I'm starting a project with an old friend that is industrial designer.
We normally have conversations that we surprise ourselves of being quite interesting, and people around normally stop other conversations to join ours (and others just walk away, to be honest). We thought it might be a good idea to make a Youtube channel to record this conversations and putting them public so anyone could participate on our debates.
To make this idea come true, as designer, is quite a challenge. I have to create our identity and all the things that are related to it: logotype, profile pictures, banners, intro, etcétera. It's a very exciting opportunity to freely keep developing my branding skills.
The name of the channel is "Balar x Balar" (a Spanish word play of "loose talk", but using the word "bleat" instead, considering us sheeps that belong to a flock... or a mass).
A couple of days ago we recorded our first debate about a topic quite regular, mac vs pc, just to see how we expose our arguments in front of a camera. This is also a good excercise to improve presentation skills.
We've sent the first video to several friends to have some feedback and see what things need improving before starting the channel. We know that everything is not going to be perfect at the beginning, but we want to show some level of quality in our videos so we don't look like amateurs speaking about random stuff.
What started as a logo has become the theme of the brand that represents myself. After having been trying different ways to add depth to the business cards, using the logo I designed to create a pattern was revealing: the logo doesn't work that well to tell all the thing a logo should, but as a theme it's has the right depth, and it's a playful resource.
Designing the business cards are making the rest of the project evolve around them, which I don't see it as a bad thing, but all the opposite: it makes everything else improve. The initial idea was to make different colours for the business cards to give a choice to someone from the beginning, conveying flexibility and interactivity (like someone that listens and offer options)
The blue-green colours I chose for the logo have become the main colours of my branding, but not the only ones. Like I said in the previous post, the blue-green represents my passion for cinematography and cityscapes. But there are other things I like (that's the whole purpose of my branding) that can also be represented through colours. So now there are more colour swatches to choose from:
- Coral/orange colours, the warm choice opposite to the blue-green.
- Purple: It's a colour I always liked and I think it represents how free of prejudices I think I am, not being afraid of using colours other male designers might be. Like explained with the up-side down triangle, I'm not only not afraid of showing my femenine creative side, but I'm also proud of it.
- The almost neon/green colour swatch it's fresh and also represents my interests in sports and exciting activities. I used to film basketball games in the court next to my house, and my shots were liked enough to be contacted by a street team called Streetflavour to go and film with them.
These are some inspirations for the style
How to apply your passion to a logo:
https://www.behance.net/gallery/23496301/Martina-Cavalieri-Personal-Identity
https://www.behance.net/gallery/24464125/Personal-Identity
How to animate something simple effectively: https://www.behance.net/gallery/27102055/Personal-Brand-20-BRANDING
Modernist self branding: https://www.behance.net/gallery/11331703/Branding-Portfolio
Integration of skills: https://www.behance.net/gallery/29066271/Auditori-Self-Branding
Clothing brand pushing boundaries: https://www.behance.net/gallery/11846655/KUSHI-CLTHNG
As research I looked through the book logo: CN railway Canada and Veterans Administration
- What have I learned?No wrong or right. Just hard work that backs up your arguments.
The myth of inspiration. As Picasso said "Inspiration exists, but it has to find us working".
How important is networking.
- What I want to learn?
I'd like to be able to create my own system (a canon, if you like) that allows me to choose colours, typefaces, etc, based on my own style, which I don't know which one it is yet.
- Mistakes
Looking on internet for inspiration (Lord Whitney explained this very well). To avoid this, I tried to come up with my own stuff without having any kind of reference. It's hard to do this, we can't forget how certain things are usually designed (example: currency) but it can result in very original outcomes.
- Strengths. How to improve them?
I think one of my strengths is that I always try to learn something from my mistakes and apply what I learn to future projects. For this, I find very useful to have someone else that can tell me about my mistakes.
I think I am very resourceful, but not enough yet after seeing what Lord Whitney was capable of. I can get more from less if I do more research and I spend more time in exploring alternative ways instead of choosing just 1.
- Weaknesses
Thinking other's work are always better than mine. More self confidence.
Low networking on internet
Haven't gone to many exhibitions
- What have I enjoyed?
Doing work I wouldn't usually do has made me explore new limits.
The little moments when, after hours of work, an ace idea comes through. (and then it wasn't that good... but at least you feel good at first).
See how different people interpret the same things differently.
- Disliked
Nothing really. If I have to mention something... I would have liked to share college with film students.
- Expectations vs reality
I expected challenges, and I have been beaten up. The course is very self demanding.
I offered myself to brand my colleage Connell. I had a chat with him about his personal and professional interests.
He stated a few facts about him. Another colleague that was working with us highlighted that Connell always works with mindmaps. It's actually something very characteristic of him. I combined that feature with the fact that he considers himself a digital designer that could work as a theme.
I thought about computer circuits, as they look like very complex mind maps. Combined with his favourite colour, blue, it acquired a neon futuristic look that he liked. Not only that, but he agreed that the mindmap idea really represents him.
Choosing a typeface, I asked him to make a test to know what kind of typefaces would work for him. But the results weren't great, so I made text keeping in mind how I see him. After that test, and some research into other typefaces, I showed him around 10 different choices. He really liked my selection, and chose one of the typefaces.
Yesterday we had the oportunity to visit the studio Lord Whitney and have a chat with the creative directors: Amy Lord and Rebekah Whitney.
At the end of the presentation they had for us, I had the opportunity to speak to both of them. I asked more about how to identify what's 'my thing'. They were very nice and interested in my concerns and their answers were very helpful.
I told them I am very interested in colour correction for photography and video, and for second year we have to identify our interest to go even further with it... but that didn't look like an interest that can be much developed. Rebekah gave me a very good piece of advise: try to do things that lead you to what you like to do. I never thought about it in that way.
We were also speaking about my experience in uni as a mature student, as well as some experiences they have had in their story.
A very nice experience to learn from that I'd like to repeat.
I see several solutions to this:
- I'd have a white pebble in the pocket. I'd pretend I'm taking it out of the bag. The money-lender would know that's impossible, so he would have to admit he had 2 black pebbles in the bag.
- I'd ask him to show the pebbles before putting them into the bag. If he says no, I'd say if you don't show the pebbles or you have two black pebbles in the bag you will have to forgive the debt.
- The agreement was 1 white pebble and 1 black pebble. If this is different, then the agreement is not taking place.
- I'd ask him: what are the chances for me to get the white pebble? He would say 50%. Then I'd ask again: how? if you have 2 black pebbles in the bag?
