The History Behind the Pixar Logo
The Pixar logo has become one of our childhood’s most iconic logo designs. From well-written characters to great animation, catchy phrases, and captivating storylines, Pixar gave us our youth.
Join us as we examine one of the most famous movie logo designs. Take a peek at the history behind the Pixar logo and how it became a global icon.
Brief History of Pixar
What’s your favorite Pixar movie? Pixar films are popular among all ages, and it’s hard to believe that some people haven’t seen a single Pixar movie.
Pixar is the source of beautiful animation and captivating stories like the Toy Story series to Monster Inc. and the latest Lightyear animation. We have Pixar Studios to thank for those masterpieces., the sort that fills your day with happiness.
The striking feature of the studio, aside from its movies, is its logo. The adorable bouncing lamp replaces the letter ‘I’ before the movie starts and has become a staple for moviegoers.
And like any other movie studio logo, did you know that Pixar’s logo has undergone three significant evolutions in its design?
Pixar Logo Evolution
When we say Pixar, you instantly think of that jumping lamp before a film starts, right? It’s only natural for a great animation company to have an iconic logo that immediately pops into people’s minds when you hear their name.
Before that iconic lamp logo became popular, let’s take a peek at how the Pixar logo has evolved.
1979 – 1986
All three versions of the Pixar logo are entirely different. Did you know that the company name and lamp were never in the picture in the first few years of the company’s establishment?
The company started in 1979 and was called The Graphics Group. This year, the company’s first logo appeared: In the sans-serif font, their studio’s name was at the top of the composition using three colors: red, black, and white.
At the center part, you’ll see two capital letters, G in red and black colors facing each other. Under the lettermark logo design is the studio’s tagline: The art of visual communication.
It’s a simple logo, but sadly, it wasn’t enough to catch the attention of its audiences.
1986 – 1994
In 1986, Steve Jobs took over the company from George Lucas for a whopping $5 million. He coined the business name Pixar, which led to a change in its brand logo.
As the co-founder of Apple, Steve presented a new logo for Pixar. Inspired by the Apply BSD computer, the new emblem became a square shape with frames on the sides and a hole in the center.
The company name appears at the bottom of the shape, and minor elements separate each letter. You probably think this version is better than the previous one, but brace yourselves; Pixar’s logo evolution did not stop there.
1994 – Present
In 1994, Pixar’s design underwent a complete change under the hands of Pete Docyer, an employee of the company at the time. This logo version just proves the importance of creating typography that stands out.
Its renewed brand logo utilizes a serif font style. When you look at the letters, you’ll notice the letters R and X have tails at their tips, giving them a unique look.
This design immediately became a trademark when it first appeared in the Toy Story movie premiere. In some of the film’s opening credits, you may have seen how Woody, Buzz, and their friends appear in the logo or even replace letters.
Pixar Lamp Logo
If you’re a huge Pixar fan and have watched the films in the past ten years, chances are you’ve seen the animation featuring the Pixar logo and Luxo Jr., the company’s mascot.
Yes, you read that right. That bouncing lamp that hops in and squashes the “i” has a name. In 1995, Pixar decided to substitute the letter I for Luxo Jr.
Fun fact: Luxo Jr was the name of Pixar’s first animated film in 1986! If you haven’t watched it, you should check it out.
Design Your Movie Logo Today!
Pixar’s brand identity is impeccable work! From its first design to its latest, it has aged gracefully and continues to create entertaining movies we all love today.
Design your eye-catching movie studio logo design, and who knows? Your brand might just be the next studio with best-selling movies!
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