I was approached by Michael Damian from MDX Interactive to create a new logo design for a new hearing aid dealer named ‘Ear Center Audiology.’ Ear Center Audiology is a group of Audiologists who provide all forms of hearing tests, hearing aids, and related services. They are currently opening up several new offices in the Metro Detroit area and needed a new logo to fit with their new state of the art website.
Audiologists aren’t known for having professional logos or websites. They wanted to use this to their advantage to help make themselves stand out from the crowd. The initial thought process didn’t have much direction except that they wanted something with hands in it. They really wanted to drive home that they were different than most hearing aid dealers. I had enough information from them to get started. The first round of concepts were presented:
Sketching:
Yes I know these are some bad hands, that is what a computer is for. I sketch to generate concepts and composition.
Concept 1:
Two hands forming an ear in the negative space.
Concept 2:
Here I combined two ears with inner lobes to create a butterfly silhouette. Butterflies are often associated with care.
Concept 3:
Here I drew a simple silhouette of an ear and sound marks going into the ear. I was trying to focus on the “center” of the ear.
After these concepts were presented, there wasn’t much positive feedback to be taken except that #1 wasn’t clear enough to be an ear, #2 was too childish looking, and #3 didn’t represent care very well. After some more discussion with Michael, I went back to the drawing board and looked into some other possible ideas. Here is what was presented in the next round of concepts:
Concept 4:
After talking with Michael, we thought about looking into a heart as a symbol that would be acceptable for the word “care.” This concept represented that the main care of the audiologists was ears and that they loved to take care of them. I also wanted to present a different color scheme that was warm and inviting.
Concept 5:
Here I wanted to present a different idea. I wanted to use a hand and make the main focus the sound waves. The design was better in my head. Sometimes that happens.
After presenting these, they let me know that I was going in the wrong direction. We talked again about an ear/hand combo and I went back to the drawing board. I think I spent an entire weekend looking at ears and hands. I would consider myself an ear expert. With some renewed inspiration, I presented another concept with the hope that this would wet the whistle of the client. Here is what I presented in the next round:
Concept 6:
In this concept, I thought it really embodied everything they were looking for. I hadn’t seen anything like it and thought the ear turned out well. You could clearly see the hand/ear combo. Someone also pointed out that the hand looked like sound waves (not my intention, but it is abstractly there).
Again, this one fell short. I was a bit discouraged and was going to just throw in the towel. I read the clients feedback and it was frustrating. I couldn’t understand how none of these worked. Instead of walking away, I was determined to work through this and make them happy no matter what. It was time to go back to what did peak their interest. I decided it was time to get some feedback from the community on the first design and see how I could improve the ear inside the negative space. With the help of a few designers on dribbble… well take a look at the progression:
Concept 1 (again):
Revision #2:
The ear is becoming more defined with some bending of the fingers.
Revision #3:
More bending of the fingers and a new inner lobe design.
Revision #4 (final):
Client approved version with type:
After about 5 weeks, we ended up with something that we were both happy with. It just goes to show you, that if you really care, you can make the client happy. As long as both parties are on course in the right direction, progress can be made. I hope you enjoyed another look into my design process and would love to hear any comments or thoughts on the final outcome. Also, I don’t think I’ll ever take another “ear” project again.
Join in the discussion now.
All this stuff is mine, please don't steal.
If you steal my work, let me know and I will handsomely reward you with a roundhouse kick to your face.
August 20, 2010
Excellent final work, Sean. As I was scrolling down and saw ‘Concept 1′, I knew that would’ve ended up being you focus.
Very nice finish.
August 20, 2010
Nice progression to the work. Glad to see you stuck with it.
It’s often these moments when you feel like there’s nothing there, that you persevere and find out what you’re really made of. That’s the makings of a true professional. Nice work.
August 21, 2010
Very nice work, Sean. Congratulations on sticking with it to make it work. I know what it feels like when you have thrown everything you have got at a design, and to the client it still falls short.
Love the end result though!
