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Logo Design Advice

MacGromit said:
Now I know why my company pays you guys so much. It's not just a "here's what looks pretty" kind of thing.

Thanks for everyone's insight on the original poster's question. There's a pile of experience and technical skill on this board.

Makes me interested in learning Illustrator that I have but have never used.

:apple:
Click to expand...
There’s a lot of bad advice on here too it seems, but make working in black first is a must, Content Management is too small and what macworkerbee says makes sense. Overall good design is subtle, but you’ve got too many things happening size wise – keep it simple, and if you can introduce something that’s associated with the business it’s for.

Oh and Illustrator can’t teach you design, start learning design first.
 
Add a gradient, dropshadow, change the font to Comic Sans or Papyrus and then you've got a killer logo.... pure pwnage :cool:

But seriously, what it the purpose of the logo and what colours, fonts and style do you think would get the best message across? Once you've answered this then you'll have a great idea on the direction to take with the overall design.

Whenever I'm designing logos I usually start with Logopond, WULDA and LogoLouge they are an endless source of inspiration.

A well designed logo should be clear, concise and simple yet full of substance and significance (easy to the understand concept/logic/value behind the organisation). I would have to say good logo design is good mix of the following points:
1) Has impact
2) Ties into the overall branding of an organisation (font, colour, etc)
3) Is distinctive.
4) Is timeless (doesn't date quickly or at all).
5) Simple.
 
My first thought and first issue is do not, absolutely do not add color just to have color. If you're going to add it, it needs to have a purpose, a solid reason for using that color. Don't just throw one around because it looks nice. There is nothing wrong with black and white. Plus, if you just add color because you want some color, people can tell that you added it without any thought and just because you wanted color. That is not a look that you want.
 
Is the "CM" thing necessary?

City.png
 
iJesus said:
Is the "CM" thing necessary?

City.png
Click to expand...

Hi iJesus...I like ur name by the way :)

The CM stands for Content Management, and is kinda important (my website is citycm.co.uk) so unless I can fit the words 'Content Management', I'm not sure...I love your logo by the way...any chance of fitting 'Content Management' in it to align with the tail of the 'y'?
 
gazfocus said:
Hi iJesus...I like ur name by the way :)

The CM stands for Content Management, and is kinda important (my website is citycm.co.uk) so unless I can fit the words 'Content Management', I'm not sure...I love your logo by the way...any chance of fitting 'Content Management' in it to align with the tail of the 'y'?
Click to expand...

If you put 'content management' inside the circle you wont be able to read it when the logo is reduced to fit into a website (and other small places). If you must have content management I would look into placing it either to the right or underneath the circle.
 
Krebstar said:
My first thought and first issue is do not, absolutely do not add color just to have color. If you're going to add it, it needs to have a purpose, a solid reason for using that color. Don't just throw one around because it looks nice. There is nothing wrong with black and white. Plus, if you just add color because you want some color, people can tell that you added it without any thought and just because you wanted color. That is not a look that you want.
Click to expand...

The logo is for a web design company. You're not going to impress too many people looking for progressive web design with a black logo. Sure, you need one for certain instances, and sure, color should not be applied just for color's sake, but a black logo does not send the right message in this case.

As for the red I threw in there, it was just a quick way of showing the OP how color could be applied without dramatically altering the basic logo already designed. Obviously gazfocus would have to decide exactly what color(s) need to be there; red was just an example.
 
Jaffa Cake said:
While colour is good, don't forget that there are almost certainly going to be instances where the logo needs to be reproduced in black only – therefore, it's equally important that it works in mono.
Click to expand...

correct.
 
IgnatiusTheKing said:
The logo is for a web design company. You're not going to impress too many people looking for progressive web design with a black logo. Sure, you need one for certain instances, and sure, color should not be applied just for color's sake, but a black logo does not send the right message in this case.

As for the red I threw in there, it was just a quick way of showing the OP how color could be applied without dramatically altering the basic logo already designed. Obviously gazfocus would have to decide exactly what color(s) need to be there; red was just an example.
Click to expand...

Hi Ignatius...The original logo in my original post is just a draft. I was always taught that logo's are best being initially designed in black and white, and then adding colour once you're satisfied with the design.

I do appreciate what you're saying and I agree that a black and white logo would not represent a web design company very well at all :)
 
Are we already on step 7?

Where and what's the "city"? What and where's the "content"? Where and how's the "management"?
  1. Name all visuals that could represent key aspects of company.
  2. Illustrate, with as few elements as possible, each word.
  3. Working in b+w, explore creative use of positive/negative spaces.
  4. Research and eliminate any designs too similar to other logos.
  5. Working with remaining drawings, produce 10+ variants of each.
  6. Now introduce text with visual or consider alternative to symbol.
  7. Narrow down strongest designs and explore color.
  8. Sift out the best for further refinement, simplification, and creativity.
  9. Add eye-candy effects for alternate full-color Web renderings.
  10. Copyright the strongest simplified version of the final image.
No shortcuts allowed.
 
