Jigsaw Internet brandmark and card
Shaun Barnes of Jigsaw Internet Solutions approached me to redesign his company logo. He knew he wanted a jigsaw piece shown, and preferably more than one (to symbolise a connection).
It doesn’t matter how professional or artistic your sketches are. What’s important is how the process allows for ideas to flow faster than they do on computer. My thumbnails uncovered the idea of turning the letters into jigsaw pieces.
At first I thought of showing every letter as a piece of the puzzle, but in the end opted for a simpler design. The letter “A” was replaced with a jigsaw piece — I felt the other characters were more important when formulating the actual word “jigsaw.” Also, the piece could be made to look a little like the shape of an uppercase “A.”
Previous Jigsaw Internet logo
Shaun previously displayed this logo on his website:
The first thing I noticed was the stock image. It’s never a good idea to use a stock image for a logo. For one, it’s not an original design, and secondly, you can be fairly sure it’s used elsewhere. It took just a minute of searching before I found this image on the Careerwise website:
Design options
I provided two different options.
One
Two
I was also asked to design a business card, and after a few different variations were presented, the following layout was chosen.
The puzzle piece shape on the front would make an excellent die-cut. In the end, rounded corners were chosen (not shown on the mock-up).
Client testimonial
Shaun had these words to say once the project was complete:
“I hired David because we have a similar design style, and more importantly, similar ethics. As a designer myself I’m aware of how difficult it can be to complete work for other designers. I imagine that David must have been frustrated at times with my constant suggestions and even changing the design myself! To his credit he never let it show, quite the opposite in fact. He was always friendly, polite and more than happy to accept my ideas even though he may well have disagreed with them. It was a pleasure to work with a professional who obviously loves what he does for a living.”
It was a pleasure working with you, Shaun. All the very best with Jigsaw Internet.
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Good post David!
Very interesting to see your initial sketches and the business card mock-up is very clever, I didn’t realise the others in your portfolio were not photographs (Although I did wonder how you have acquired a card from all of your clients!)
You’ll be pleased to know that i’m in the process of completely redesigning my site and at the moment i’ve gone back to using the original logo with the grey (as used in this post) and intend on using it rather than the blue version in future!
Thanks again for your work and i’m sure I will be referring some of my clients to you in the future if they’re prepared to pay for a quality logo.
Shaun Barnes’s last blog post..Effective web content: Entice and engage your users
Hey David,
I really like the logo, and I do think that the better logo was chosen. The digital mockup of the business cards is really cool. Keep up the good work, your a true inspiration.
-Zach
Graphic/Web Design Student
Good one again David.
I like the color and font selection.
Both of your final designs are excellent.
I feel that In the first design, the second jigsaw piece tries to take a little more attention than it should.
Niyaz PK’s last blog post..HDR Photography Using Mobile Phone Camera
I like this logo David,
I think I like the second one tho over the one the client chose! I really like how the mark balances horizontally above the right side of the text. However, looking at it again just now, my eye sees “winter” a little too much for some reason.
Brian Yerkes’s last blog post..Which logo ripped off the other one?
Shaun,
Cheers for visiting and letting me know your thoughts on the post. Interesting that you’ll be using the original colour combination, and I hope the site re-design goes well.
Zach,
Very kind of you to say. I’ve had a few people asking about the digital card mock-up, so I’ll have to get around to that tutorial post one of these days.
Niyaz,
The balance between both jigsaw pieces was certainly something that needed thought. I didn’t want the lower piece to appear too washed out, and felt there was a stronger balance in the design when the tone was the same as the word ‘internet’.
Brian,
I reckon a splash of colour would dispell your thoughts of winter (though perhaps not the blue that Shaun favoured). Thanks for leaving your take on the logos.
I like the chosen one (at the top) the best, that’s a good choice.
At your image (top of article) the text Internet seems light grey, I believe for print media it is difficult to reproduce a grey color. And on white paper I think it will become less readable.
At the website of jigsawinternet.com the text Internet is in a lighter blue (probably a % of the PMS color of jigsaw) not only is that better readable but will also save some costs in printing.
Good job. Thanks for sharing.
Sander’s last blog post..Stalen sculpturen en Architectuur
As usual, great work David. I like the way you deal with your clients.
Sander: You’re right. That is one of the main reasons I changed the colour.
I printed the logo out and it was very faint on certain types of paper. Also the blue version currently on my website fits in with my existing colour scheme better.
