Inktopus is a local print shop known for its bold ink print designs. As the business expanded into the world of digital art and e-commerce, the owner wanted a cohesive new logo. Something that maintained the tactile feel of print, while also embracing a sleek, digital aesthetic. I was hired to bring his vision to life.
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The final design is bold, textured, and versatile. The tentacle and ripple elements ground the logo in the world of traditional printmaking, while the custom color palette ties directly into the artist’s unique visual identity.
Planning & Sketching
The first concept featured a full octopus, inspired by one of his most popular designs, with ink splatters surrounding the figure. I quickly scrapped this direction; it felt too generic and didn’t capture the precision or texture of a traditional print.
In the second version, I retained the octopus but added etched lines around the illustration to mimic the look of a carved block print. While the texture brought the print concept to life, the full octopus made the composition feel too busy for a logo.
Looking for more simplicity, I shifted focus to a single tentacle. I kept the etched-line effect and explored using ripple marks around the tentacle to further reference printmaking. This approach felt more unique and adaptable across digital and print mediums.
Design Process
After settling on the tentacle-focused composition, I created a vector design in black and white, using etched lines and ripple effects to emphasize the carved, print-like look.
However, the black-and-white design lacked the unique flair of the owner's existing work. One signature element in his artwork is the use of blue and red ink highlights, which give his prints a 3D effect. To make the logo more personal and memorable, I incorporated this color language: a deep purple base, with carefully placed red and blue highlights to mimic his signature look.
Results
The client was thrilled with the result, sharing that the final design exceeded his expectations and captured his brand better than he could have imagined. The logo now appears across digital platforms, business cards, t-shirt tags, and stickers.
