Summer 2005, Jean-Christophe Loubet Del Bayle, the author of famous Planète Typographie asked me to draw a new logo for his web site.

Here; step by step, the few stages which will have been necessary to the realization of the logo.

Research

Selection
Once the stage of total research finished, one makes an analysis of the unit. One synthesizes, one eliminates from the tracks and one keeps a minimum of choice. Here, I finally chose the option of a monogram with prolongations of features at the ends of the letters, which revolve around a planet.

Selection of final pictogram.

Typographical research

It's research on the choice of the typography to be adopted for the name of the logo. We must take into account the fact that the typography & the pictogram will have to sometimes cohabit or sometimes live alone, each one on their side. For the model of characters, Serif (character with footing) associated one Sans Serif (character without footing), of the Light style (light type) with bold style (heavy type), the objective is to contrast the 2 words Planet & Typographie. As for the pictogram, i's now necessary to make a selection among the options. In fact, I chose a contrast of the letters. I also decided to entirely designed the letters so that they adapt perfectly to the unit & to obtain a custom lettering of the logo.

Research of typography of the logotype.

Design
The work is almost completed but... It's now necessary to design the logotype. Here, the pictogram and the letters are drawn with FontLab Studio, a soft for lettering design. I use FontLab ecause it's much more precise than all the programs of vectorial drawings traditional such as Adobe® Illustrator® or Freehand.

Design of the logotype on FontLab editor.

Model of the logotype
The pictograms and the typographies are then associated in Adobe® Illustrator®, in order to proceed to total research and the setting color. The logotype starts to be born, almost in its final version. Small options appear, the different one are finally eliminated. This part is often difficult, because it is necessary to refine and make decisions... those which one hopes to be the best. For example, the planet illustrated at the beginning by a circle was finally changed with the profit of a less geometrical form, more dynamic, it reinforces the identity of the logo.

Models of the 2 elements, the pictogram & the typography. Fittings, colors, proportions, etc.

Final design
Finally! A logotype is selected according to the models. The logotype is carried out again on FontLab Studio for the design of final version. But this time the least forms, curves, right-hand sides, tangents, angles are scrupulously checked and designed. Then again export to Adobe® Illustrator® for the setting color and the preparation of a file of reference, ready to be exploited according to the needs and supports.

Final design of the logotype.

The graphic charter of the logotype

Board of reference, a kind of mini charter which joins together all the possible variations of the logotype, the references colors (Web, CMJN & other), the one lines or two lines options, etc.

Board of reference of the logotype, a sort of mini charter.

Font of the logo
Development of a font for the Planète Typographie logotype. With this font, the separate elements of the logo are accessible with the keyboard, of A to H (capitals or lower case). This process is very practical to include more easily & quickly a logotype in the documents, it thus avoids the importation of an image.

Development of a font for the Planète Typographie logotype.

Variation for the languages
To finish, the Planète Typographie logotype being realized in several languages, of the international variations (English, Spanish, Italian, German and Czech) were designed. Made easier by the fact that the terms Planet and Typography are rather similar in all these languages (of origin however Latin, anglo-saxone and Slavic). One can notice different typographical subtleties according to the languages.

Design of logotype in several languages.

Et voilà !