The making of the Unlim 500+ festival logo

Piling up the sketches. We need something about speed and competition but without the traditional images of wheels, speedometers, etc.

Art director: Nope, it’s all crap. Keep on thinking.

So maybe something heraldic, with a symmetrical composition? Two additional meanings appear here: tire tread and a crown.

Art director: The crown isn’t easily readable and high performance cars use totally different tires.

Studying tire treads for semi-racing cars: slick and semi slick tires. Making tread pattern more complicated.

Art director: That’s all right, looks rich.

Showing to the client and getting back a detailed reply.

Trying another approach: also on the topic of coats of arms and symmetry, only this time with a different material, gouache.

Art director: No, it makes it look like it’s some sort of mud racing.

Inviting the second designer to join in and continue the search.

The client sends his comments.

Thinking further.

Settling on three alternatives.

Client: We like numbers two and three. Let’s choose a shield now.

Developing the idea and exploring the alternatives of its interpretation.

Client: Doesn’t match the character of the event. It lacks seriousness and expensiveness.

Taking a step away from the concept and trying to work with the number 500.

Nope, doesn’t work. Getting back to the coat of arms and diving into heraldry.

More designers join in to think about the idea behind the logo. It’s a competition of cars with 500+ hp. Each race has two drivers competing in two cars. Two riders, if you will. One on one. Just like jousting. What if we use the image of a horseman? Trying on the Pahonia shield.

There can be something here. Exploring further.

Taking a step away from the concept.

We got it! The lance as an arrow of the speedometer-sun!

It all comes together. Assembling the presentation.

Client: We’ll take it.

Part II