本文中，顶级的标识设计师们将分享他们设计平面图案、制作Logo的经验之谈。
Every sign designer knows that there are only two types of logos: the kind the customer already has, and the kind the customer still needs. The first type often comes with strict rules, PMS color requirements, sizing specifications and usage guidelines. The digital files can seem as though they were created in a clean-room lab as the result of an integrated branding study. Despite their high pedigree (and higher price), these logos often require hours of tedious file-modification before they can be transformed into a proper sign – pro bono file-modification for many designers.
每个标识设计者都知道有两种类型的Logo：客户已经拥有的Logo和客户还在寻找的Logo，前者在设计与制作时有着严格的规则，色彩配方要求，喷涂的规格和用途限制。这些Logo的数字文件虽然是在专业的品牌设计所中产出，看起来的确具有较高的专业水准（和较高的价格），但是缺乏实用性，通常需要长达数小时乏味的修改，才能转换为合适的实体标识——而这些工作都需要实际进行制作的设计师们进行无偿地服务。
The opportunity to create a logo from scratch, though, is the “unicorn” project that drives many a creative to dream up logos that define a business, define a neighborhood and define a signshop. These are the projects that allow you to show off your particular set of skills (in my best Liam Neeson voice). However, to reach that creative nirvana, a designer must decide how to work with – and charge – clients. A few of the industry’s most talented designers weighed in on how they manage to saddle that unicorn and get to serious work.
从头开始创建一个新Logo，是标识设计者们梦寐以求的“独角兽”项目——稀少且珍贵，但就是这样的工作才往往能够催生出独具创意的梦幻标识，从而定义一个企业、一个社区，以及定义出一个标识商店自身的特色，展示自己的特定技能。
但是，即便是从头创建一个项目，也不是一定能达到自己的创意目标，设计师必须决定如何与客户合作，以及如何收取费用···下面一些业内最有才华的设计师，将会带来关于“独角兽”项目如何管理、运作的经验之谈。
WOW-ING THE CUSTOMER
让客户惊叹
When a customer messages, calls or visits your shop to discuss their project, listening is key. “You get little tidbits from people. Maybe they bring a little sketch to show you. Then you have to elaborate on it,” said Bob Lacy, proprietor of Chatham Sign Shop (Chatham, MA) . “Then there’s a lot of back and forth.”
当客户发来有合作意愿的消息，通过电话或来到门店讨论他们的Logo项目时，倾听是关键，查塔姆标识商店的老板鲍勃·莱西说：“在这些交流中，能够得到的只是一些片段，也许客户会带一些草图来体现需求，但是作为标识商店却需要为客户进行详细的含义解读与可行性说明，这个过程将会反复进行很多次。”
“First, we talk about the type of look they want,” said Jason Nale, owner and designer of Nazareth Sign Co. (Nazareth, PA) . “I prefer customers that want my style. I’ve done enough work now that I can weed out the customers that want clip-art, Etsy-ish logos.”
拿撒勒标识公司的老板兼设计师杰森·尼尔更深入地说：“重要的是，我们要谈论客户想要的外观类型···但我更喜欢想要喜欢我的设计风格的客户，现在的我已经做了足够的工作，可以淘汰那些只想要剪贴画风格或者手工艺式Logo的客户。”
Jason Nale, Nazareth Sign Co., takes special care to make sure all of the intricate details in his designs are just right. Through the internet, Nale does work for clients all around the globe.
杰森·尼尔无论Logo的平面图像多么复杂，都会特别注意确保设计中的所有细节准确无误。通过互联网，尼尔可以为全球的客户进行服务。
Elaine Wallis, partner and designer at Signature Sign & Image (Niagara Falls, ON, Canada) starts at the source. “I really look at where the sign will go, its vantage points, where it will be seen.” She designs from there. “That means scale, impact... it’s got to have a wow factor. Everything else is secondary.”
