The making of the Saratov tourist logo

Overview   Process   Vector   Real Life  

The phrase “I Enjoy Visiting Saratov” was born in the art director’s head instantly, other alternatives weren’t even considered.

Searching for references and creating the first concepts of the logo.

saratov process 01
saratov process 02
saratov process 03
saratov process 04
saratov process 05
saratov process 06
saratov process 07
saratov process 08
saratov process 09
saratov process 10
saratov process 11
saratov process 12

—Not bad. What if we put the Ф on one side to make it look like a В?

saratov process 13

—Let’s flip the key and make the Е look less like a fork.

saratov process 14

—OK.

Now for the most important part of the project, the presentation. We need to use all the right photos and all that.

Assembling the first presentation.

saratov process 15

—Nope, doesn’t look right. There is no message, no relation to the viewer.

Simultaneously developing the visual identity.

saratov process 16
saratov process 17
saratov process 18

Making changes to the presentation.

saratov process 19

—We need a few billboards with their major features. Like, the conservatory, the Volga River, restaurants, sights. And the bar on the side.

Creating billboards with a more reserved design.

saratov process 20

—The overlay in the one with the theater is too harsh, it looks bad. And it would be best to place the logo in the bottom right corner.

Making corrections. We also need to create a billboard not for a specific event but for advertising Saratov’s restaurants, for example, or something else.

saratov process 21
saratov process 22

—Now that’s interesting.

Showing the logo on different media and assembling the final presentation.

saratov process 23

—OK.

The art director goes to Saratov to demonstrate the logo. The designer stays at home and eagerly waits for the result.

Once back, the art director announces that the approach was deemed too bold by the city administration. And that an agreement was reached for the studio to develop a proper logo for the city, not a tourist one. The art director leaves on an Ethnographic Expedition while the designer continues his work.

The designer really likes the first drafts, but we decide to save them for later.

Other results are less exciting and satisfy neither the designer nor the art director.

saratov process 24
saratov process 25
saratov process 26
saratov process 27
saratov process 28
saratov process 29

Finally, a nice idea gleams. The coat of arms of the city has three silver sturgeons. That’s what we’ll put at the core of our logo.

saratov process 30
saratov process 31
saratov process 32
saratov process 33
saratov process 34
saratov process 35
saratov process 36
saratov process 37
saratov process 38
saratov process 39

—We need to ensure somebody can’t make it look like a bent over old lady with hooves just by rotating it 90 degrees.

saratov process 40

—Let’s go with Number 4.

Demonstrating the use of the logo.

saratov process 41
saratov process 42
saratov process 43
saratov process 44
saratov process 45
saratov process 46
saratov process 47
saratov process 48

Sending the logo to the type designer.

saratov process 49 1
saratov process 49 2

Preparing a presentation.

saratov process 50

The art director approves everything. We are waiting for what will happen next. The city administration in Saratov changes, there is now a new mayor with a new team. So we wait until the things level off.

Finally, a meeting is scheduled. The designer rushes to print out the presentation. The art director takes both the old and the new concepts to the meeting.

Ultimately, the first concept is approved, the one which was seen as too bold by the previous administration. Apparently, the new mayor is more daring, which is something we can applaud.

Sending the logo to the type designer to make the final touches.

saratov process 51 1

The designer doesn’t like the corners on the characters, getting rid of them and making everything look more rough.

saratov process 51 2

—Looks all right, but now we need to make it all a bit thicker.

saratov process 51 3

—Yep, like this.

Working on the key. Assembling the brand book. Creating a pattern to go with the logo.

saratov process 52

Order a design...