The making of the PayAnyWay payment service logo

The first idea, born five seconds after receiving a task: diversity and a little bit of menace.

The art director likes the approach, but notes that it doesn’t bring out the name’s full potential. Then we’ll make it about roads.

The art director points out that playing with road signs is considered bad manners. Maybe branch it up?

The art director thinks this is about winter sales. Yoga?

Not waiting for a response, it’s obvious. Getting a new idea—a box accepting any kind of money.

The art director thinks it lacks a narrow slot.

The art director rejects the idea of a box altogether. Together with this one.

It’s time to make use of the name’s graphic potential: three three-lettered words, all with Ys at the end.

The one with tails is ok. Trying to arrange it vertically. (Can’t forget the cube.)

Collecting other variations on the theme. Coming to the idea of a three-armed Y.

The art director suggests putting three Ys together. (Can get forget the tails.)

A collection of Chinese tea pavilions and patterns made of Ys.

With a subtle movement of his hand, the art director moves the upper Y down, and a tea pavilion turns into a logo. The type designer creates letters that go well with the Ys: capital and lowercase.

Capital letters win. Sending the logo to the client.

The manager gets the answer: the client likes the three-armed Ys and the text portion, but doesn’t like the abundance of colors and associations with the metro map and chemical formulas. Trying to get rid of the chemistry.

Not good. Simply separating the Ys. Replacing nine colors with three that don’t match the Moscow metro color palette.

Bingo. The client is satisfied. The art director asks to make the colors less girly. A boy designer finds new colors.

The client asks to bring the girly colors back. Together we agree that there will be many cheerful color combinations in order not to get stuck with one.