Ligature Logos

Ligature Logo Project: Ayesha Hussain

Date: 11/30/16

What is a ligature logo?

A ligature logo can consist of a symbol, graphic, or text to intrigue or catch the attention of a viewer or client. These logos primarily represent a brand, company, or seller. The more well-known brands have been so established that they do not even need to include their name anymore because their logo has become a household figure and is very recognizable; some examples include McDonalds, NBC, Apple, and Nike. Logos can appear on store signs, ads, or even shoes (Nike’s check).

How would describe the corporate identity of ESMA in 5 words?

I would describe ESMA as unique, dedicated, focused, purposive, and thoughtful. It focuses on the musical industry and it has been a part of Epic Records which has been around for years, so it is consistent and determined in the industry. It was created to serve a particular service so it is thought-out and purposive.

Which logo out of the two do you feel is the strongest and why?

I like both because the font choices are similar in the sense of its “lines” components that correlate with the musical world as in a “tremble clef” or “musical strings” possibly. The font really cooperates with the identity of the company. I think my first one is stronger because the technique of removing certain strokes and filling certain parts with the live paint bucket tool were more advanced techniques then others I used in previous designs. The black and white version reminded me of a typical music sheet that musicians read notes off of and the color version of the same one incorporated a vibrant shade of orange that showcases the vibrancy of the music and company label ESMA.

If you had no requirements or restrictions how would your logo look different?

If I had no requirements I would have definitely incorporated more colors into my designs. Sometimes, I think color can speak over the actual font or symbol. Also, I think the way color combinations are portrayed have an influence on the catchiness of the overall visual appearance. For example, NBC’s rainbow color uses a range of color which makes it memorable and unique to the eye— not only adults and typical viewers can remember it for its shape or vibrancy, but possibly bright colors like that might attract the eye of the youth.

Explain which ligature techniques you have demonstrated on each logo:

I have used the remove the stoke techniques to align the letters more accordingly. I have added strokes to make the letters and overall appearance more complete. Also, I have used the shape-build property to effectively combines shapes and letters, the knife tool to cut, and I even used the twirl tool to add extra flare by creating embellishments such as “fly-away” extended lines. I also lowered the opacity in some designs to draw attention to the shape of the letters rather the color and used the follow the white line technique to enhance the visual effect and flow of one letter to the other