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Logotrend 2007: Leaves
August 31st, 2007 in Graphics | 71 Comments
In modern logo-design leaves stand for fresh ideas or - more generally - for an innovative way of thinking. In Web they are mostly used to communicate light-weight solutions as well as clean and unobtrusive designs. In fact, leaves, plants or ornaments which appear to be related to the nature can be found almost everywhere; it’s a trend that will probably be reversed soon, due to an extreme overuse of the theme in modern designs. The sites themselves, using leaves for their logos, mostly do not have a relation to foliage - and even although often green color is used, that is not necessarily the case.
We’d like to present you some of them. The following logos aren’t supposed to represent the quality of logo designs with leaves, but the trend we observe on the Web. The images can be clicked and lead to the sites from which the logos have been taken. You’ll also find tutorials you can use to learn how to create “leaf logos” at the end of this post. Please notice that this post features only those logos which are related to the Web.
What do you think? Is an extensive use of leaves in logos a current Web 2.0 hype which will disappear soon or are the leaves here to stay?
Leaves on light background
(This logo isn’t used any longer)
Leaves on dark background
Bonus
- Leaf Logo With Adobe Photoshop
Learn how to create a Leaf Logo using Photoshop Preset Shapes.
- Leaf Logo Video Tutorial for Adobe Photoshop
Learn how to create “a leaf” logo with Adobe Photoshop with this video-tutorial.
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Barend (August 31st, 2007, 10:16 pm)
Some nice logos there. Nice small selection. It comes along with all the webdesign trends, the curves, the plant shapes, etc.
Aaron (August 31st, 2007, 10:19 pm)
This article seems useless IMO.
rd (August 31st, 2007, 10:30 pm)
What about Link [panic.com]
Brian Drum (August 31st, 2007, 10:31 pm)
Don’t forget about Link [www.panic.com].
The Supermarket (August 31st, 2007, 10:37 pm)
forgot one Link [haveamint.com].
jwo (August 31st, 2007, 10:37 pm)
Couldn’t help notice the “Marketing Consulting by ACS” leaf logo on the right column of this blog…
Steve B. (August 31st, 2007, 10:41 pm)
You forgot your very own “Marketing Consulting by ACS”. Link [www.smashingmagazine.com]
Vitaly Friedman & Sven Lennartz (August 31st, 2007, 10:42 pm)
Mint is already in the list.
Coda logo was added, thank you.
Djurdjica Selec (August 31st, 2007, 10:52 pm)
They’re so fresh and easy. Really a pleasure to look at, esp. when landing on a site for the first time.
Almost as if they’re saying: “Making things naturally easy for you” (Don’t steal that line ;))
Vitaly, Sven - nice job collecting them all!
James (August 31st, 2007, 11:01 pm)
What about the Coda leaf?
Link [www.panic.com]
Probably the best thing to arrive on my computer all year.
uv (August 31st, 2007, 11:06 pm)
also, the as-of-yet unreleased Link [www.versionsapp.com] - a Subversion Mac client.
Robert (September 1st, 2007, 12:22 am)
And don’t forget the Mondo Mint from Mondo USA:
Link [mondomint.com]
Andy Gongea (September 1st, 2007, 12:27 am)
I do not think that this is a trend. This is a bad example of logos.
Definition: LOGO - A recognizable graphic design element, representing an organization or product.
So how would u call those - recognizable - they look the same?
Andy (September 1st, 2007, 12:30 am)
Well, leaves are cool, but I do think that they’re just this quarters ‘reflected logo’. In time, they’ll just get used as appropriate.
Lica (September 1st, 2007, 1:09 am)
I love this article for several reasons:
1. I’m going to be hesitant to use a leaf in any of my new logos
2. It made me realise that the words ‘trend’ and ‘logo’ shouldn’t really be in the same sentence. I would want my logos to be unique and easily identified with the product, not to be competing with a bunch of other similar logos. There shouldn’t really be such a thing as trend in logo.
