Logo Needs Improvement

[Locals Find!]

Ok here goes. I have a client that needed his logo redone as he got into an argument with someone in the same industry over who had the rights to it. He gave in and just said he would replace it.

I am posting the original logo, the replacement logo (he got from another designer) My mock up #1 and my mock up #2.

He opted to go with his replacement logo. I am looking for feedback on what I could have done to make my mock ups have more punch. The text is his and he likes it. Changing the font isn't an option with him only the graphics.

I was given the instructions of incorporate a shield, a Sicilian crest, and some Illuminati symbols.

I am strictly trying to improve what I did and see what might have made it better. I feel its lacking. I used no clip art in either of my designs. His logos I don't know where they came from.

 

[Malkin]

I'll ignore the part where you did work on spec..

I like yours (presumably the red/gold ones) better, but there is not a significant difference between yours and the "replacement" in terms of over all look and feel. Maybe he just preferred blue? Maybe the "Cigars" text could have been a tad bigger... But I think it could have benefited from a format change, landscape layout.

 

[Locals Find!]

Oh, I should have mentioned. Since you pointed it out. I didn't do it on spec. He paid for 2 hours worth of work for the mock ups. I was working under a 4 hour agreement and he backed out of it and paid me for the time I had in.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

I like the symbols in the 3rd one better. Maybe try to "pop" them out of the crest a little. Give it a little more 3D effect.

 

[shakey0818]

Not too fond of the font its hard on the eyes.

 

[Locals Find!]

I like the symbols in the 3rd one better. Maybe try to "pop" them out of the crest a little. Give it a little more 3D effect.

That's what I was thinking too. You know where I might find out how to actually do that?

 

[Malkin]

Oh, I should have mentioned. Since you pointed it out. I didn't do it on spec. He paid for 2 hours worth of work for the mock ups. I was working under a 4 hour agreement and he backed out of it and paid me for the time I had in.

Glad to hear... my bad for assuming.

 

[Locals Find!]

Glad to hear... my bad for assuming.

Not your bad at all. Not too long ago I would probably have been working on spec. ISign taught me to not do that crap anymore. I learned real quick.

 

[HulkSmash]

What do you do..(and i'm almost positive you have had this situation happen to you) when a customer doesnt like a logo you did after spending 4 hrs on it.

 

[ProWraps]

the real crime is that they paid you for that. just give him the cover of any dan browns book for a logo. you will be good to go.

 

[Locals Find!]

What do you do..(and i'm almost positive you have had this situation happen to you) when a customer doesnt like a logo you did after spending 4 hrs on it.

Actually I haven't had that happen to me as I avoid doing logo design work. I would probably handle it though based on how good of a client. If they are ordering other products. I would just eat the time. Slap the stuff in to my stock / learning folder. Try and refer them to someone better suited to their needs.

In this case we never moved past the mock up stage. He paid me for the time I had into it. Seemed fair. We had an agreement going into it that the budget would be for 4 hours worth of time. I honestly thought I would be able to bill for the time while producing something. In this case I just got compensated for the time lost doing the mock ups. While never actually producing anything. First time situation for me.

 

[Locals Find!]

the real crime is that they paid you for that. just give him the cover of any dan browns book for a logo. you will be good to go.

What crime?? I didn't actually do anything. I got paid for my time making the mock ups. I never actually did any logo work. Never even got any real feedback on it. Just "hey were going to stick with logo we have, how much time did you spend?"

 

[iSign]

so?

I'm looking for feedback??

 

[Locals Find!]

so?

I'm looking for feedback??

Looking for feedback/advice on what I could have done to improve the designs. What would have added something more to it.

The illuminati portion was hard enough to even try to find something that was even slightly recognizable that I could actually draw.

 

[GAC05]

So they went with 2 guys wearing tin cans holding a shield with the Joe Diaz logo on it over your layouts?
I don't get it.

wayne k
guam usa

 

[iSign]

in my post, the word so? was a link...
I am suggesting you give some feedback on that link. Did you click it?
It was posted per your request, so I thought I'd direct you to it.

regarding your logo variations:

The illuminati portion was hard enough to even try to find something that was even slightly recognizable that I could actually draw.

I'm confused about the "illuminati portion" because normally I would assume that statement to refer to the text... which seems to match exactly the other designers revision he chose... so he showed you that when he hired you, but before he chose it?

As for the artwork in the shield, gold is a mid tone color, so it will never yield high contrast.. red and yellow are both mid tones as well.

Gold would show better on black or white then on yellow, red or any other mid tone color... so regarding advice on how to make your design pop better, higher contrast is one element to consider, and white with a black outline for example could have stood out better on a red/yellow shield.

That said, the logo graphic doesn't have to have contrast as much as lettering would, especially when the elements are relatively unimportant to the message...

...but then, maybe they should have been relevant.. maybe a shield with a cigar band label would have been unique... and the oval of the band might have had the illuminati inspired icons, but the band would also have carried a Cigar reference...

You get credit for maintaining simple bold shapes, but I guess I'm saying a little more contrast or relevance could have possibly worked to your advantage...

Also, you got a good suggestion about bringing the central elements outside the border of the shield, to add depth...

That's what I was thinking too. You know where I might find out how to actually do that?

I think you interpreted the suggestion to mean an actual 3D illustration, which could be cool, and might have been what he meant but I think he meant that just by breaking the boundary, a flat 2D pyramid illustration would have added depth because it would clearly be in front of the shield, and added interest overall, because it's now more then a run of the mill shield shape...

like my excavation logo... it had a shield, but my main copy poked out a bit on both sides. Picture a slightly rotated pyramid, showing 2 faces, maybe a very very light champaign gold, with black outlines & some very slight & subtle brick texture lines... and enlarged to poke out just a bit on each side.. (and NOT symmetrical)

 

[iSign]

So they went with 2 guys wearing tin cans holding a shield with the Joe Diaz logo on it over your layouts?
I don't get it.

wayne k
guam usa

look again Wayne.. that's Roy Rogers with a 6 shooter & a Zorro cape

 

[GAC05]

look again Wayne.. that's Roy Rogers with a 6 shooter & a Zorro cape

So you are saying the Diaz logo is not RR with a 6 gun and a cape?

:Big Laugh

2011 might be a good year to update the prescription on my glasses.

wayne k
guam usa

 

[ForgeInc]

Thanks ISign! (note I'm responding to you, not what's his name

 

[WildWestDesigns]

Cigar reference...


Also, you got a good suggestion about bringing the central elements outside the border of the shield, to add depth...



I think you interpreted the suggestion to mean an actual 3D illustration, which could be cool, and might have been what he meant but I think he meant that just by breaking the boundary, a flat 2D pyramid illustration would have added depth because it would clearly be in front of the shield, and added interest overall, because it's now more then a run of the mill shield shape...

You are correct. I meant it as "breaking the boundary". I think doing beveling to actually give it a 3D effect would be too much and might actually "confuse" the design. It would all just depend.