Wonderful feedback...but I do have a few questions.

If your wanting to showcase your work, and this is a legitimate logo you've done...then it is great as is.

Are you trying to redesign it for the website or for your promotional image?

You could always make your portfolio more visually dynamic in the way you lay it out to showcase your logos and other design work. Some b/w logos being shown from conception to making the whole identity package (making sure to include sketches and various design concepts throughout your thought process) are great to include as well...it shows your workflow, which is always great for new clients to see. :D
 
Nicolecat said:
Wonderful feedback...but I do have a few questions.

If your wanting to showcase your work, and this is a legitimate logo you've done...then it is great as is.

Are you trying to redesign it for the website or for your promotional image?

You could always make your portfolio more visually dynamic in the way you lay it out to showcase your logos and other design work. Some b/w logos being shown from conception to making the whole identity package (making sure to include sketches and various design concepts throughout your thought process) are great to include as well...it shows your workflow, which is always great for new clients to see. :D
Click to expand...

Hi Nicolecat,
Basically I'm a freelance Web Developer (at uni at present). I VERY rarely design logo's as part of what I do, I usually work with logo's companies/organisations have already got.

As a freelancer, I've not bothered with a logo for myself before because websites have mainly been for friends/family, but now I'm looking into it as a viable career path, I need to showcase my work.

Obviously, I will spend alot of time on the actual design of the website as that is my strong point, but as I've never thought of a logo for myself before, I'm not really good at getting the inspiration so to speak.

Obviously the logo will become my 'corporate image' so needs to be good but also very clear. I'm currently thinking of removing the words 'Content Management' and going along the lines of iJesus' idea
 
Oh, okay.

I can shoot you in the right direction of inspiration.
http://99designs.com/

This website is chock full of people that are beginning in the logo field. Great place to go to see what is going on in the logo world.

I do want to go ahead and plaster this warning...the prices offered to designers on this sight are WAY under what they should be, please don't be suckered into the glossy appeal of being underpaid just to say you won a contest.

also, for logo inspiration...simply go to google and type in logo design, and peruse places like logo factory. Find articles on the logo trends, and research other companies close by...to make sure you aren't doing something similar. You'll want to separate yourself and make yourself stand out from your competitors.

Good luck.
 
Nicolecat said:
Oh, okay.

I can shoot you in the right direction of inspiration.
http://99designs.com/

This website is chock full of people that are beginning in the logo field. Great place to go to see what is going on in the logo world.
Click to expand...

NO-SPEC!

I worked for a company a few years ago that got a logo through sitepoint, to cut a very long story short the purchased infringed on copyright and the company needed to pay a very large sum of money in damages because the $150 logo was copied from someone else.
 
As I posted in another thread, stop relying on the font designer for originality and all of your logo. Get more than just the text. Work on making the logo significantly different than a block of text. There are other good thoughts so far as well with "icon"-izing it, working with negative (white) space, and playing with the alignment. This will make you a logo.

Adding color is a step after you finalize the simplest version of your logo identity--but good advice in the long run--so wait on the color for now.
 
ezekielrage_99 said:
NO-SPEC!

I worked for a company a few years ago that got a logo through sitepoint, to cut a very long story short the purchased infringed on copyright and the company needed to pay a very large sum of money in damages because the $150 logo was copied from someone else.
Click to expand...

Oh...by all means...I HATE that site.

...but, I still visit it randomly to point out peeps that are cheating...and to grab ideas, when I'm in a jam.

I work for a company and we do inhouse specs for our salespeople...I hate it with a passion. Nothing we ever do gets used before being ripped to shreds first...so, yeah. :p
 
B&Wtoon said:
There’s a lot of bad advice on here too it seems, but make working in black first is a must, Content Management is too small and what macworkerbee says makes sense. Overall good design is subtle, but you’ve got too many things happening size wise – keep it simple, and if you can introduce something that’s associated with the business it’s for.

Oh and Illustrator can’t teach you design, start learning design first.
Click to expand...

I couldn't say it better. Start simple. Keep it simple. Needs to work in black. Did I mention simple. A bad logo will turn people off quickly. My recommendation is to find a local designer to help you out a bit. Even a design student in the need of real work. A logo is often your first impression on a client and if not done right, your last. Good luck
 
Kwill said:
Where and what's the "city"? What and where's the "content"? Where and how's the "management"?
  1. Name all visuals that could represent key aspects of company.
Click to expand...

Would say that's the best advice here.. the logo doesn't convey anything if the company.. It's content management.. eg, if your selling CM that is designed to make the clients life as easy as possible then you need to find a way to make the logo say that.
At the moment the logo doesn't tell me anything about what your service is about.
 
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