MGM Logo

The MGM logo is one of the most recognized brands in the world and is synonymous with Hollywood.

With the release of the films Valkyrie and Quantum of Solace, the new motion version of the MGM logo was issued for use before feature films. Although not much different from its predecessor, the new logo was considerable cleaned up, using original elements from decades ago.

The same original elements were used here in the revision to the static logo. Using ultra-high resolution scans of the film ribbon and Leo, I ended up with a massive working file measuring 20,000 pixels wide and weighing in at over 3GB in size once all of my retouching was done. Pretty friggin’ big for a guy who’s used to working with web graphics.

Special attention was payed to the texture of Leo’s hair which in the original painting, did not exist. Purists may call me crazy for adding it in, but they were subtle enough and added much more texture and depth that I decided it was for the better. I also needed a good alpha channel for blending purposes. This meant hand painting in all of the hair at the edges of Leo’s mane. Fun!

Overall color was graded to a more natural golden tone, away from the yellow and orange of the preceding logo.

The end result is one of subtle but much needed enhancements.