3. I’m taking it as a market indicator, as to how the environment has started to play a major factor in selling things.
Igor (September 1st, 2007, 1:12 am)
Link [www.goincase.com]
Incase, the maker of Mac accessories.
Nate Cavanaugh (September 1st, 2007, 1:15 am)
I think it should be noted that most of these, even the Mint logo, owe their inspiration to Jon Hicks.
Mint of course had it’s logo way before most of these, and at worst I would say that Shaun was an early adopter of this trend, if not a pioneer (his logo is actually superior to the Hicks one, IMHO), but most of these would fall into the late adopters to laggards arena of the fashion curve.
No disrespect to any of these guys, some of the logos are incredible, but the trend is near the end of it’s life-cycle.
Even I have some sort of leaf inspired stuff on my logo, THAT’s how old it is ;P
Ah well, it’s nice to see a little vegetation among the gradients and star shaped Beta stickers and oversized inputs :)
t3amBrian (September 1st, 2007, 1:28 am)
Many of these logo’s were created before 2007, but yeah, the leaf is the new insta-logo treatment coming from a lot of experienced and in-experienced designers.
Wallpics (September 1st, 2007, 2:12 am)
cool collection..
DvB (September 1st, 2007, 2:20 am)
Innovative thinking. We couldn’t agree more…
And our logo proves it.
Link [www.greenappleventures.com]
ripe with ideas ™
MrsCommunication (September 1st, 2007, 2:38 am)
Few more leafy logos I’ve come across. I thought I’d throw them in the mix as well.
Link [logopond.com]
Link [www.blogactionday.org]
Link [www.factorianorte.com]
Rob (September 1st, 2007, 2:47 am)
There is no such thing as “Web 2.0″ design. Web 2.0 is about interaction and networking and nothing about design. This is one of the most misinterpreted ‘buzzes’ on the net today.
brizbane (September 1st, 2007, 3:14 am)
Hey, check this one out too: Link [www.applepeelz.com]
ekk (September 1st, 2007, 3:27 am)
Link [www.blueflavor.com]
Jason (September 1st, 2007, 3:28 am)
Also, mint.com!
adrianlbs (September 1st, 2007, 3:56 am)
I see many people talking shit here. If you don’t like what you see, leave, if you don’t know what you are talking about, you don’t necessary need to make any comment. I am personally impressed about what Smashing Magazine is doing, cause it’s great resource and they are doing right what they’re doing.
My personal comment about these logos is that are mostly great, and there is no such thing about being experienced or not to make a logo like this, yes it is a trend, and it’s about web 2.0 and it’s design trends. Why green leafs, cause these are fresh, and as the article says in the beginning and web 2.0 means freash, like Link [www.webdesignfromscratch.com] says “Today’s web designs are so fresh, they feel like they’ve taken a deep breath.”
Igor Jovic (September 1st, 2007, 3:59 am)
Leaf logos are great beacuse you can do all kind of modification to the leaf itself. koral.com is exampel that illustrates this. Hype or no hype, who cares as long as the logo is eyecatching.
Ronny-André (September 1st, 2007, 4:36 am)
This trend is on it’s way out. But what’s on it’s way in?
Pete (September 1st, 2007, 6:03 am)
Don’t know what to think of these.. Think I prefered the ‘Speech Bubble’ trend a bit more..
…But then again I’m not much in to following trends..
Still, always nice to see pleasent logos rather than the 1000’s of ugly ones I see a day..
Russell Heimlich (September 1st, 2007, 7:53 am)
Yea go Refresh DC! Woo!
Jackstackma (September 1st, 2007, 9:35 am)
So, we’re in 20 year earth cycle. Think this has anything to do with it? Ask your hard core, spiritual artists why…
sean (September 1st, 2007, 2:13 pm)
Link [www.myfamily.com]
Pete S (September 1st, 2007, 2:36 pm)
What’s on it’s way in?
