Brutal critiques welcomed...

[Pat Whatley]

Be as brutal as you want. We're very, very early in the design process here and these are very rough drafts. The design is going to be limited to two colors because....well because that's what I want to do.

Stacey pointed out that the "s" on the first one has too much wave to it and I'm going to work on that tomorrow morning. Any other thoughts on where this is going before I sit down and start tweaking this?

If you have a need to know about the project I got suckered into helping plan a music festival for the little river town I live in. Instead of the usual rock and country cover band festival we're trying for more of a ragging jazz/blues ensemble. With any luck out main stage is going to be a barge in the Coosa River (provided the water is high enough in the shoals to get the barge up the river) The design also has to work in conjunction with the art guild competition, the barbecue cookoff, and the kidsfest, that's why there aren't any instruments and why the colors are brighter than you'd anticipate.

So, kick it in the twig and berries, be brutal, be honest. Trust me, I'm not gonna get defensive or annoyed at this point. I've got more time invested in writing this that in laying that sketch out.

 

[Gino]

I kinda like the bottom one. Those arms don't do anything, but I like them. I would maybe try raising the upper arm up a little more away from the lettering. I also like the 'R' on the top one better as it swooshes out a little further and gives a stronger appearance.

 

[Mike Paul]

The distortion on the text works better on the bottom. Rising up on the right is more upbeat/friendly/ inviting...
Better flow

 

[John Butto]

How come you did not put in the slide with the black and white kids and the ladybug I requested.

 

[Pat Whatley]

how come you did not put in the slide with the black and white kids and the ladybug i requested.

.

 

[laserman70]

Love the 2nd one. The font is great
Hate the oval behind it.
The bars have to go as well.
Im not a designer, just my .02

 

[Tiki]

Try a Ampersand maybe use the upper case (S)

 

[iSign]

The distortion on the text works better on the bottom. Rising up on the right is more upbeat/friendly/ inviting...
Better flow

Love the 2nd one. The font is great
Hate the oval behind it.
The bars have to go as well.
Im not a designer, just my .02

rare with only 4 or 5 replies, that two of them are ripping off my thoughts, before i even got here...


but I like the lower one because the letters flow better to my liking as well, (although I'd have to call that dropping on the right, not rising... but whatever) BUT... that distorted oval ain't working for me either... put a circle behind that & that might just work...

also, I wondered if the flourish under "and" might be able to get three times larger & run under some of "River" if River moved up a bit

 

[Jillbeans]

Letterman wrote just what I was going to say. I hated that crooked oval.
And the "and" bugged me, whether it was the positioning or just that I've seen that same and a thousand times.
But then Tiki came along and posted something outstanding.
I'd try to work off of his idea.
Love.....Jill

 

[SignManiac]

I didn't know where to start on it Pat, but the bottom one was a better choice between the two. The rhythms were conflicting with the other elements. I just closed my eyes and pictured something different.

Maybe something along these lines is how I might approach it. This was thrown together fairly quick and could use some refining but it kind of meets your criteria.

 

[Jillbeans]

...and Wetumpka sounds like the perfect place for this thing.
What a funny name.

I like Bob's starburst addition.

 

[Gino]

Guess I'm the odd one, but I kinda like the oval looking as if it's a 3/4 view.

The more traditional methods others are using look really good, too, but I like the uniqueness of the oval off-kilter appearance.

Maybe if you'd add some returns and make it actually look 3D, would give it some depth and the oval will be pleasing to everyone's taste.

 

[Billct2]

I liked the original second one too

 

[Tim Kingston]

My suggestion would be to incorporate as much brand messaging as possible.Suggestions: instead of using a regular circle or diamond background shape, why not use the body shape of a stand-up base? Instead of bars and ornate shapes, as shown , why not use the neck and head of an acoustic guitar? Or, better yet, a fiddle head. Which are in season and we love to eat around here. Not the wooden ones, but the fern ones ( which sounds just as bad, I suppose). Anyways, you get the idea . . . Tim.

Ooops, just re-read your ENTIRE post, but I still think you could sneak in some subtle shapes, even use something from the other groups.

 

[John Butto]

This is my thought

Add copy

 

[Pat Whatley]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'm gonna work on it some more tonight.

 

[bob]

Regardless of decoration, the the main text on the bottom example. If you bend title copy, bend it up, not down. But do something with the 'and' on this version. It's in the wrong place and its bend seems to be discordant with the bend of the title text.

 

[Pat Whatley]

Bob, that's very unlike you. You have incomplete sentences, you started a sentence with a conjunction, and you actually made sense. I think someone may have hacked your account.

 

[GoodPeopleFlags]

i love signmaniac's one! I'm not digging the "R" in your's Pat. Love the "B" tho.

 

[ddarlak]

i like the second one alot, but it does remind me very much of blue moon beer