Insignia examples

You can view the full-size versions on Flickr. Captions below the images in green indicate the comments and feedback from the rest of the team.

The various logos here were photographed from the excellent book ‘Tres Logos’, published by Die Gestalten Verlag. Unless otherwise stated, the copyright remains with the original creator(s) and the images are shown here purely for research purposes.

• Traditional insignia / classic coat of arms

  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 

    Without having an old fashioned look about it, this logo is bold and instantly recognisable. Its size could be varied without losing its dominant shape. The focus on the text is good; shame about the banner.

  • 

• General insignia / modern coat of arms

  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 

    Nice mix of classic and modern. The shapes used are a little devoid of personality and meaning, though.

  • 
  • 

    Although we don’t like the badge shape, this one has a nice clear area in the middle for us to focus on, and the flourishes are left to exist purely as add-on decorations outside of the main shape.

  • 

    No to banners! Too old fashioned.

  • 

    The badge look is quite cool but could be self-agrandising. Too political.

  • 
  • 
  • 

    Cool combination of two contrasting elements / aesthetics

  • 
  • 
  • 

    We didn’t like the badge shape but everyone liked the subtle asymmetrical elements.

  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 

    I quite liked this lanyard-like shape. It seemed a bit more unusual.

  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 

    Although we didn’t like the visual look of these logos, the idea of taking a consistent element (in this case the badge shape and wings) through to different elements of the company could be a great idea. For instance, Carson Workshops could have a similar-but-obviously-different logo.

  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 

• Hand-drawn / woodcut / ‘grungey’

  • 

    Lots of different elements in different styles. Very MisprintedType-esque.

  • 

    Good balance between fine lines and large areas of black.

  • 

    The focal point is the name - not a traditional (shield) shape. We don’t like the banner, though.

  • 
  • 
  • 

    Good use of two tones.

  • 
  • 

    The misaligned lower half adds a nice freeform nature to an otherwise fairly traditional image.

  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 

    Offsetting the text and image from the centre creates an interesting shape and brings in some negative space to highlight the offset text.

  • 
  • 

    Spiced up by some varying points of perspective.

  • 
  • 

    Again, a nice lanyard-like (i.e: different) shape.

• Intricate detail

  We loved all of these but feel they’re just too complicated and fussy. We think a version of the logo for the website only could be made in this vein, with parts extending out across the page to meld with other elements of the page design.

  • 

    You need to see a large version.

  • 

    The extension in the bottom-left stops the logo from being symmetrical. You need to see a large version.

  • 

    You need to see a large version.

  • 

    You need to see a large version.

  • 

    You need to see a large version.

  • 

    You need to see a large version.

• Splitting up of one word

  • 

    One of our favourite ones here: it gets the balance right between ‘classic’ and ‘cool’, and the shapes embellish the text rather than detract from it.

• Abstract

  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 

    Simplicity.

  • 

    The swirls could echo the ‘c’, plus the shape is simple and instantly recognisable.

  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 

    Very loose form and structure. Nice.

  • 

• Not insignia but in a similar vein...

  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 

    We all like this one, although perhaps it’s not classic enough. Maybe a bit too stuck in the now (reminiscent of Dance compilation covers, etc.)

  • 
  •