Click to See Complete Forum and Search --> : Logo Here We Go...
Thomas51471
02-21-2006, 01:25 AM
Ok, since everyone here was very helpful in helping me create the logo for my freelance business I thought I would throw these at ya and get your thoughts on them.
These are ideas for a logo I am creating for the website that I will use as an online portfolio and point of contact for my freelance business. The feel of the site will have a fun, somewhat caricaturish style to it. So I want the logo to reflect that but not be completely silly either. I like the third one best but still not sure if any of them are exactly what I want. What do ya'll think?
I do know that I will be staying with the orange and blue colors though.
http://www.ideasintoart.net/junk/logos.jpg
typographics
02-21-2006, 02:09 AM
thomas,
i think the light bulb concept has been severely played out. i would suggest coming up with a different concept all together.
also, i know you like the orange and blue, but maybe re-think that also? they are not good color combinations. they are opposite on the color wheel, creating a bad visual contrast, at least when they are set at the same color value. if you insist on using those colors, perhaps you could choose a lighter blue for better contrast or visa versa. just something to think about.
matthew~
I agree with typo.
You have a fantastic name and I think you can come up with something a bit more original than the lightbulb=bright idea concept.
Just a quick question - what font did you use for #2 & #3?
JaCkinbOx
02-21-2006, 02:43 AM
So have icons of brains, thought bubbles, heads, exclamation marks -- oh, just about everything's been done already.
I'm not feeling it yet, Thomas, but keep trying. I'd like to suggest using somewhat less refined, more expressive imagery. And be on the lookout for alternative fonts. I'm also a little tired of orange and blue together, but that's a passing thing.
Birdie1483
02-21-2006, 04:16 AM
Try to play around with the "ideas into art" theme. Maybe combine the "a" in ideas and "a" in art. Try making them literally turn from one to another. I dont know if it's possible, but it's just an idea of another path to go down. I also agree with the color combination suggestions. The two colors together are a bit too bright.
Thomas. I am not feeling "fun, somewhat caricaturish style" here to be honest with you. I love the idea of using this style, but I think that for a portfolio site it STILL must have a certain sophistication for it to be taken seriously.
Stretch your creative muscles a bit. What else have you got? I see one concept three different ways. If you haven't moved beyond the obvious (idea=lightbulb), then time to hit the sketchpad and push it further.
Thomas51471
02-21-2006, 04:47 AM
Thanks everyone for the feedback. I was all set to go with the third choice to he honest because I really like it the best. I went with the light bulb idea, by the way, because I know that idea=lightbulb is what the general public will associate together the fastest.
But now with everyone pushing me to come up with something better I gotta make myself do it because I know that ya'll are right. I can come up with something cooler.
About the "Fun, characaturish style" maybe those aren't the very best words I can use to describe what I am going for. I am not creating a kid site, but I don't exactly want it stuffy either. More along the lines of perhaps sophisticated audience cartoon style and loose. That is the best I got to describe it. Sorry.
Anyway, I am going to work on coming up with more ideas beyond the light bulb. I like the light bulb idea, but I don't want to limit myself either and if you guys think I should push it then I will. Keep giving the comments though, they are a great help.
About the "Fun, characaturish style" maybe those aren't the very best words I can use to describe what I am going for. I am not creating a kid site, but I don't exactly want it stuffy either. More along the lines of perhaps sophisticated audience cartoon style and loose. That is the best I got to describe it. Sorry.
I actually think it's a great way to describe it, and it sounds delightful. Maybe browse through some portfolios -- especially illustrators, to get some ideas. While you're there, look at the color too. When you find something that speaks to you, remember it and play!
Just tonight, and this is so random (I think I followed something reuber posted or something) ... I was looking at this: http://www.loopland.net/ ... now that I would say is "fun, charactaurish", but, sophisticated as well. That may be a bad example of what you're shooting for, but maybe you should look at some different styles that communicate sort of the same thing. Lots of fun retro stuff out there immediately pop into my mind, too, as a source for inspiration for "fun and sophisticated".
Thomas, if it makes you feel any better -- I, personally, wouldn't tell you to push it if I didn't think you were ready and capable of it. I think everybody here is probably thinking the same thing. PLAY! Have fun with it. And keep us posted. :)
Thomas51471
02-21-2006, 05:03 AM
Thanks, yeah I know I can push it more. The reason I even posted this is because, though I liked it for the most part, something wasn't sitting right with me about it and I knew if ya'll took a look at it that there would be a great possibility that either I would be affirmed in that it was done and ready to go or ya'll would make me push it by coming up with a different direction I didn't think of, which ya'll have. And I think that is great.
Thomas51471
02-21-2006, 08:14 AM
Ok, I updated the picture above and added three more logo ideas to it. I went away from the bulb idea. I came up with a seed sprouting a plant to state that idea=seed. I also tried just a straight forward type treatment with a flourish.
I like the font I am using and going to stick with the colors, when I posted before they were a bit light so I darkened them a bit and I think it helped. Still not really sold on any of them, though I am leaning toward #3 and #4.
Thoughts?
Thomas51471
02-21-2006, 09:19 AM
Ok, this is all I got for now. It is very late, I got work in about 3 and a half hours so I am MAKING myself go to bed. I added two more to the image above to make a total of 8 ideas. Most of them I really don't like much, but I do dig #3, #4, and #7.
