Logo Stuck

[calebm12]

So since a posting on here always gives me good ideas i though i would stick these up. I am absolutly stuck. The first round of logos...not at all represented by these, were sent back by the client....though there were at least 2 winners in the bunch. wanted me to focus on the "key". SO here are 3...they arent all that different. And you will notice the third has a different name...this is the clients request. Could really use some ideas on brainstorming for this.
Thanks for your time. And P.S. I am not sensitive so go on with your bad self. :)

[cornfed]

I like the idea of using a key. However, keys are used in so many logos at this exact precise angle. I think you should keep the key as an idea, but play around with some different angles. You might could even find some cool letterforms and such in there. But please, don't use this key as the stem of the p. That's not what I mean by letterforms with the key. There are tons of creative ways to use a key. Unfortunately, a lot of designers never make it past the angle displayed here.

[budafist]

How about incorporating the key into the the text rather than having it as a separate illustration?

[tZ]

agreed

When I see that name the first thing that comes to mind is genitalia. You probably have no control over it but, just something I thought I would throw out.

[calebm12]

Agreed: i have no control over the name!
Agreed: the key is used in that form SO often.

I thought about incoroporating it into the text. However that particluar key i made is fairly bulky. might have to make a new key. i really like the old style key opposed to the new.
I have also played around with rotating the key, and changing its perspective...kinda make it look like it is laying on a table or something (from above). Havent worked the name into this one though.

ANY ideas on a ways to incorporate the name better into text. It is a tricky name and even tricker using the America's Home Solutions, as that is 3 words.

Really appreciate yalls time.

[Logo-Mechanix]

What if the letter are the key? Have the handle (for lack of knowing what else to call it) at the beginning and shape the letters into the key itself. If that makes sense.

[calebm12]

Humm..Interesting idea there. Will have to play with that tonight. I will just have to make sure it is easily read-able...as this will probably be incorporated into yard signs, etc.
i like the idea...will post back after giving it a shot.

anyother wild hairs out there?

[Logo-Mechanix]

Humm..Interesting idea there. Will have to play with that tonight. I will just have to make sure it is easily read-able...as this will probably be incorporated into yard signs, etc.
i like the idea...will post back after giving it a shot.

anyother wild hairs out there?

I already gave you my wild hair.:D

I would certainly be interested to see what you come up with.

[Seapony]

Wouldn't take much tweaking to turn that key into a "P" as in "Properties"...

:)

[meadowyck]

I like the company name of the 3rd one. Remove the line and use your key instead as your line with America's Home Solutions sitting on top with Pre Foreclosure Sales under. I like the font as it give me a soothing feeling, especially if folks are already stressed over maybe loosing thier homes. Just my little 2 cents worth.

[calebm12]

round 2!
http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/3207/logotrialrefine2xx7.th.jpg (http://img217.imageshack.us/my.php?image=logotrialrefine2xx7.jpg)

[Seapony]

I'm liking version 9 overall. It gives an appropriate "key ring" purpose to the graphic which really unifies both type and mark rather than just floating it alongside the word mark somehow, if that makes sense. Nice.

I suggest evening the weights of the letters (particularly the GP) and assuring that the type and graphic are legible from say 1-1.5" (2.5-3.8cm) wide. The "G" "P" and key look a bit crowded to me.

I would probably also reduce the size of the key and kill the drop shadow—it's inconsistent with the treatment of everything else, plus at it's present size the key is fighting a bit with the type. Truth told, I don't know why you don't try to replace the stem of the "P" letterform with the key itself.

P.S. mind your spelling, "Solutions."

:)

[calebm12]

some refinements!
c
http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/2456/refine1kh0.th.jpg (http://img251.imageshack.us/my.php?image=refine1kh0.jpg)

[Logo-Mechanix]

I'm thinking I like four and five the best, but thats just my opinion. I think four gives off much less of a locksmith feel than the others but for some reason I kind of like five but would get rid of the shadow.

[frankster]

This is confusing me. Why are there two threads on this?

[cj2a]

I'm going to back up and vote for #5...only with the end of the key with the circles being changed to a stylized "G". I like the font used in 5 and the clean lockup with the key and the type. The drop shadow on #5 does not bother me. And I much prefer a logo that combines a letterform with an image that is separate from the type, to a logo that works the image into the type of the name...fine if it's done right, but it's difficult to pull off without becoming a visual stumbling block to reading the name, IMO.

[calebm12]

humm...thanks for your comments. and this whole time 1-3 have been my favorites...ha
whats wrong with them?

[frankster]

1 to 3 are quite fussy and give the feel of a Greek restaurant to me. I'd still say your best bet is playing with the key-P and keyring-G some more. The example I posted in the other thread showed the P threaded onto the G rather than just behind it as you have in the 4th. Play with the idea on paper with a pencil for a while, because that's when the ideas grow, not when you restrict yourself to the computer screen to develop. :)

[cj2a]

1 is nice, but I'd lose the drop shadow there...it doesn't make as much sense as the drop on 5. Not as big a fan of the font on 2, and the rules constrict the type a bit, IMO, but it isn't bad. 3 seems to have the graphic overpowering the type...it could stand to be smaller, and maybe lose the small border on the oval. Still, all that being said, if the key had a direct tie-in to the name, i.e. a "G" for a handle, or else some creative visual tie-in to the company's purpose, it would make it much more a logo than a "key and some type".

BTW, all the numbers I'm talking about are from the prior group...not the latest ideas you posted.

[calebm12]

oops...i was talking of 1,2,3 from the latest posting!

i can see the greek restaurant..haha

[urstwile]

Caleb, in future, I'd recommend you keep all of your logo critique stuff in one thread per logo. As Frankster already expressed, it can be confusing to have the same logo process in a couple of different threads. Keeping things all in one thread allows everyone to view the progress and also refer back to earlier posts within the same thread for reference.

Thanks. :)

[tZ]

Seems like your married to that key.

A key as a concept is one thing using the same key in every composition is another.

9 is the best direction so far.

However, I would like to see a bit more variety in the rendering of the key not just the same key used for every idea. There are other ways which a key can be represented.

[frankster]

I think it was explained in the other thread that the key has been requested by the client. Confusing having it split between two huh?!

[Seapony]

I think it was explained in the other thread that the key has been requested by the client. Confusing having it split between two huh?!
Sure does, didn't even realize there were two threads. :D In any case, I like the version you showed in the other thread...posting it here for reference

http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/737/gpcritwb6.jpg

You tried to attempt it, but didn't quite loop it as effectively and evenly weighted as Frankster did above. If you can swing it like that and maintain an even weight throughout, then you'll have something. Or work on decongesting logo version 9 (which if I'm not mistaken inspired this one).

:)