my first logo

[H4RRY-5-0]

Hey i think this is the first time ive put something on here for critique! its a logo for an internal college website for my graphics course, we had to gesign a log that showed what we thought the course was about! i went with thinking its about growing as a designer and so came up with this design!
let me know what u think
http://s107.photobucket.com/albums/m311/H4RRY-5-0/?action=view&current=logoG.jpg

[Two-Toe Tom]

it doesn't show for me, did you save it in rgb mode instead of cmyk?

[H4RRY-5-0]

i dint think it would :(

[Two-Toe Tom]

just check your settings in whatever program you're using, it could be just my computer tho..

[Ovaltine]

it's not working for me either

[H4RRY-5-0]

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m311/H4RRY-5-0/logograph.jpg
any better?

[Two-Toe Tom]

yes i see it now :D

my first thought is that there's too many things going on, you three leaves (i think) roots, italicized text, the G crossing with the h.. i think it'd be more effective if you simplified it more.

[H4RRY-5-0]

yeah i know what you mean! i thought about shortening the G, but another concern of mine is i need to fit national diploma or ND in somewhere effectively as thats the name of the course, but i drew a blank...still thinking tho :S

[tZ]

So… what is the course about?

The obvious answer is communication but, I'm not getting that from your design.

[H4RRY-5-0]

the obvious answer is communication but i havent tried to say that with the logo. the course is about learning new skills and developing as a designer, most of the people on the course have never used the adobe suite before, but by the end of the course they will have developed skills to help them with their chosen career. i wanted to show growth but the more i look at it i see "garden center"

[Ned]

My problem is with the T that's formed with the branches sprouting out of the G and H. As soon as I see the logo, my eyes, stare at that T, trying to see what it's supposed to mean and represent. Then I get frustrated when I can find nothing.

[budafist]

Those were leaves? They look like raindrops to me.

[morea]

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m311/H4RRY-5-0/logograph.jpg

that sketchy looking font worries me when I think about reproducing it at different sizes and across different media.

What's the reasoning behind having the G and h intersect? That makes it look like a cross, which makes me think that the image has religious implications.

I don't really think that the two fonts go together as well as they should.

I'd try to not be so literal with your interpretation of "growth". Have you done some brainstorming and sketching before going this route? Would you be willing to share your other ideas, too?

Check out the tips posted here (http://www.graphicdesignforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=24307).

[sierng]

I like the idea behind it.
But morea is right about the sketchyness of it, it should be bolder, and abit more abstract. The "national diploma" imo appears to overpower the word "graphics". Perhaps try a less bold font. Also try stretching out the word graphic, national diploma looks abit cramped down there.

Good Luck.

[Mynock]

Looks live traced to me.

[tZ]

You have two conflicting fonts. Just thought I'd point that out(sans-serifs). One should contrast the other.

[WannaBrie]

I think your concept on this one is sound, but you need to work on the execution. Do some sketches, think this one out a bit more...

[tZ]

The whole plant and growing thing is over used. Honestly, I'd explore other directions.

From the sounds of it this class seems to be about the software and the technical side(production) more then the creative side. perhaps find a way to communicate that instead of just growth or forget about the growth concept all together.

I think you'll end with a stronger mark that better represents the class if look more into it then just saying the class makes you grow- duh!

The growth thing could work but, you need to look at it more conceptually then just a tree. Maybe focus on personal growth then just growth in a general sense or what is growing- your mind, knowledge- stuff like that. A tree really says nothing about any of that.

[H4RRY-5-0]

right i got a new direction, im now looking into typography and communication! the course isnt just the software and technical side of thing its definatley more creative! so ive been exploring typography here..
http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m311/H4RRY-5-0/gdlogo.jpg

[Logo-Mechanix]

I would get out the sketch pad and do some drawing. This last one is very difficult to read, almost impossible.

[CkretAjint]

took me a good minute to figure out what that new image said. heh...

[G Designz]

The first logo try a different font for the word graphics. For the 2nd logo - it looks cool but too much is going on.