First Logo EVER

[klevr]

Like the title says, this is my first logo ever. I'm not very good with Illustrator at all so I'm hoping to get some feedback. Double D's stands for two names: David and Daniel's. It's just a logo I'm making for a friend's side business. What needs to be changed?

[Kool]

Lots of things you can tweak like the uber kerning on the bottom line, seems a little too extreme to me it's almost hard to read. You might want to try a different font since that one will almost disappear at small size.

I would make just the d bold and leave the apostrophe and s normal.

Overall I think it's pretty good.

[frankster]

Is it usual for multiple first attempts at logos for welding companies to pop up? Where's that other thread we had a fw weeks ago where the poster was doing their first logo and it was for a mate's welding company.

*twilight zone music*

Here is is. (http://www.graphicdesignforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=37069) Just out of interest.

I like the shape of the welding mask and the visor in it, but there has to be a more pleasing way to make it work with the type and you could easily adjust your shapes to not have to use grey in it at all.

[budafist]

At this size I can see that d's is in a bolder font, but will the difference be discernible when the logo is reproduced at smaller sizes? If not, it might look like an accident.

Is the bottom line of text in the same font? The "O" is very noticeable. In the first line of text it is a perfect circle, second line of text it looks squished. So that when you read the first line of text, you see a lot of perfect circles, but none in the second line of text. Why?

[klevr]

Does this look a little better? Or is the lower font still a bit much?

[budafist]

The o in custom still doesn't look like a circle to me. Now it looks a little fat.

Or is it just my fat eyes? :D

[JuanBossa]

I think that the grip of the visor won't be noticeable at all in smaller reproductions, so you could make it more noticeable or just get rid of that.

Also, looking some welding helmets pics I noticed almost all of them have rectangular visors, so why use a curved one? At first sight, without reading the company's name, I tought it was a motorcycle helmet... maybe it's just me but I think that using a rectangular visor would make the image a lot clearer.

About the typography, I like the change you made on the second line, it improved a lot IMO. The first line not so much, I liked the first one better.

Hope it helps ;)

[Cyan_Ide]

Another thing to watch out for when doing logo designs or designs in general is visual tension. I circled the area in question below so you know what I'm talking about. When you look things like this, try to think in terms of shapes. If you were to just nudge the white visor over a tiny bit, it would completely eliminate that little dangling piece hanging off of the end. I know it seems like a minor pittance but watching for these sorts of things can help to improve the quality of your logo design.

[Typically]

the d in "d's" is heavier than the other d and the s looks squished horizontally. also the tracking on the bottom text almost makes it read like customwelding because the space between letter is almost the same as the space between words. and like frank said you can probably make this work as a 1 color if you mess around with it a bit. you're close keep going with it.

[PrintDriver]

Sorry if this is considered innuendo (:)) but do you know what comes to mind when you say "double d's"? You sure you want that?

[Silence04]

^ that is the first thing i thought...
Even now that i know what it really stands for, i'm still thinking of the other meaning. :)

[Typically]

maybe they have large man boobs?

[Craig B]

I'll be blunt. Despite everyone else's comments, your logo doesn't really have a lot of thought behind it, IMO. It's an oddly chopped off image of a welder over some type.

The "s" in double d's looks squashed. And at a smaller size a lot of info will be nearly readable: See below.

http://i37.tinypic.com/286ye6e.gif

Notice how your welder doesn't have enough space between your lettering and the smaller letters get lost.

I think you need to really think this through and probably start fresh. Here's a great link to one designer's process (http://www.ideabook.com/tutorials/marketing_pr/stepbystep_logo.html) for logo design. And even thoguh I don't think most of their work is all that great, here's some great tips (http://www.thelogofactory.com/logo_design.html) from a logo developer.

I think one of the best tips from the second link is the logo is for the company's audience. In this case, this logo doesn't seem to have the right weight or feel to communicate a "strong" company like a welding company.

