The visible and invisible nature of graphic design

To be asked to design a logo is part of the job. It is what I do. Among other daily and weekly design projects and tasks.

To design a logo that will be attached to the coverage of local and national news about the 2020 Democratic National Convention coming to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, . . . well, that is still part of the job. And to get it done in time to make the weekly print edition. That is also what I do.

So, I worked fast. Logo needed to be ready for print and digital in two days. I threw some digital sketches together in Adobe Illustrator. Drank more coffee.

I used multiple artboards for easy of digital workspace. Played with ideas including an outline of the state of Wisconsin and then settled on the skyline of Milwaukee. Inspired by Robert Lenz’s The People’s Flag of Milwaukee design, I built the color palette in that direction. Chose a typeface. Presented the logo design.

Once the logo design was approved, I applied the logo to various formats and platforms including mobile, print, web and animated video.

I had big expectations that this logo would receive a lot of local and national attention. People would see this logo in print, online and at events. And then something happened between February and March.

Things began to slide sideways. By April, all events that featured this logo were cancelled. Print and digital ads were pulled. And those 50,00 visitors expected to materialize in Milwaukee this week. Well friends, let’s just say things didn’t go as planned.

The animated logo I designed was part of a presentation to an intimate crowd of business leaders at Miller High Life Theatre in February. And that is the last time it really sparkled and shined.

Disappointed? Yes. A little. But there are plenty of other design projects to work on.

Graphic design is funny that way. It is the most visible and the most invisible of trades.

Something in front of you right now was designed by some unseen modern peasant who worked long hours with short deadlines to launch a web site, create mobile app interface or digital user experience, design a slideshow presentation, pull together a single slate screen or lower thirds graphic for video and so on. Graphic design has multiple disciplines. Maybe even interdisciplinary.

Well-crafted graphic design may only get a glance. But that is all it needs to complete its function.