Streets of Leeds - Animated Logo

After sending my illustrator file to Tom he worked with the separate layers to animate the different sections. The first part showed the pagan farmers tending to the field, then the crops then disappear, and the first set of building rise with the arrival of the homeless. The final section shows the last set of buildings rise along with the appearance of the blooming allotments and workers. This is when the type appears. Throughout the clip the sun rises and the trees constantly grow to show the change in time. He has overlaid the title sequence over a beautiful time lapse shot of some rolling hills in the surrounding Leeds area. The animation sits nicely over this clip and works well with the scenery. It was nice to see my illustrations come to life. The animation tells a brief story of the progression of Leeds and its involvement with the homeless. This was an enjoyable project for me and Tom was happy with the outcome, which made it all the better.

Animated Title Sequence

 
Click HD for High quality

Streets of Leeds Feedback and Changes

Adding the Figures

One of the other elements that needed adding to the design were the silhouetted figures I drew several different frames for each so that they could be animated.

  I drew a few different types to see which would work best. The figures act out digging in the fields.

I also had to animate the homeless drinking on the streets. I kept the same colours to show the transition of the lifestyles from being homeless to tending to the allotments.

 

Feed Back

After a meeting with Tom we made some new design decisions on title sequence. Tom wanted some crops adding to the fields in the first slide so he could animate afterwards so that he could show them growing. I illustrated several different frames for each of the characters so that they could also be animated. This showed the farmers digging and tending to the crops in the first slide, followed by the homeless drinking in the second slide and finally the homeless tending to the allotments in the final section. Tom also wanted the fields in the last slide to look more like blooming allotments as they were needed to show change and progression. I added several bushes with various flowers and plants to bring some colour and life to the sequence highlighting the positive out come of the project. I also added a second line of buildings to emphasize how Leeds has developed and changed. Once I had created all the imagery and Tom was happy with it I sent him the files so that he could animate the logo and add it to his documentary.

Flowers for Allotments

Scene 1 Changes

 Add the crops

Scene 2 Changes

 Adding Figures

Scene 3 Changes

 Adding the Plants

Streets of Leeds Digitizing Sketches

The first version I did I was not feeling so started to try one of the other ideas which worked much better. This illustration looked pretty rubbish and I didn't like the perspective.

1st Frame

Once I had the sketches down I started digitizing my ideas. The initial Idea was to have the one hill with the trees on top etc.. but this looked a bit too simple and didn’t give the illustration much depth, so in order to emphasize the Yorkshire county side I added rolling hills which broke up the image creating a much more interesting composition.

I experimented with the fields until we were happy with how they looked. I played around with the colours and illustration style until Tom was happy with how they were looking. I chose a natural colour scheme to fit in with the scene.

 2nd Frame

The next frame needed the Leeds city scape adding the design. I produced simple vector artwork to keep the design style consistent and used a grey which complemented the other colours.

3rd Frame

Tom drew out what he envisaged, displaying blocky bold letter forms. I went about searching for a typeface which suited the rest of the design and complemented the rigid structure of the buildings as this is what the type would be laid over. I came across the typeface Liberator which worked well with the design and was bold enough to stand out against the quite busy imagery. I tweaked the letters so that they curved with the hills this brought the ‘logo’ together to create a much more balanced composition

Arched type

Final Type Arrangement

I also added in a second line of buildings which will be animated in the final frame of the video this balances out the logo more as we the type needed to sit in between the trees and the buildings.

Streets of Leeds Initial Sketches

 I started off by drawing up different sketches and working out a composition and style until tom was happy. He decided he wanted a circular composition as this would sit nicely over the video and also had a that logo like aesthetic.

STREETS OF LEEDS - LOGO Primary RESEARCH

I researched visual references to base the logo for streets of leeds, I wanted to find compostions which worked with the idea Tom had proposed. As I wasnt creating a lgo which was specifically for a homeless charity I didn't feel it was necessary to look into existing logos and essentially I was creating an illustrated title sequence for an idea Tom had already envisaged. All I had to do was make his vision come to life and also inject my own personal touches to finish it off and make it more suited to the video.

Simple Structures nice use of colour. Prefer the top 2 left ones.

I love this arrangement with the rolling hills I think this works really well around a circular composition. Something like this would sit niceley over the opening sequence.

