Interview with branding/logo designer Srdjan Kirtic (aka Wizemark) + Free Icon Pack Exclusive!

Srdjan Kirtic is a 25 years old freelance graphic designer from Serbia, Novi Sad, specializing in logo design. He currently works as a brand designer at Depthskins LLC (www.depthskins.net). He is also available for a freelance work. Srdjan is passionate about photography, as you can see from his amazing shots on flickr.

What do you love about logo design and why have you decided to specialize in this field?

Well, i didn`t actually decided to specialize in logo design consciously like “Hey, this is cool, i wanna do this.” It simply happened to me. I started with design in January 2007. After some short time working in a print house here in Serbia. I was in charge of preparing files for print. I noticed what kind of crappy designs were getting printed and than actually going on to being used by a variety of so called serious companies. I decided to try designing something better simply to show that better design IS possible. I taught myself a little bit every day and quickly my work was noticed. I first started with vector illustrations, brochures, flyers and stuff like that, mostly print design. A few months after that I was given the opportunity to work in a famous art studio Radosevic in Novi Sad, Serbia. Spending a few months there has given me some understanding about how big studios work. What it means to talk a lot about design in public and such, but I haven`t really learned how to design, simply cuz there were no creative freedom at all.

Being away from home at that time in a new city and in a rented place I had to actually work soI can pay my bills and such. That was when I decided to quit and start freelancing. Like every newcomer who enters the world of design and freelancing I had no real clients. I would enter online design contests. That helped me a lot to learn, earn, get my name out there and get some clients to start with. Logo design was where I showed top results so I began entering logo design contests. What is simply amazing to me is the fact that you need to collect a lot information before you even begin a project, you have to do your research about client, industry, about competition, you then move on to sketch, brainstorm a lot, explore a lot, reject a lot and after that whole process, ending up with a simple shape that tells so much.

Some people are under the impression that a simple “looking” concept/outcome must have been easy to do. Some don`t realize the amount of sweat that goes into the whole process, untill you actually reach that end point.

That`s what I love about it. The hard work, effort and sweat which results in a simple, yet creatively unique and meaningful piece of artwork.

What information do you collect from a client before starting a logo?

I have a 4 pages interactive pdf logo questionnaire that I send to all my clients before we begin on a project. 4 pages maybe sounds like a lot to fill up, but it`s actually not. It’s all basic information about the client, his business, the industry, competition, target audience and a section about type/attributes of logo design itself .

Where do you get your inspiration from when creating a logo? What inspires you?

I get my inspiration from my client`s input, from that questionnaire. That`s the base of course. Then there`s always online galleries like logopond, logolounge and many others to check out also logo design related books (logolounge, tres logos, etc). Even though logo design can sometimes demand that you follow certain client guidelines and you, as a designer, don’t always have much room to freestyle, nonetheless, inspiration continues to be drawn in from the most unrelated places, like random shapes and patterns that come up in our daily lives.

In your opinion, what makes a good logo?

That`s a tough question. I don`t believe there are rules about what one logo needs to have to be called good or successful. There are so many cool logos, great concepts, well executed logos out there that can not be called simple (in example), but they talk about business perfectly. So it depends from many things. A logo must be successful in portraying the essential concept/idea/purpose of the business, it should not depend on color, in other words it should work similarily well or even better in only one color or b&w . It should have some smart, and unique element that instantly separates it from the bunch, also known as the “wow effect”. Especially when you see a logo and think to yourself: “How the hell i didn`t come up with this first!” Now that isn`t always possible, but it certainly should be aimed for every time otherwise it could end up being just another logo out there.

Which logo have you done that you would consider to be your favorite logo design?

Tough one, Aaron. I can name few that I`m proud of – Ecoelectrons, iCard, Avenue Coffee, Laboholic, Date Me If U Can, Ecogive, Zeugma, Blue Rose, Loop Love, and many others.

[ I have selected a few of Wizemark’s logo over here for you to view and get inspired by – interview continues below]

Is there anything someone should be prepared for before entering the world of Logos?

Prepared for? This is a dream profession! I think that someone who would like to enter the world of logo design needs to aim to be good at it. One should work on being a good listener to hear out his clients, understanding their real needs. One should work on being creative, to see and get inspired (but only inspired) from work of other professionals in the field, to broaden his skills constantly and most importantly to love his calling.

Where would you like to see yourself 5yrs down the line?

Maldives, New Zealand, Hawaii, South America, South Africa, Galapagos, Madagascar..anywhere from this list. I`m planing to move from Serbia seriously and I have only 2 requests: it need to be hot and by the ocean/sea. And of course to setup some studio there and to spend my breaks between work, chilling on the beach instead of watching gray clouds here in Serbia.

Thank you very much, Srdjan Kirtic, for giving us the opportunity to interview you on PhotoshopCandy, I wish you lots of success in the future and thank you for your contribution to the design community.

Thank you Aaron!

Srdjan Kirtic (aka wizemark) on:
Brandstack | LogoPond | Flickr | Coroflot

Don’t forget to Download this free icon pack designed exclusively for photoshopcandy by Wizemark!

6 comments

  1. It was a great interview, and I hope you land by the beach somewhere. If you have a minute, it would be great if you could stop by our site and try your hand at free logo design. A professionals point of view on what our service is like.

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