Like Picasso’s drawings of a series of bulls, a good logo projects the image and the theme of a company, even though there are less lines and details. That’s the beauty of good design.
Picasso created “The Bull,” a series of 11 lithographs of a bull over a period of a month, in late 1945. In the early stages, the bull has a snout, shoulder shanks and hooves, but over the iterations, those details vanish. The last image is a curvy stick figure that is still unmistakably a bull. The New York Times reported that Randy Nelson, one of the teachers at Apple University uses the Picasso Bull series to illustrate how Apple approaches design. “You go through more iterations until you can simply deliver your message in a very concise way,” recalled one person who took the course.
Just like Picasso, we believe designs are more effective when they are simple. So how do we take the complex ideas that encapsulate a company and turn them into a simple logo—a logo that is recognizable and easy to understand?
Our process is similar to how Picasso works. We prepare by seeking a deeper understanding of the essence of a client’s company, product or service. For logo design we start with research – online and through client interviews – and uncover the driving force and true mission of the company. We summarize this in a Marketing Strategy Report and present that back to the client for input and approval. Then we begin sketching concepts that are informed by this strategy. Once a logo starts to come into focus, we simplify the image so that it is easy to understand. Like Picasso’s bull, you can still recognize the image and the themes of the company, even though there are less lines and details. That’s the beauty of design. Simple, sleek and yet comprehensive. For a recent example, see the Open Arms logo design.
