How to Set a Text-only Logotype

Graphics 2010. 4. 13. 18:57

Welcome to Nagano Urban Grill, a popular midtown hangout. Our project is to design its logotype. A logo is a company’s signature; it’s a distinctive way of writing its name. Some logos include graphics and some do not. A good logo is bold, clear, and attractive, and it conveys an appropriate sense of the company. These qualities can be difficult to combine in one word. The place to start on a text-only logo—or wordmark—is with the natural pattern of its letters.

Every word has a natural pattern
Before setting type, take a visual inventory. Even handwritten, we can see a descending g loop and repeating a’s, which form a trio of roundish shapes more or less in the middle. Nagano starts with an angle (N) and ends with a circle (o), both of which have open ends that lead the eye outward. It has six letters. Visually, Nagano is an average word. It’s easy to say (NOG-uh-no), and it has strong Japanese associations. These qualities will form the foundation of our designs.

1: A Logotype Starts with the Alphabet

Letters have distinct shapes. Get familiar with these shapes. Each has its own kind of expressiveness. The shapes will also determine what you can do with your design.

The typeface Avant Garde (shown here), which consists mainly of simple straights and generous circles, is especially good at revealing letter shapes.

2: For Example...
A word’s pattern can be expressed rhythmically. Rhythm is an unseen factor that affects how we perceive a word. The name j.jill consists solely of straight letters that do not convey softness like round letters do. Conversely, round pod is not naturally sharp and edgy.

3: Find Your Pattern

Start by setting your name in uppercase and lowercase, and notice the pattern that forms, even if it’s subtle. Pay special attention to repetitive lines and shapes.

Nagano in uppercase Futura Book has two groups of mirrored angles (NA-AN) alternating with two round letters, a rhythmic but subtle pattern. Lowercase Avant Garde forms a line of all-round letters, a strong and interesting pattern.

4: Pattern Breakers

Your name in some typefaces will not form a pattern. Letters that look alike in Avant Garde look different in Adobe Garamond, and the pattern disappears. The g that before was a circle is now a snaking, twisting line. As a rule, the more detailed the typeface—details include serifs, terminals, filets, varying stroke widths, and so on—the less visible the pattern will be.

Texture Patterns are big. When repetitive elements are small (common in detailed typefaces like Adobe Garamond), they make texture. Above rights, you can see four circular counters and other repetitive shapes in the middle of the word.

5: Pattern Makers

Your name can be given a pattern by the typeface. Pattern-making is the main function of most decorative type.

Calligraphic Sloop has a strong, graceful pattern—its letters arc and flow smoothly from thick to thin and have common angles and loops. Extra swashes&mdashnotice the N—create similarity with other letters where none exists naturally. Any word set in Sloop will automatically have a pattern and be beautiful.

Shape Makers

Similarly, your name can be forced to take shape. The two easiest techniques are expansion—spread your name out—and compression—squeeze it together.

Expansion Spreading your name way out disconnects its letters from each other. This breaks whatever pattern may be present and creates a new one—a neat row of dots. The panoramic result conveys a sense of grandeur both understated and elegant. It’s very popular in movie titles. The technique works with almost any typeface; set all caps for the cleanest line.

Compression Conversely, setting your name in a highly condensed typeface, then packing it tightly together, yields a dense, powerful block. This technique is also popular in the movies, because it can convey a massive, overwhelming presence, especially in all caps. At small sizes its dense shape carves a distinctive silhouette that’s easy to work with.

Design a Card

So far, we’ve seen that the letters in a name can form a pattern. The typeface can make or break the pattern. The typeface can impose a pattern of its own. In every case, the typeface also adds meaning. The key to a great logotype is to find a typeface that makes the name look good and conveys the appropriate meaning.

To see this at work, we’ll next set the name on a business card in nine different type faces. The card will give us the added tools of color and layout. We will use only type, with no graphics of any kind. Pay special attention to this, and you’ll see how clearly—and beautifully—type alone can communicate.

Note: A standard U.S. business card is 3.5 x 2 inches. For this demonstration we’ll put the name on the front and ignore the contact info, which in real life would be put on the back.