Case Study: Cryptic Compass Logo

I was asked to design a logo for the Prog/Metal band Cryptic Compass, based in Morganton, NC. I met with Robert Kent (drummer) and Patrick Justice (guitarist/vocals) and discussed the scope and specifications.

MISSION

The previous logo utilized by the band featured a distressed skull in the background, with an aged typeface laid on top and a compass symbol around it. My goal was to design a more professional logo, while keeping some of the iconography and vibe of the current logo. However, the band had mixed feelings on the skull, so I chose not to include it.

Patrick and Robert both had conflicting visions for the logo for their band. I ended up exploring both ideas and came up with multiple designs for each.

ROBERT'S VISION

Instructions were to include symbols and/or colors related to a binnacle (a ship’s compass essentially). Robert especially liked the deep shade of blue.

He also wanted to incorporate a font similar to ancient Latin. Robert loved the “carved in stone look”.

Some general words and elements he liked were: nautical compass, deserted island, ancient, mysterious, lost-for-a-long-time-and-rediscovered.

METHOD

I researched other band logos, especially in their genres, and one common theme I found among them (and among bands in general) was that they primarily have a text based logo, and any iconography is second, or utilized with the text as well. So I wanted to give them a logo that was very versatile, something that can grow with them as a band, and can be utilized in a multitude of different avenues. (I.e. there will be times when they want just the icon, times when they want just the text, times when they want both, times when they want the logo to be simple, and times when they want it to be used in a more elaborate design). Therefore, I wanted to give them an overall simple design that could be taken and used however they may need in their career.

My first step was to nail down a font that they wanted and work on a text based logo first. I tried to find fonts with an ‘ancient Roman/Latin’ vibe and sent to the client. I wanted to give them many different options and narrow it down.

There were several that they liked, but they especially circled around #6, which would ultimately be the one used in the final logo. However, they asked to see the words look older, like “you would find in the ruins of a city”. They also wanted to see rubble, cracks, or rust.

From here, I took the #6 font and tried different ways of laying it out, but I landed on this vertical layout with the text unified, which I think gives it a good solid look. I tried out several different crack, dust, and grungy brushes to try and get a good ancient feel.

The next big step was to design the icon. I did some research on different nautical compasses and found several different ones that I liked.

My goal was to pick and choose some elements that I thought worked and leave out the ones that did not…while also trying to strip it down and make it a simpler, more versatile logo. This is basically what I came up with, while also trying out a few variations using white-space and pulling in the nautical blue they liked.

I also tried out a couple different placements with the text as well. Mine and the client’s both favorite is the side-by-side. I think the right side of the compass just fits so well in-between the words.

PATRICK'S VISION

While working on the first design, the band had centered more around Patrick's vision and had come up with some ideas of their own in a different direction. They wanted to move away from the nautical compass as they felt it was a very common emblem, they also wanted to move to an entirely different font. Below are the images Patrick put together as a starting point:

The band wanted to use this font and move towards a desert sand, ocean blue color scheme. Have almost an ancient treasure hunt vibe, an ancient artifact look. For the compass, they liked this style of compass and liked an ancient rusted look of two compasses being put together. Also, if the compass could incorporate a letter C or CC, great. All this being said, they wanted to move away from anything jungle or vine themed.

METHOD

My first step was to take the font they chose and try to recreate Patrick's image while cleaning it up and making it look more professional. The original font had many more lines that he had removed, so I recreated the custom line arrangement. I also moved towards a clean, fully justified type arrangement and took some creative liberties with some of the lines.

Next up, I worked on the symbol. I wanted to give them quite a few options to choose from, so I played around with different ideas on the compass. Ultimately, I gave them four core designs with plenty of different variations and arrangements with the Cryptic Compass text.

Option One:

Probably the closest to Patrick's and what we discussed in the meeting. Compass symbol incorporating golden sand color and deep blue.

Option Two:

I took the letter O in the font and played around with making a compass out of it. (Option 4 is also the O but more standard where this one uses white space). I took some liberties and went for a symmetrical placement on the outside lines.

Option Three:

Honestly, probably my least favorite. I went for kind of an alternating colors compass, really simple.

Option four:

The more straight-forward O compass design. Incorporating CC in the compass. This would ultimately be the design the band chose.

FINAL PRODUCT

From here I tried out several different combinations of the colors and the brush effects on Robert's design. Ultimately we landed on the below variations. The final logo the band settled on was the design for Patrick, Option Three, also below. I sent them all of these, as well as the design files so that they can take them and make any variations they need going forward.