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Personal Logo

Brief from client 

For use primarily on my portfolio cover and promotional material for freelance work. Art must to be suitable for print or web in high resolution. Needs to make a striking first impression and showcase many talents in one image.

I'm a designer who works primarily in the sign industry, and much of what I do deals with bringing logos into the physical world. I look for interesting materials and ways of shaping and illuminating them. I'm often needed to create detailed realistic illustrations to better inform my clients of what they can expect from the final product.

I also do design work for electronic musicians and record labels, usually of a darker tone stylistically.

I've been working on a new version of my portfolio, and I've designed this monogram as the cover page. I wanted it to reflect the real physical nature of my work and my interest in materials, represented more like a badge than a proper logo.

This badge only appears once in the portfolio but it's also for use on the web. I had regarded this as finished but I thought I'd consult the experts. The monogram badge is up for revision, and I'm open to suggestion. Many pages of the portfolio are already laid out using some of these design elements (representing many hours of work) so I'm afraid there's not much I can change about some of this.

As a challenge to myself, I've decided to strip the vector drawing down to black and white and see if it still holds water. Textures and drop shadows and brushed steel look cool but if the logo doesn't hold up at its most basic, effects are a crutch.

So I ask you, fellow designers, what of this?

**edited for excessive snark and opaquely sarcastic self aggrandizing. sorry folks.

16 Comments

cooperads's picture
195 pencils

Have you seen the definition of hubris?

unterm rad's picture
91 pencils

Yes, and are you familiar with sarcasm?

Really guys, I'm open to ideas. I typed all that up at like 4:00 in the morning, I was in a weird mood, and just making jokes. I'm really not as conceited as I come across. Really.

Waffles's picture
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Do you know how many times I have written something I thought was hilarious at 4am and then the next day read it again and said, "Wow! I am hilarious! This is great stuff!'?

It's been a lot, because I (much like this post) am hilarious!
... okay, now to actually look at the logo....

unterm rad's picture
91 pencils

Yeah, gonna run this one through the snark filter. I forget this isn't Facebook sometimes.

I do want critique, and I do aim to improve upon this. I'm not the new Felix, I promise.

unterm rad's picture
91 pencils

Rewrite complete. Humble apologies.

Waffles's picture
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It certainly isn't bad. I may even risk calling it good! :D

I think if it fits the style of things you make, then it fits you, and works. Much like all of these logos.

It reminds me of an Adobe Program Icon.
Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Mike.

There is a lot going on, this wouldn't be the logo logo, but as a look at my expansive logo with all the frills, it would work fine I think. The colours go together, it looks like it fits well with itself.

Maybe a middle ground version, without the gray + green outside would be usable as well as the clean vector.

unterm rad's picture
91 pencils

>>It certainly isn't bad. I may even risk calling it good! :D

DON'T YOU DARE.

>>I think if it fits the style of things you make, then it fits you, and works. Much like all of these logos.

The monogram itself isn't far off from something I'd design for my employer to manufacture, so I'd say it's very much in that style. We make all kinds of signs but specialize in luxury apartments and institutions like hospitals. The monogram isn't far off, at least rendered as I have.

>>It reminds me of an Adobe Program Icon.
Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Mike.

It does, but it wasn't deliberate. I wasn't modelling their logo at all (which is upper/lower case and mine is both upper). I simply wanted to do two letters tightly bound within stacked squares. It's kind of hard to do that without looking a little like Adobe, but I don't think it's fair to say they own that basic design principle. That's another reason I wanted to avoid a clean color field to place the monogram, the resemblance would be even greater.

>>There is a lot going on, this wouldn't be the logo logo, but as a look at my expansive logo with all the frills,

See, I never really approached this as a true logo, in the strict sense. To me, a logo is a symbol that represents an organization of people, abstractly putting a face to a thing that isn't a person per se. But the primary purpose of this drawing is to say "This is my name and this is what I do." I'm a person, not a corporation.

>>Maybe a middle ground version, without the gray + green outside would be usable as well as the clean vector.

Challenge accepted. I'll try to find time this week (around work and life with kids) to put together a simple black and white version stripped bare. From there I'll begin to add one or two colors and see if it still holds up.

Thanks Waffles, for the commentary. Anything further is welcome.

xKillswitch's picture
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I think my biggest gripe here is the oversaturation of effects. But more than that, I think you used way too many squares. Without being super-simplified, I think you could still achieve the look you want without having ten squares, each one inside another.

I'd also make the inside of the letters darker. I feel the shadow doesn't make them pop out enough.

unterm rad's picture
91 pencils

>>I think my biggest gripe here is the oversaturation of effects.

That's fair. I was trying for realism of material, texture and light, maybe I took it too far. Hunter S. Thompson once said: "Not that we needed all that for the project, but once you get locked into a serious plugin collection, the tendency is to push it as far as you can."

>>But more than that, I think you used way too many squares. Without being super-simplified, I think you could still achieve the look you want without having ten squares, each one inside another.

To be fair, what you're supposed tp see are three stacked pieces of material as a medallion, with each piece's edge having a slight raised ledge. Yes, there are 10 or more square shapes but they really form only three objects, besides the field the composition rests on.

Effects aside, this is literally what I draw all day every day. Squares within squares. Stacked CNC-cut pieces of engraved acrylic and with stainless steel laminated faces, raised applique text. It sounds boring and it really can be, but I thought with this monogram I'd go with what I know but break out the toys I don't get to play with as much as I'd like (effects).

