Vanderpol

In this post, we are going to talk about the logo design of Inexor Integration. You can see here the final result, but first we will start with answering multiple questions to funnel the project.

Who is the client and what are they doing ?

Inexor Integration is a London Based company, specialized in bringing seamless add-ons for EPiServer CMS, like Flash video management, on-the-fly translator and many others.

Values of Inexor Integration

Technology, internet, specialists, innovation.

The target group of Inexor Integration?

B to B. Prospect customers using Episerver technology and willing to enhance their possibilities with the tool.

Communication formats

The future logo will be used in both print (business cards, 200 cm * 80 cm roll ups, …) and on digital media (website).

Obs : the printer companies uses laser technologies. So we do not have as much constraints as on traditional separate colors print. Though, the logo should work in colors as well as black and white.

Initial research

Basically, Inexor Integration is about integrating new tools into Episerver CMS. Since I did not have any graphic profile to rely on (since I had to create it) I decided to look at the definition.

So I asked Google and wikipedia…

• System integration, the process by which smaller pieces of software are brought together to form a larger piece of software that was designed to solve a problem
• Digital integration, in computer science, allows data from one device or software to be read or manipulated by another, resulting in ease of use; see also XML

Various synonyms of “integrate”: recombine, bind, incorporate, coordonate.

Initial sketches

The verb “Incorporate” immediately speaks to me: given that the name “INEXOR Integration” contains twice the letter “i”, there must be something to do with them… like integrating them with one another.

Here we have the very first notes, from my sketchbook :

I wanted to propose several different tracks:

• Metaballs, like in 3D softwares, conveying organic and symbiotic values
• A cube displayed in perspective
• Jigg-saw puzzle pieces, that portrays complementary components (though not so original)
• A rubik´s cube (the many faces, though seamless integration)
• Two interlaced “i” letters, with the dot chopped, that symbolise the perfect harmony between the elements

Taking it further

The next step is to take further the initial inspiration and sketches. We are not talking yet about the color scheme because a logo must work first in B&W. If you are already confused and need some theory advice about logo creation, it can be a good start reading “45 rules for creating a Great Logo Design“, Smashing Magazine , and to inspire from pros, for instance on PSDtuts+. There are many logo galleries on the net, like logoPond or logoMoose. Taschen publishes also nice books on logos, with hundreds of time-standing logo design.

So, in this step, we have to answer questions like : How rounded should be the logo ? How sharp should be the edges ? Precise ? Blury ? Abstract ? Photorealistic ? Etc.

Since we are dealing here with technology, computers, plug-ins, my opinion is that edges should be sharp, contrast strong, lines should be clear. We surely precision, stability, clarity,  expected behaviors, in such a product.

So, references like X-box, Norton anti-virus, Mozilla, or computer brands could be used as references.

Rendering and fonts

The clients asked for 8-10 propositions to choose from, so I took illustrator to draw the best concepts I had. While tracing the vectors in Illustrator and playing around with some of the shapes, I came with extra ideas, like some constructivist / bauhaus (2nd row, 2 nd column), or a pair of bubbles containing the word “in”.

Also, I have made a selection of fonts to enhance the technology feeling.

Regarding fonts

The client got really enthusiastic about the bottom left one, but he did not liked the technology fonts and wanted something more traditional. So we ended choosing Myriad Pro.

Black and white rework

I was not totally satisfied with the black and white logo. The shape was OK, contrasts too, but it lacked a real sense of depth (left picture), and of interest. The shape was too obvious. It is two elements, two “i” letters, without the dot.It was not unpleasing, but not eye catchy either.

So I decided to add some dropped shadows (simulated by adding an extra black line here and there in Illustrator), and to add some slight gradients and light variation, using gradient and gradient mesh (right rendering).

The lights effetcts are making the logo much more dramatic.

Color Scheme

My issue about the color scheme was to have a logo color scheme the would go over a website header with a different color, since Inexor Integration will offer several products, with a similar template, but with color declination. So I made some test in Photoshop, with different levels of opacity and colors, using mainly very vivid greens or blues.

Greens and blues, though dull and flat on low saturation can remind of agriculture like “John Deer”. On the contrary, they are often used in technologies with halos, higlights and strong saturations (Xbox, Microsoft logo, Apple OS, sci-fi movies, Adobe icons, …). So I have followed that path and experienced with different schemes and layer mode.

As you can see in this diagram, the most intelligent decision would be to choose between 1 or 4 for easyness to transpose unto a header, by simply creating a logo with transparency and save it as PNG-24, because for the website integration the logo will be a separate image, and not included in the header picture itself… so 2 and 3 are discarded.

Final rendering

The logo was supposed to be a standalone, or to be accompanied with the brand´s name.

So here we have the declination of the theme over black, white, or colors.

Here is the final version, with have an extra glow for digital media, but the glow will be removed on print material (as seen in the black picture above), to avoid “dirty” or blury area around the logo.

I hope this post has been useful to you. If you are curious about it, I will talk about the webdesign work done for Inexor Integration in another post.

Stay tuned !

Related posts:

1. Webdesign case study #03
2. Inexor Case study
3. Inexor integration version 2 is live !
4. KonfaStockholm webdesign case study
5. Week inspiration #08

Tags: Logo case study

This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 25th, 2009 at 17:18 and is filed under Logo case study. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.