Your Corporate Identity Symbol

We've spent a bit of time looking at the many different Corporate Identity Symbols that are currently being used in different areas of business. Now it's time to create one for our own graphic design firm.

One of my ideas.

Your Assignment

You are a new graphic designer, fresh out of college, and ready to take on the world. But before you can go out and start selling your design skills, you need to develop a symbol that identifies you and your company. You will produce 3 different ideas for your symbol and place them on a 8.5x11" document. Each symbol must be a combination of a Glyph (simplified image) and a Logo (Phonic Name). Your Glyph must be an abstraction of a graphic design tool (like a T-square). Think about basic color schemes for your design.

• Complimentary
• Split-Complimentary
• Triadic
• Monochromatic
• Analogous

Procedure:

1. Start by making preliminary sketches or thumbnails on white drawing paper. These don't have to be highly detailed, but should allow you to quickly explore different ideas.
2. Use the "Grid" or "Guidelines" to help you construct your glyph. With the snaps on, the "Polygonal Lasso Tool" will make defining areas easy.
3. Consider the use of "Gradient Fills" to create the illusion of curved objects.
4. Use "Layer Styles" to raise text and create outlines.
5. Select an appropriate font for you logo and integrate it with the glyph.
6. Create a symbol that will work well when enlarged or reduced. Avoid very small text.
7. Create each symbol as a separate Photoshop file.
8. Document your progress on your blog.

Refer to my presentation, Creating a Corporate Identity Symbol,For your Graphic Design Company.