Fan To Pro - The Blog of Professional Geekery

Tales from the Ashcan: Proof Identity Design is Important

Merry Christmas!  Right now, you're probably drinking egg nog, cozying around the TV station playing the picture of the fireplace and beating that cousin you don't like and haven't seen in a while at Call of Duty, so you can ignore this.  For the rest of you who aren't, however (read: me), I've got a new Tales from the Ashcan for you.  This month, we're talking about identity design.

As a graphic designer and typographer, one thing that I've really noticed since my great wide entry into the world of comic publishing is exactly how horrifically bad some of the identity design (aka logos) some people have.  Seriously.  Granted, horrific logo design is something you see on a regular basis - it's everywhere.  But I've noticed that it's exceptionally bad in the realm of comic logos.  Without pointing fingers (because that's bad), I can find you within ten minutes some of the most afterthought (if even that much) series logos out there.  Likewise, aside from our own, I can point out what I think are some of the most incredible ones.  While the former are afterthoughts, the latter have clearly been thought out in terms with the scheme of the story, or are intentionally aping a particular style.  The difference between a monstrosity (you can find one within five minutes by looking at any webcomics aggregator) and something as beautiful as the logos for Woody After Hours or Powernap or Delve into Fantasy are immense.

But as a professional, it's even more important to have the proper identity for your business, regardless of whether or not your business is a comic artist, bookseller, travel agenty or coffee shop.  Why?  Well, it can really hit you hard, and I'll give two examples; the first one now, the second after the jump.

Take, for example, a conversation I had one day with an individual who handed me his business card. It was a simple affair, with black and blue ink and looked very sleek and stylish for a technology company. There was just one problem: the gentleman was in the food services industry, something that the average person would not have known by looking at the card. While his logo and branding needed work, the colors and fonts chosen did even more to confuse potential customers, thus making a simple food producer look like a great tech company (which was not even close to his intent.)  I ended up doing a much warmer and more accessible logo for their business, and their business is doing swimmingly.

But I had another customer who had an even bigger issue, and his I'd like to share with you.

Tales from the Ashcan: Someone Else's Words

I actually had planned to write something here today, but got tied up with other stuff, yay, go rest of life.  In any case, I recently came across something I had to share from Erin Ptah, the creator of the webcomic And Shine Heaven Now.  While I don't agree with all of it, I found it interesting enough to share with readers.  Each creator's experience is their own, so take what she reads at face value and remember that not everyone has the same experience.  Lastly, while this obviously pertains to webcomics, it can in many ways apply to other media.

So read on after the jump, and I'll see you next month, hopefully with an interview!

Tales from the Ashcan: Quo Vadis, DC?

Okay, it's time for another session of Tales from the Ashcan, where I give my opinion, and you're stuck with it.  Yay.  Today, I'm going to play David and pick on the Goliath that is DCPorntoonsComics.  I'm really not inclined to be nice about it.

Oh and warning: there will be spoilers.

Tales from the Ashcan: Art - The Lesser Part of the Equation

What, you thought you got rid of me? Nope, told you I'd be back.  So thus, I are starting a new monthly ongoing series, which I've entitled Tales from the Ashcan.  Why?  Well, in animation and artistic terms, the ashcans (officially, ashcan art) are the rough sketches that you do for fun or just for practice, the ones that never really get into the final work.  Nowadays, we'd call them "roughs", "bonus art" or "Dead Piro Days."  

Tales from the Ashcan will be just an ongoing thing as I document Megami Studios' steps going forward in the wide world of being both protaku mangaka and fantrepreneurs with a business.  Sometimes we'll talk about that.  Other times, I may just rant to get something out in the open.  Still other times, I might interview another artist to let them give their points of view on how things are.  And then there will be the days when we just go off piste and I'll let someone else do the talking, as my lovely wife has done today. 

Take it away, Ayne.

Launch or Be Lunch, Day 1 - AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaAAAAaAAAAA!!!: Last Minute Doublechecking

Give me just a second.  I need to get something off my chest.

Launch or Be Lunch, Day 4 - OMGWTFBBQ!: Identity Design

Okay, show of hands!  Who hasn't started working on their webcomic/videogame/book/whatever yet?

Okay, those of you with your hands up, keep them up.  Okay, out of all of you, who already has their logo and stuff ready to go?

Okay, everyone whose hands have dropped, we'll meet you on the other side of the jump.  For the ones who haven't....

....what are you thinking?

Launch or Be Lunch...and Someone's About to Be Lunch.

Just reading on the whole HP thing and completely shaking my head.  On a larger scale, this whole thing is about (in my opinion) a growing problem in Western companies: the need to bet the farm on huge gambles instead of slow and steady but assured money.  The former might net you more, but if you fail, you're screwed; the latter isn't as glorious but it brings in a decent chunk of change. 

But we're going to talk about the shorter end here: it’s rather interesting that if you read the financial news, this is the greatest thing that ever happened to HP; but if you read the tech news, this is a clear and complete failure.

Launch or Be Lunch, Day 13, - Realism vs. Reality vs. Realization vs. Real Estate? (Quick, Come Up With Another Word!)

As we discussed yesterday, research is the key to getting everything right - or at least plausible - in your works.  But in all that, there's a question that should really be asked.

Why?

Or rather, does everything need to be true and accurate in all details?  Yes, it helps to know that the point end of the sword is not the part that you hold, and that the moon is not made of green cheese.  But what it if was?  What if ol' Luna were composed of Swiss? (sorry, couldn't come up with a gouda enough variety).  What if there was air in space?  What if we just threw the book out?

And, of course, it goes without saying that some things just don't mesh well in a realistic setting.

Launch or Be Lunch, Day 15 - Con-Tro-Ver-Sy! (Cue the Prince Music!)

Today we're going to talk about controversy in comics and webcomics, why it can be good and why it can turn around and bite you.  Hard.

Warning: this topic really will likely offend, so if you're the sensitive type, I'm not going to be offended if you skip it.  But if you're willing to chug on, then let's get started.

Launch or Be Lunch, Day 16 - Inspiration is Where You Get It (or Something Like That)

Ah, insipiration, that fickle inspiring inspirative that inspires inspiration.  Yeah, whatever.

The fact is, most of us tend to get our inspiration from what we're exposed to the most.  If you read books, books are your inspiration.  If you watch TV, you get it there.  If you're a cinephile, most of your works will have a cinematic quality.  If you're an otaku, guess what?

Well, I'm here to give you yet another bit of information that will likely annoy the crap out of you and earn me yet more hatred and contempt (just performing a public service, folks!) from all my potential fans.

Stop.  Stop what you're doing now and Get Your Own Damn Idea.