Celebrate 20 Years of Locke Design! - Brand Development for Beaufort County Library

Locke Design Omnimedia is celebrating 20 years of business in 2016! In celebration of our 20th anniversary each month we are highlighting some of our favorite jobs as case studies in our blog. In 2005 Locke Design was awarded a grant to redesign the branding for Lancaster County Library and the Beaufort County Library.

First, we set about meeting with a committee from all branches of the Library including Hilton Head, Bluffton and Beaufort. The committee wanted a brand with mass appeal that spoke to the mission of the library “For Learning, For Leisure, For Life” and that identified with the coastal ties of Beaufort County. Second, as with any design process our creative director and staff begin with sketches allowing us to quickly explore many ideas. From these ideas arise a few designs to experiment with computerized illustration software. Once on the computer the designs begin to take shape. We explore many different options and see how sketches translate into designs on the computer. Some work, some do not.

When designing a logo after the sketching process and application of the design to the computer we generally work completely in black and white. This insures the strength of the design in one color. Then after we are satisfied with the form of the design and the typography we begin to add color.

Three logos were presented to Beaufort County Library. A lighthouse representing the library as a beacon of knowledge and an illusion to the Great Library at Alexandria. A bowl with the flame of knowledge that forms a sailing ship. Finally, a representation of three people that are connected by the waves of the Ocean. In our presentation logo concept two was presented in the warm colors of fire but after the consideration of the committee these colors were changed to blues. This color scheme created a calm feeling for the final selected logo which at first glance appears to be a simple sailing ship.

After completion of the logo Locke Design moved on to the creation of a stationery system including business card design, name tag design, letterhead and envelopes as part of the awarded grant. Over the years the logo has become an integral part of the library system and has found it way onto web solutions, signage and even t-shirts. As an agency in the Upstate of South Carolina it was a honor for our firm to be selected by a high profile low-country county to brand an important part of county government.