For this project we were asked to design a new logo for Hilltop Montessori School in Mt. Laurel, Alabama. We were to create a logo that is simple, appropriate, timeless, adaptable, and memorable. We started the project by researching the school and asked what differentiated Montessori schools from normal schools. We then did a story board as a class about what a Montessori school is and ideas on how to show education and Montessori in a way that could be adapted into a logo. To apply this discussion we chose a few main areas that we preferred and did a series of quick thumbnail sketches to explore different ideas and eliminate the poor ideas early.
After this we selected 2 to 3 thumbnails that we wanted to further develop. My desire to show education, community, creativity, and growth led to 2 very different ideas. One was more conceptual and utilized building blocks and I found it difficult to convey all of the ideas I had embedded into it without telling someone. However, my other sketch simply integrated the elements of the current logo into a single image. I chose this concept because I felt that the school chosen the leaf and apple the first time for a reason and that for them, the leaf was an indication of the community and growth and that an apple was representative of education.
Branded Collateral
The final part of this project was to apply the logo. To do this, we gave it context by creating stationary, envelopes, and business cards that the school could use to implement the logo, along with a 10 second animation. To help the school implement this new logo I created a proportioning system that would help the school scale the logo and apply it to a variety of mediums.
