The DL on Design: Words to Art

Bianca Sawyer

Lead Designer, Identity Marketing

Referencing Master Chef is a whole new level of literature that I am willing to explore for the sake of explaining the art of being conceptual in design.

Picture this: Poh, of Masterchef fame, has just been faced with a mystery box of ingredients which she has to make work to test her level of creativity and innovation. Poh creates a dish that represents so much more than a delicious meal, it’s a conceptual dish that represents a nostalgic fishing trip with her father. It’s unique, evokes emotion and every element of the dish has a reason to be there. Just like Master Chef, creating a brand that is distinctive and inspiring boils down to a conceptual approach with layers of calculated reasoning behind it.

A brand with an iconic (and conceptual) logo is the Commonwealth Bank. The next time you come across the Commonwealth Bank logo, take a moment to notice the shape of the yellow area as it conceptually links five points, with these points representing each star in the Southern Cross. The black then completes the diamond shape leading to a logo that represents a brighter future for all Australians.

Design novices often think everything must be obvious, this is, however, restrictive and ineffectual. Instead let there be magic in your visuals with conceptual design. Through this method every choice made has a purpose and reason for being there while also showing consumers that you have a unique personality and inspiring point of difference.

Communicating with your designer the unique history behind your agency, your unique selling points, target market and your core mission will help the designer visualise who you are. It can be hard to think past the obvious choice such as a house or key for the real estate industry but graphic designers are trained in conceptual thinking to deliver ideas that have never been explored. Designers will draw on inspiration from every aspect of your brand, for example they may notice a quirky architecturally designed element in your office space which leads to the creation of an interesting pattern or your service may be based in a wine region leading to different tones of the landscape being incorporated. Inspiration for visuals can even be found in the language palette your business and brand use. Although a lot of what your business encapsulates is simply words written on a page, they have the visual opportunity to create emotion and symbolism.

In conclusion, a conceptual visual identity will not only get a 10/10 from Matt Preston, but an appreciation form you market. I implore you to remember the words of Aristotle, “The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.”