I like the top left composition and also the bottom middle one. They have a simple colour scheme which could be expanded on within my own design but in terms of the layout I like this format.

I like all of these except the bottom left. They are a bit more ambitions and include more creative shapes I think something with a bit more detail would work better as I have to illustrate quite a few different elements in the title sequence.

I like the white gaps in between the different elements this is worth experimenting with. The composition of this logo works well and flows around the circular format we would like to work with.

Streets of Leeds Brief Overview

A student on DFGA came to me about creating some vector artwork for the title sequence of his documentary about the homeless. The short film documents the lives of several homeless people and the struggles they have gone through. It also looks at a positive outcome of how we can help to get them off the streets and provide work for them. Tom came with a few rough sketches of what he was wanting and a basic outline to what the title sequence needed to show. 

He basically wanted to animate a logo to show the progression of Leeds and how it has changed. The first section he wanted needed to  display the Yorkshire country side with the pagan farmers working the fields. This then transitions to the rise of Leeds and the Big City,  incorporating the homeless within this slide. Then the final section shows the homeless tending to the allotments which relates to a program which has been set up to help the homeless get back on their feet.

Streets of Leeds Brief

Streets of Leeds documentary treatment

 

‘Streets of Leeds’ is an observational documentary following several members of the homeless community in and around Leeds/Hyde Park area. The aim of the documentary is to grant the audience a glimpse into the day-to-day life of the homeless community. Exploring their history and roots, examining their downward spirals towards living on the streets. Giving a platform for expression to a voiceless community. ‘Streets of Leeds’ follows organizations and movements around the homeless situation that offers new alternatives in feeding and utilizing the community.

Logo Synopsis / Brief

For the title sequence of the film I need assets for an animated logo that will personify the topic and connotations addressed in the film. I will need 3 frames of the logo that will animate into a cityscape of Leeds. The first frame must incorporate pagan farmers who are farming rolling hills of Yorkshire. Farmers are farming the land so I will need assets of farmers ploughing the land. The people movement only needs to be simple 2 frames.
 The next frame must depict a 20^th century city setting where the fields have now disappeared and have been replaced by a silhouette of iconic Leeds buildings. People on the streets drinking have replaced the farmers with the same 2 frame animation style.
 
The final frame of the logo must incorporate the two previous frames. The cityscape must expand, with flowerbeds and blooming flowers/vegetables in the foreground, where the crops once existed. The drinkers have now moved on and replaced with people tending the blooming allotments.   

ELMWOOD BRAND THE BORING - Concept Boards

After taking board feedback from the crits we had with Steph I made some changes. Instead of sticking with the black and white colour scheme I decided to incorporate gold leaf into the products. This way it relates more so to traditional bibles, and also gives the brand a sense of luxury. I have also added some extra products and considered the placement of the shop in an attempt to push the concept to its limits.

Elmwood Brand the Boring- Initial Ideas

 

One of the first things I started doing was trying to see if there was any word play I could work with using cobbler terminology and found there was quite a few religious references. This ended up being the basis for my branding. I listed words and phrases and whittled down the ones I could work with. 

Once I had decided on my concept I began to come up with various names, I researched into cobbling and also religion to see if there was any references. I found a patron saint of cobblers called st Crispin but decided I was probably taking it too far and also people might not get the reference. Instead I came up with more obvious names linking the 2 themes together.

The next stage was coming up with the logo, I researched into various cobbling tools and items linked with the profession and experimented with different elements to try and produce a logo which links the 2 themes together. I decided I would have to go with the cross but it was linking it to cobbling which was the problem.

I came up with a couple of ideas for how I could push the brand and apply it to various products. I wanted to try and exceed the standard branding application and try and push it too its limits I came up with indents of the logo on the bottom of the soles, like christening them and also a branded shoe horn. these were just the initial stages of the design process.

Elmwood Brief - Cobbler Branding 1st Concept & Development Boards

When Elmwood came to visit, they set the class a brief to brand the boring, we were all given different jobs and we had to come up with the name, visual identity, tone of voice and the application of the branding. I was given the proffesion of the cobbler which I thought wasn't that bad in comparison to some of the other professions. 

