To read about how The 12 Art Attacks Project got started, see the first post here.
Over the last five years, I've really tried to find my own brand. I've often wondered if it's something every designer struggles with or if it just comes naturally. I think my problem with it all is that I was never satisfied with a logo I'd do for myself. I'd be able to come up with great logos for other people, but it's like I couldn't get my "style" to come through how I wanted it to. It's like I was trying too hard to fit it all in one design... and then I'd go back and forth on what I wanted. Too picky.
Back in 2005 when I graduated from college, there wasn't a huge need for me to create an online presence...at least I thought. I was still young and lots of places only cared what you brought with you to the interview. The internet world was new to me and the HTML, JAVA and CSS classes just didn't stick in my brain like they should've! So I didn't bother with it all then.
In planning for a move to NYC in 2009, I decided that I need to get busy. I decided that I finally needed to brand myself and design a website if I was to get a good job. You'll see in the different designs below of where I started then and where I am today...5 years later. Took long enough.
The first 3 were really just playing-around, trial-and-error stuff. But I ended up using #3 on my website for 3 years! Ahh! I think I was trying to be fun and edgy, but I just put myself in a boring box...literally.
When creating a logo for Arielle Doneson, the #4 logo was actually in her final top 2 picks! I actually tried to persuade her into picking this one, but she ended up going with the one that better suited her (so good for her for sticking with her gut!). So I took her back-up logo for myself... no mind that I had designed it for someone else entirely! I used #4 on my website for about a year, but then decided that it wasn't really me... While it was lovely and pretty, it was obviously someone else's.
In thinking more about it, I really just wanted a simple mark that was easy to identify, very modern, clean and professional, and still unique to me and my personality. So I came up wtih the "JK" mark in #5 but just wanted some more color! So I thought adding in the watercolor behind would add some spunk, but it didn't fit and looked heavy. So once I took that away and added in my favorite teal color, I finally had it. It all came together and clicked in place. #6 is the final version and I'm sticking to it. From there I was able to build a simple, clean website that showcases my work nicely.
Now that I see the logos all together, it's interesting that I kept the same color scheme throughout the years: blues, greens and teals. I guess that's one thing I kept consistent! Overall, I think I grew up a lot in those 5 years...in maturity and design experience. #1 started with a young 25-year-old trying to be cool and ended with a more seasoned 30-year-old logo designer that I'm happy with.
Here's a few quotes that really helped me during the final rendition:
"Simplicity is the ultimate form of sophistication." – Leonardo da Vinci"Design is an opportunity to continue telling the story, not just to sum everything up." – Tate Linden
"Design should never say, “Look at me.” It should always say, “Look at this." – David Craib
I'm curious to hear what do you think about my new logo and 5-year branding process! Did any of you fellow designers have to do a little soul searching to find your own brand?