You can define the material you are trying to
convey by adjusting the light you add to its surface.
What do you suppose the following logos would be
made of, based on the light treatment to their surfaces?
These first two appear to be softer.
But this purple object looks like it might be metal or a much harder substance.
Here's the secret on all of these marks.
They are defined mostly by shading.
And note that the shading is very humble and not complex.
All of these were created with a simple gradient.
On any one surface, the gradient runs from one color to a darker value of the same.
It takes no less skill to conceive these illusions.
But crafting them may come to you much more quickly.
Sometimes, as designers, we're able to create a
dimensional identity composed of a group of simple planes.
When that's the case, we can often use flat color to define the surfaces.
Because we're not relying on highlights,
reflections and gradients may look comparatively simple.
But they are every bit as effective.
Sometimes this hybrid between flatness and reality
demonstrates the practical nature of your client.
They're still represented by that level of dimension.
But the use of flat color will be appreciated,
since it will create the most minimal challenges for reproduction.
The same flat surface technique can be applied to more complex identities.
Even though these marks give your client a more convincing sense
of realism, they too are crafted entirely out of flat color.
Greater detail doesn't mean the full spectrum of color.
Creating dimensional images with constraint will
not be lost on your client's customers.
There is an unspoken promise here, of maximization of resources.
It speaks to a client that is clever and appreciates
3-D benefits, without needing to smack of highlighted gimmicks and overkill.
To conclude our discussion of highlights and shading, when creating
dimension, I'd like for you to focus on these two logos.
Obviously, one is an M and the other is an S.
But aside from that they both appear to be
built out of strips of folded paper or ribbons.
Can you make out the primary difference?
You're probably way ahead of me.
Notice the lighter diagonal strips on the M rely
on a gradient that gets darker towards the bottom.
Now, look at the S.
I think it's every bit as dimensional but it was created without gradients.
This may seem like a small point to you, but
restraint in logo design can often be your best friend.
It could be the mark that separates the mature designer
from the one that is more infatuated with technique than substance.