Project brief & objectives

Client goal: Build a visual identity that communicates spiritual leadership, mentorship, and reflection — a mark that will work at podcast scale, in merch, and as a digital icon across platforms.

Primary objectives

• Create a readable, iconic logo that reads at small sizes (app icon/podcast thumbnail).
• Evoke wisdom, faith and mentorship in a contemporary way.
• Deliver an extendable brand system and usage guidance for real-world applications (merch, social, print).
• OSCL Document Final

Challenge

Design a symbol that is:

• Immediately legible at tiny scales (podcast thumbnails, app icons).
• Spiritual without feeling dated — bridging tradition (the cross/book) with modern simplicity.
• Flexible for physical production (embroidery, pins) and digital reproduction.
• OSCL Document Final

Research & insight (what informed the creative direction)

1. Audience & context analysis — Podcast listeners are primarily mobile-first; thumbnails must compete in visually noisy app UIs. Legibility and a strong silhouette are non-negotiable.
2. Symbol study — The cross and book are universal metaphors for faith and learning; placing them in a single, compact mark creates immediate semantic clarity.
3. Competitive scan — Many faith-based logos skew either overly ornate or overly generic. Opportunity: craft a mark that is spiritual but restrained and modern.
4. Material & production constraints — Apparel, embroidery, and lapel pins require simplified shapes and minimal stroke detail. This drove the decision toward compact, block-friendly forms.

These insights led to the central concept: a compact cross + open-book icon that reads clearly and scales reliably.

OSCL Document Final

Concept development — step by step

1. Discovery & alignment

• Kickoff call & brief validation with stakeholders.
• Agreement on values (wisdom, faith, mentorship, continuity) and brand tone (modern, credible, warm).
• Scope: logo system + usage guide + merch mockups + digital icons.

2. Sketch phase (analog → digital)

• Rapid thumbnail sketches exploring book-armature, cross placement, rounded-square framing (for app icon), and wordmark pairings.
• Prioritize silhouettes that hold when reduced to 16–32px.
• Shortlist 3 concept directions: framed compact mark (app-friendly), free-floating symbol (for print/merch), and wordmark-focused lockup.

3. Digital exploration & refinement

• Vectorize selected sketches in Inkscape/Illustrator.
• Test negative-space solutions (white stroke detail used to improve legibility across tones).
• Tighten proportion between symbol and wordmark (Inter chosen for legibility and geometric clarity).

4. Color & typography testing

• Selected palette: Navy Blue (#0B1D3A) for depth and trust; Warm Taupe (#C5B59F) for warmth and approachability; White for highlights and purity.
• Typeface: Inter for its modern, geometric legibility that complements the structured icon. Color and type choices were validated across digital mockups and print proofs.

5. Iteration with production constraints

• Simplify the mark for embroidery and small-format production: remove fine details that would be lost when stitched.
• Create “framed” (rounded-square) version for app icons and a free-floating minimalist symbol for watermark and pattern use.

6. Finalization & systemization

• Produce primary logo, branding lockup (icon + wordmark), icon-only marks, app icon, and simplified mark for merchandise.
• Create usage rules (clear space, minimum size, background recommendations) and palette / typography specs.

Design rationale — why this solution works

Iconography

• Open book + cross: communicates learning, leadership and faith in a single, compact symbol — easy to read and emotionally resonant.
• Rounded square frame for the primary mark: gives consistent containment for podcast platforms and social avatars where square or rounded thumbnails are standard.

Typography

• Inter: chosen for its modern neutrality and high legibility at small sizes; balances the serif-free geometric system to keep the identity accessible and contemporary.

Color system

• Navy Blue (#0B1D3A): depth, wisdom, and spiritual gravity.
• Warm Taupe (#C5B59F): softens the system, adding approachability and human warmth.
• White accents: emphasize clarity, purity, and highlight the central cross motif. These colors together create a refined, durable palette for both digital and print.

Logo system & usage (summary of the delivered guide)

The delivered OSCL Logo Usage Guide includes:

• Main logo (icon + wordmark within rounded square) — primary for official touchpoints.
• Branding lockup (icon above wordmark) — flexible for print and apparel.
• Icon-only marks (with and without frame) — for favicons, pins, or embroidery.
• Digital app icon (white mark reversed on dark rounded square) — optimized for 16px+ clarity.
• Background and color rules — use on light/neutral backgrounds for max contrast; specify Warm Taupe and Ivory as supportive backgrounds for printed materials.

Applications & deliverables

Delivered assets and mockups included:

• Vector master files (AI / SVG / PDF).
• PNG/JPEG exports at multiple sizes for podcast platforms and social.
• App icon variants optimized for Android/iOS and podcast players.
• Brand usage guide (PDF) with clear-space, minimum-size rules, color codes and typography specs.

Applied mockups

• Podcast cover art (mockup)
• Social profile avatars and banners
• Apparel & merchandise (T-shirt, tote, lapel pin) mockups showcasing wearable identity
• Embroidery & pin production flats (simplified symbol)

Production considerations & handoff

• Production-ready files: supply of vector and raster exports with safe margins for print and embroidery.
• Embroidery/pin specs: simplified symbol included to ensure clean outcome at small stitch counts; recommended PMS or Pantone conversions provided for manufacturers.
• Digital delivery & documentation: organized folder structure (logo, colour, type, mockups, exports) and the usage PDF to ensure consistent application by the client and third-party vendors.

Clarity of message: OSCL now has a unified visual voice that communicates faith, leadership and continuity in a single mark.

Platform readiness:Icon optimized for podcast platforms and social, ensuring recognizability at small sizes.

Physical production ready: Deliverables included simplified marks for embroidery and pins, enabling consistent merchandise production.

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