A few of my blog readers requested that I touch on a few of the topics that I covered in my presentation for the showit freedom tour. So…over the next few weeks I will be posting a few thoughts on branding and seeing your business through a different creative lens.

In this post I want to talk a little bit about getting inspiration FROM your logo. I know the title “get inspiration from your logo” sounds a bit funny. But maybe after reading this you can try looking at your logo in a new way… and maybe even be inspired to try something new. This is my first time trying to describe the process that happens inside of my head… so I hope this makes sense. If it doesn’t just ask questions in the comment section and hopefully I can clarify.

A lot of creative small businesses can get carried away being inspired by OTHER creative businesses. And even get caught up thinking “WOW i wish my branding looked like theirs”. Therefore they end up copying that business’s website, brochure, or business card and just replacing their logo with their own. Well, instead of getting distracted by other’s looks… why not be inspired by your own logo and create your design piece around the shapes and structure of your own logo?!?! Does that idea make sense?

In order to be inspired by your logo… you first need to study it and make note of what you see. Above,  is an example of what I am talking about. The vector image on the left is the current logo.  Instead of looking at the logo for what it is, I studied the shapes in it. I noticed the repeated double lines that extend through the top and the bottom. Look at the shapes your logo makes, the lines, the curves, etc. Notice any consistency or unique features? Does your logo have a frame, letters or numbers twisting or connecting? Just simply observe and take note of your logo for feature inspiration.

On the right, (above image) are the business cards for the business. I notice that the contact information and job title are designed and placed perpendicular to each other. That idea is unique and recognizable…(a layout idea worth taking note of).

Above is an example of what I did with the inspiration of the repeating double lines. After I noted my observation of the double lines, I could picture them as stripes.  Using the same line width as the lines in the logo, I created slanted stripes. I decided slanted stripes have been used before so I thought to take it a step further. Because this is a fashion company logo I  referred to fashion for more inspiration. I fell in love with the way the fabric stripes folded over each other in the skirt shown above…and I was immediately inspired to create a more dynamic texture using this technique. I ended with the overlapping stripe texture that the company can use on thank you cards, website  backgrounds, business cards, or any other print design needs.

So next time you want to revamp a thank you card, website, brochure, pricing sheet, or marketing campaign… You can create a fresh, creative, and consistent branding experience for your clients or potential clients by using your logo as your inspiration. BE UNIQUE, FRESH, AND CONFIDENT IN WHO YOU ARE.

Stay tuned to see my new creation incorporating the rest of the inspiration ideas. Did this make sense?