August 21, 2010
WOW! As a RN…I must say..you draw very ‘realistic’ anatomy!
August 21, 2010
Lovely read and great concept made. Thanks for sharing.
August 21, 2010
I think your final design nailed it! It conveys everything in such a seemingly simple design– even the colors work perfectly.
It’s been a long time since I worked in a design firm (the days when we did almost everything by hand!) but I still remember how frustrating it could be when I thought I had a perfect design and the client didn’t agree.
August 21, 2010
Thank you everyone. Just so you are all aware, the sketches aren’t usually that bad.
Whenever I’m drawing something like hands, I tend to do it fairly quickly because I’ve ‘designed’ them so many times that my sketches don’t really matter. Unless of course, the concept is focusing on the hands.
In this particular project, my main goal was to figure out how the hands would form the ear. I drew the ‘ear’ outline first, then drew the hands to see how it would fit.
Hope this helps and thanks for the comments and response.
August 21, 2010
Very interesting read, bud.
It’s eye opening to see how you had the right concept initially – but it just needed some work to make it just right. I wonder how many times in the past I should have pushed harder on an initial concept by improving/revising it instead of coming up with new ideas.
August 21, 2010
Oh, and I love the final logo!
August 22, 2010
Very inspiring read Sean. The logo turned out beautiful.
August 22, 2010
Thanks for sharing one of the tough projects. Goes to show even the superstars have trouble sometimes.
Glad you didn’t end up going with #6 because it instantly reminded me of the logo for SecondLife.
Good result Sean. The final version has the feeling that the hands are actually making it.
August 22, 2010
Nice Logo Sean……the outcome is extraordinary. It really was my first choice. You managed to create a meaningfull logo that captures an essence out of simplicity. Thanks for sharing the whole creating process, it is really inspiring.
August 22, 2010
@Josiah, It does happen quite a bit. Sometimes we stare at things so long that we need an outside perspective. Couldn’t agree more.
@Mesh, Thank you! I appreciate it.
@Nathan, Superstar eh? Is that what they are calling me nowadays?
I am happy with the final over #6 as well.
@Gabi, Anytime! Glad you liked the article. Plenty more to come.
August 23, 2010
Hi Sean, the route you opted for is definitely the strongest of the bunch. I’d push the execution of the hands a little further, but the idea’s a great one (and it’s the idea that’s remembered).
August 23, 2010
Great work Sean! Definitely a good switch on the plethora of hands used in health care logos. Definitely pushes it to a new level of awesomeness.
August 23, 2010
Some more awesome work from the best identity/branding designer I ever seen.
Thinking about where you will be in five years is frightening.
August 30, 2010
[...] Logo Design Process: Ear Center Audiology via Brand [...]
September 1, 2010
Dear Sean,
Amazing piece of work.Kudos!
September 2, 2010
Great work Sean, nicely executed and as many have said I think the strongest solution was developed.
Not sure if the light blue is slightly too light for me, but a sound idea, nice one.
September 5, 2010
Another winner from Sean Farrell. I think the hands/ear idea is great and you really took that original concept to a new level with your finished product. Very smooth, clean lines.
September 28, 2010
Hi Sean,
RE: Ear project
It’s obvious that you take a great deal of pride in your work,
The project turned out perfect. What would be your thoughts on embossing the hands and de-bossing the ear. Its a very well done. it shows you spent as much as needed to get it “Just Right” “GREAT WORK!!!
October 9, 2010
Just to let you know, I read through this article a lot when I have trouble. And others like this, too. It’s nice to see how other designers fight through a puzzle, and it inspires and helps me along in my fight. And yeah. I always think sketching is the best way to go.
October 12, 2010
It does remind me alot of your own logo, am I the only one noticing that?
February 4, 2011
I wish you would of explored concept 4 further. I do like the end product though. Nice work.
April 19, 2011
Out of the first three concepts, I loved concept one the most. I’m glad you went back to it as I think it’s the strongest of all the ones presented. Very nice work.
January 19, 2012
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