STEP ONE
Stare helplessly as your teacher hands you a random household object.
(In the real world, this is the equivalent to having clients – you get what you get!)
In my case, it was an ice cream scoop (I don’t even like ice cream).
STEP TWO
Come up with an exhaustive list of words related to that object.
kids sugar ice cream chocolate vanilla cold freezer metal heat melt shiny distort reflect grip hold ease ball rubber party evening summer truck vendor job round dessert clown birthday puke cake sticky sweet colors flavors 52 Baskin Robbins sprinkles kids’ meal DQ soft serve gelato cherry on top milk fun childlike sundae how many scoops? strawberry rocky road hot water celebration sugar high gaining weight cone waffle whipped cream dairy buckets tubs strong resistant smile serve mouth lick crystals festive joy happiness handy useful junk food sickness obesity sugary messy
STEP THREE
Organize and relate these words to each other on a continuum that ranges from objects, to symbols, to concepts. Most concrete to least concrete.
STEP FOUR – The Matrix
Extract essential words, separate the visual from descriptive words and list.
| VISUAL kids tool scoop cone dessert smile mouth colors birthday party truck cake server sundae |
DESCRIPTIVE sugary sweet cold fun sticky unhealthy smooth round handy |
Choose the six best of each and form a table, like this:
| utensil | scoop | smile | party | server | sundae | |
| sugary | sugary utensil | sugary scoop | sugary smile | sugary party | sugary server | sugary sundae |
| sweet | sweet utensil | sweet scoop | sweet smile | sweet party | sweet server | sweet sundae |
| fun | fun utensil | fun scoop | fun smile | fun party | fun server | fun sundae |
| sticky | sticky utensil | sticky scoop | sticky smile | sticky party | sticky server | sticky sundae |
| unhealthy | unhealthy utensil | unhealthy scoop | unhealthy smile | unhealthy party | unhealthy server | unhealthy sundae |
| handy | handy utensil | handy scoop | handy smile | handy party | handy server | handy sundae |
STEP FIVE:
Choose the six most promising combinations, and start sketching!
Below are sketches of fun utensil, sticky utensil, sugary scoop, sweet server, unhealthy scoop, and handy server.
As you go, narrow down the ideas that are working, and develop them.
OPTIONAL STEP:
Get people to critique your rough ideas. They will see things you never thought of, guaranteed!
STEP SIX:
Choose your best idea(s), and finalize them.
Here is my finished pictogram (literal representation of object):
And here is my finished ideogram (object represents a concept, in this case obesity):
Rachel. This is so fantastic! YOU are so fantastic. I’m really just blown away
by your creative brilliantness! I love the finished products. I am most definitely
coming back! ha you can consider me a “regular” on your site!:)
I really like the blending of the creative freedom and the structure. Amazing how a certain kind of structure in a certain amount actually stimulates creativity and how other kinds of structure kill it and how a lack of structure can also stunt creativity. You’re on to something here!
You don’t like ice cream? Ieesh.
Good thought process. Much better then just trying to make and modify. I’ll have to use such an organizational skillz next time I make a logo