Build Media and Visual Literacy with Logos - Create Your Own Logo!

Everywhere you look, logos bombard us with messages! Today, we'll become logo designers, cracking the code of these visual symbols to understand their power and create our own!

 

The overall goal of this project is to equip students with visual and media literacy by having them analyze and create logos. Students will achieve success by:

  • Decoding Logos: They'll learn to identify design elements (colors, shapes, fonts) and understand how logos communicate messages about brands.
  • Applying Design Principles: They'll practice basic design principles like balance, color theory, and typography to create their own logos.
  • Articulating Ideas: They'll present their logo designs and explain the reasoning behind their design choices.

Through this project, students will develop:

  • Critical Thinking: They'll analyze and interpret the hidden messages within logos.
  • Creativity: They'll explore different design ideas and experiment with visual communication.
  • Communication: They'll effectively present their design concepts and reasoning.

Overall Goal & Success in the Logo Design Project:

  • Become Active Participants: They move beyond passive media consumers to active creators.
  • Connect Learning to Real-World Applications: They see how design principles are used in everyday marketing materials.
  • Empower Informed Choices: They develop critical thinking skills to make informed decisions about the messages they encounter in media.

 

 

I used this lesson in my High School Graphic Design classroom as an introduction to logo design. However, this could be applied to any subject area with a few minor adjustments to the workbook. Be sure to download the workbook template linked for you below!

 

Since we were still in the learning stages of designing logos, this lesson was heavily guided for my students. I walked them through every step of the design process and modeled for them. Over several months time I slowly released them to more independent practice.

We started with a few different brainstorming techniques: mind mapping, keyword exploration and sketching.

 

Once students explored several ideas they began refining their designs in Adobe Illustrator. This could also be done in Keynote with shapes!

With several design ideas in hand, they sought feedback from their peers and refined their designs. I asked my students to create a responsive suite of logos, or a collection of visual elements that represent a brand and goes beyond just the primary logo. Feel free to scale this lesson to your students needs as you see fit!

 

I hope this workbook gives you a starting place for infusing logo design and awareness into your everyday lessons. Be sure to download the free workbook resource linked for you below!

You can find Part 1 of this series here: https://education.apple.com/resource/250013071


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July 23, 2024

This is an excellent next step critical thinking lesson that corresponds so nicely with your “Part 1 Post” - Build Visual and Media Literacy with Logos I’ll be using your ideas in an upcoming history activity on logos and design - thanks!

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