New Client Nightmare Job

[heyskull]

Well here we go New Year New Businesses.
This one came in and I have designed it as they specified.
Colours, Hearts, CND logos and Bow.
But I hate it and have drawn a blank with the limited space and design.
Can anyone help or even inspire me a little.

Don't laugh at the name!!!

Thanks
SC

 

[jfiscus]

I am assuming this is a wide banner is why everything is on one line?
Otherwise it's too short vertically, and choose a different typeface if possible; there are many similar but much more visually appealing.

I have no idea what this place does from its logo, the "botique", bows, hearts and peace signs have me confused; is it a hippy shop or a ... ? (I really have no idea what the bow represents other than the name in there) For some reason anymore I associate boutique with pet grooming due to local businesses using that in their names.

 

[thinksigns]

Use a different font for "Boutique" and reduce its scale. That will allow "BimBows" to stand out. I agree with jfiscus, the icons are too generic.

 

[Marlene]

eek, I feel for you. they wanted gray letters? uck. nothing says fun like gray. maybe you can find a more pinky gray so it doesn't look so horrid and dull. move the bow at the end so it goes more over the lettering. also use a brighter pink like magenta at 100% and a bright red to try to give this pig some life.

 

[SignManiac]

I would choose one or the other on the hearts and bow. Two different ones are too much. Don't like the font choice either. And I agree with Marlene about the color choices. I would start fresh. The client has no design sensibility.

 

[heyskull]

Yes, yes and yes everything is wrong about this job.
The colours are silver,red and black.
i have sat in front of a computer for over 2 hours crying at this.
The client gave me a sketch of what she wanted but it looks like a collection of about 6 typefaces!
What I have made is something based along what she wants!
It is a sign not a banner. This has to fit into an old wooden fascia which I cannot alter as the sign is in a protected area.
Sorry I can't give anymore info but I have already gave you more than I have!

SC

 

[heyskull]

If anyone could help me on this one as I am back staring blankley at a computer screen!!!!

I need something by 10am Monday!!!
I hate been given a deadline by customers as it doesn't help my designing juices!!!

Thanks
SC

 

[Jillbeans]

Here's a quickie.
I'm not a fan of using such a dark drop shadow normally but this would allow you to give her the colors she wants, black, red, silver.
Love.....Jill
PS
I have a cousin nicknamed Bimbo. He's about 55 years old and would kick the sh!t out of anyone who would tease him about his name!
PSS
Is this a head shop? (peace signs make me think of hippies)

 

[bob]

Here's a quickie.
I'm not a fan of using such a dark drop shadow normally but this would allow you to give her the colors she wants, black, red, silver.
...)

At first glance your alternative reads 'Bun Bows Boutique' in that cartoon type face. The 'i' and 'm' in 'Bim' take on a configuration pretty much indistinguishable from the 'u's in 'Boutique'.

If this this is supposed to be legible to normal vanilla earth people, lose the balloonesque type and set it in something that has a much lower ambiguity index. The name itself is sufficiently tasteless and cutesy** without compounding it with dubious type selections.

**The lifespan of businesses with this sort of name is usually measured in days, get paid up front.

 

[threeputt]

**The lifespan of businesses with this sort of name is usually measured in days, get paid up front.

True enough!

 

[Malkin]

I had the same thought as bob (first time maybe?) that the "im" appeared as "un". If this particular typeface was used I might edit that vertical stroke out of the "m".

I wouldn't stress over this job too much...

 

[heyskull]

Jill
That looks real good.
I'm gonna talk her out of the CND logos as it would look stupid.
I had this and about 3 others that I had already started to finish this weekend.
Just went blank.

Thank You soooo much

SC

 

[GypsyGraphics]

Yes, yes and yes everything is wrong about this job.
The colours are silver,red and black.
i have sat in front of a computer for over 2 hours crying at this.
The client gave me a sketch of what she wanted but it looks like a collection of about 6 typefaces!
What I have made is something based along what she wants!
It is a sign not a banner. This has to fit into an old wooden fascia which I cannot alter as the sign is in a protected area.
Sorry I can't give anymore info but I have already gave you more than I have!

SC

too many unknowns here to even offer a suggestion...
you must at least know what it is they do!

i'm guessing teeny-bopper clothes or maybe just bows? but why do we have to guess?

also, i'm confused... have you been hired to create a logo, or make a sign to fit a specific space and make the name fit?

please tell me your not designing a logo based on those dimensions! that would be so ass-backwards.

design a logo that works... then break down the design elements to work in that funky space.

 

[heyskull]

Hi Gypsy
I have been commisioned to make a sign fit a space!
Yes I know I hate working into a set dimension but this is a real old building and the sign is not adjustable in size or shape due to it being in a conservation area!
This is the complete advertising space of the shop.
As far as I know it's a clothing shop as it was before and yes I am guessing as much as you!
But that is all I have been told.
The clients didn't have any idea at all which is making it worse.
What I am doing is throwing ideas at them and watching what sticks.
So many new businesses are so hard to extract what they want it drives me mad.

Thanks
SC

 

[iSign]

I'd consider incorporating the two words "Bin and Bows" into a graphic, that itself has a "bow-like" appearance... but more like a fancy-schmancy signmakers scrollwork of ribbon or banner frills... but with the useless 2 words somewhat legible... as words, as well as legible as being like a bow... and then I would fill 2/3 of the space with the word Boutique in an entirely legible manner, so everyone going by knows it's a boutique... but if they happen to miss the other 2 words... well, they ain't really missed anything in terms of knowing what's for sale...

 

[SignManiac]

If they can't tell you what they want then you as the sign/designer professional, should be able to come up with a solution that will serve their business well. The client needs to have faith that you can solve the problem.

What you have designed is not at all good and not the direction I would have taken. Also, I might listen to the clients ideas and take them into consideration, but I would have no problem telling them if their ideas were wrong if I thought so and why.

They need a sign. Design something legible that works in that space. it's an easy task.

 

[heyskull]

All I have is a very crude sketch on what I based my rough idea on, it's a clothes shop and the shape of the sign. I have used what the client has supplied.
This isn't the direction I would have taken, seems a bit strange with hearts, bows and CND symbols but that's what they said.
As a sign/designer professional they really haven't a clue what they want.
We all must get clients like this sometimes?!

SC

 

[GypsyGraphics]

i lied... i do have one idea SC... based on the name only, so who know if it would fit their style.

i don't have time right now to give you a visual but...

what if the center "B" was one side of a bow... standing out more than the other side so the "B" was obvious and then the ribbons could underline and intertwine a little with the two other words.

sure would help to know the age group the clothes were for... so you could funky-up the bow for teens or cuties it for little girls.

maybe later tonight i'll have time to do a quickie for you

 

[SignManiac]

This would be my first direction. A little more formal and credibility to the store on first impression. I'd extend the bow tie beyond the perimeter of the sign to break up that long skinny look and make the sign appear larger even though it isn't.

The black background or any extremely dark background will make the light color lettering expand and appear larger as well. This may not be what the client had in mind, but this is what I would visualize for a strong storefront sign. These colors could be changed also. Blues, silvers, white. etc. The script here for Bim Bows isn't perfect either, the W S connection needs to be worked on.

 

[signcrafters london]

That looks good SignManiac. But I'm guessing if their name is a takeoff on the word "bimbo" and they specifically requested hearts and peace signs, they're not going to accept formal. Sometimes if the customer wants trashy, if you want to do the job you have to give them trashy.