Evolved, an interesting and challenging project.
THE REQUIREMENT:
The client needed an elegant and simple “caret.” This symbol would be the centerpiece for a book cover and website. The symbol itself would look simple but suggestive of mysticism with rich layers of meaning. It would represent a universal truth, something anyone in the world could look at and have an emotional response. The symbol would be feel ancient in origin, yet timeless and contemporary. It should be recognizable as unique, despite being a common character. The specific meaning of the symbol which include:
- Religare – Latin for to Bind, Make Two into One; Unification
- Caret – Latin for to lack, to be separated from; to be free from
- Raising to power (common usage in math)
- Pathway – Buddhist might see it as a path to enlightenment
- Mountain – barrier, challenge to overcome
- Light – Hope, signal to follow, illumination
- Splitting – Reality is split in our world relative to truth of universe
Additionally, it was necessary to incorporate the symbol into the word “EVOLVED”, replacing the v’s with the symbol.
THE DESIGN:
I was rather thinking about this idea and first started to design a mystical symbol which seem old and which inspired light and wisdom, but there should also be the possibility that could insert harmonically among the letters of the word EVOLVED.
But then I preferred to develop a different idea, much more striking and original: what if all the letters of the word EVOLVED are parts of the symbol?
So I designed a special typeface that also could become into the symbol.
But in parallel, my aim was that symbol is composed by several ancient symbols from different cultures on the planet, and joining give shape to the symbol EVOLVED, like a puzzle. I did a deep research to find the right symbols that might be part of this new element and also about its meaning.
I designed several symbols exploring this idea. Finally with the client we choose which thought that it would work better. I named the chosen symbol: “The Temple of the Ligh”. This design have a modern look but also resemble glyphs or runes.
Finally the customer was very impressed and grateful for the different layers of meaning that contained this design and that was in complete harmony with what the needed, even giving the book much more levels of meaning.