the design elements of the Rocky Ridge Neighborhood logo

Design excellence is a craft which is often appreciated, but not often pursued.

One example of recent thoughtful graphic design:

The logo of the Rocky Ridge Neighborhood designed by Sandra Cika, creative director of Youngstown's Insite Consulting.


To get to the final logo, Insite performed face-to-face and paper interviews with residents, toured the neighborhood, created and displayed multiple design options, and after a truly iterative process, this new neighborhood association chose the design and colors above.

The image really captures many of the distinctive elements of the neighborhood.

- First, the leaves represent the neighborhood's connection to Mill Creek MetroParks. Some people have to drive to a park, but for Rocky Ridge, Mill Creek Park is their backyard.

- Instead of one leaf, there are multiple leaves showing that the many people of a neighborhood group is better than one.

- The design of the leaves themselves are oak leaves, native to this section of Northeast Ohio.

- Notice the negative space between the stems of the leaves, which outlines the well-kept houses that are the norm in the rocky Ridge section of the west side of Youngstown.

- You'll also see the outline of the ridge itself between the words “rocky” and “ridge”. The physical ridge with its jagged rock forms, is visible along Bears' Den Drive at the neighborhood's southern edge within Mill Creek Park.

- Additionally, the outline of the ridge is a representation of the sled riding hill in the neighborhood which people from around the region enjoy during the winter.

- Having a clear, crisp logo with a single color (Rocky Ridge Green - pantone number 3298) will allow for easier use and replication on letterheads, t-shirts, tattoos, etc.

Design is important.

Thoughtful design creates a response.
Thoughtful design produces clarity.
Thoughtful design improves function.

Look around downtown youngstown and/or the output of local organizations.

Do they follow good design techniques which improve function and meaning?