Interview about Viennart Academy Branding, winner of the A' Advertising, Marketing and Communication Design Award 2024
Viennart Academy, an emerging art institution nestled in Vienna, USA, epitomizes a harmonious fusion of time-honored customs and cutting-edge approaches within its visual identity design. The emblematic logo, delicately crafted to depict the initials VAA, serves as a metaphor for art's profound reflection of existence itself. Through the juxtaposition of solid and outlined shapes, it captures the essence of light and shade inherent in the realm of studio art. The rhythmic repetition of parallelograms resonates deeply with the academy's unwavering dedication to fostering creativity.
View detailed images, specifications, and award details on A' Design Award & Competition website.
View Design DetailsArt has a long history, but it’s always evolving, and I wanted the branding to reflect that duality. I centered the design around the concept of light and shadow, which I see as the essence of visual art—without light, art doesn’t exist. At the same time, light symbolizes guidance, which is a key role of ViennArt Academy. As educators, we aim to be a guiding light for our students, helping them find their creative paths so they can explore freely in the future.To express this idea, I adopted a simple, strong, and concise visual language. This minimalism keeps the design contemporary while honoring the timeless principles of art. It’s a balance that aligns with the academy’s mission and resonates with both its history and its forward-thinking vision.
The parallelogram motif actually originated from the academy’s abbreviation, VAA. When I looked closely, I noticed the shape within the letters and simplified it to create a visual rhythm. It felt like a natural representation of the academy’s values.At ViennArt Academy, we believe in treating all students equally and providing them with a diverse range of art classes—digital art, fine art, game art, graphic design, fashion design, and more. The parallelogram symbolizes this equality. It represents the idea that all forms of art are equally valuable and that every artist deserves respect.Beyond that, the motif conveys movement and continuity, reflecting our commitment to passing on the artistic spirit to the next generation. Just like the parallelogram’s rhythm, we aim to inspire students to carry forward their creativity and keep the art world evolving.
Absolutely! The process started with over 20 hand-drawn sketches, where I explored different ideas and concepts. From there, I selected about 10 to digitize, focusing on those that best captured the academy’s values and identity.Our school board members and I held multiple meetings to refine the direction. These discussions were crucial, as they brought diverse perspectives to the table. There were some disagreements along the way—some members preferred a modern yet more complex design, believing it would feel more academic and versatile for generating visuals.Ultimately, we reached a decision through a final vote in one of our later meetings, choosing a simpler approach that better aligned with our vision of balance and clarity. Afterward, I made a few refinements to the design. I thinned the strokes to give the logo a more serious and professional tone, adjusted the proportions, and repositioned the wordmark to achieve better balance and cohesion.The final design reflects both the academy’s values and the collaborative process that brought it to life—a blend of simplicity, seriousness, and adaptability.
I’ve always been enchanted by the contrast of light and shadow, so it felt natural to bring that idea into the design. Fine art serves as the foundation of all the disciplines we teach at ViennArt Academy, so I wanted the logo to reflect this fundamental principle.Beyond light and shadow, I incorporated other key artistic principles into the design, such as the use of positive and negative space and the rule of thirds. These elements not only create visual harmony but also reflect the depth and structure that underpin all forms of art.The interplay between solid and outlined shapes mirrors the dynamic relationship between light and shadow in studio art. It’s a visual metaphor for how the academy bridges tradition and innovation, grounding students in the essentials while inspiring them to explore and create freely.
The trademark complications definitely slowed down the design process, but challenges like this aren’t uncommon for designers. In our case, the primary issue was with the naming. While it was a hurdle at first, I’m grateful for the practical feedback from our legal team.Their insights helped us refine the school’s name, making it not only legally viable but also more unique and memorable. This process pushed me to think more deeply about how the branding could stand out while staying true to the academy’s identity. In the end, these constraints enhanced the creative outcome, as they forced us to focus on clarity and distinctiveness in both the name and the visual design.
The decision to use VAA instead of the full name was guided by a couple of key insights. First, our school is located in Vienna, Virginia, which could easily be confused with the more internationally recognized Vienna in Austria. Simplifying the name to VAA helped us avoid that confusion and establish a distinct identity.Additionally, as a new school, we wanted the branding to be simple and memorable. A concise logo like VAA is easier for people to recall and recognize, which is crucial as we build our reputation.We also have a vision of expanding internationally in the future, leveraging our long history in international art education. Using VAA creates a versatile identity that can grow with us. Hopefully, we can make our town of Vienna, Virginia, also known globally through art and education.
The secondary visual played a crucial role in ensuring the design’s adaptability and consistency across various formats. First, I created a secondary logo specifically for smaller applications like social media accounts and the website favicon. This simplified version ensures the branding remains recognizable even at smaller sizes.I also introduced a secondary visual element—a parallelogram—which serves as both a clipping mask and a background shape. By repeating and integrating these parallelogram shapes across different media, we were able to enhance the brand’s visual identity while maintaining flexibility in bigger sizes. This approach allowed the branding to stay cohesive and impactful, whether it’s on a booklet, a digital platform, or any other medium.
It was definitely a challenge at the beginning. Beyond the design itself, we had to make critical decisions about naming and defining our target student groups. Once those foundational elements were in place, the design process became much smoother.Everyone agreed early on that a modern approach was essential, especially since we wanted the new logo to complement the branding of our previous business, NYSA, from which ViennArt Academy originated. That alignment gave us a strong starting point.The key to success was constant communication. We held weekly meetings to review progress and discuss ideas. I also made it a point to present alternative options during these meetings. This strategy was crucial—it allowed stakeholders to focus on refining the design rather than rejecting an idea over a minor issue. By staying collaborative and proactive, we ensured the final design resonated with everyone while staying true to the creative vision.
We designed the visual identity with flexibility in mind to ensure it could grow alongside the academy. The parallelogram, for instance, will remain a central element. Its versatility in length allows it to adapt to different applications, whether it’s a window decal, print materials, or digital platforms. The solid and outlined versions of the parallelogram also make it easy to mask or frame content, providing a consistent visual language across various media.As the academy expands and adds new branches or departments, the wordmark can be adjusted to reflect those changes, maintaining relevance as we grow. This adaptability ensures that the visual identity remains cohesive while accommodating future developments, keeping the brand fresh and aligned with our evolving mission.
The design blends creativity and strategy through its use of the parallelogram, which symbolizes balance and equality in art while being versatile for various media. The minimalist VAA logo was a strategic choice to ensure global recognition. Additionally, the design’s adaptability for future growth—whether through the wordmark or secondary visuals—positions the brand for long-term evolution. This thoughtful approach is what earned the recognition.
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