Scratch Logo History: A Before-and-After Design Evaluation

What the essential answer is

Scratch has used a recognizable wordmark built around the project name rather than a fixed mascot-only symbol. The logo is most often encountered as a blue wordmark or as accompanying artwork featuring the Scratch Cat. In practical vector terms, the useful distinction is between the Scratch wordmark artwork and the broader Scratch branding assets, including the cat character. The name of a downloadable file is not proof that its internal paths are editable vectors.

Which logo and files are under discussion

The main query fixes the subject as the Scratch logo and its history. For vector work, the subject naturally divides into two classes of material: the primary Scratch wordmark and the Scratch Cat illustration that is often used beside it. A user preparing logo files needs to know which asset they are receiving, because a vector wordmark, a character illustration, and a raster preview are not interchangeable.

What the documented design direction shows

The Scratch identity is generally presented in a friendly, blocky, single-weight manner, with the wordmark closely tied to the educational and creative purpose of the platform. The cat gives the brand a more playful focal point. As a visual evaluation, this pairing is typical of educational software: a straightforward wordmark for identification and a character for emotional recognition. That reading is editorial interpretation, not a recorded claim from the original designers.

Practical implications for vector artwork

A logo history is useful only if it leads to a safe file decision. Before evaluating or preparing Scratch artwork, check whether the deliverable contains true vector paths, an embedded raster image, or only a raster preview. A file with an SVG extension can still contain a raster image, so the extension or filename does not establish editable paths. Likewise, permission to download a logo does not by itself grant permission to modify its artwork, fonts, or trademarks.

• Confirm whether the asset is the wordmark, the Scratch Cat, or a combined lockup.
• Open the artwork to see whether it is vector paths or an embedded raster.
• Treat visual description and design intent as interpretation unless the source records the intent.
• Separate download permission from modification and trademark permission.

Vector status checklist
- Artwork: Scratch wordmark / Scratch Cat / combined lockup
- Format: true vector / embedded raster / raster preview
- Evidence: documented usage / visual interpretation
- Rights: download / modify / trademark use

Evidence gaps to acknowledge

No supplied source records specific release dates, original authorship, or a dated redesign history for the Scratch logo. The analysis therefore cannot state a precise before-and-after timeline. The visual design direction can be described, but claims about who designed a particular version and when remain unsupported in the available evidence.

The practical conclusion is unchanged: identify which Scratch asset you have, verify whether its internal artwork is vector or raster, and confirm that you have the right to use it in the intended way before preparing or editing the file.