What I am Working On : Ink & Stitches Logo
I have been toying around with the idea of creating an Ink & Stitches logo for awhile now. In addition to my blog, I am starting an Etsy store called: InkAndStitchesArt. This shop (which is on vacation status at the moment until the listings are ready to go) will include: amigurumi patterns, occasional finished amigurumi, prints of some of my illustrations, stamps, and stickers as well. I am also readying an Ink & Stitches YouTube Channel, that will teach viewers how to crochet, but more specifically, how to crochet amigurumi.All of this branding of the Ink & Stitches name, led me to want a stamp made, that I could use on my giveaway boxes and anything I may be shipping out from my Etsy store. What better stamp to have than your shop's very own logo? I could also use the design on my blog as well, so it would be a win-win.I set out to think up what would best represent my work and the name of my blog. I doodled for a bit, and then landed on an idea...Ink made me think of an octopus and the fact that it has eight arms, each of which could be simultaneously doing something different. This concept reminded me of my blog's theme (and A to Z Challenge Theme), Artistic Variety, and how many different passions I am pursuing. It seemed like the obvious choice to me!So, I began drawing with that focus in mind. My first attempt was way too detailed. I had forgotten a couple of octopus arms, so they were put randomly in front, hot gluing a rock sculpture together. These were there to represent my love of crafting.I wasn't used to drawing while keeping a small 2" stamp in mind, so once that first attempt was done, I knew I needed to tone it back a bit.
I would cut out the ink bottle and extra jar of colored pencils because they weren't necessary to get the point of each arm's subject across. I wanted the drawing to feel circular with crocheting at the forefront (instead of crafts), so I put the hand holding a hot glue gun off to the side. I took away the papers—that the paint brush, quill pen, and pencil were working on—and had them just prepped and at-the-ready instead.Since cutting out the rock sculpture freed up an arm, I had an extra one which I decided would be clicking on a computer mouse, to symbolize blogging. Last but not least, I had to take away the amigurumi circle the octopus was crocheting, and just have one arm holding the hook while the other held the ball of yarn.
All of these changes did the trick, and as you can see, it has been simplified enough for a stamp now. The next step will be to get the image put into a program (I believe I will use Illustrator) where I will be able to put a circle around it with "Ink & Stitches" arching across the top, and "www.jhwinter.com" arching down at the bottom. This will complete the illustration so that I can order it in stamp form and use it on my various sites.
What do you all think?