~ gel ~ leafs :)
Link [www.joinearthgreen.com]
Razvan (September 2nd, 2007, 12:15 am)
I’ve always liked these logos, and the the tutorial you posted is great, thanks!
Steph (September 2nd, 2007, 4:30 am)
More leaves than you can shake a stick at: Link [thegenerationsnetwork.com]
Blagoj (September 2nd, 2007, 8:39 am)
Link [cssmania.com]
Ben (September 2nd, 2007, 9:25 am)
What about this one :
Link [www.acsseo.com] was alredy in your site
Link [www.pronetadvertising.com] and this one
Matt (September 2nd, 2007, 10:21 am)
I think it’s because, not only do they look great, but they’re simple. there’s not a lot of detail to them, and they can be associated with anything…
Pete S (September 2nd, 2007, 1:46 pm)
This article was so inspiring I had to go back and re-do the logo on the 1st web domain I ever purchased back in ‘95. Every logo I do from here on out is going to get a leaf. Or two,.. Or ten.
Link [www.gardenview.com]
Romy (September 2nd, 2007, 4:56 pm)
Please tell me the font used for “plasq” ??
Brian Hodges (September 3rd, 2007, 1:09 am)
Phazm Webdesign also uses a leaf in their logo:
Link [www.phazm.com]
I’m not sure what the trend is about, but Phazm goes a step further, as their “motto” is “Growing Inspiration”
Theron Parlin (September 3rd, 2007, 10:06 am)
Yeah, it has definitely become a bit humdrum, but it’s been that way for a while. This article is about 12 months too late…
Allan (September 3rd, 2007, 11:17 am)
What about this one in black background?
Link [www.turnthewebblack.org]
:)
Rob Mason (September 3rd, 2007, 7:52 pm)
Are leaves the new gradient fill?
lizard (September 4th, 2007, 1:39 am)
well i do think this is an improvement over the swirl / spiral / swish trend of a few years back.
it’s important to be aware of logo trends, in order to avoid following along with them — even inadvertently. I would not want any brand identity I was involved with to end up in a trend list, even a nice trend like this one.
Cris Pearson - plasq (September 4th, 2007, 2:40 am)
@Romy - the plasq font is completely custom :)
cenourinha (September 4th, 2007, 3:55 am)
All beautifull… but are they just copies?
Jesper (September 4th, 2007, 5:21 pm)
Norwegian community :-)
Link [www.biip.no]
Bubulonis.Aper (September 4th, 2007, 6:19 pm)
One of your sponsor..leaf as well….
Marketing Consulting by ACS
phil crissman (September 5th, 2007, 2:26 am)
Don’t forget Link [fortuito.us].
Zaki (September 7th, 2007, 6:07 pm)
Logotrend 2008, will be root?
Geoff (September 9th, 2007, 1:29 am)
Forgot another one:
Link [www.freshbooks.com]
Joey Shepp (September 14th, 2007, 1:46 am)
Add Green Maven, the Green Search Engine to the list:
Link [www.greenmaven.com]
Enjoy!
Vishal Agarwala (October 21st, 2007, 4:24 am)
You can add Sugar Free America to the list as well:
Link [www.sugarfreeamerica.net]
lara (January 10th, 2008, 3:09 am)
I didn’t know I was following some sort of trend when I designed the logo for this site…it just made sense.
I am just getting back to design after having kids and would appreciate comments…I need to make sure I’ve still got the ’stuff’ to do this job!! I still love it, maybe that’s all that matters!
Link [www.greengoldforestry.com] for logo leaf design
Link [www.explosivemedia.com] for my site.
dan (January 26th, 2008, 3:11 pm)
agree. completely. and that’s the problem with a lot of the 2.0 logo trends.
sunkoliu (February 3rd, 2008, 1:42 pm)
Blood Elf–Blackwing Lair–Gold
Link [www.buywowgold.org.cn]
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