Recently I wanted to create a logo for my own graphic novel I've been working on. I have a background in design, graduated with a design degree even, so I figured I'd put my knowledge to use on my own stuff.
At first I hadn't decided what it was that I wanted, not a good start but I had something I created awhile back for the same property.
Needless to say, it was messy but at least a starting point. What I liked about it was the heart. So that's where I started.
I created about four to five different logos based off of several heart designs but I couldn't get over the fact that the heart just wasn't working.
I went full on gimmicky by putting the heart where the O in Love is but it looked more like a love story. It was at that moment that I knew I had to start fresh to avoid people thinking this was a love story between two siblings.
With that I went with a different approaches, at first there was the "I'm a comic strip" look. Something that resembled the Peanuts logo. I really liked the look of it but after playing around with the colors of it I decided that it didn't fit the genre of the book I was telling. Keep in mind that this is supposed to be a story about a young teen girl who finds her brother is still alive and kind of zombie-like. It has action, horror, and bits of witty dialog. Something that the Peanuts logo wasn't going to offer me.
Then I started doing some research on some logos that I liked and fit with the genre of what I was going for.
The story takes place in the 90s, in a small city like my hometown. So I looked for movie logos that were in the late 80s and early 90s. Movies like Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, to Beetlejuice and Nightmare on Elm Street.
One of my favorite movies was Reservoir Dogs. Taking a look at that logo, it's so basic so I figured I'd start back with the basics. At this point I'm working backwards.
I created two more designs and I liked how the two O's made an 8. Now, there is NOTHING in the story about the number 8 so maybe it could mean infinity? Maybe it could be that her brother is undead and is "living" forever? Maybe these two logos are dumb and just not going to work...yeah, that's it.
I went to movies that influenced me as a kid and were easily recognizable.
I started thinking what is it of these that stuck out to me and when I remembered how much of an effect Evil Dead had on me as a kid...yes, as a kid. I took that as my first real leap towards my logo. I loved how it was spaced yet snug. I love the sharp effect it has, like a blade had cut through it. Even the movie itself was probably the closest thing I had to the mood I wanted for my story. Horror with elements of comedy, mystery, and action.
BAM! I did it, I made it, I really liked the look of it. This is what I was wanting. No hearts, no daggers or swords, a story told through the letters themselves. Wait...it's not quite there yet. I don't want just a plain black logo nor a plain white one. I want it to stand out without looking too gimmicky. No gradients though, and no 90s pink neon. I needed something more.
Now, I don't know if any of you remember this but as a kid, this was the biggest deal to me. How did they create that HBO opening back in the 80s/90s? As a kid, I always wondered how it was done and about 20 years later I found out how and it wasn't easy.
I played around with the letters a bit more, to get that squished look, to fit it all together snuggly.
Then I gave it a green stroke outline, to give it that Goosebumps feel. That green color has a "Spooky" look to it without screaming out that it's gorey.
I wanted to see how it'd look on a black background though and kind of gets lost, loses that feeling I was wanting. So I added a bit of the neon green anyway to help it pop a bit more.
A little inner glow to really bring out the greens! I was getting really excited at this point as it was finally starting to get somewhere. It started to really have that throwback feel to it.
Screw it I said, let's go full on neon! Let's give it a bit more color!
The moment was upon me. I was working for so long on this logo to get it just right. Something that tells me what it's about without feeling too gimmicky or too plain. Something that stands out on it's own. I zoomed out and saw it. It all it's glory and a smile whips across my face. Just as quickly as the smile was there, it went away. I sat there looking at it thinking "No, no no no I don't want to start over on this again." I can't use that, I can't use this as my logo, it looks too close to a show I really love. A show that just so happens to be based in the 80s. A show that is equal parts horror, comedy, mystery, and action. A show that speaks to my inner child. Everyone is going to think I copied the Stranger Things logo.
I sat on it for a day, laughing at myself for basically recreating the Stranger Things logo unintentionally. I lied in bed, looking at the logo on my phone thinking, I really like how it looks. With a few minor changes I think it'll be perfect.
So instead of hiding from it, I embraced it. So I did.
The next day I made some small modifications to it and got it to where I wanted it.
A logo that I love, and one that pulls from my favorite things as a kid. Getting back in contact with my inner child and creating something that interest myself.