That's my 2 cents, take it or leave it.

[WannaBrie]

I'm going to agree with Craig, here. I understand this is your first logo, but this particular solution is rather trite. Try thinking outside of the imagery of a welder guy. There's a lot that could be done with this and with the biz cards. Start thinking about the materials used in welding, heavy metals, fire, things like that. You could use a bit of texture in the paper or even have them printed on metal...Lots of possibilities there. I think with some tweaking, your current logo would probably be serviceable, but I think you could take this so much farther.

[Bladez]

after reading what brie and craig had to say, I'd have to agree with them on the imagery. I've seen designs for several welders and they all have the generic looking welding mask. I'd try to find a more artistic element to use in it. First things that come to mind are the torch and welding slag. Just a thought tho.

Now, as for what you've got, the text doesn't really strike me at all. The bolded 'd' doesn't stand out to much from the rest of the line. If you're wanting it bolder than the rest of it, make it noticibly bolder. not just a little bit. Try playing with the text a little bit more, make it more dynamic if you can. Fix the kerning on the bottom line so that the letters look more like they're forming a word, rather than standing alone. I'm not to sure about the way the logo lines up with the apostrophy either. Perhaps if you stopped it at the 'd' instead. For a first time logo, it's definitely a good start tho. Now it's just a matter of making tweaks and revisions which every logo undergoes. If you were to drop the grey (as noted by Frankster) and perhaps just turn it into a solid piece of line instead of a solid colour....Playing with things like that (and trial and error) can sometimes lead to some really big breakthroughs.

There's my 2 cents....

[Optimusdinkus]

yea there are allot of meanings behind welding. It builds anything that exists in the modern world from metals. It fabricates whatever your imagination can make. It has an awesome power of fire and slag to make stuff stick together, just some ways to make the ball rolling I think.

[klevr]

Thank you all for the great advice. I think I'm going to start over fresh on this one. Maybe have a similar welder person but somehow incorporate a torch as if the welder was welding the words together? I'm not sure. I'll have to mess around with things. Thanks guys!

[klevr]

I threw another logo together real quick and wanted to see what you guys thought. Worse than the first one? Better? Should I start all over again? I was just going for something a little more simple this time. Not sure if it gets the point across as much. Is it obviously a welder's helmet?

Thanks again guys :D

[John G]

fashion-ish style typeface doesn't work with welding imo

[budafist]

I think the point the others were getting at, is that a logo should set this company apart from their competition. If every welding company had a welder's mask on it, what would be the point of having a logo as a distinctive mark?

Try and look at this brief not as "how to design a logo for any old welding company", but "how to design a logo for this specific welding company"

[klevr]

Ah okay, thanks again. I'll keep truckin :D

[budafist]

Sit down, pen and paper and think about what qualities/ideas that can be linked with the company.

The Nike logo isn't the word Nike and a pair of shoes. The MacDonalds logo isn't a Big Mac. The golden arches and tick mean something.

Don't get me wrong, not every logo is clever or less than obvious, but that's something to consider.

[klevr]

fashion-ish style typeface doesn't work with welding imo
Yeah I was afraid of that. I'm really horrible at choosing fonts. I'm trying really hard to get an eye for them though. Any suggestions on strong fonts that would be suitable?


I see what they're talking about now buda, thanks. I'm gonna keep truckin :D

[budafist]

I suggest you go down the the company shop and take a bunch of photos. From these photos you might be able to glean some aesthetics of what kinds of shapes and colours and fonts to use. You might find something totally interesting and unique to the company.

Example, maybe they have a Dalmation as a the store pet. Or maybe they have a huge cactus on site. Stuff like that.

[klevr]

Am I a little more on track now, or do I need something that's a little more creative? Do I need something to sort of integrate into with the letters?