As you can see from the business card above we used the blue version there.
Shaun Barnes’s last blog post..Effective web content: Entice and engage your users
Hello Sander,
As Shaun mentions, faintness of gray was one reason for his change of colour. I provide all clients with the .ai file for their logo, and Shaun happens to use Adobe Illustrator.
Chaitanya,
Thanks very much :)
Shaun,
Good of you to reply to Sander before I had an opportunity.
Very nice work David. I really like the business cards. I much prefer the blue/blue version over the blue/gray version—it feels friendlier to me.
Karly Barrett’s last blog post..Poster Design Inspiration: Nothing Like a Dame
I think it looks great.
The logo is not loud (not rudely in-your-face) but at same time it does stand out / attracts your attention / is memorable.
I think of three words when I look at it: ‘crisp (efficient), clever and creative (problem-solving)’ – the sort of brand values that many companies would be pleased to be associated with!
Good job!
Hi david!
It’s been a long time i’ve read your posts. Was just browsing by and found this post of yours.
Somehow i feel it is not your best work! May be i’m wrong. But i felt so.
Mmm… the logos, both the selected one and the rejected ones, have something missing. It is looking a bit dull. The jigsaw pieces, from my point of view, needed to be positioned a bit more upwards. That’s purely my way of thinking.
Anyways! Great to know about yet another piece of your work!
Keep going!
Yet again David, another fantastic logo design.
Sketching first is one thing that I need to get more in practice of doing. Granted, I don’t design logos much and when I do, it’s usually for my own sites, but in the past, when I’ve tried to sketch on paper, I just never come up with anything of substance. I’m a pretty good sketcher/drawer too if you ask me, but trying to sketch out a logo first just never seems to work for me. Now, in contrast, if I jump right into Illustrator and start toying around with different colors, shapes, etc., usually my creative juices get flowing and and I can come up with something creative.
I noticed in your sketches, you don’t have a rough sketch of your final design at the top. Did you actually think of the idea for your final design once you were in Illustrator working?
Deron Sizemore’s last blog post..Wow! Very surprised to see the Random Jabber logo as a finalist at the Logo Design Love Awards
Thanks Karly,
I’m sure Shaun appreciates the feedback on his preferred colour combination.
Eamon,
Glad you like the outcome. Cheers.
grafic,
It has indeed been a while since I’ve seen you comment. I hope all’s well with you these days.
Deron,
There were about two pages of sketches, and you’re right that not one accurately reflects the chosen logo. They came close, but it wasn’t until using Illustrator when the exact form took shape. Thanks for commenting buddy.
Very informative post David. I would have taken the last logo among all of them, the second last one JIGSAWINTERNET, WINTER looks more prominent.
Your blog logo is great, I like the simplicity about it.
By the way what do you think of my blog logo, I would like your opinion. if you havnt been to Fortune Watch just take a look and let me have your views. I will be back to see your comment. (It wasnt made by me, it was created by a friend who is an art director.
Cheers
FW_Robin Bal’s last blog post..Become Wealthy Without Losing The Quality Of Your Life
Brian,
Sorry, I misread your ‘winter’ statement, thinking the tones gave you an impression of the winter season! I see what you mean about the word ‘winter’ sticking out.
Robin,
Yep, you saw what Brian pointed out, and it was something Shaun and I discussed during the design process.
Thanks for the compliment on my personal logo. It took me an age to decide upon it – the bane of designing for yourself. I had a look at your Fortune Watch logo. Full marks for simplicity, though I’d like to see how the mark works alongside the name. Do you have a version with both elements together?
Just re-visited this post and saw your comments about the “winter season”! thats funny
Brian Yerkes’s last blog post..Logo Composition (Part 1) – Format
Nice work. I like the one chosen with the A as th puzzle piece, although I might have liked to see it a little more square, like it was in the sketches where all the letters were pieces.
Definitely a good choice to go simpler and not make every letter a puzzle piece. Even though it’s a cool idea and I like how you managed to work it in your sketches, it might take some people too long to read for it to be effective.
kristarella’s last blog post..Buffy humour
Hi David,
That is a brilliant work. I guess from now on, if there is a quiz, I might be able to detect which logo is designed by you even you don’t post it on your blog. Your design is quite distinctive and it speaks. *Thumbs up!
