Phase 3 is the push/refine stage and includes continual digital application from sketching ideas, presentation of top concepts, and deciding on the top concept. This was the longest phase and there were a couple of rounds of feedback.

In the first round, I presented a digital library and moodboards associated with the brand keywords. For the digital library, I collected vintage and digital fonts, digitized geological notations, and sketched ideas. For the moodboards, I collected images based on the keywords: curious, sprightly, sophisticated, rustic, and bold. I also noted down ideas on a grid, which I learned from a packaging workshop. I also looked at Glasfurd & Walker’s website for further inspiration.

Examples of the digital library – testing ideas

The feedback I got was to look at more digital fonts as it would be more cleaner and match better if my graphics were rustic. I got a list of type foundries and type pairing sites that my mentor uses to check out. One font I had picked out, however, Forta, was one we liked due to its unique shapes. I also got detailed feedback on which moodboard images and it gives me a better direction. Also, I got a list of what to include in my presentation.

Second round of digitizing after feedback
Logo Lockup ideas
Layout sketches

In the second round, I did some more sketches, logo lockup sketches, and digitized 3 concepts (see next blog!). I learned that concepts presented don’t necessarily need to be completely different concepts and could just be different from their fonts and colour. I appreciate how it may be worth having them different or showing different visual variations.

For this round, it was a big learning curve to cycle through sketches and digitizing. It definitely pushed my comfort level, but I felt getting things down digitally gave me a better look at executing things and making decisions from there. I would give myself an 8 due to this learning curve. I found myself spending time on one part versus easily jumping back and forth – but near the end, I could see it’s utility once I got the handle of it! You can visually see all the “mistakes” also digitally and see all the iterations.