Recent Work: MailChimp / journal / hicksdesign

15/09/08

Recent Work: MailChimp

New Mailchimp Character

I was approached a while back by MailChimp to create an updated version of their logo, and here it finally is! I don’t need to go into much detail about it, as the MailChimp Blog has a really thorough write-up about the process, in particular the brief that started the job.

One thing I did want to show though, is how the sketch is traced. On the Silverback entry, I showed the process of it’s creation, but missed out this initial stage. This time I took some screenshots, and made another animated gif:

Animation of the early stages of Mailchimp

First the sketch is imported into Illustrator, and given 30-40% opacity, given it’s own locked layer, then the basic shapes are drawn on top. The paths are given some transparency so I can see where I’m tracing, but it isn’t always a straight trace, as this is the chance for some improvements. Finally, all the shapes are in place and the sketch layer can be deleted.

This is the last primate for a while – promise.

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Comments are now closed, but you can still have a jolly time reading what others have left:

Mustafa said 81 days ago:

thats a really nice piece mate…i love the illustration – i have a thing for rough and scratchy

Curvball said 81 days ago:

Nice work as usual Jon. I think it’s awesome that you shared the ‘design process’ of this character.

Michael Grinstead said 81 days ago:

I do like that bag :) Great work as usual.

Rob Hawkes said 81 days ago:

Lovely illustration, and with that determined look I bet he’s never late.

It’s really nice to see the process you go through to get the design onto the screen. You make it look so easy!

Rutger said 81 days ago:

As usual Jon, great work! I love the attention to detail in this.

Phil Matthews said 81 days ago:

Absolutely superb, I love it! Very much like the blue and gold colour combinations. Top work!

Jono said 81 days ago:

Great work as usual!
And really enjoy seeing the different stages of the design :)

José Carlos said 81 days ago:

Another great work, congratulations!

You’re definitely the best “simian-designer” actually! :D

Erwin Heiser said 81 days ago:

Sweet, they should make a doll of this one, it’d sell like hot cakes :)

#10

Matt Hamm said 81 days ago:

I love the stitching detail on the bag, the furry feel and the subtle use of shadows.

How did you arrive at this sketch? Have you got pages of different initial ideas that just get thrown in the bin? or did the little fellow almost draw himself?

#11

Tyler Sticka said 81 days ago:

Wow, I just about fell out of my chair when I saw how dimensional your redesign turned out to be! The monkey… it beckons me!

I love when you post your initial sketches, as it verifies my theory that the best in iconography (and design in general) still starts with a lo-fi sketchbook.

BTW, the detail on the hat and bag really pull it together for me.

#12

Jared Christensen said 81 days ago:

Outstanding! Love the stitching and shadows!

#13

joeri said 80 days ago:

I love it. But the darker side of the bag keeps tracking my attention. It doesn’t fit in so well with the rest of the bag. But that’s just nitpicking! Great work!

#14

rss_ems said 80 days ago:

very nice,so thanks.

#15

Stas Sushkov said 80 days ago:

Amazing :)
I wish I have such skills.
We’re trying to design a logo for our Linux community, but no chance to get that high results :(
http://www.softwareliber.ro/2008/07/16/logo-ul-gsl/