you've strategically hit upon the logo & icon portfolio and blog of UK logo designer Graham Smith — the original Logo Smith since '86.
I don’t often share my sketches: I feel that within the sketches are possible other ideas for new projects, and it can sometimes seem a little trusting to bear your creative soul in such a way as to just asking to be ripped off. Guess I’m not feeling so cynical today. However: all images are Copyright of imjustcreative-Graham Smith 2012.
Currently working on a new logo project called Shark: a swimwear brand focusing on creating performance mens swim trunks for the aqua competitive.
Initially started out trying to shoehorn in a sharks tail as a form of serif on the S (first lot of doodles on first image), but soon realised that there was a possibilty to manipulate the entire S rather than just a portion.
The aim now is to try and stylise the S to have some form/shape that represents a shark, but without being too lifelike/realistic/literal, but also not so abstract as to have no idea what the hell it is.
I have been inspired by Gothic, BlackLetter and calligraphic style fonts as an initial direction for the logomark. The challenge right now is designing it so it doesn’t appear like a seahorse, or too much like a hammerhead shark or other undesirable manifestations of unrelated animals.
The general idea is to fashion the shape so that it looks like the shark is in a tight twist, all ready to fiercely swipe out its tail into your face whilst propelling itself forward.
There is one doodle I do like, which is in the sketch directly above and is next to the feint ‘h’. A little too realistic for this project, but liking the overall form.
Very early days, but I also think we are pretty close to nailing this. My goal is to create a form of this mark that would look utterly awesome as a upper arm tattoo.
Related Posts
- → Logo Design Sketcheroo’s
- → Update to Logo Portfolio
- → A T-Shirt Company Logo Is Conceived
- → The Making of the Rio 2016 Olympic Logo
- → A Logo Design Project Nearly Wrapped-up
@imjustcreative thanks for sharing some of your process
@imjustcreative Looks like a good concept brewing. I’m working on an “S” mark too. Care to see my sketches?
I guess I can leave more here — I think that the sketches towards the bottom of the page are a good progression. When I think of Sharks, I think of “tough & mean” which then leads me to think “sharp & edgey”. Some of your earlier sketches have a mermaid or dolphin feel to them (if that makes any sense. I’d definitely keep moving in the direction you’re already heading. Either way all of your marks are sick so I’m sure you’ll do a kick-ass job on this one. Cant wait to see the end-result.
@imjustcreative thanks. It’s always inspiring to see where something starts out since that’s the hardest part of the process
@imjustcreative Looking good. Some of those ideas at the bottom look like they could be turned and inverted to form an S.
@imjustcreative Cool, cnt wait to see the final product. Thanks for sharing.
@imjustcreative great post. Though a fin would also be quite interesting.
@imjustcreative seems it’s gonna be cool.
@imjustcreative I know what you mean, however its really good to see. (dame the rip-offer-ers)
@imjustcreative nice sketches – looking forward to the finished logo
@imjustcreative Nice! Great to see the process! what also came to my mind was similar to @curlychibi the shark tail and sort of an reverse reflection(if there is such a thing!) to form a S…
@imjustcreative loving that direction
@imjustcreative Really like the form in the one you mention (next to ‘h’). I’d say job done bar cleaning it up with that one!
@imjustcreative nice process sketches. thanks for sharing them with us.
inspirational as always!