GROOVE SOCIETY
LOGO AND TYPOGRAPHY DESIGN
Groove Society is a dance crew from Belgium, specializing in various dance forms such as hip hop, house, and afro. With their expertise and position in the dance scene, they make a significant contribution to their community. In order to represent their crew authentically, they sought a logo design that aligns with their values.
MOODBOARD
PICTURING KEY WORDS
Three key words, provided by the group, formed the foundation for the idea.
“Ancestral, since we are all Africans and have a common background. The logo should match our ancestry since we value those who came before us. Brotherhood, since we´re all men in the group. Community, due to our need to help people outside of our group, who do not have the mentorship to help build themselces.”
The mood board helped visualize these concepts. Images of roots, nature, and African art represent “Ancestral.” Depictions of support, trust, and unity embody “Brotherhood.” Symbols of openness, growth, circles, and mutual support represent “Community.”
MAIN IDEA
THOUGHTS BEHIND
Thinking of four brothers standing together and supporting each other, and keeping in mind the main idea of a root to symbolize the keyword "ancestral," this combination led to an abstract shape.
This shape, resembling a loop that can be drawn endlessly, looks like a root. It symbolizes the deep roots of the group, stretching far back in time, as well as the aspect of growth. It also represents the strong foundation that the roots have created for future generations.
The four loops represent the brothers, deeply connected and rooted to each other, supporting and holding each other. The open ends of the line symbolize the community aspect of opening up to the people they want to support, mentor, or help, reminding of reaching out a helping hand.
As a subtle detail, the loop resembles patterns commonly seen on African clothing or in African art: simple repetitive shapes that create beautiful patterns.
SKETCHING
FIRST DRAFTS
Following the main idea, some initial drafts were sketched out, incorporating a few visual details.
Varied line widths were used to enhance the appearance and sensation of a root. This approach also reinforces the concept of supporting one another in brotherhood or community, illustrating that weaker parts can be reinforced by stronger ones when necessary. It further emphasizes that unity is always stronger than individual parts alone.
The varying sizes of the four loops, representing the brothers or community members, symbolize the uniqueness and individuality of each person.
To finalize the community thought, I added the concept of being at the center of a circle surrounded by supporters. I thought of the 3D perspective and how you perceive your surrounding when standing in the centre of the circle vs. observing it from the outside, which elicits distinctly different feelings. This geometric perspective was achieved by manipulating the bottom and top lines of the loops. Additionally, small gaps in the lines, visible in some of the sketches, were incorporated to add even more depth.
REFINING PROCESS
FINALISING
FINALISING
After digitalizing the sketched version, the design was rounded by a last little add-on. The four letters "GRST", standing for Groove Society, were incorporated into the shape. Utilizing varying line widths, each loop subtly includes one letter.
TYPOGRAPHY
CUSTOMISED FONT
To round the logo design with a matching typography, I created a custom font that repeats some visual details, shown in the logo, and again incorporates background thoughts such as the different line widths as well as the visual detail of combining round and straight shapes.
