Logo Critique Needed.

[Element_13]

This is for a design company called Element 13. It is going to be part of a business branding package. Please let me know what you think. Thanks.

http://www.element13.ca/design/element13.ca/element13_fire_logo_01.jpg

[captain spanky]

i like it but i don't know why...

[morea]

something about that logo looks very familiar to me, though I can't place it.
it's a good shape, recognizable and memorable. I presume that you have already checked to make sure it's not registered by someone else already?

I really don't know why it seems so familiar to me. :confused:

I prefer the one where the flame curls over toward the right.

[nele]

I like it too but I don't think that it's appropriate for a serious company. It's more like for a blog or a gaming website. The font/No's stand out too much

[mattbing]

I like them, I think they're great for a design company. I like the red and yellow. I'd have the fire going to the right.

[1ooScreamingTrees]

I think it looks like one of the older "Nero" burning software logos. Not sure though, I could be way off.

[patkennedy78]

I love the type treatment, good job there, in both the name and the E13. But the flame, um, just seems, well, not so cutting edge. Seems not to fit with the type.

Ok, I just checked the website, and it makes a little more sense now. "sure fire designs..." I guess my advice would be to play with the flame more, more variations, shapes, directions. Really make the name and shape interact.

[mac.FINN]

I agree with Pat. My first thought was nice type... too bad about the flame.

IMO Flames and fire is overdone. Why not work more with the idea of elements - molecules, ions, chemistry and so on.

The flame kind of looks like a space ship to me.

[cornfed]

I like the type treatment. I think you could take the fire idea a few steps further and approach it in a way that isn't as direct as a flame.

[(gra-ph!c-D'sig-nah)]

Just when I was about to comment I said, "let me see what everyone else said first" and the last comment is the first thought that came to my head! Ditch the flame! The flame is becoming the comic san of design! Over used and people always like to through a little fire in it to make a power statement or "I am on fire" statement! I love the type treatment but the flame "NO"....

Try other shapes on paper and start combining things....

[tZ]

I like the symetry of the typography.

The flame… yeah I think its overdone but, these don't look that bad.

I'm sure the design could be pushed and pulled in every direction somemore but, if your satisfied its memorable and has a certain interesting aesthetic quality to it so go with it.

Otherwise, I agree that the flame/fire is cliche. It doesn't really represent anything pertaining to graphic design and it reminds me more of the gaming industry more then anything else.

So yes, it is interesting, memorable but, I think you can do better on the communitive aspects.

*edit*

Its been een a long while since, chemistry but, is element 13(13th element on the periodic table) related to fire in any way?- is that the concept?

[Drazan]

element 13 is magnesium which in a powdered or finite strip form is highly ignitable. The metal itself if in wire or significant form is not igniteable, but can get cool spark effects if hit just right. Normally magnesium is alloyed with other metals for stability.

/ends chem lesson
<< I knew two years of chem would come in handy. ;)

[frankster]

you can set fire to magnesium ribbon. It burns very brightly.

[MikeTheVike]

I like blue with flame tilted left

[Seapony]

I agree with the "comic sans" comment.

Not that it's not ugly looking or anything, just looks like a mismatch. Overall you can go on and use it and it won't be terrible (considering I've seen worse ;)), but I have to admit it does come off as sort of clipart-ish because of the overused stylized flame effect. The "apple icon" gradients used in some of those samples aren't helping much either.

Overall I see it catering to a rather narrow client base—I doubt it'll allure the conservative fortune 500 corporate set, if you know what I mean. So I really see this as an impractical direction, unless you are tailoring it to a very targetted demographic.

I would explore reinterpreting your own unique stylistic flame effect if you really want to keep moving in that direction, maybe based off of a bunsen burner's flame rather than a car detail "pimp my ride" effect, seems as though it would be a better match.

As for the typography, I like the symmetrical play of the E and 3 with the 1 nicely dividing the center, but as I said, the flame is weakening it's effectiveness. How would it look like if you removed the flame and worked on projecting your branding idea without the obvious imagery?

:cool:

[Element_13]

Just for an update. I appreciate the comments and alot of what has been said is what I was worried about in the beginning. The logo and the typeface don't match and the flame has been done over and over. I am working on the forms of the E13 aspect instead of the flame and I will be reworking the elemental idea. FYI, the 13th element is not magnesium but rather aluminum. The flame idea came from the 4 earthly elements, fire, water, earth and air. Originally, the idea was to develop similar looking logos based on the 4 different elements. I made it through water and fire and loved the flame. The more I think about it though, the type treatment idea was always forfront in my mind. So, I will keep you posted as I work with the logo a little bit more.

PS. Keep the comments coming. I am always interested in other peoples ideas and criticism.

[cyfer990]

You got something there, however if it is going to be some sort of branding... on a package that will be mailed or shipped via plane ... i would stay away from flame... I do love flames, evan the most recent business cards i did for one of my customers had flames in them.if you decide to stay with flames than maybe you could smoothen the flames a lil bit and use a different font this font spells e i e (last e backwards).
In all not bad...but i think you could do much better.
:cool:

[Jriddim]

this is what i think of when i see that logo..

http://www.helio.com/page?p=homepage&cmpid=KNC-goog-ppc-tsa2&chid=AF0108&refcd=GO000456s_helio#homepage

[Fredonia2k]

That nailed it... I knew it looked familiar.

[Jriddim]

yep :) I totally forgot that helio were phones... for some reason i new the name... talk about subliminal messaging!.. I just knew that logo and the name... but not the product lol... maybe their advertising schemes arent that great afterall!

[Skyler]

element 13 is magnesium which in a powdered or finite strip form is highly ignitable. The metal itself if in wire or significant form is not igniteable, but can get cool spark effects if hit just right. Normally magnesium is alloyed with other metals for stability.

/ends chem lesson
<< I knew two years of chem would come in handy. ;)

That's great--but if it takes you that long to explain your logo to your customers you might not be getting through to them.

[CamarotaDesign]

I really like the type treatment as well. Maybe you could make the whole design a square of the periodic table, with the atomic number and all that, and then instead of have the abreviation for it (like "Fe" or "Ni") make that part the flame. Sorta cliche though, but hey, it would look pretty nice, why not.

[Broacher]

Yes, but when magnesium burns, it's rarely a 'classic flame' shape that you see. It's usually welding arc-bright. If you want to visualize that brilliance, maybe the classic flame shape is not the place to start?

[CamarotaDesign]

Yes, but when magnesium burns, it's rarely a 'classic flame' shape that you see. It's usually welding arc-bright. If you want to visualize that brilliance, maybe the classic flame shape is not the place to start?

http://www.mge.com/images/RtImg_GasFlame.jpg

Yeah, You know, this style of a flame would also be much more in line with your type treament.

[Seapony]

I really like the type treatment as well. Maybe you could make the whole design a square of the periodic table, with the atomic number and all that, and then instead of have the abreviation for it (like "Fe" or "Ni") make that part the flame. Sorta cliche though, but hey, it would look pretty nice, why not.
Actually, that wouldn't be all that cliche and not a bad idea...at least, I haven't seen it being applied all over the place. Plus it plays an already recognizable look...he should just work on the typography and copy so that it doesn't end up looking too similar, modernizing it just to "suggest" it's inspiration.

I'd keep the current typography treatment for example but use the periodic table's layout format, sort of a modern take on a classic theme. It'll also be very easy to apply it to create some clever custom business cards, website and such.

:)