I started thinking about how I could approach the brief and instantly started thinking about some of the terminology associated with cobblers. The first thing that came to mind was, Heels and soles which had some very religious connotations, with this in mind I decided to go down that avenue. Creating a lighthearted and humorous concept which could run across the branding. Because the concept is quite controversial it will definitely attract attention which is good. I created quite allot of puns to suit the branding and create a consistent tone of voice which can be applied across many products.

I think I have created a solid brand which is humorous and eye catching and will definitely attract a modern day audience. The visual Identity is still quite traditional, keeping with a black and white colour scheme which emphasizes the craftsmanship behind the trade and also as this is probably what the signage would of been like back in the day...black and white.

Crit Feedback

I was really happy with the crit feedback with the designer from Elmwood, she was happy with my concept and designs and was reassuring about my work which was great. The crit helped to narrow down my design style and helped me to narrow down formats and refine design ideas.

• We decided that I needed to decided on another typeface as I used Bernard Mt Condensed for everything, however it will work allot better with 2 typefaces and just use Bernard for the actual logo. I will have to choose a typeface which works well with the logo and compliments the design.
• The business cards work better in a portrait format, and I should use the logo on the front of the business card and not the tag lines as the logo has a strong visual identity and works well to grab the customers attention. The portrait format is also a closer reference to prayer books than landscape.
• Tag line : Christen your soles, - when customers leave with their shoes, also putting the cross on the bottom christens them.
• Holey Trinity Offer - 3 Products/3 services  - re sole, re lace, polish
• Close up shop on the sabbath
• Stained glass Windows with the logo with light shining through
• Projections of the cross onto the outside.
• Foot prints walking into the store - pressure washed logo soles.

Elmwood Cobbler Branding Design Development

 Logo Development

 After making the decision to go down the religious route I had to create a logo which kept the theme consistent. The obvious but best route to go down was with the cross as this is recognized world wide and allows room for play. I started by playing about with shoe soles to create the logo but was not liking the results as it looked sloppy and not very recognizable.

Tool Research

Anvil Development

After researching into cobblers tools I realised this would be a good route as soom of the tools lent themselves perfectly to the cross. I experimented with different objects until I found a few which stood out to me. This logo has been made up of shoe anvils to create the cross. I liked the form of the logo however I till didn't think it was an obvious enough link.

I created a few different logos using the anvil but then decided to try something different. Although it did have a strong identity I thought it was too far from the cross to work with the theme and also not recognizable as a cobblers as much as I would like.

Last Tool & Hammer

 I then went on to experimenting with the last which I thought was a more recognizable tool. I also incorporated a cobblers hammer in there too but this spoilt the shape of the cross too much and made it look uneven and lopsided letting the identity down.

I eventually came up with this logo which I think works the best. It is simple bold and eye catching with a strong reference to both the cross and the cobblers. The spacing between the stem and the head of the last emphasizes the cross whilst also making it clear it is made up of tools.

 

Name Development

 

To stick with the theme I had to come up with a name which suited. I researched into the history of cobblers a bit to see if there was any reference in the bible to any and found that there was a patron saint of cobblers called St. Crispin, however I thought this might be taking a bit too far, and also the reference is not that strong for most people as his a saint not many people had heard of. After this I came up with several Puns relating to cobblers.

 Type Choice

 

 

After settling on the Holey Soles I went about finding a type face to work with which looked quite bible like, I also needed something that was bold enough to stand out and grab the customers attention. I ended up using Bernard MT Condensed for the shop name which looked very bold and traditional. Because I am going to incorporate tag lines throughout the branding I needed another type face for the copy and chose Day Roman which is a biblical font.

 

Business Card Development

 I experimented with various different business card layouts in both portrait and landscape to see which worked best. I also incorporated humorous religious/cobbler puns to make the brand more memorable and also to stick with Elmwood's humorous style.

I went with a black and white colour scheme to keep the branding traditional like the profession.

Tag Lines

- We will heel for you
- We will dye for you
- Bad shoes are blasphemous
- We will save your shoes from sin
- We will save your tongue from evil
- We will save your sole
- We work miracles with shoes

Other Products

 

 Another Idea I had would be to have custom soles on all the shoes with the logo on the bottom. This way when people 'walk on water' (puddles) they will leave their mark like Jesus.

'The good book of prices' would be the shops bible which basically has all the prices and information about the cobblers and what it has to offer.