Show Me Dharma

This week I designed logos for the "Show Me Dharma" insight meditation organization in Mid-Missouri. They are a community "dedicated to making the practice of Insight Meditation available to Mid-Missouri. We also encourage the development of community based upon Buddhist ideals, teachings and practices. All persons are welcome to learn these practices. Insight meditation, or vipassana, helps us to become more aware and accepting of our lives in each moment. Through the practices of non-judgmental awareness, or mindfulness, and kindness, it teaches us relaxation, serenity and an openness to each moment."

These designs were part of our 20.10 assignment, in which we were required to make 20 preliminary sketches and execute 10 of them. I usually sketch out my designs anyway, but trying to design 20 completely different ones was a bit of a challenge. I find that I usually build off of my initial ideas, resulting in many similar designs with only small differences. This project forced me to try and execute ten different ideas. Although I have a similar type-treatment on all these logos, I think the typeface works well with the graphics and reflects the simplicity and mindfulness of the Buddhist faith.

I wanted to focus less on the religious and iconographic aspect of Buddhism and focus instead on the organic nature of the Buddhist ideology. This would be more appealing to both people familiar with the Buddhist faith and those who may know nothing. The growth represented through the leaves branching off the word "Dharma", the increasing size of the dots and the floral graphic are all reminiscent of a spiritual path or path to enlightenment and self-awareness. The Buddha graphic, however, is a little less meaningful, but is my favorite. I think it says "Buddhism," but in a more fun and subtle way than a full-on Buddha graphic.