Good night and good luck!
typographics
02-21-2006, 10:47 AM
thomas,
you dont need to incorporate '.net' into your logo. adding that, in my opinion, makes your business seem less professional. a logo is simply an identifier. you dont need to add your web address, phone number, email, pets name, or anthing else. you want to keep it as simple as possible. deleting '.net' will also give you less visual mass to deal with, and keep the logo looking as simple and memorable as possible.
i would stay away from the brush stroke too. that is another very overly used concept, used a lot by artist. you want your logo to stand out and be different from the competition. you can still effectively promote yourself without using cliche ideas and predictable imagery.
i think the seed idea has promise. id like to see you incorporate the type into the seed sprouting. perhaps stack all three words, leaving out '.net', and put the seed at the bottom. then use the letters as the stalk, with a small bud coming out on top. this would make the logo more vertical, emphasizing your concept of growth and reaching for better solutions. keep those creative gears turning!
matthew~
Thomas51471
02-21-2006, 03:44 PM
Matthew,
I agree with the brush stroke. It is used alot and I really only considered it to introduce a new element into the design. It was late and I was at a brick wall :-) But yeah, the stroke is gonna go.
I did go with your recommendation, though, and stacked the letters with the seed on bottom and sprout on top to see what that would look like , and I am quite happy with the way it came out. I still wanted to stick to a two color logo using the colors though.
I understand, too, about what you are saying about not needing to add a ton of information in the logo such as the ".net". But this logo is going to be primarily used on the website and I like the idea of adding the ".net" for emphasis. But I am not completely married to the ".net" either, that is why I posted two versions - one with and one without. I do like the one with a bit better just because I can add a bit more orange to balance out the color composition as well as adding more weight to the bottom left of the logo.
Lastly, I am not able to get to the vector files I used to create this at the moment so I used photoshop and what I posted last night to make this mock up. If the quality is a bit off, it's because of that and the finished logo will be of better quality.
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c97/Thomas51471/logos_2.jpg
Ok, lemme know what ya'll think and I very much appreciate your comments. As always, they have helped me push through to what is turning out to be a much better logo in look and feel.
Thomas51471
02-21-2006, 05:13 PM
MD,
I just realized I never answered your font question. I used a font called "Poor Richard" and tilted the "e" backward a bit when it was in outlines.
Thanks Thomas, I knew I had the font but could not place it.
I like the new concept - the only suggestion I have is you could somehow incorporate the seed into the logo more rather than just placing it at the bottom. Maybe having the sprout snaking up through the letters to show transition. Right now it seems like you have two separate entities. The "idea seed" at the bottom and "sprout art" at the top with nothing that really connects the two together.
Getting closer ;)
Thomas51471
02-21-2006, 08:09 PM
Yeah, I like that idea of the sprout snaking through the letters. I'll work on that too. Right now I have pretty much abandoned the bulb idea, ya'll were right, it wasn't the best idea. I like the seed, I'll keep adding and maybe by the end of the night I will have a finished logo. Thanks all.
flutterby nut
02-21-2006, 08:24 PM
i like the concept of the seed...but it seems to me if the seed represents 'idea' then the word idea should be on the bottom, transitioning 'into art'...the typographical hierarchy is tricky tho...you need to do it in such a way that the word 'idea' commands the reader's attention first then they read 'into art' second...the way you have it now shows plant to seed and it's incongruent with your concept...just thoughts
Epectasis
02-21-2006, 09:02 PM
i'd try something more abstract if i was you. it seems too busy...
Thomas51471
02-22-2006, 01:16 AM
Alright, I have narrowed it down to these four here. #3 and #4 I will most likely use as variations on the logo for various different things that might require a more horizontal or "boxy" format. I had originally wanted to limit the use of the logo only to the web, thus the .net at the end, but I like #3 and #4 and MAY use them on occasion if needed.
But, the main logo will be the more vertical logo at top. #1 and #2 will be used on the site primarily (if not exclusively). At first I wasn't too sure about the more vertical composition, but have grown to like it. The final variation I have made is by adding the sprout winding all the way through the lettering from the seed to the top. I am not really sold on this. But am sort of torn too.
All of you have been a tremendous help thus far on helping me push the logo to becoming ALOT closer to what I originally wanted it to be in look and feel. Which do you prefer? #1 or #2? After I nail down which of these two I am going with that is what I am sticking to. Like I said, it really is very much what I want and I again thank you all for helping push me to make it from something that was ok to something that I really do dig.
http://www.ideasintoart.net/junk/Logo_3.jpg
typographics
02-22-2006, 01:22 AM
thomas,
#2 definatly communicates the seed concept better than #1.
matthew~
Thomas51471
02-22-2006, 01:26 AM
I would agree, but does it make it harder to read to you or have I just been staring at this for almost 24 hours straight working on it :-)
I agree. Although you might not need the "vine" (or stalk or whatever you call it) to be totally visible ALL the way up. You can suggest direction while at the same hiding a small portion behind at least one of the letters. It might be worth at least trying, just because the highly stylized font, the illy, all of it are just every so slightly leaning toward being "busy." I think it's very very close. Great job! Thank you for sharing your process with us! :)
I would agree, but does it make it harder to read to you or have I just been staring at this for almost 24 hours straight working on it :-)
Haha you need a break!
typographics
02-22-2006, 01:29 AM
thomas,
its not hard to read, but i do agree with ec that it needs to be cleaned up and simplified a little.
matthew~
Thomas51471
02-22-2006, 01:51 AM
Ok, if ya go back to page two (sorry guys) I updated #2 by making it less "busy" and it is much more readable. I think we have a winner. So, to recap, I am using #2 for the site primarily, #3 and #4 for anything else that they might call for if they ever do.
Feel free to comment further if you think #2 is still lacking, but I really dig all three that I want to settle with. Again, thank you all for the great comments and thoughts. It has been not only awesome fun, but I feel it pushed me to become a better logo designer.
That's exactly what I had in mind Thomas, great job. http://www.planetsmilies.com/smilies/happy/happy0158.gif