I’d say this is a step in the right direction, but that’s just one person’s opinion. When I first looked at it, I saw the negative space inside an M. The shield is secondary. My one concern with this approach is that it could be read as a strong, downward-facing arrow which could have negative connotations – but maybe I’m reaching on that.
All of that said, when you post something and say “any improvements?”, it sounds like you’re throwing something against the wall to see if it sticks. Logo design is much more methodical than surveying a bunch of designers online.
Here’s a suggested logo design process that I recently posted in another thread. The last step will not be applicable to you since this is a mock job.
Define a persona or avatar for the client’s customer.
Create a mood board to reflect the persona’s taste.
Market research into competitor’s branding.
Spend a week sketching concepts.
Narrow the concepts down to the best 15 to 20.
Post those sketches here for feedback.
Based on feedback, select the 10 strongest options to build in AI.
Post those logos here for feedback.
Narrow it down to 3 to 4 solid concepts to show the client.
Create a presentation that shows each logo in color and black and white as well as showing the logo applied to a variety of marketing materials such as a business card, a brochure, an avatar or a trade display.
Pitch the concepts to the client with the confidence that you’ve done your homework and are presenting rock solid options, that will compete favorably in the marketplace, that will accurately represent your client, and that will server your client well for years to come.
Thanks for your response. I must admit, it was not about throwing to the wall but i wanted to see if its improvements from way it started. I have done most of the steps you outlined, mood board etc. Maybe im thinking to hard as well as lack of experience and still learning software. Software learning is not an issue as i know i will get better at practicse its really fleshing out a solid idea where i dont feel deflated when i google when i see that said idea executed even better than what i had conceived my head…maybe i need to take a long break from this but i am really at the bottom of the barrel…i did remove the bottom angle so it doensnt look like down facing arrow (i did think see it as u did as well) it looks ok but i guess as of this current moment its the best i can do… the picture of sketches i showed was only a small percent of what i did. i almost finished a field note book and again maybe i was just re drawwing logos i saw in my research or i felt like everythng i thought was really a solid eureka moment i saw better execution and its a bit deflated… maybe i need step away from it for a while
I rather like it, but unlike Steve, I saw the shield first, then only noticed the M a bit later. I also like the typeface you’ve chosen. This might be a minor concern, but the M/shield reminds me of a military rank insignia.
I like it. A bit more refinement. Great suggestion already that you creative a negative M around the shield.
At least its original, pushing the boat out and sticking with regal.
I know it’s tough at the start. You never think you can do it and it takes a long time. But after years doing it this experience will make it quicker and easier to implement going forward.
I always remember the story of a woman who created a logo for a major bank Went to the meeting . Got the brief, during the meeting doodled an umbrella and showed it to them.
When asked why it was so expensive it only took a few minutes to doodle. She just said 5 minutes to doodle, a lifetime experience to create.
…
But on the back of it had to be drawn out properly, with variations, fonts, brand guides, colours etc.
I’d agree it’s a better direction, and it’s looking more majestic, but if it was my project at this stage, I’d be experimenting with proximity. Where you have them now, the shield (I’d call it a chevron) and the logotype look like they were just slapped down with no thought given to their relationship.
Ok Guys i decided to try a different approach with the icon… I agree the previous mark looked too much like a chevron/military symbol/ downward arrow. So went back to the sketchpad and thought and i came up with these 2 concepts. First is using diamonds to create a monarch butterfly. 2nd concept is a castle/crown with M in with M in a negative space. I also thought gold color would give them more premium finish…
Thanks for your comments so far and looking fwd to hearing from you again
The bottom one is clever with the crown also containing the M. You need to center it, though.
The top one could work too, but I’m not so sure that the personality of the logo complements the typography. It uses approximately the same stroke weight as the type, but it’s sharp and geometric rather than matching the nice, subtle curves of the typeface. I’m not sure how this would work, but I’d almost like to see the butterfly designed as though it were a more elaborate letter that matched the typeface. For example, the way that ampersands are sometimes drawn to match but stand out as a bit more fancy and elaborate than the other characters in a font.
Thanks for your response. It was my bad about hte centering of the crown but thanks for pointing it out i did and i am happy with it. Re butterfly i know exactly what you mean, that is one of the reason i like to select the type first and then try to incorporate elements of the type in the mark so it seems cohesive… However at my current skill of software i may not be able to accomplish it yet but i will def try and maybe sometime re post it…thanks for your help. i will keep at it
As Just-B said, it is getting better, but I don’t think you are there yet. Personally, I’d simplify it even further.
To say luxury hotel, the one thing you need to achieve, is a sense of elegant, understated class. Succinct and underplayed. You are nearly there, to my mind, but it needs stripping back even further.
The typographic flavour you have is much better now. However, currently, you are playing around with a symbol that is a crown that looks a bit like an M to add as a separate mark. All I’d say is flip your thinking and you could end up with a really sweet, clever wordmark. Don’t overplay it. Think subtle. Remember, you are appealing to people who will spend a few thousand on a handbag for the sake of its brand and what that says to other people.
I’d drop the butterfly thing. You need to appeal the the vanity of your audience. Butterfly associations are far less likely to make people feel they are getting ‘value for money’ when they stump up £250+ a night on a bed and kedgeree the next morning than regal associations would.
The luxury butterfly was not an easy task, but wanted to see what you’d come up with.
You have succeeded in coming up with a unique logo.
I agree with others - it is lacking in the typographical side of things. You did miss the opportunity of adding the crown as the antennas.
That would have brought back the regal feeling - the diamond shaped butterfly wearing the crown.
I am not liking the typography - far too high in comparison to compressed logo shape. So there is jarring there.
===
The negative space M - it’s looking good. Probably needs refinement as others have said - but it’s looking really good.
You’re not far off.
Have you considered perhaps substracting the crown from the M …
The angles in the icon don’t match the typographical style.
===
Overall I think the icons conflict with typographical style
But I do think it’s vast improvements.
I’m delighted you have stuck with it - I know the process seems long an unrewarding - but you will see come your next project your thought process will be more streamlined. And you will get there faster.
Nobody gets around the track in record time on the first outing, some don’t even finish the track. It takes time and practice to get to the finish line quicker and quicker.
Thank you very much for your feedback appreciate it. To be honest my very initial thought was a word mark with some as u said subtle addition to it…but I was not generating Anything substantial and that is why my first idea posted was on that same train of thought… But I I have an idea or an old discarded one I will take a stab at and post soon
Thanks again. It does seem like a hard drawner out process but I’m here to learn I have no issues sticking with it. I actually had the idea of butterfly with the crown but I thought maybe I would have been trying to hard and didn’t want the mark to feel forced but it was an idea and I will take a chance at executing it…m from he mark was not something I thought of but I will also give it a try but I do agree there is no real connection with mark and the type…yet .but I will get there
Keep in mind, @notlek, that your most recent logos are a big improvement. They’re to the point where you’re starting to see some divergence in opinion among the more experienced designers here, which is good — it means that the work has improved enough that there’s not a single opinion on what might not be working or how to proceed. Don’t feel obliged to take everyone’s opinions as the final word (including mine).
Noted but I will play around with some ideas that I had thought and suggested to see what works. At this point I need to explore not just creatively but also with tools…I don’t mind but thanks got the advice
For me – and this is just my take and how I would approach this – you are still over complicating it. I can see a couple of possible solutions, one of which uses the M. The other comes almost full circle to your first logo. Rather than chess piece, think orb, as in orb and sceptre,
I am a huge believer is stripping things down to bare bones and then adding in just what is needed; no more, no less.
