenario, mocking it up on the side of the barn door enclosure was necessary for the client to see the scale and overall placement needed when it would be painted.

The Whitt Logotype - image 37 - student project

As always, if you have any questions, please let me know! I'm happy to help you guys out!

Scott Biersack

Illustration, Graphic & Type Design

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