It’s another Saturday and another challenge of digital creations! This week was a rough one. I had some tough real life things going on and I spent far too many hours trying to figure out what to do. I really need to dig out my old design books to better study logo creation because I honestly think the last two weeks would go better with some real theory and study on creation.  I also think it’s a lot easier to make a logo for something that is not intrinsically “you” like I did this week.  I have more work to do to create a long-term logo, but I feel like I am off to a good start.

I am certainly looking for further ideas.  You all read my blog. Let me know if something “feels” right!

I went through a bunch of different ideas before I even hit the software. This is generally a lost cause for me since my ability to draw is negligible and honestly I work better in software than going from outside in. I at first wanted to play off the “Ozma” theme that I base my name off of and clearly that means emeralds. However,r nothing quite worked right. I’d still love to bring some emerald-green in to play some way, but at this time that’s still a “want” and not a “success story”.

To make the logo, I went straight to my new wonder software, Adobe Illustrator. I really need learn this software better to fully comprehend the wide range of tools it gives me. It’s the end all be all of my world for anything with letters, and I love that it is vector based as well.  That’s key for logos as you can size up and down without losing integrity.  Back in the day when I started doing stuff, that wasn’t even an option.

The final logo I originally made with a split complimentary color scheme of purple, green, and yellow.  However, I ended up simplifying it down to this pink to purple color scheme through inverting my colors. Everything is tonal and I actually love the colors.

To make the bursts, whatever they are, I discovered by accident a brush that came stock.  This was after I spent an hour searching the web for brush options. Figures. The good news is now know how to find and add brushes! I then used the paint tool and plopped them down at random.

I saved two logos, the name only and the one with the tag line.  I’ve been debating changing from “Journey” as it’s been nearly four years and my life is so different now.  It’s still a journey, and I still have my Journey, however I like to mix it up from time to time here.  Also, my crew (the kids, not the car) are getting older and so I know that will need to change soon.

I then moved to InDesign to create printables.  I’ve only used this software once before and I’m fairly lost.  There are aspects that work easily enough to someone that’s been around the computing world as often as me, but I feel like I need to get more under the hood of this bad boy.

I slapped down my name-only logo and used the matching font to the tag line for my personal information.  No, I didn’t put my real information. What are you people, crazy? I then realized I needed a little more so I made the watermark back in Illustrator with whatever that brush was. I just made the doohickey really big with the scale tool.

The business card was a little more work. I gave the rich purple background to the two sides of the card because purple symbolizes royalty and extravagant and well, I’m a Diva! Also, it’s my favorite color and I found these kicking social media icons. Again, I matched my personal (false) info font.

Font Names: Allura (script) and Charter Black (sans-serif)

Audience: Other bloggers, costumers, divas, and awesome people.

Check out my video:

And finally, because the challenge stationary was so boring, and I simply had to or I wouldn’t be Lady Ozma – I gave my stationary the “Elle Woods” treatment for my own personal amusement. Honestly, while I love how the compass thingie turned out almost silver in the print from the video, I wish I’d printed this one instead! FYI: I’d clearly sent it lavender.

Hope that last one gave you a smile. It did me!

–Lady O