Designed by Row » Design Time

Logo Part II: The Accessories

rowforbes — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 13:19:08 +0000

Remember the little black dress from Logo Part I? If a logo is your business’ wardrobe, then color, shading and gradients are your accessories. They should be secondary to the actual form and function of the logo.

In the excitement of creating a new image, the embellishments can get out of control. Flash, glitz and color does not necessarily mean a better, more visible brand. In fact, too much bling can detract from the overall effectiveness of a logo; making it too busy and hard for the mind to make sense of in that first split-second glance.

A logo should be developed to move across a multitude of media, from web to print. It should work anytime of year and be easily implemented in every sales or marketing tool. Combining your little black dress with the proper accessories will give your business the perfect ensemble. Your brand will be true to you, your company and your mission.

Logo Part I: The Little Black Dress

rowforbes — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 14:26:43 +0000

A logo must represent you, your company, your beliefs and your product or service accurately, and preferably for the long term. Think about your brand, and namely your logo, as the clothes your business wears. It is one of the first things that potential clients will notice. Okay, this may resonate with the women more than the men, so bare with me.

Let’s take a quick trip down memory lane. Think back to your high school years. What was the going trend? Was it the tall, hair-sprayed bangs, layered socks, rolled up jeans and psychedelic eye shadow? Or maybe cat-eye glasses, beehive hairdo or bushy sideburns? Is that a look you want today? Probably not. It was a fad and, thankfully, it passed.

A business or brand image needs to be a classic, a little black dress for your company. It should be simple in design, flexible in its application and looks good no matter what other fads are going on at the time.

Now Offering Vinyl Lettering!

rowforbes — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 19:15:43 +0000

I am so excited to announce that Designed by Row is now offering vinyl graphics and lettering for vehicles, signs, windows, and much more. If you need original artwork or have a logo or artwork that needs to be converted for cutting, we can do that too. There are endless uses for vinyl graphics. Let your imagination run and then give Designed by Row a call at 207-227-3236 or email rowmforbes@gmail.com for a free consultation and price quote. Watch for more information on vinyl, application and inspiration.

Creating a self-portrait vector

rowforbes — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 01:23:29 +0000

Creating a vector portrait from a photo is a rather easy process. I began with a photo recently taken at my brother’s wedding. I opened it in Adobe PhotoShop, cropped it, then added smart blur and poster edge filters. The filters simplified the details and decreased the number of colors.

I saved this file as a JPEG and placed it on a new document in Adobe Illustrator. Once in Illustrator it was just a matter of creating general shapes along the color lines created by the posterization. I made some minor adjustments, such as the color of my top, added the floral detailing and company name, Designed by Row, to finish it up.

the Birth of a Logo

Personalized Art

rowforbes — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 19:38:56 +0000

It’s funny how things fall together sometimes. It wasn’t long after I wrote the post Van Gogh blue & red that I stumbled across an article about a unique company called DNA11. Based in Ottawa, Ontario, Adrian Salamunovic and Nazim Ahmed started DNA11 in 2005 out of Ahmed’s apartment. Using a simple cheek swab and specialized equipment, DNA11 merges art and science in a one-of-a-kind canvas based on the DNA of each client. The Museum of Modern Art now features DNA 11 art in its stores in New York and Tokyo.

It got me thinking again about the unique images Jen had sent to me. Perhaps there is more inspiration in the microscopic than even I originally thought. If she and I can see the beauty in these images, perhaps there are others who would find them equally appealing. The image above is one of my favorites.

You can find more about DNA 11 at their site www.DNA11.com.

Van Gogh in blue and red

Busy weekend ahead

rowforbes — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 16:22:45 +0000

My new Epson wide format printer has safely arrived. My big plans for the weekend include hooking it up, loading the driver and testing it out. I’m very excited about putting this machine to work. I have worked with Epsons in the past and have been very impressed with the output quality. I’ve got some photos that would look fantastic blown up and hanging on my wall. I think those will be my first test prints.

This weekend will also include the update and revamping of my website. I have tried out a couple of formats and haven’t been really happy with either. This layout will be a combination of the other themes. I am in hopes that, with a little time and some direction from my web guy at RLI Solutions, I can make this one work exactly as I envision. Keep checking back for updates and my new look.

Coming Soon: Wide Format Prints

rowforbes — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 13:07:11 +0000

I am so excited! I have just placed an order for an Epson wide format printer. It should be here this week. I will then have the ability, at my fingertips, to create quality photo and fine art prints, posters, displays and so much more, up to 13″ wide. Its six dye-based Claria Hi-Definition inks are rated to last as long as 98 years behind glass and even longer in dark storage. I have worked with Epsons in the past and have always been very pleased with their output. I can’t wait to try it and then put it to work.

Busy weekend ahead

Round 3: RLI Solutions

rowforbes — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 14:47:41 +0000

If you have been following this project at all, first off, thank you; secondly it has not fallen through the cracks. I made the requested changes to the RLI Solutions logo and passed them back to Eric. He and I are in a unique position where time is not a terribly big issue. He has taken the semi-finalized logo and tossed it around a little bit. He has allowed himself the time to step back from the process and let the logo breath, so to speak. Sometimes giving a project a little space helps to give a new perspective.

I contacted Eric yesterday to find out if he had come to a determination as to which version of the RLI Solutions logo he wanted to use for his company. He responded with his decision. Here is the new RLI Solutions logo:

Round 2: RLI Solutions

rowforbes — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 12:55:41 +0000

I put together some adjusted versions of what Eric and I had discussed. I spent a little extra time with the version he said he kept going back to. I wanted him to be able to see it in all its various aspects. I explained that a good logo needed to be able to move between mediums, meaning print, web, t-shirts, bubble gum, etc. He responded well to this set of variation, but still wanted to see a different leaf, perhaps something a bit more stylized, uniquely RLI Solutions.

For real free-feel designing, I like to go back to the old fashioned pencil and paper. I doodle; however this doodling has a purpose. At this point I have sketched out a few different leaf forms and will present the best of them to Eric this evening.

Round 1: RLI Solutions

rowforbes — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 14:17:18 +0000

As I stated before, communication between myself and my client is of paramount importance. It is not a one way road either. I want a customer to feel comfortable enough with me to be completely honest about their thoughts or feelings regarding a design. After all, it is going to represent them and their business. When we part at the end of a project, I don’t want them rethinking their choices.

Okay, so back to RLI Solution’s logo. I put together a smattering of ideas, working off what Eric and I had spoken about, what I saw on his website and what I understood of Eric and his business. He didn’t want to appear stodgy, but definitely wanted to come across professional and dependable.

In brief, the first set was made up of a heavy, non-serif font and a red maple leaf. The idea came from RLI’s name (Red Leif International) and their website. The second set was based from the two sample logos and colors which Eric had indicated he liked. They also have a bit of a more relaxed feel with the lower-case lettering. The third set has a serif font and a more traditional feel, and a fiery combination of red leaves.

I sent out these samples for Eric’s initial thoughts and response.

… but I keep going back to the bottom sample on #2. *shrug* Not sure what that means… You’re the designer…

… And as the designer, this is what I like to get back. Mind you, Eric got a lot more specific in his comments as far as fonts he wanted to try and types/styles of leaves. But this comment pointed me in the direction that would lead us to a successful logo for RLI Solutions.