【正文】 Helix and Ribbon trends do show similarities. But with these categories and all others, we are more interested in the difference between their fundamental concepts. Our observations are just that–observations. They are not remendations. Finally, they are presented in no particular order. Dos Helix Deoxyribonucleic acid really sounds like the last thing that could influence design until you knock it down to the initials DNA. It39。s the root of life and the code responsible for the past and the future of any living entity. The double helix strand has now transcended the field of science and, over the last generation, moved fortably into the field of pop culture. Hollywood has turned DNA into the glowinthedark plot twist of CSI insert city here. The design munity has latched onto the twisting double helix structure as the public now sees this shape as a spark of life or the signature of an individual. Representing the genus or the seed of life, health and longevity, a family tree, a code, a mystery, or an unbroken sequence, these strands have a certain symbolic power that can be agreed upon by science or religion alike. Firm: lwdgraphics Client: Chillosophy Firm: Sumo Client: Science City Firm: Demasi Jones Client: RCRH Firm: Gibson Client: Women for Women Rubber Bands Invista, one of the world237。s Portfolio Client: Small Pla Lit Designers continue to play havoc with the remnants of the rules set forth years ago for logo design. Production limitations are no longer relevant as marks vault into CMYK. In addition, many designers and clients have figured out that they will never, ever print their logos in the Yellow Pages – so producing at least one version that is 2D and onecolor is not necessary at all. Over the last several years, we39。s an understated effect that pays off well in capturing the consumer39。ve been lifted from a heraldry 101 style book, until you scrutinize the position elements. Only at this point are you likely to see wrenches, guitars, penguins, shoes, cell phones and anything else you39。s, these imaginative imps have bee highly collectable and have entire stores, KidRobot and magazines, Super 7, dedicated to their notoriety. The art of Tim Biskup may start on canvas but it soon translates to designer vinyl characters. Usually they can be as mundane as fire breathers to as outlandish as slimy cyclops ghost aliens. Though not a serious influence on Fortune 500 identities, urban vinyl has its place in pop culture, and that has translated to twodimensional applications in logo design. Firm: San Markos Client: webpublica Firm: Innfusion Studios Client: Innfusor Firm: Glitschka Studios Client: Fire Squad Firm: Tactix Creative Client: Cyclops Hubs Last year, Apurba Sen from India contacted LogoLounge after he had taken a few hundred Web logos and arranged them based on the trends recognized in LogoLounge reports over 6 the last 3 years. It was an interesting experiment and served to confirm several of our previous categories. But one abundant group of these logos that found no harbor with previous trends was the Hub. These logos have a central element that serves as the core with many satellite elements, often orbiting symmetrically. These logos could serve as the model of a munication structure for any online munity. There is a central hub that serves as the dissemination point for information. Without the hub, the satellites lose their ability to make contact with the other members of the group. So whether these logos are for a munication tool or not, the distribution from a central point is usually key to the concept. The other aspect of this technique is many elements ing together for a greater mon good. As prolific a theme as this has bee, designers continue to build unique visual concepts. Firm: Selikoff+Co Client: Pomology Firm: Starlight Studio Client: RM Custom Creations 3. Design Firm: Brent Leland Design Client: Haciendo 4. Design Firm: Demasi Jones Client: Fibre Optic Australia Descending Dots Once you39。s just make the assumption if you water a logo and give it adequate sunlight, it will start to grow a rhythmic crop of vines, buds, blooms and other fantasies of a botanical nature. These may be further evolution of last year39。s Overlay trend and a definite continuation of the strong transparency genre in logo design. While still relying on relatively flat color overlay–like so many layers of colored lighting gels–this direction is more concerned with linkage. These logos describe sets and subsets as an analogy for the literal connections within a corporation. Remember that transparency is a strong buzzword in the corporate world: The need to be fiscally and otherwise transparent to the public, employees, and investors is an essential trait. Elements ing together with nothing to hide help to extol the depth or diversity of an institution. The overlapping subsets can often be used to help tell a story or explain the architectural structure of the anization. Advances in software have made the process of designing transparent imagery much more inviting. Adobe Illustrator, for example, allows a designer to experiment and see transparent techniques in real time as opposed to the arduous steps that Photoshop would require to achieve the same result. Firm: Fitti