Hey all,
I did this for practice off of a Skillshare and wanted your critiques. The course asked to create a Space Camp logo and this was my take on it. I used elements of a camping tent and a space capsule.
Thanks.
It has an interesting shape that’s aesthetically pleasing at a glance. 
However…
I wouldn’t have seen that as a camping tent had you not mentioned it. The zipper isn’t jumping out as a zipper. When I do see the zipper, its so much larger than a zipper would proportionately be on a tent, it makes the tent less tent-looking. Maybe enlarging the handle on the zipper wider than the teeth with a more triangular shape would make it stand out more, but then it might look even less like a tent. If you can somehow make the zipper more proportionate, the whole logo might work at a larger size, but it wouldn’t be very reducible.
Now that I know it’s a tent, it looks like a cutaway of a space capsule with the tent inside. Was that intended?
Also, it feels a little creepy, the thought of something as fragile as a cloth tent protecting the astronauts from the harsh temperatures, vacuum, and radiation of space. Maybe something less literal would work better.
I saw the zipper right away as a zipper, then wondered why it was on a space capsule.
You are thinking too hard.
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My instant-recognition muscle saw a sleeping bag. I had to go back and look again to find a tent.
You have a good start. I like the color scheme, I like the type, and I like the direction you’re going combining the tent and the spacecraft. That said, I think the illustration is not quite there. Try pushing that some more.
I like to call it critical thinking. It’s another thing we graphic designers do. It’s especially useful in logo design.
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In perspective grave site with a zipper, and the thing at the top is the head stone.
I was not commenting on your comment.
The OP is thinking too hard.
As in too literally.
The capsule without the zipper is a sleek well-conceived concept. The zipper takes it that one step too far.
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I immediately saw the space capsule, but I’m unsure if others would since it looks like one of the old space capsules from back in the early days of the space program.
I also immediately saw what looked like a zipper that shouldn’t be there until I read through the follow-up comments about a camping tent. Unfortunately, I still don’t see a tent.
Thanks for clearing that up. It makes more sense now. I agree the OP was thinking to hard on a clever visual tie-in, but probably not critically enough on how the visual might be misinterpreted.
The default instinct for logo design is to aim for an associative or allusive image. But logos that are exclusively type and logos that have completely abstract graphics can work just as well.
I would respectfully disagree. While I don’t think the OP’s current iteration is it, I’ve seen a number of super nice logos that combine two seemingly noncongruent items for a memorable logo. So I don’t mind the concept of combining camping gear and a spacecraft of some sort, but I think this particular logo needs to be pushed farther.
OK, thanks …that explains that. But when you have to explain the joke …it ain’t funny.
And the typography is m o n o t o n o u s.
Dude don’t knock my stuff when I am putting myself out there. Especially starting out you should know or maybe you don’t?
Thanks for your CC and your point of view. I’m taking account of all the valid feedback here and learn from this.
I was aiming to make it look like fun take on what Spacecamp might look like but maybe the colors aren’t the right choice too. Like I said I am still learning this all. Everyone has some good points for me to take from this and get better over time. Thanks for your CC and your point of view.
Thank you Steve_O! Thats what I was trying to aim for but I can see that I fell short on the execution. I might have overthought some of it too, but I am also inexperienced as well. So it will take some failures to get better I say.
Yeah I took inspiration from an old space capsule. Maybe something more current huh?
Don’t worry about that. The shape of reentry space capsules haven’t changed much. As NASA engineers explain, it’s because the laws of physics haven’t changed. The extrusion on top is the only difference. If you want to modernize it, show a modern launch vehicle with multiple booster rockets or thinner-than-payload single rockets. Those are still changing with the use of modern propellants and smaller stages.