Branding and Identity Design Short Course
Course description
Course overview
Aimed at anyone wishing to develop their brand communication skills, this practice based short course will guide students through 5 key stages of brand identity design over 5 days, culminating in the creation of an authentic branding toolkit for personal or commercial use.
Short subject related lectures introduce daily practice-based activities to help contextualise each stage of the creative process from concept to implementation. Individual tasks provide the opportunity for students to explore and experiment whilst developing their own creative skills and knowledge.
Introducing core visual communication techniques students will undertake brainstorming, sketching, visual referencing and research to define your unique brand offer and differentiate you from your competitors. Digitising your final concepts using either Adobe Ai, ID, Ps, Canva or Procreate, you will then be guided through the process of applying your brand identity guidelines over a range of media. Basic software skills are essential.
The course concludes with the visualisation of your brand identity across chosen forms of print and digital media, in preparation for finalisation after the course concludes.
This course is available both on campus or online.
Who this course is for
This course is suitable for anyone wishing to develop conceptual branding and visual communication skills in an experimental, practical and collaborative environment.
Students are encouraged to work at their own level, combining digital and analogue techniques that focus on creative concepts rather than level of finish. Basic Mac computer skills are essential as software training is not provided.
The course would be an excellent fit for beginners, however basic computer skills are required and experience using any of following is essential: Adobe Ai, Id, Ps, Canva or Procreate.
Key information
Topics covered
- Visual research and analysis of the market to define your audience, offer and positioning. Brainstorming and mind mapping exercises will help generate your brand name and strapline, helping define your business whilst contextualising your offer or service in the marketplace
- Creating mood boards to clarify your brands personality and visual language. Exploration, analysis and visual referencing of graphic/typographic elements aim to define your visual language whilst developing your understanding of visual communication skills. These boards will inform your direction and provide the basis for initial brand concepts.
- Branding ideation will help you develop a strong concept driven brand identity that is authentic and timeless. Brainstorming with your peers to develop your creative thinking without technical restraints will encourage a conceptual rather than style driven approach using sketches and visual references. Group feedback will inform your direction, enabling you to confidently explore a range of logo concepts.
- Editing and developing your logo through further exploration of typography, graphic elements, pattern and colour to refine your identity in the form of a branding toolkit or brand guidelines. Visual references will support your thinking to communicate your brand concept and tone of voice. Group reviews will inform development and aid selection of your final brand marque.
- Exploring relevant graphic, illustrative or photographic styles to accompany your brand marque, visualisation and annotation will bring your brand identity to life. Defining your brand's flexible visual identity system, you will explore application across multiple formats to retain audience engagement in preparation for finalisation and activation after the course concludes
Learning outcomes
- Create an authentic personal or commercial brand for activation beyond the course
- Receive expert advice and guidance to encourage experimentation and development of your practice
- Develop your branding and identity skills for portfolio or professional development
- Explore the creative process while working collaboratively with others
- Digital badge and certificate of attendance
Materials
On campus
- iMacs are provided, but students are welcome to bring laptops or tablets
- Pen, notepad and USB key
- IMPORTANT - Adobe ID Login for Short Course Students
- Students will need to create an account with Adobe (unless you already have one) to access the Adobe suite at the college – instructions are included below.
- You'll need to use a personal email address to create this. If you already have an account with Adobe, please make sure you bring your login details with you on the first day of the course.
Please note: Creating an Adobe account is free. The software will only be accessible when logged into a UAL networked computer. The same account can be used outside of the University, but software will only be accessible through a personal paid subscription that students will need to set up independently. You can still create an account on the day but doing this beforehand will save time and avoid delays to the start of the class. If you already have an Adobe ID/subscription you can use this on your short course rather than setting up a new account
To create an account students will need to:
Go to Adobe Sign in page
Select 'Create an account'
Enter your details and select 'Create account'
Online
If you are taking this course online, please see our Guide to taking online short courses
Tutor
Marc Wood
After graduating in 1988 from Central Saint Martins, Marc Wood worked at the UK's top agencies and consultancies including: Gary Rowlands Associates, Lewis Moberly, Michael Peters Group, Coley Porter Bell, Peter Saville Associates, Pentagram, Conran Design, Luxon-Carra and Contra, where he was creative director of a 110 people-strong global integrated creative agency.
Since 2004, Marc Wood has been running a small boutique brand consultancy specialising in brand identity creation , implementation and brand management. In the course of his career, Marc Wood has designed and managed branding and design projects for a large variety of international clients, in various fields of industry-from commercial brands to cultural bodies and corporate institutions-including, to name just a few: Nokia, Nokia Siemens Networks, Bosch-Siemens, Aer Lingus, EMI Classical, Marks & Spencers, Philips, Sega, Alessi, Bowers & Wilkins, Thermos, Smithkline-Beecham, Cummins, Wärtsilä, M-Real, Kone, Coopers & Lybrand, Pilcher Hershman, Strutt & Parker, Factory communications, (French) Ministère de la Culture, Storm Model Agency, Wagamama, Warner Chappell, Warner Music, Yohji Yamamoto, London Fashion Week, Jil Sander, SCP, London Designer Show, Native Design.
Marc Wood's approach centres around the creation of unique brand languages, original brand realms which convey the essence, express the personality and communicate the values and vision of the clients' brands, be they products or institutions. Marc Wood's practice strives to discover new ways to communicate identity, applying branding concepts on an array of media and touch-points to engage audiences, and exploring the new interactive possibilities of new technology to keep the conversation going.
Marc Wood has also been a senior Associate Lecturer at Central Saint Martin's, University of the Arts London, since 1995. In his teaching, Marc's focus lies in re-appraising and questioning the nature and experience of visual identity and branding, and in pushing the boundaries of branding beyond its current remits of practice.
Lisa Gellender
Lisa Gellender is an Educator and Creative Director with extensive creative industry experience. Building on a successful career working at Coley Porter Bell and Design Bridge, Lisa formed Gellender Creative in 2004 to provide specialist branding and editorial design for a prestigious range of clients including Selfridges, London College of Fashion and Defected Records.
Revisiting her passion for graphic communication, Lisa completed an MA in Graphic Design at UAL in 2014, thus facilitating her transition into education in 2015. Extensive practice based experience underpins her teaching methods whilst informing curriculum planning and delivery. Alongside her part time role teaching on the BA Graphic Communication course at University of the Creative Arts, Lisa is an Associate Lecturer on the MA Fashion Journalism and Media course at London College of Fashion and the BA Graphic & Media Design course at London College of Communication.
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