I've been trying to think of something that really represents the company (like the dalmation thing that buda mentioned), but I'm getting stumped. There's nothing really special about the business it's just two good friends that make welded items like security doors, coffee/dining tables, custom flower candle holders, and any other kind of custom welding someone needs. I doubt flowers would go well with a welding company :/

[JuanBossa]

Yeah I was afraid of that. I'm really horrible at choosing fonts. I'm trying really hard to get an eye for them though. Any suggestions on strong fonts that would be suitable?


I see what they're talking about now buda, thanks. I'm gonna keep truckin :D

If you want a strong font you could try some slab serif.... maybe you could use the Rockwell, I think it is a very strong, clean and concise font.

I like the new mask much more, but the other guys may be right, it doesn't bring anything new to the table right now....... it also depends on how do you use it ;)

[budafist]

2 good friends could be something you could use.

Think about things that are made up of 2 parts. Man....I am just steering you into the path of visualising a pair of double D's aren't I? :D

[klevr]

2 good friends could be something you could use.

Think about things that are made up of 2 parts. Man....I am just steering you into the path of visualising a pair of double D's aren't I?

Haha, I know, that's what I'm trying to avoid.


fonts

Thanks a bunch for the advice, I'll definately check those fonts out right now :D

[klevr]

ignore this post

[JuanBossa]

Thanks a bunch for the advice, I'll definately check those fonts out right now :D

No prob, just make sure you look the clean looking ones, not that ugly wild-wild-west-cowboy-like ones :D

[Bladez]

I like the torch a lot more than the mask, just because it's something different. You're on the right path of finding something less generic! Keep working at it. Once you find a font that suits it, you may even be able to find a better way to incorporate the torch into it if you keep it. but continue coming up with different images. Buda's advice of finding something that makes them unique is a golden egg. If you can crack it, you'll be premo!

[Typically]

mmmmm golden eggs
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/uimages/kitchen/2008_03_12-GoldenEggs.jpg

[Yossarian]

Whatever you come up with, you should think about stylizing the artwork a little more. What you have now is rather straightforward and flat. It gets the message across but doesn't really draw me in for a second look.

[slotmachine]

When I look at the three examples posted, even though they seem different I think you are using the same process to get to the end result. Which is leading to them being much more similar than you think (all rectangle, all slight variations of fonts and all one "layer"). I design apparel "logos" all day and scroll through hundreds of fonts all day which sometimes leads me down the same path.

I feel like you are swimming through a few fonts, arranging them and switching faces with hopes that something will "click", all without even picking up a pencil. When I do this (not a good habit) my designs start to look flat and boring. With a welding shop, there is a lot to offer. Think of all the materials available, angles and outlines created by metal and the scraps left behind. Instead of this box like frame you are trapping the type in, try experimenting with outlines, rotating, stacking type and layering type.

All this can be done quickly with some colored pencils and erasers and by days end you could have 12 different elements to draw off of instead of getting hung up on why you cant get an anchor to cooperate in illy. And by getting your hands dirty persay....you are mimicking the company.

-zach

[klevr]

advice

I totally agree, thank you. I'm going to work on this tonight for sure.

[klevr]

I know the typefaces need to be played with, but does this general concept look like an improvement at all? I tried to make the design look a little more lively.

[tZ]

I think you may have a nice opportunity to do something with the typography relating to welding. The problem I have with your previous attempts is that the illustration is not well integrated with the typography and the concept is very straightforward. You should be exploring ways to integrate the idea of welding into the literal type to form a unified whole. Simply floating the illustration above the type is the east way out. If you would like to bring your identity to the next level than exploring solutions were the type and illustration(if you choose to use one) form a unified whole and don't appear like separate pieces that are close in proximity.

weld definition:

join together (metal pieces or parts) by heating the surfaces to the point of melting with a blowpipe, electric arc, or other means, and uniting them by pressing, hammering, etc.

[budafist]

Good idea tZ.

Klevr, maybe you can look at different kinds of projects these guys have done and do some typography based on real welded joins and metal shapes.