This first wordmark was designed for house painter, Noel Devereux. By rotating the E, part of his name transforms into a paintbrush with colorful strokes extending beyond the margins. Through this playful typographic design, Noel is able to brand himself not only as creative, but also professional. The use of a sans serif font, as well as the juxtapositions of color, give it a modern look.

It’s only fitting that the Victorian and Albert  art & design museum in London would have an attractive wordmark. I love their use of negative space and how the end of the ampersand fits as the crossbar of the A. It’s a great example of minimalist design, since the rest of the A doesn’t even need to be filled in. The exclusion of color gives the museum an elegant persona, acting as a symbol of status in the art world. I also think the serif font combined with the simple design shows that the museum is rooted in tradition but still understands contemporary art and design.

The wordmark above is representative of Michael Roth, an independent consultant. After scrolling through hundreds of wordmarks on a particular website that I came across, this one specifically stuck out to me. The color struck me right away. It was bold enough to stand out from other work marks, but not overpowering to the point where its design turned me off. I felt that the text led me in the way it was supposed to due to the kerning choices that were used. The kerning was slight enough that it allowed me to see the overall image (the letter m) first, then leading my eyes to the individual r that came after. Finally I understood the entire meaning of the wordmark by reading the full name printed underneath. I think I was so attracted to this wordmark initially because it was bold enough to grab my attention while still staying simple enough to the point where it looked professional.

When I first came across this wordmark for the company eight, I had to take a second glance. Immediately the number “8” jumped out at me because my eyes focused on the first two characters coming together as one image. However, after staring at the wordmark for a little I saw the bigger picture. The letters e, i, g, h, and t were all formed out of the numerical version of 8. While the letters are not the first thing my eyes were initially attracted to, I was able to understand the meaning immediately. I like how this wordmark made me think. The way in which the number 8 is cut to make the letters and the way each letter is positioned is what made this wordmark so interesting to me.

1. 

Lowercase and capital letters were used unconventionally in the wordmark above, which initially caught my eye.  The mix of the lowercase and uppercase letters and the sans serif font gives the store a young vibe which is consistent with its target audience–young teenagers looking for cheap buys. The lowercase “o” in the raise position over the “L” gives the viewer a sense that it is the degree symbol, and -5 degrees is pretty “cool.” The store does not sell anything above $5, so the actual meaning of the wordmark is consistent with the store’s mission.

2. 

This second wordmark is a well-known company around campus. In terms of the kerning, because the letters are all connected and bold, it gives the name strength, which is an important attribute for backpacks that are often heavy. Dropping the “J” and “S” down further than the rest of the wordmark separates the words and makes it easier for the reader to recognize the name. JanSport’s mission states that they are interested in “the discovery of fun, freedom and adventure.” As their mission, including “sport” in their name is beneficial because it attracts sporty, athletic people that are also keen on discovering new things and going on adventures.

Sarah Graham