Showcase

10 fictional marks, 8 architectures.

The discipline of choosing the right mark architecture before drawing a single curve.

Wordmark, lockup, monogram, letterform-as-symbol, abstract, pictorial, combination, emblem. Each architecture earns its place when the brand name and the mark each carry the right share of the communicative weight. This gallery makes the distinctions concrete by showing all eight side-by-side with three wordmarks at three typographic registers so the architectural label does less work than the execution.

Read the logo-design skillPer-brand variant explorer

Mark architecture

Vertical

Brand voice

10 of 10 marks shown

  • Solis

    Clean energy SaaS for grid operators monitoring solar generation across distributed assets.

    Letterform-as-symbolTech / SaaSProfessional
  • knurlknurlknurl

    Knurl

    Artisan kitchenware studio producing small-batch tools for serious home cooks.

    WordmarkConsumer goodsConversational
  • TARSUS

    Tarsus

    Financial planning fintech for self-employed professionals balancing income variability and tax obligations.

    LockupFinance / FintechProfessional
  • PLINTH

    Plinth

    Architecture firm specializing in classical-influenced civic and institutional buildings.

    EmblemReal estateProfessional
  • Mira

    Mira

    Meditation app focused on cultivating awareness through short structured practice sessions.

    Abstract markHealthcareConversational
  • QUARTZ

    Quartz

    Personal finance platform for first-time investors building disciplined long-horizon portfolios.

    PictorialFinance / FintechProfessional
  • Caval

    Caval

    Logistics platform connecting shippers and carriers for time-sensitive last-mile delivery.

    CombinationTech / SaaSProfessional

  • Ostend

    Design agency for early-stage tech companies that need brand systems before they need a marketing team.

    MonogramTech / SaaSConversational
  • GLINT

    Glint

    Direct-to-consumer fine jewelry brand selling lab-grown diamond pieces to a younger audience.

    WordmarkConsumer goodsProvocative
  • wendwend

    Wend

    Travel platform helping independent travelers route long itineraries that avoid the standard tourist circuits.

    WordmarkHospitalityPlayful

The taxonomy

The architecture is the design decision before any line gets drawn.

Mark architecture is the load-bearing decision in logo design. Wordmark is not a fallback choice for when there is no time to design a mark; it is the right answer when the brand name itself does the work. Lockup is not a wordmark with a sticker on it; it is a deliberate balance where one element is clearly subordinate to the other. The eight architectures each have a different center of gravity, and the mark fails when it commits to the wrong one.

Three of the marks in this gallery are wordmarks (Knurl, Glint, Wend), set in three different typographic registers: custom serif with tactile texture, high-contrast Didone, rounded geometric sans. The architectural label says wordmark for all three; the typographic register is what makes them distinct. The same is true for the other seven architectures: the label is a starting frame, not a finished idea.

The logo-design skill covers the full methodology: when each architecture earns its place, the typographic-register choices that distinguish marks within the same category, and the variant-system discipline that turns a primary mark into a usable identity.

Frequently asked questions.

What is the difference between a wordmark and a lockup?
A wordmark is the brand name set in type, with no separate mark. A lockup pairs a wordmark with a subordinate abstract or pictorial mark; the wordmark carries the primary identity, the mark plays a supporting role. Knurl, Glint, and Wend are wordmarks. Tarsus is a lockup, with the four-bar mark sitting subordinate to the wordmark on the right.
Are these real brands?
No. All ten brands are fictional, designed to demonstrate the eight mark architectures the logo-design skill teaches. They have no associated company, product, or service.
Can I use these marks?
Use them for reference and study. The marks are not licensed for commercial reuse on a real brand. The intent is to make the architectures concrete enough to apply when authoring marks of your own.
Where can I learn the methodology behind the architectures?
The logo-design skill in the open-source claude-skills repository covers the full methodology: when each architecture earns its place, the typographic register choices that distinguish marks within the same category, and the variant-system discipline that turns one mark into a usable identity. The skill links from the page hero.