This is a world mainly visual, if you are reading this article you'll actually experiencing one of the most ubiquitous media for displaying images around the world. The logo, both for companies and also in the creation of an application, with its own specific demands, is a capital part of the visual life of a product since this representation will reach a wide range of uses in a vast geographical area.



Logos and application icons must convey a clear message in different levels. One starting point is the subject of the company/website or the function of the program. The logo can be made from a real reference of an object (i.e. a computer in software business) or can be set from the name of the company or an abstract concept associated with it. Another level is the emotional reaction that the logo will probably cause, which is related to the sensation that the image is meant to give. An object such as a computer can be a dynamic one by strong and curved lines, or high-tech inspiring with more effects and details. Even in the case of standard function icons, their simplicity is a way of giving a neutral or comfortable sensation.

A simple geometry can be transformed into an eye catching symbol, which once combined or not with a proper text, can fix the attention at first glance or become an easily identifiable reference image in your public's mind. Modern aesthetics still favor to a great extent the use of geometric shapes since they represent valued aspects of our culture such as effectiveness, velocity, precision and growth. As long as so many different societies can be reached through the use of a logo, abstract representations can be implemented as a powerful way to take advantage of the common language that business and functions have everywhere. Concentric circles have been used among several other ways in the expanding world of communications combined with the above mentioned levels or variations.

In the case of application icons, a convenient way for representing ideas is the use of 3D graphics. Since the new Windows Vista icons can have a large size and full color and transparency options, 3D graphics for application icons are on top of the most effective solutions. They can give instantly the feeling of reliability and strength, also ease of use. In this case, for the sake of clarity, it is recommended to use simpler shapes because their depth of view in 3D will add a lot of visual information, so a few basic wisely connected figures will work better than a whole complicated model; the readability of the icon helps to further remember it in other contexts.

In sum, the impact of a logo, which can be used in very different media, brings the possibility of working in various manners in order to create an impressive, communicative and effective one. Aspects like the purpose of a service or the advantages of a product need to be harmonized with general visual trends. One of the alternatives to get this goal is considering geometry and abstraction along with meaningful color palettes, both in plain shapes as well as with 3D like figures as there is growing demand of them. You can explore the different levels of design in action through series of professional examples of company logos and application icons available at www.iconshock.com