Inspiration for a logo design

Recently I started considering ideas for making a logo of my name. I wanted to create something I could use to brand new products I’ve been working on, to use as a watermark, or simply to make into a rubber stamp for letters I write. My area of focus was my initials MM. With this in mind, I started out looking for ideas of what I could create with my initials and looked to the internet for ideas of course.

At first I looked only for the MM combination, but not finding anything, I opened up my search for anything interesting that combined two initials. I did find a lot of great ideas, but one really stood out. Interestingly enough, it was because of the initials WW.

Many people who know me, know that I have a great love for Vienna, a city that I was lucky enough to live in work in for more than a year. I go at any opportunity I get, and just recently this past summer I went again for a wonderful visit with my friends Renee and Hannes, and brought my 9-year-old daughter, to show her the city for the first time. It was love at first sight for her, not surprising. It’s a wonderful place. So when I found a logo for the Wiener Werkstätte, this really excited me.

The Wiener Werkstätte (Vienna Workshop), established in 1903 by Koloman Moser and Josef Hoffmann, was a production community of visual artists in Vienna, Austria bringing together architects, artists and designers working in ceramics, fashion, silver, furniture and the graphic arts.[1] It is regarded as a pioneer of modern design, and its influence can be seen in later styles such as Bauhaus and Art Deco.

Following World War I, the workshop was beset by financial troubles and material shortages. Attempts to expand the workshop's base were unsuccessful, and ultimately it was forced to close in 1932. (source: Wikipedia)

Here’s the full logo. First I played with turning it upside down to see the MM. Once I did that, I realized that I could use the font to create my name.

So there you have it. The rubber stamp turned out great. The postmark is another stamp I had made last year.

Here are a few beautiful pictures of Vienna, just because any opportunity I can get to share photos (even if they aren't my own), I do.