Signature标识与平面设计公司的合伙人兼设计师伊莲·沃利斯更注意从源头把控标识设计，她说：“我的注意力更多放在标识的空间位置上，这是一个值得争取的优势，更容易取得注意力，当然这也意味着标识需要拥有更大的规模与影响力···总之，它必须具有令人赞叹的因素，其他一切都是次要的。”
Lacy asks for location photos before he or his designer, Tim Graham, begins the creative work. “We like to get a picture of where a sign is going, with dimensions. That way we can paste in a mock-up,” he said. Lacy’s next step is research. “Then we gather information,” he said. “We go to their store, or their website.” Getting a feel for a customer’s business gives their designs an edge. “We might see something or think of something that someone else might miss.” Then the selling kicks in. “You got to hit them with what you really want to sell. Be specific about what they’re getting,” Lacy advised.
莱西与他手下的设计师蒂姆·格雷厄姆开始一个标识项目之前，必要的素材之一就是计划安装标识的位置的实景照片，莱西建议说：“我们偏向于参考标识实际安装处的照片，这样我们可以确定空间结构，作出更贴合的模型。之后，我们将对客户进行研究，包括收集信息、访问他们的商店与网站，因为感受并贴近客户的业务可以使得设计更具优势，也更容易看到或想到别人可能会错过的东西。最后在进行投标或销售时，只有自己满意的、并且客户真正想要的产品，来说服并打动他们。”
After discussing the formal qualities of the project, what then? Again, Wallis gets straight to the point: “I show the customer one [sketch],” she said. “I’ve done three or five [sketches] by then, and worked it out. I kind of talk them through it. Clients trust you.” Nale agreed. “I’m a one-proof guy. I like to do one design and send it to them. They can make changes from there.”
完成了以上的步骤，Logo项目的形式与品质已经基本上确定了，那么接下来该怎么做呢？沃利斯对此毫不犹豫地表示：“向客户展示一个草图！在与客户沟通的过程中，应该已经完成几幅草图了，这时将这些草图中好的发送给客户，展示其中的优势点，并利用自己的销售技巧取得客户的信任。”
尼尔对沃利斯的说法表示赞同：“不过我是一个喜欢‘单打独斗’的人，我一般会只做一个设计发送给客户，让他们在此基础上进行修改。”
TO FEE OR NOT TO FEE
设计，免费还是收费？
Elaine Wallis, Signature Sign & Image, designed the Blue Moose logo for the Niagara Clifton Group.
伊莲·沃利斯为尼亚加拉的克里夫顿集团设计了蓝色麋鹿Logo。
So, with design concepts in your head, on paper and probably in your computer, have you made any money yet? For some shops, charging a line-item design fee isn’t possible. Fortunately, there are other ways to compensate. “I don’t charge by the hour,” Nale said. “I charge by the job, based on the complexity of the graphic.” The design fee is folded into the total price.
那么，当标识设计师的脑海中、图纸上或者电脑里已经存有不少设计概念时，要怎样将它们变现呢？对于某些标识商店来说，往往无法收取单项的设计费用，不过很幸运，这个问题还有其他的补偿方法，尼尔说：“我从不按工作时间收费，而是根据工作的复杂性收取费用，其中关于设计的单项费用将会折合在总价之中。”
Lacy takes a pragmatic approach. “In order to get the job, you’ve got to understand that you have to give away something,” he said. “Sometimes I’ll get a deposit. If they don’t buy the sign, [they] sacrifice the deposit.” This “kill fee” helps to ensure some remuneration.
莱西对收费问题采取的是更为务实的态度，他说：“当人们决定找标识商店去制定一个Logo时，他们就得明白这不是无偿的服务，有时我会采取定金的形式来做生意，如果客户最终不购买标识，他们就会牺牲定金或是押金。这项费用有助于确保标识店能够获得一定的报酬。”
Signature Sign & Image adds an agreed-upon, design-specific fee to the final bill. Reasonably priced, good design represents an immense value.
Signature标识与平面设计公司则会在一个项目的最终账单上增加商定且特定于设计的费用，价格合理···但需要注意的是，好的设计往往代表着更巨大的价值。
CREATIVE DIFFERENCES
创意，创造差异
Now it’s time to get to work. Chatham Sign Shop uses SAi’s Flexi software to create their designs, and the software integrates seamlessly with their CNC. They still hand-carve when necessary, and do all of their 23k gold-leaf work in-house.
