LOGO VARIATION #1

So here begins several variations on a logo. My goal here is to spend an hour or two every day for the next week developing various ideas. Each day will either introduce a new direction or build off of an existing one.

Thoughts on variation #1
I like the way the space works. It’s intriguing. My fear is that the “plus” and the “b” are a bit too inferred and don’t have enough immediacy in recognition, though. Also, the feeling here is very clean and structured, almost to the point of being technological or industrial. Not the first thought that comes to mind for my style, but that logic has a place at times. I fear it may be too much. My motivation tends to lean more toward an organic, hands-on roughness.

What do you think?

A Protan’s Lament

I’m partially colorblind.

Call me a protan, to be exact.

I don’t talk about it much. It’s even more rare that I’ll bring it up in conversation, because inevitably the exchange becomes more of an assault of questions – silly ones, like: “What’s the color of this tomato?” or “Can you see the grass?” A protan sees colors, but has difficulty distinguishing certain hues of blues and purples and reds and greens.

I like color.

It can be bright and fun or dull and somber and has the capacity to evoke any number of emotions. Even though it doesn’t come incredibly easily to me, I think color can be one of the most powerful things we experience visually.

For the record: I see colors. And I’m trying to use them more.

I think because I’m partially colorblind my inclination in the past has always been to work primarily in black and white (e.g., the header above this type was saved and uploaded before I even carried a thought of applying color to it). I’m trying to fix that. Working in color is like going to the gym for me. It sucks for a brief moment when you realize you’re that kid with scrawny arms among giants, but if you stick with it you’re pretty happy with yourself in the end. I’m generally happy with my grasp of color. But like lifting weights, there’s definitely room to grow.

Here is some heavy lifting:

Some images of my beautiful sister, on the day of her wedding just three weeks ago. Any suggestions are welcome.

Look to see more implementation of color in the coming weeks.

+60 DAYS TO A NEW IDENTITY..day 1

Hi. My name is Bob. Today, I’m starting a blog, for several reasons.

1 Very soon I will be launching a new identity for myself.

In 60 days to be exact. I’m a photographer. I’m a writer. And I design things. I love stories, and my goal is to communicate with people through them. This new identity will include a fully functional website to host all of the pictures, words, and design that I have created thus far, and, hopefully will continue to create.

2 The new brand will be multidimensional. 

That means there is going to be a lot of thought that goes into the several things it will encompass, most of which I’m still figuring out. The organization, the feel, the design, the concept – everything will be subject to my horrible tendencies toward vacillation and indecision. (More on the multidimensional part later.)

3 I thought you might like to join in the process. 

It’s a good thing to carry people with you through the process of creating something. I’m learning this, slowly. I guess I’m figuring out that art forms are just more tangible when people can get involved with them at the creation stage. My goal is to make a really good thing here – not just for myself, but for my clients and for people in general. Really good things don’t just arrive. They get messed up, they get thought through, they get tried again, and then tried again and again. Here’s my invitation to you, to join in that process.

A FEW NOTES

Major thanks to Cary Norton for 1) being an incredibly talented photographer, and 2) in a stroke of inherent genius (perhaps disguised in mild harassment) dubbing me “plusbob” the first time I assisted him at a wedding. That day, I shamelessly imposed myself on his wedding photography routine, and now, after sifting through dozens of potential directions for a new domain, I’ve settled on it. My reasoning for this I won’t divulge just yet. I have great ideas stirring. More explanation of the arithmetic soon to come.

Check back. I’ll be sharing ideas, images, sketches, regularly.
Projected launch date: Sept. 1, 2008

peace,
+bob