When you are your own client, and don’t like any proposals you come up with.

More than a decade ago I designed my own logotype with the idea of moving to Amsterdam and working from there as a graphic designer.

In 2002, I printed my own business cards, saved my folio into a square mini disc and flew to Amsterdam to have a casual interview with Luis Mendo from Lava Design Studio.

Luis helped me a lot and I still remember many of his suggestions. After that informal interview, I went back to Barcelona and 4 years later I landed in Brisbane –with the same business cards– where I secured a job as a lead graphic designer. 10 years later, I am still in Australia.

Branding

My logo design has a long and deep story for me, that is why changing it after 13 years has been such a difficult task.

These days I am slowly falling in love with my new image but still having a mix of feelings inside myself.

Creative process

I started with calligraphy writing my own name in a few different styles. I began with condensed capitals, following the look and feel of my initial logotype set in Univers Thin Ultra Condensed.

Then I tried casual styles all in lowercase. I liked the idea of having my name set in minuscule as it feels very approachable, a reflexion of my personality.

Lettering style

I wanted to create a logotype that had a calligraphic flavour being a vector drawing. I did a similar exercise last year for a personal artwork called “Ciao Negroni!” so I decided to follow this path again. I used a flexible pointed nib to write my name. I used my calligraphic sketch as a base to draw the letterforms. Then I scanned my hand-lettering and I began to vectorise.

Rebranding yourself, and the pain that goes with it!

Brand new Maria Montes, currently wearing it in.