在实际开始标识的工作时，查塔姆标识商店使用SAi的Flexi软件来创建他们的设计概念，该软件能与数控机床无缝集成，非常方便，但查塔姆设计团队仍然会在必要时进行手工雕刻与切割，并在商店内部完成所有23K金箔的贴镀工作。
Nale also starts at his computer, but gets down to business using Adobe Illustrator with a mouse, not a stylus. And about those fonts: “I collect really good fonts,” he said. “They give me a base. I can alter them all I want, and I do.” Nale credits his uniquely modern-yet-retro style to his fine-arts background. “I pride myself on layout, and I do have a good eye for color. I like my logos to pop.” Nale reflected further: “Do I worry about readability? Yes, I do.”
尼尔每次设计也都是从电脑开始的，但他使用Adobe Illustrator设计软件时会使用鼠标而非手写笔，而设计中使用的字体都是尼尔在平时精心收藏的，并尝试用自己的设计对它们进行加工，事实上他确实做到了。尼尔将他独特的现代设计风格归功于他的美术背景：“我为自己的版面设计感到自豪，而且我对色彩非常敏感，我更喜欢设计的Logo充满时尚元素。当然，我也非常重视标识的可读性。”
Wallis prefers a more tactile method. “I always start with a pencil,” she said. “I photograph my sketch and bring it into Adobe Fresco and draw layers with an iPen on my tablet. Then I export the vector file to my desktop system and work in Photoshop and CorelDRAW. I go back and forth.” Wallis completes the vector file and hands it off to her engineering department. This smooth transition is possible because Signature Sign & Image fabricates everything in-house.
沃利斯偏好与更具触觉的设计方式，她说：“我总是以铅笔开始设计，然后将素描作品扫描以AdobeFresco打开，用iPen在平板电脑上进一步绘制，然后将矢量文件导入电脑中，用Photoshop和CorelDRAW软件再进行深度的绘制和设计，这个过程我有时会反复进行。”最后，沃利斯将完成的矢量文件交给工程部门，由于Signature标识和平面设计公司有能力在内部进行制作，因此项目的各个环节过渡非常平稳。
FINAL THOUGHTS
最后的追求
With the designs completed, and the signs built and installed, is the job done? Not quite yet. Custom logo designs are routinely used in non-sign applications such as menus, t-shirts and in advertisements across all media types – from coupons to TV spots. But do your clients have the right to use the logo for the sign in other ways?
完成设计、生产并安装标识以后，工作全部完成了吗？当然不行。客户的Logo有时还会在非标识的应用中出现，例如菜单、T恤；以及一些媒体的广告，例如优惠券、电视广告，但是您的客户是否有权以其他方式使用标识上的Logo呢？
Lacy has no problem with it. “If they use the logo elsewhere, that’s the way it is. We just love making the signs,” he said.
莱西对此毫不介意：“如果客户需要在其他地方使用Logo，那就让他们用吧，我们只是喜欢制做标识。”
Both Nazareth Sign Company and Signature Sign & Design take it a step further and give their customers digital files to use however they see fit, often creating custom one-color versions free of charge. “The client can use my work on t-shirts, etc. But, I give them a jpg file, I never give them the original Illustrator file.” Nale said. Those native files can be modified too easily, plus sometimes they are difficult for clients to open.
而拿撒勒标识公司和Signature标识和平面设计公司的做法更加超前，他们主动向客户提供Logo的数字文件以供使用，只要他们认为合适，还会免费创建客户需要的单色版本，尼尔说：“客户可以在T恤衫等物品上是用我的作品，但是我只为他们提供jpg格式的文件，不会提供原始的Illustrator文件，因为这种格式的文件容易被误修改，而且客户也很难打开它们。”
All of these designers do agree on one thing, though. They want their work to be seen. “There’s so much competition, you have to stand out,” Nale said. “My goal is to make the sign stand out.”
尽管每位设计师的做法不同，但他们都会同意一件事：希望看到自己的作品在更多地方曝光，尼尔说：“标识行业竞争非常激烈，必须要使自己脱颖而出，我的目标就是如此。”
Wallis agreed. “The sign really needs to have an original feel, like nobody else has that,” she said. “We sign designers love what we do – it’s who we are.”
沃利斯标识赞同：“标识的设计必须具有一种原生感，就是没有人能和我做得一样。每个标识设计师都热爱我们的事业，热爱我们的身份。”
