When Lögberg Heimskringla arrives in your mailbox in January – or lands in your inbox if you read the digital version – you will notice a new logo. It offers both an elegant new face for our publication and a touch of history at the same time.
“Lögberg-Heimskringla will be launching a new logo soon that will be used on all our advertising,” reported LH president Karen Botting at the annual general meeting on October 22. “Staff members Jodi Dunlop and Catherine McConnell worked with graphic designer Bergdís (Dísa) Sigurðardóttir to develop the logo, using the letters ‘LH’ by which the paper is affectionately known.” A small poster was displayed at the meeting showing how the logo would be used for advertisements, promotional materials, and business cards, along with four different colour schemes – blue, red, silver, and black-and-white.
The logo’s creator also provided a snapshot of how the publication’s mastheads (sometimes known as “nameplates” or “the flag”) evolved through the years, employing the fonts that were commonly available from the time of Heimskringla’s founding in 1886 until the present day.
“My initial thoughts were to represent the rich history of the publication,” Dísa wrote in explaining her thought processes in developing the new logo. “After having gone through all the covers of Heimskringla, Lögberg, and Lögberg-Heimskringla, the first Old English or Blackletter Calligraphy masthead of Heimskringla caught my eye and served as my inspiration. When I realized the same calligraphy was used on Lögberg a few years later, I knew I had to honour its tradition and preserve it in some way with the new logo.”
Dísa focused on the capital letters of Heimskringla’s and Lögberg’s names before they were amalgamated into a single publication. These letters are arguably the most interesting characters on the old mastheads and, after the two newspapers became one, they quickly emerged as the shorthand name of the publication, except for those who continued to cling to either one of the earlier names. “Since the logo has two capital letters in calligraphy,” she continued, “I felt it was necessary to simplify any ornamental features to balance the composition into a cohesive image. The first drafts were more exaggerated, with longer serifs, but I believe I managed to revise it without losing its unique character. I wanted the final product to come across as effortless, fluid, and unlike a cookie cutter font anyone can buy.”
Although Dísa accepted a small stipend for her efforts, most of her research and development time was donated. “I loved working on this project,” Dísa said. “Thank you for choosing me as your designer."
