Deep
Brief from client
BEFORE you cry foul for multiple logos in one posting or too much detail please just hear me out and read my full question! :) So again this is not from a brief but for my own practice. Idea is a design label for purses/shoes/accessories for women. Youthful fashion and the theme of under water mysteries and ocean would run throughout the brand identity.
I attended a presentation given by a local freelance designer who is very successful. He often will create multiple icons instead of one logo. This system of identity marks together brings one feeling to the identity. Here is an example on his website:
http://www.funnel.tv/tailored-twig-event-design
So, I'm trying to attempt a similar method for my own practice. Large detailed seal would be for larger items like store signage, shopping bags, and website. Wordmark and triangle would be for smaller mediums like designer tags, labels, and business cards. The monogram D would be for the smallest icon requirements like apps or buttons on clothing. So I would love feedback on if you think this process of multiple identity marks works and if so how well my pieces are working or not. If they aren't working could you try to explain what elements of the freelance designer's work is successful compared to the parts of mine that aren't successful?
12 Comments
The more decorative version is certainly impressive. It's a bit off center, though. The two swirls up top don't meet at the same point. I would probably save the more elaborate version for signage and such, the simplified logo version holds amazingly well on its own.
However, I am not liking the backwards E. Your design is pleasing enough on its own without the typo gimmick.
Great work!
Great advice. Yea I was feeling the unbalanced part, but was trying to still keep it organic and not a mirror image, but I think you're right. This is a mirrored version and also got rid of the flipped E which also helps that uncentered tension I think.
I much preferred the uneven version. As you said, it's way more organic that way.
Yea I'm torn between organic and symmetrical. How about this one? Two sides are different and organic, but I just centered everything up a little more evenly down the middle.
This version is the best. I agree how a perfect mirror feels forced, but this is a balance between symmetry and a organic design.
This unsymmetrical symmetric version is the one I like the best.
It is a nice logo all over the place!
I share the same, this is undoubtedly better.
I love the color choice.
I completely agree with everything said in the above post. I would like to reiterate and expand on the logo not feeling centered. I think the entire design is trying so hard to be perfectly symmetrical, that by having a few pieces not the same, it just makes it feel off. I feel like the right and left side should be mirrors of one another. The design just does not appear to be organic enough to not show it this way. Again, I will agree with the top post about the backwards E as well. It is a bit too gimmicky to be used with this logo. It also lends to the feeling of the logo being off centered with how the type mark lays across your water logo. I actually don't mind the backwards E on your stand alone mark though. I think works rather well now that I look at it on its own. As a whole package though, I say toss it. Other than that, love the color scheme and an overall successful logo package.
I have no issues with the concept, type or color. I'm kind of leaning towards the backwards E, but both work. Where I think you fall short is in the execution of the symbol, it falls into that area between a crisp clean vector render and loose hand drawing, especially between the large symbol and the triangle part. I think you need to push one way or the other. One tip would to not copy and flip the swirls on the side, it gives it a mechanical look that doesnt balance with the looseness of the tentacles. The offsite example you linked is a beautiful example of carrying a feel throughout the entire identity, it all looks like it could have been created 100 years ago. If you are aiming for a clean sharp render then you have a lot of curves to smooth out. From what I've seen you post I must applaude your dedication to explore all aspects of design, in my experience talent will only carry you so far without looking around you for new things to learn..
i completely agree with Fred here, i think that you have a mixture of hand drawn and not hand drawn. The part that is under the word DEEP is quite a bit contrast in style to your decoration around the whole thing. It looks like they dont belong together. Try to keep one style throughout the whole logo and stick to it.
I completely agree with you when you say that you can have different variations of a logo so that it can be used over a mixture of media, that is a good thing.
Just a suggestion, i would try making the decorations a lighter shade of turquoise to the text so that the eye can be drawn to the word DEEP and not get confused with all the other stuff going on.
To me it looks like the symbol under your text is a different style than the rest of it on the sides...and it doesn't feel as if it goes well together. (although the symbol on each side, but it almost looks like it's traced
I don't like the font.
What u need to try is the following:
Take the "P" and flip it vertically and horizontally so it looks like a lowercase "d". Then combine with the backward E" so it reads "dEEP" You may have to customize the font to find the right balance/size of the word "deep" but I think that's def worth a look.