If it were to be converted to a 1-bit image (Black/white) you could still make out what it is. That's basically the silhouette test.
This one doesn't quite work because there's no separation between the three colors that make up the circle. Not that it needs to, though. This one is better than the last for this test. In this case the silhouette would be the larger outer circle and the smaller inner circle.
It's really only used in print design, or at least that's how it started because logos needed to be versatile enough to work in many different color spaces, including being sent via fax. It is useful to keep in mind so that we create clean and uncluttered logos, though.
Word. You're right. I was over-hypey :D
It doesn't totally pass the silhouette test. It could with a thin edge of negative space in between each color block, OR... if we allowed a grey "cheat" in our silhouette test.
These kinda shape logos aren't just awesome for print, but in tiny places like web footers, twitter avatars, etc.
And for anybody in the thread rackin' their brain trying to figure out what we're talking about. Picture the Nike swoosh, or the Apple-missing-a-bite apple. With no gradients, colors, or shadows, their shape alone is recognizable.
This doesn't mean their every use + instance is this plain, but their logos survive such a deconstruction. It REALLY comes in handy.
This one doesn't quite work because there's no separation between the three colors that make up the circle. Not that it needs to, though. This one is better than the last for this test. In this case the silhouette would be the larger outer circle and the smaller inner circle.
It's really only used in print design, or at least that's how it started because logos needed to be versatile enough to work in many different color spaces, including being sent via fax. It is useful to keep in mind so that we create clean and uncluttered logos, though.