Studio Brief 1 – Logotype - Context, Final Crit and Evaluation

Contextual Images

From my previous crit feedback I decided upon this design for my basketball / sports brand company. A majority of people said that they thought this one was the most fitting for the brand direction. 

Using my chosen logotype I have begun to apply it to contexts it would be seen in within the sporting / basketball world. For my crit this will be useful for people to assess what it would look like in a physical sense and how it would act at different scales.

Basketball Jersey - Mock up using found imagery

When placing it on the basketball jersey, initially I thought there wasn't enough space between the 'I' and 'N' when reduced. I decreased the size of the 'I' so there was a wider gap between the top of the 'I' and bottom of the serif on the 'N'. To balance this slightly wider gap I also adjusted the kerning between the 'N' and 'I' so that there was a symmetry in spacing on either side. Once reduced the slightly modified deign meant there was clearer definition between the central letters.

Basketball - Mock up using found imagery

Final Crit Feedback

During my final crit I received positive feedback on my chosen design. The group thought that the italics created a sense of speed and energy within the logotype. They said it had a modern but traditional feel which is what I wanted to portray when using limited serifs. By using horizontal terminals on the 'Cs' they said it created the feeling of motions within sport which start and stop. The use of ligatures it was said gave the design a sleek feel and referenced ESPN. This for them also created the idea of moving forward and progession which I thought was an interesting idea. Using the same form of 'C' at the beginning and end of the logotype created a bit of discussion. Some were not sure whether they like the extension on the end 'C' and said perhaps it could be cut off to fit in line with the lower part of the 'C'. While others thought it gave the logotype a dynamic feel and reflected the repetition within sport. One suggestion was to experiment more with context and scale e.g. what would it look like on courtside billboards? Overall I think my design has been successful in portraying my key personality traits however in further projects I will try to explore how my designs would work in a range of contexts.

Evaluation

Overall I think I have been successful in creating a sports / basketball brand logotype that reflects the qualities of performance, excellence and quality with the brand primarily aimed at athletic young men. The combination of serif and sans serif letterforms create a hint of heritage in a contemporary way. The bold weight creates the impression of power and dominance which is associated with masculinity. The ‘CL’ ligature creates a smooth dynamic link between the to letters which draws the eye along the rest of the logotype giving it a fluid feel. The compression of the logotype has created a sleek feel to the brand. The clean and crisp use of sans serif type and blocky serif letterforms creates a precise feel to the logotype which evokes a sense refinement and quality. The close kerning has created a feeling of togetherness and team play, which is further emphasised by the interlocking ‘IN’ ligature. The use of italics evokes a sense of speed and reflects the movement within the game. Power, speed, precision and team play are all important attributes in being the best within your sport.