This is a personal project inspired by my time working at a plant nursery. It has seen a lot of iterations as my skills as a logo designer grew, and I am currently challenging myself to create a variety of pieces using this brand.
Green Haven
The Journey
The beginning of this project started before I received formal training in logo design. I was working on growing my flyer design skills and threw together a logo to act as a placeholder. This was the result:
The next iteration happened alongside a class in user experience. I was creating a website for a mock plant nursery (another personal project) and saw an opportunity to improve the logo. This was the result:
After my class in logo design, I was finally able to approach this logo with training. The process of creating this logo and others helped my expertise develop. This was the final result:
Rationale
I chose a lighter color palette to represent youth and playfulness. The mock story behind this brand is an elderly couple that not only owns a plant nursery but also hosts gardening classes for all ages. Their mission is to not only teach younger generations about gardening, but also to make it an exciting experience.
The target audience for this company has an incredibly wide range. Many of their elderly audience have been loyal customers for years, though there are also many millennials who have found a love of gardening that they are passing along to their children. The classes and field trips that this company offers expands the audience to also include teachers and their students of all ages. Due to this wide range, I had to find common themes on which to build the brand personality. These themes were community and education.
The green was chosen because it represents health, growth, and lowering stress. The brown shades were chosen because they represent dependability and stability, and they provide the palette with shades and neutrals to work with. The orange was chosen because it represents passion and optimism, which is a quality shared by the yellow. The yellow adds an energetic dimension to the brand personality, which is reminiscent of the energy children bring to a space.
Within the logo, different target audiences are spoken to. The logo typeface, Noto Serif Display, speaks to both baby boomers and millennials. The serif is familiar to baby boomers, and the high contrast within the lettering speaks to millennials. The circular “stamp” feel of the logo not only gives it a rustic style but also creates balance and symmetry, while the plant sketch helps to incorporate a more modern and chic style.
I am continuing to grow upon this project by creating a brand style guide, website, flyer, nursery maps, and social media posts.