Rob Clarke is an incredible type designer. Point blank period.
Kleenex, Jim Bean, Walgreens, Schweppes, Magnum (ice cream), LIPTON!!!
All of these logos are a part of Rob Clarkes absolutely insane portfolio.
When I first learned about Clarke around a year and a half ago, I was genuinely blown away by his ability to showcase his excellence just through black and white imagery. I had never seen such a simple yet effective portfolio.
What makes it so special? He’s showcasing his distinct talent without any bells and whistles.
When I sketch logos, I try to replicate Rob Clarke and avoid colors at all costs. That’s not to say they don’t come into play later though. Let me explain.
If you design a logo that doesn’t work in black and white, you’ve already failed at said logo.
I have a friend who is colorblind, let’s call him Randy. One time, I was playing a game of pool with Randy (I was stripes and he was solids) and he was up. He thought he was down to the 8 ball and sunk it. What Randy didn’t realize is that there was a solid red 3 ball still on the table because it blended in with the red felt.
My point here is that if you want to start a company, you better have an easy to distinguish logo that can work in color and black and white.
For me, the color comes after black and white, because it is the strongest contrast pair there is. As graphic designers it is easy to overlook the importance of accessibility. Same hue/different saturation pairings are everywhere and to full-spectrum vision owners, it may be powerful but to colorblind people it may lack the oomph you are looking for.
My pool game with Randy really changed my perspective as a designer with full color vision. It made me appreciate Rob Clarke’s approach to showcasing his designs. Black and white drafts are not only essential for perfecting the shapes and harmony of our designs, they are essential to making our designs viewable for EVERYONE.
In conclusion, when you go to design ANYTHING, think about my buddy Randy. If Randy were to see your artwork up on a wall would he get the full picture despite his disability? Does your artwork give Randy the opportunity to see the 3 Ball? Or does it force him to sink the 8 Ball?