Rafie’s last blog post..iLuvislam Project
Hey David, thanks for sharing your process of coming up with this solution for the Jigsaw Internet Logo… How long did it take you to come up with that? It looks, based on the sketches that it was a quick. Do you use a particular technique to speed up the process? I ask because I find that a lot of time when I’m designing from scratch I have a tough time coming up with ideas. I tend to be very right-brained and analytical and I’m trying to break out of that. The lead designer at my workplace has been trying to help by giving me deadline design projects where I have no choice but to come up with something. It helps, but I’m not sure how or why it does … hmmm I just realized that i think too much :p Anyways, any tips would be much appreciated. :)
Btw, I am adding this as an edit because i noticed that after posting my comment it allows me to make corrections… is that part of comment luv plugin? If not which plugin are you using to allow that?
Natasha’s last blog post..Elephants and Art Skills
an ok logo, nothing to remember, but i love your other logos,
hi from colombia i love your blog
Brian,
Who knows what I was thinking!? Perhaps it was the wonderful spring weather here in Scotland.
Kristarella,
I really wanted the idea of all the letters as pieces to work. Just the thought of it reminded me of one my my previous logos of the month (eight logo design).
Rafie,
You’re very kind, thanks.
Natasha,
I think the whole process took around two weeks, but you’re right to think this one involved less researching than some of my other projects. Shaun knew he wanted at least two jigsaw pieces in the design, so that really helped narrow the scope.
To allow readers to edit their comments I use the Ajax Edit Comments plugin. It’s a nifty one, for sure.
By the way, I had a look at your portfolio, and love your first acrylic painting! Great job! I struggled with acrylics, because I didn’t practice enough. My preference was always for chalks and charcoals.
Sebastian,
Hello from Scotland. :)
“I really wanted the idea of all the letters as pieces to work”
You know, technically that’s concrete poetry.
Nice work.
Adam_Y’s last blog post..Highly Recommended
Heh, yep – the eight logo was exactly what I thought of (in response to your every letter idea). I did love that logo, and the whole alphabet to go with it! One of those things I wish I’d come up with myself :P
Hey David, I love that logo. I was thinking exactly the same: A should be the best letter to be replaced by the jigsaw, as they have kinda similar shape. But I did not think that A is the least important for viewer to formulate jigsaw – I learned a good logo practice – thanks for that.
And I really love the way you make your digitized mock-up. That’s so cool!!! Much better than giving the client just a .pdf of the flat 2D biz-card.
It’s been a month I haven’t been to your blog but when I read this post, I was like: “Darn, I have missed a lot of fabulous things!!!”. keep up the great work, buddy.
Adam,
I had to search for the definition of ‘concrete poetry’. Thanks for the compliment!
Kristarella,
That’s funny how you were also thinking of the eight logo. :) It’s an aim of mine to create something similar. Perhaps one of these days.
sesli,
Thank you.
Hieu,
Glad to give you a different insight into letter replacement. Shaun (the owner of Jigsaw Internet) kindly sent me some photos of his business cards. I should really publish one here.
I wasn’t mad keen on the design, but when I saw it on the business cards I thought it looked really cool.
I like the dark cards, I’m quite into that at the moment (dark blocks of colour on business card sides)
My own business cards are very dark choc brown both sides.
Thanks for once again sharing your process and outcome of a client project David. In recently launching a new brand and website for my company, I also outlined the logo process I encountered as a client.
Love your work, style and customer service David.
Aaron Weiche’s last blog post..Business Blogging Meetup A Great Resource
Amanda,
Good of you to comment, thanks.
Aaron,
Heading over to your site now, and looking forward to seeing your logo process.
I think I prefer the other solution as the A can be a little hard to read.
Also (hate to be pointing out little errors)
“you can be sure it’s used elsewhere”
should it not be: “you cant be sure it’s used elsewhere”
Jermayn Parker’s last blog post..Dreaming Out Loud – OneRepublic
Thanks for your thoughts, Jermayn, and for trying to correct me, but I did mean to say “you can be sure”. For one thing, the image will be on the website of the stock photography company.
I think that there is no way that anyone could possibly not know that the word is ‘jigsaw’ regardless of whether the A is readable or not.
Even if it didn’t resemble an A shape at all, the word would still be readable.
We’ve all seen this I’m sure:
“Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn’t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.”
As long as the company name is clearly conveyed to the viewer, which in this case it very much is, I think that this is all that matters, even if the A isn’t a perfectly readable A.
