311 Logo PNG
311 is a rock band based in Omaha, Nebraska. The list of members includes Nick Hexum, Doug “SA” Martinez, Aaron “P-Nut” Wills, Tim Mahoney, and Chad Sexton.
Meaning and history
The history of 311 can be traced back to 1988, while their first independent release was the Downstairs EP (1989). As of late 2020, the band has released thirteen studio albums.
Although the band has a very long history, it has stayed consistent in its visual brand identity. The centerpiece of the 311 logo is the combination of “3,” “1,” and “1.” The numbers seem to have been written by hand as their size varies and their shape seems pretty casual. And yet, it was “written” by a skillful hand of an artist, who made the emblem look stylish and dynamic.
If this logo could speak, it would say “free,” “independent,” and “moving ahead.” The glyphs do not want to obey the rules of calligraphy: neither their tops nor their lower parts form an even line. The connection between the “3” and the first “1” has nothing to do with calligraphy, too. And yet, the design looks professional due to the elegant variation of the widths of the strokes and the very shape of the glyphs – they have their inner dynamics and direct your gaze in a certain way.
We can say that this is an example of an emblem having a lot of implied motion. This effect is created partly by the dramatic swoosh on the “3” and partly by the shape of the ellipse. The way the width of the line is changing from thin to wide also leaves the impression that the letters are liquid and the surface on which they are placed is moving at high speed.
On the downside, the 311 logo does say much about the band. We can remember, however, P-Nut saying that one of the reasons they decided to keep their name was that it seemed “just abstract and did not define us in any way,” that it “just let the music speak for itself.” Looks like they opted for the same approach for the logo.
