Occasionally, you may determine the best solution for a logo is to use an
image of something that is rendered or photographed to appear as a real item.
And because a shadow is a big part of reality,
the object will demand a realistic shadow to complete the picture.
We refer these with the term used by old masters that
prize their ability to paint objects so real, they fool the eye.
Trompe L'Oeil.
It literally translates to, deceive the eye.
Remove the shadows and the complete illusion vanishes.
Earlier, we discussed the idea of a sense of place.
Sometimes a logo or a shape without a shadow
defies the consumer's ability to grasp what it is.
If you were to look at a drawing of my hand
from the side, it may be hard for you to determine
what the image is, but if the light cast through the
image creates a shadow like this, you can immediately identify this.
Look at how critical the shadow becomes in
giving a sense of three dimensionality to these marks.
The majority of logos ever designed may have no use for a shadow.
But if the image you are creating wants to literally rise up and convey an impression
of dimension, you can glue it to the page with a modest spec of shadow.
Grounding is a critical part of art that tethers an image to the earth.
None of the shadows on these marks are dancing or sending hidden messages.
They're just allowing these object-based logos to belong on
the page and to appeal to the consumer as complete.
We live in a world with light and a sun,
and that means we live in a world with shadows.
Whether the shadow allows us to break the bonds of gravity, or
to reveal a secret message, or just allows a logo to have
a sense of place, introducing that small pool where the light doesn't
shine may be the kick start you need to creating an amazing logo