Recycling and Redesigning Logos

Reviews / Votes

Hodgson, Michael. Recycling & Redesigning Logos: A Designer's Guide to Refreshing & Rethinking Design. Rockport: Quayside. 2010. 192p. photogs. ISBN 9781592536115. pap. $30. GRAPHIC ARTS
Unlike many available books on logo design, Hodgson's work focuses on customer interactions. Specifically, he looks at real-life situations that required revising an organization's design strategy to stay relevant with customers. Hodgson provides case studies showing how designers responded to given problems, as well as interviews with designers who worked on major commissions. One good example was completed by Ph.D, a Design Office, the Santa Monica firm where Hodgson is the principal and creative director. His group designed a visual identity to reflect the growth of Inner-City Arts, a Los Angeles arts-education complex that began as a program for young children but later expanded to offer programs for a wider age range. The new identity focuses on sophistication and replaces a design scheme that reflected the youth and innocence of its early students. This attractive book is well written, with appropriate depth and touches of wit. An added thumbnail gallery of logos at the end is nice; however, an index would have been helpful. VERDICT Highly recommended for professional graphic designers and design students. - Library Journal, November 15, 2010