Design Development


ideas exploring

Starting with the classic elements like the warrior and the temple.

 

 

However, it is not clear for representing the design object with word TATTOO. So it is abandoned.  Then by focusing on the key word TATTOO, the design comes out to combine and abstrat the lette T and L with specific tattoo images. The T figure is related to the word TATTOO and combining with the traditional Japanese tattoo background images-winds and cloud which is normally used on the shoulder. On the other side, H is refered to word Horiyoshi III which is abstracted from the figure of flash light.

 

As drawing out the idea, the flash light figure did not do well in the logo. Therefore, it is cancelled. Meanwhile, the colour Green is not only looking good and also deep meanningful for enrich the design. So the main tone is confirmed. For getting more ideas about the tone, I have tested different colours and combining settings.

 

For the reason that IREZUMI is the main and special one for Horiyoshi III's tattoo works-the full body tattoos, the word is taken into the logo at the beginning. Furthermore, I find the circular form is another good figure that can refer well to Japan, because it comes from the nation flag of Japan. Then I try to combine above objects all into the logo design.

 

 

The one above is the finished logo at the beginning of design process, and has been used in the continued design objects, as the bussiness card.

Unfortuntely, during the continued design, it seems not working well with the Logo figure everywhere. It is less and less enchantment in represting the Japanese culure. Moreover, it is not srong enough to transmit the traditional Japanese culural spirit- the Zen spirit which is suposed to be the main character of the club. Therefore, it is also abandoned even it has been to the following process.

When I return to the Zen base spirit that Horiyoshi III and his family believe in, and the tattoo art works of Horiyoshi III, I find the specific seal of Horiyoshi III's signiture. It includes the glory name of Horiyoshi III as he is the highest skilled master in traditional Japanese tattoo industry. At the first try, I keep both the seal figure and the word IREZUMI together in the logo so that it can show more traditional Japanese elements in one place. However, there are too many imformation the logo contains. It seems too complex and not abstracted enough as a professional design.

Finally, after the abstraction and simplify, the logo eventually comes to be acheived as follows: