Creation of a Logo

A year ago Kevin and I sat down to work on developing a logo for Wildside Nature Tours. We wanted to create a contemporary recognizable look, keep it simple and appealing, and be able to adapt it to a variety of materials – print media, website, shirts, etc.

We started with the Peregrine Falcon in flight that had adorned Wildside prior to me joining.  In spite of our best efforts to update and modernize, it just never seemed to grab us.  I suggested going in a different direction, and possibly using a drawing of a Keel-billed Toucan (above) that I had done many years ago.

Kevin’s creative side excelled on the computer as he took the drawing and began the process of creating various designs with the bird, in particular based around the humongous beak. As one would expect, our thoughts and opinions varied widely, as we reviewed many incarnations and all sorts of designs. Nothing would fit the bill, so to speak! But we felt that we were on the right track, and so persisted.

Kevin perused photographs he had taken of toucans in Central America, and found one in particular that he liked – a Collared Aracari (above).  The saw-tooth pattern of this oversized bill became the focus of his efforts to create a stylized, eye-catching graphic design.

Toucans and Aracaris are found in Central and South America, so we liked that a bird could easily be identified with the tour destinations offered by Wildside, in particular Belize and Costa Rica, where both of these species can be seen.

It was a fun process, and in the end we both agreed upon a design that we would be proud to show off and wear in the field.  The fruits of our labors can now be seen on our website, Facebook page, printed materials, T-shirts and caps.  We hope you like it!