The making of the Odessa city visual identity

A promissing idea surfaces.

Researching the concept’s potential.

Preparing the illustration and testing its viability.

It turned out too flirty. Making adjustments.

Adding some more adjustments.

During the process, more visual metaphors appear.

Drafting a presentation.

Art director: No, the shape needs more refinement.

Completing the first phase.

Preparing a presentation.

Working on the text portion. Combing through old magazines and papers for some ideas.

First round.

Preparing the short list.

Approving the third version with the art director.

Meanwhile, picking the signature typefaces.

Showing the logo to a native Odessian, his reaction is: “It’s no damn anchor and no damn heart, it’s a protein bodybuilder with a giraffe-like neck.”

Taking the comment into consideration and re-thinking the form of the logo. Studying anchors and hearts.

Applying corrections.

Fine-tuning.

Art director: I’d like it somewhat brighter.

The “native” comments concerned the text as well. Making alterations.

In the same time, making the calligraphic composition. Trying different hands.

The script is no good: too much drama. Attempting to make the line steady, calm, and confident instead. Done with writing and moving on to drawing.

Scanning and sending to the art director.

Drawing the chosen option.

Art director: Good. But you need to bring “cc” to one size.

Type designer: Same for “ss”? Then D can be fashioned after the Russian version and I can be dressed up with a tail, otherwise, all these vertical lines are plain boring.

Art director: “Ss” does not have to be one size, since it can’t be read as Russian “Ssu,” not a particularly nice word.

Re-doing the “c.”

Art director: The third from top is ok and the first one in English.

Smoothing up some details.

Thinking up extra style elements: the arrows and knots.