Logo Review and Redesign for Web Design :: Curriculum

Web Page Design Model

Units:

Logo Review and Redesign for Web Design

Part of Unit: Intro to Art Theory and Fundamentals

Lesson Plan Overview / Details

Logos can evoke immediate associations with companies or specific products. Organizations and corporations use logos to identify themselves and set up brands. A logo should be unique, functional, and versatile. In this project, students evaluate sample logos and discuss color theory and design principles used in the logos. Students will plan, create, and build a logo for use in other publications, such as business cards, menus, or advertisements. Students review file formats, resolution, and image size and select appropriate settings for a variety of final product scenarios.

The instructor introduces the concepts of review and redesign. Through class discussion, students define review and redesign. Students develop class definitions and discuss steps or questions that will help in redesigning a product or logo. Students review their own work in reference to their goals, intentions and design constraints. Students will complete a final/redesigned product or logo for presentation to the class.

This is lesson 3 of 3 lessons. Lesson 1 is “Planning a Logo for Web Design,” and Lesson 2 is "Building a Logo Using Adobe Illustrator."

Lesson Time

: 90 - 135 Minutes

Standards

California Career and Technical Education Standards

California Academic Content Standards (Reinforced)

ELA.9-10.R.CAGT.2.4 Synthesize the content from several sources or works by a single author dealing ...32
ELA.9-10.R.CAGT.2.5 Extend ideas presented in primary or secondary sources through original analysis...3

Objectives and Goals

Students will create storyboards of their proposed redesign changes to create new logos
Students will identify the audience and audience needs for a web site
Students will demonstrate knowledge of redesigning logos by presenting recreated storyboards to the class

Activities in this Lesson

What is Redefining a Logo - Hooks / Set
As students enter the class, give them the handout "Logo Design Principles."

Show students examples of print, web, and video-based logos. Discuss with students the types of design principles used in these logos. You can use either of these web sites for details of these logo design principles:

www.allgraphicdesign.com/logo.html#tips

www.grantasticdesigns.com/logos1.html

Ask students. "Using your logo design principles worksheet , define each design principle as we review the definition. This will be important information when you will be conducting the redesign portion of this lesson of logos"

As you introduce each principle, allow students time to fill in their worksheets. At the conclusion of the discussion, select a few students to share their documents and explain why the logo they chose represents a particular design principle. Some principles to cover include:

• Emphasis/contrast (focal point)

• Proximity/groupings

• Balance

• Alignment

• Harmony/proportion

• White space

• Repetition

• Color
- Logo Design Principles Worksheet.doc [ Download ] Worksheet-Logo Design Principles
- Logo Design Principles Worksheet [ Download ] Worksheet- Logo Design Principles PDF
What and Why Redesign a Logo - Lecture
Explain to students, “You will need to prepare multiple versions of your logos for use in color and in black-and-white printed documents, as well as for use on the web and in videos.” Discuss with the class, “Image optimization and the importance of file formats are key points when creating and saving your logos.”. Discussion topics might include:

• The difference between printed and on-screen images (inches versus pixels, size variation, scaling versus resampling, and ink dots versus RGB values)

• Image resolution (such as pixels versus inches; ppi and dpi for printing, pixels for the web, and line screen frequency for commercial printing)

• Preserving image quality when manipulating images

• File formats (such as GIF, JPEG, TIFF, EPS, and PDF)

Note: In discussing file formats, it may be helpful to identify the best file formats for the web (JPG, GIF, PNG), for photos (PSD, TIFF, JPG, PDF, DICOM, large document format), for commercial printing (TIFF, EPS, PDF, PSD, DCS), for video (PSD, TGA, PICT), and for PowerPoint/Word (PNG).
Logo Review and Design Principles - Demo / Modeling
Pass out the Review and Redesign Logo worksheet to each student. Explain to the class, "You will complete the worksheet by answering the questions to each of the four categories; meeting initial goals, requiring new goals, reflecting good design principles, and planning redesign changes." Furhter explain, "The questions on this worksheet will help you think about reviewing and redesigning your logo."

Instruct students, "First you will select the person, group, or organization that you will create their logo for and brainstorm a set of words and goals that best describe that person, group, or organization. Next, you will determine a design principle that you can use to evoke descriptive words as you sketch concepts for this logo on paper (review section 4), and finally you will record your initial goals on the Review and Redesign Logo worksheet."

Allow students time to prepare their logos for their web site.
- Review and Redesign of Logos Worksheet.doc [ Download ] Worksheet-Review and Redesign of Logos
Logo Review and Design Principles-Continued - Check Understanding
Define "Redesign" by asking students, "What do you think it means to redesign your logo?" If time permits ask students to use various resources such as books and the Internet, in addition to brainstorming definitions fo the word "redesign."

To find more Internet information on redesign and the design process, some helpful search keywords are redesign cycle and design process

One rational to discuss with the class about the reasoning behind "redesigning of a logo" is, 'Remember that designers reflect on their work and subsequently redesign to improve their work. This is why it is important you understand the review and redesign principles for a logo. Furthermore, this is why you completed the worksheet, Review and Redesign Logo and redefined your goals and ideas for a logo."
Preparing a Logo - Guided Practice
Display the following web site on the overhead http://kuler.adobe.com

If possible, have students locate this web site on a computer working in pairs.

Ask students, "Explore the color schemes posted on Kuler web site. Select your favorite color scheme and articulate where you might use such a color scheme with your logo and web site. Also note why it is useful for that purpose.

Share the findings with the class and discuss colors, logos and their importance on a web page
Creating a Logo - Independent Practice
Explain to the class, "Each of you will present three logos to the class and include the following in your presentation"

• Your design decisions in creating each logo and the rationale for preparing the images for each medium (web, print, video), including the file type, size, and resolution for each version and situation.

• Explain any of the changes you made during the review and redesign stages including goal changes.

• Share wth the class what you learned from this project and what you want to learn next.
Review Redesign Principles of a Logo - Closure
Upon completion of the assignment, have student display their logo to the class following the guidelines stated in the Independent Practice section.

Review with the class image optimization and the importance of file formats are key points when creating and saving your logos

Review with the students the following redesign logo principles: Emphasis/contrast (focal point), Proximity/groupings, Balance, Alignment, Harmony/proportion, White space, Repetition, and Color