Michael Boren: Logo Project

Design Strategy (including Choice of Marks/Use of Space)

I wanted a logo that would indicate my interest in being a writer for running events (such as marathons, cross country meets, etc), so I created a runner at the end of my first name. I made lines and increased their weight to 4 pt for the arms and legs. I connected two lines and rotated their angles on the right arm and leg to indicate a running motion. I used the ellipse tool to create a round head for the runner. By separating the arms and legs from the runner, I allowed the “L” in my first name to still be a part of the name while also symbolizing a runner. I put my contact info close to and directly below the runner’s legs, so the moving legs would lead down to it. The contact info is also aligned horizontally with my last name to keep consistency and to keep the contact info close to the legs. I chose to not use a left arm for the runner, since it would have been hidden behind the “e” in my first name.

Typeface Choice

I used the humanist sans-serif typeface Lucida Grande in the whole project because of its simple look. I needed a typeface that didn’t have the finishing strokes of serif fonts. That way, the “L” at the end of my first name could just be a straight line that makes a letter but also makes a stick-figure body for the runner. The straight lines of Lucida Grande also look similar to the straight lines of the arms and legs used to make the runner. Additionally, Lucida Grande was clearly readable as a large font for my name and small font for my e-mail address and phone number. The kerning in my name was tightened to make my name a stronger symbol.

Color

I used dark black on the “L” in the end of my first name to emphasize that the letter was also still part of my name. That way it doesn’t get confused for just being a runner’s body and not a letter. I used the same dark black for the “M” in my first name so the “L” wouldn’t stand out awkwardly alone. Darkening the first and last letters in my first name also creates more consistency. The rest of my name is a lighter tint of black, so the “L” could stand out as the runner’s body and still be part of my name. I also used that same lighter tint for the runner’s head, arms and legs to create a consistency of colors. This consistency links both my name and the runner together.