Hah! Yeah, that quirck in the way we read things is kind of cool and kind of annoying… I’m sure it’s a big part of why people call me Kirsten instead of Kristen!
kristarella’s last blog post..Vienna & NetNewsWire
Amanda,
Your quote is an excellent way to get a point across. Thanks for pasting it here, and for backing up my design. :) I wonder if you’ve shown your own business card anywhere online, your blog perhaps? I’d love to see. One other question, do you ever find your design time becoming stretched with the unlimited logo revisions you offer?
Kristarella,
I can’t remember reading it before, that you’re called Kristen (probably my dodgey memory). Would you prefer I call you by your name (rather than Kristarella)?
Haha, I might not have written it before. I started my blog and my kristarella identity when I was right out of school and still had my mother’s wariness of the internet imprinted on me. There are obviously dodgy people out there – I read a headline today about a girl being attacked by two men she met online… I don’t think I’ll get that kind of trouble from anyone here!
Call me either, I’ll probably still use kristarella for a while. :)
I certainly hope you don’t get that kind of trouble from anyone here!
Nice insight. ;)
Sorry, you’ll have to excuse my horrible horrible photography skills….this is my business card …
http://www.trulyace.com/images/businesscard.jpg
Re: Unlimited Revisions
No it doesn’t suck up design time. I only offer unlimited revisions because I know full well they won’t be asking for many.
I carefully compile the brief, read it thoroughly and do my best to make sure they are presented with designs that they want – 90% of customers barely have any revisions at all – they usually pick a design and have a small tweak to colours or something else simple.
Then about 7 percent have a reasonable amount of revisions that don’t take up huge amounts of time, then there are about 3% run me through the mill with them.
For the small amount of people wanting lots and lots of revisions it’s worth it to be able to offer the attractive proposition to potential customers the price cannot rise on them mid project even if they have lots of revisions to their design.
Note it says that they can only have unlimited revisions to their ‘chosen’ design though, not to all designs presented to them. That keeps it in check also.
Oooh, nice card. Thanks for showing me.
As for your revisions, it was interesting to read how you state ‘unlimited revisions to the chosen design’. That’d certainly help. I wonder what other designers choose to do. Could make an interesting blog article.
Thanks, I don’t really like it ‘that’ much – but that’s the case for everything I design for myself.
My terms and conditions have been fine honed over the years – all based on experience.
In the past they used to just say unlimited revisions and I found myself doing revisions to concepts they didn’t even end up with, which equaled a lot more revisions per project.
I think really when you show three concepts they should be able to decide which one they way without seeing revisions to it – after all revisions aren’t going to actually change the concept itself, just tweak it.
In my opinion they need to decide on the concept they want for their business – and then only be tweaking that particular idea.
Since I implemented this I’ve done far less revisions and clients are still just as happy with this system.
Certain it’s another blog topic isn’t it :)
Thanks again for the insight, Amanda. That makes sense.
I love seeing the transition of your work from the beginning to the end! Great post!
first of all , quite amused by Amanda’s order-fo-teh-lertte theory, that’s funny.
i like the first logo ,i think its more powerful visually,since the idea of these two logos base on the same logic,the more outstanding(visually) one definitely is better
i like most of your designs, David,and visit here very often,this time i cant help noticing that the name card u made for this jigsaw was a little bit weaker(my point of view), especially the white side,its kinda plain and not very well space arranged,of course the information was clearly conveyed,but not in a delicacy way i think.
looking forward to your idea.
Actually, I really prefer the second logo. I’m not a fan of forcing an illustration into the type of a company. Occasionally it works, but in this case it feels a little awkward and the second piece hangs there creating a void between it and the ‘solutions’
I think if it was just plain ‘jigsaw’ then it might work better.
The second solution feels like something I would do, which inherently makes it so much cooler ;)
I love the font choice for it too… what is it? whathefont doesnt recognise it.
Chad, I’m not sure you get the ‘order of the letter’ theory. The trick is to keep the fisrt and lsat leettrs in plcae, as the eye is drawn to them more than those in the centre.
Regarding the white side of the card, I’d prefer the blue jigsaw piece on the left removed, leaving a cleaner impression. It was Shaun’s choice, and he’s happier with the outcome.
atomo, in my initial ideas I didn’t include ‘solutions’ (as you can see in the very few sketches shown). The chosen design was thought of before the third word was added, which explains a little about your thoughts. I’m surprised ‘whatthefont’ didn’t recognise Gotham.