The making of the Smena corporate identity
Overview Process
Warming up.
Art director: Funny. Let's try to bend some more stuff.
The concept is nailed. Exercising on bending pans, coins, rolling pins.
Not so great. A bent I-beam should do it.
Modeling an I-beam and forcing it into a shape with some graphic tools.
Preparing a presentation for the customer.
This process yields to some future signature elements.
The customer likes it all. Happy, we move on to the next phase: typeface and the center navigation.
Searching for the proper face.
At the same time, developing the navigation.
The center is divided into several zones, each dedicated to a different target result, which must be clearly reflected on the map.
Selecting the right chart.
Art director: This’s is too Excel-ish, people look at this stuff all day long. We need something more cheerful.
Drawing caricature people.
Does not work. Looking for something in the style of Japanese capsule hotels.
We even ventured as far as this:
The benefits of each zone are now clear.
Transfering it to the map.
Art director: 3D brings some interest, but it’s still pretty dull. Where are the windows?
Designer: Um...
Art director: Nope.
Designer: Like this?
Art director: Trim it leaner.
Art director: Simplify.
Art director: It’s close, but still under “ok.”
Leaving the map alone for right now and moving to the room itself.
Art director: Color-coding is right, but the look is too heavy.
Drawing other navigation elements along the way.
Presenting the work to the artistic director.
Artistic director: It’s shit.Designer is... surprised. Back to work.
The Designer realizes he’s looking for a switch in a dark room and can’t find it.
Changing the “hand.”
Doing some online research and visiting fitness centers to see how it works face-to-face.
Designer: I’ve roughly sketched the main chart here.
Art director: It’s shit.
Keep looking for the identity concept.
I’m working on it...
Designer: Here.
Art director: Better, but still shit.
Searching for the room navigation solution.
Coming up with some promo goods and preparing a presentation.
Customer: Ok.
Making the final result ten times greater, typesetting the class schedule, refining the navigation, and thinking up door plates.
Typesetting the style manual.
