The making of the Tuva mineral water logo
Client: We are going to produce mineral table water from Tuva mountain sources under the brand Tuva. The water will come in plastic bottles conveniently shaped for holding in hand. At the same time we want to position ourselves closer to the premium segment.
The well and the plant are located in a picturesque mountainous region of Tuva with untouched nature, complete with taiga and mountain tundra. Surrounded by the Sayan mountains it is abundant in beautiful lakes and deer can be often seen in the area. The local population herds reindeer, they live in raw-hide tents. In the winter, the temperature can reach −50°C.
First designer: This is what I have for now: a mountain reflected in a lake, plus one can also see a T and an A if they try. Should I develop this further?
![tuva process 01](tuva-process-01.gif)
Art director: This is B-class.
First designer: This is B-class.
![tuva process 02](tuva-process-02.gif)
Art director: Not bad but more appropriate for a makeup brand.
Second designer: Whoosh.
![tuva process 03](tuva-process-03.jpg)
Art director: Too simple.
Third designer: A drinking deer plus the Sayan mountains in the counterform.
![tuva process 04](tuva-process-04.gif)
Art director: Not bad. What if you make the mountains more noticeable and the deer secondary?
Third designer: Or tree antlers.
![tuva process 05](tuva-process-05.gif)
Art director: Sure, and stick a thermometer showing −50°C in his ass.
Fourth designer: Maybe, we can use national Tuva ornaments and patterns? Although it won’t be easy to create an English version of each of them. Worth looking into? Or does it look like Russian Kvas written in old Russian script?
![tuva process 06](tuva-process-06.gif)
Art director: It’s too much.
Fourth designer: Here’s another design with mountains and ornamental letters.
![tuva process 07](tuva-process-07.gif)
Art director: Hello 1960s!
![tuva process 08](tuva-process-08.jpg)
Art director: What does it have to do with reindeer herders?
Fourth designer: Here’s another logo with ethnic features: mountains, rivers, deer. A nice emblem for a bottle cap. The name can be easily written in English.
![tuva process 09](tuva-process-09.jpg)
Art director: That’s better.
![tuva process 10](tuva-process-10.gif)
Art director: This goes in the short list.
Fifth designer: First ideas.
![tuva process 11](tuva-process-11.jpg)
Art director: Nope.
Fifth designer: More sketches: a T-reflection-source-corkscrew and a T-deer.
![tuva process 12](tuva-process-12.gif)
Art director: A corkscrew. No.
First designer: What about this?
![tuva process 13](tuva-process-13.jpg)
Art director: Not bad, but you have to get rid of the sanitary pad and the ciliate.
First designer: This any better? I can also generate patterns from these elements.
![tuva process 14](tuva-process-14.jpg)
Art director: Just make sure it doesn’t read Tuvalu. You can combine it with Yaroslav’s idea.
First designer: Combined with Yaroslav’s letters.
![tuva process 15](tuva-process-15.jpg)
Art director: I can’t see the lake.
First designer: What about this?
![tuva process 16](tuva-process-16.jpg)
Art director: OK, but the deer is too dorky.
![tuva process 17](tuva-process-17.jpg)
Art director: Maybe the deer can drink from the lake?
First designer: Different antlers.
![tuva process 18](tuva-process-18.jpg)
First designer: Or maybe the striped deer is too strange? Here it is without stripes.
![tuva process 19](tuva-process-19.jpg)
Art director: The one with stripes looks like a chipmunk. I don’t like that the water looks like sea. Let’s go with a mirror surface of the lake reflecting the deer.
First designer: One with ripples and one smooth.
![tuva process 20](tuva-process-20.jpg)
Art director: 11.
First designer: Here, I improved the reflection.
![tuva process 21](tuva-process-21.jpg)
Art director: OK.