I felt that if the monogram was going to be a representative of me, it had to represent my work. And so, squares within squares.

>>I'd also make the inside of the letters darker. I feel the shadow doesn't make them pop out enough.

I like the engraved look of tone on tone, personally. But I agree that the edges aren't strong enough. If it weren't for the excessive drop shadow you would hardly see it at all. I'll work on that including a version that infills the letters with another shade or hue.

I appreciate your thoughts, It may take me a little while but I'll give some of those revisions a try and post the results later.

Shawali's picture
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Ok, I wasn't sure if I would comment on this logo since you seemed already quite found of it and I didn't want to be the party-pooper that I can be sometimes (and your introduction didn't help either =).

But in the end, I think it would be a disservice to you not to tell you what I really think. Especially since we're buddies, now.

I don't think this works. At all.

The minimalist (not to say simplistic) monogram is buried and made almost irrelevant by an overkill of Photoshop filters and textures. It looks like you spend more time working on them than the actual logo. You obviously went for something simple, but you totally complicated the whole thing with all this superfluous stuff.

This atmosphere you gave it is pretty gloomy, it has the feel of an old decommissioned Russian submarine. Dull and dirty gray and green, you didn't pick the most appealing colors. It has some kind of a depressing touch to it which is something you don't really want if you expect to attract some clients.

About these drop shadows... You've been here long enough to know my stance about them. Especially on text. Come on, you know better than that =)

I hope I'm not being too harsh, but I just wanted to be fair and honest in my review, as I always try to be.

As far as self branding is concerned, keep it clean and simple and more importantly, don't over think it. A simple, to the point and understated graphic signature will go a much longer way than a whole mess of self imposed branding guidelines with tons of unneeded effects.

Your personal logo will say a lot about you. Let it say that you're professional, experienced and trustful. That's it. I've been in this business long enough to know that you shouldn't put into it your deep personal feelings, your musical tastes, your love for kinky elvish erotic novels or whatever irrelevant aspects of your personality potential clients won't care about.

Good luck buddy!

unterm rad's picture
91 pencils

I'll give you a pencil for the fair, honest review. While I may play point-counterpoint in this discussion, understand I respect and will consider your position.

>>you seemed already quite found of it and I didn't want to be the party-pooper that I can be sometimes (and your introduction didn't help either =).

Well yes I am happy with the work but I realize that after looking at something for a while I can lose objectivity. That's one reason to post here. However, I had a more practical reason to resist changing certain elements --and I won't say which ones to prevent bias-- that reason being that a lot of work had already been done to a complicated interactive document that used these same elements. Some things are not as easily modified.

And the original egocentric intro thing was just me messing about in the middle of the night. It's easy to forget how one's tone can get lost in a text-only world, and as has been pointed out things aren't quite as funny reading them back in the morning.

>>Especially since we're buddies, now.

I promise no late night intercontinental booty calls, I know you're not into that sort of thing. I can't say there won't be death threats though, sorry. You're a mod, I'm a user... that's just how things are.

>>I don't think this works. At all.

Well, let's get right to it!

>>The minimalist (not to say simplistic) monogram is buried and made almost irrelevant by an overkill of Photoshop filters and textures. It looks like you spend more time working on them than the actual logo. You obviously went for something simple, but you totally complicated the whole thing with all this superfluous stuff.

Ok, this is all fair. My problem here is that this isn't really the right way to present this, or perhaps even the right forum. My purpose for this design wasn't really to craft a logo, it was to provide an interesting introduction to a larger document, an illustration that set the tone and defined some of the elements to be found within.

I should have thought out my presentation more, posted a black and white outline version first. I should have known better. This isn't the place or illustrations, it's all about logos here.

So when I draw criticism for piling on the effects and breaking all the other rules of logo design, those comments as correct. I've failed in that context.

I've been challenged to do a simplified version of this to see if the form itself holds up to scrutiny, sans effects. I'll be sure to post those results, I'm just as interested to see.

>>This atmosphere you gave it is pretty gloomy, it has the feel of an old decommissioned Russian submarine. Dull and dirty gray and green, you didn't pick the most appealing colors. It has some kind of a depressing touch to it which is something you don't really want if you expect to attract some clients.

That's a great description, can I quote you? This version of the portfolio consists of a lot of graphic design, photography, and audio production for electronic musicians with a dark gritty or atmospheric aesthetic. The illustration is very suited to that. What you see as something that would scare off clients, is my attempted target marketing of my niche clientele. There's another clean simple version for my more "professional" work, but that's a whole other thing.

>>About these drop shadows... You've been here long enough to know my stance about them. Especially on text. Come on, you know better than that =)

See above.

>>I hope I'm not being too harsh, but I just wanted to be fair and honest in my review, as I always try to be.

It's good, fam. Kids are saying 'fam' now instead of 'bro'.

You have my total respect, I appreciate your thoughts as ever. You've been fair and honest and I'm glad to hear it. Even if you're a big jerk who says mean things and makes me cry. #sarcasm

>>As far as self branding is concerned, keep it clean and simple and more importantly, don't over think it. A simple, to the point and understated graphic signature will go a much longer way than a whole mess of self imposed branding guidelines with tons of unneeded effects.

I was aiming for simple forms with complex, contrasting textures. Since you so strongly detest the Russian sub treatment (it's actually Chinese, smart guy), I'll try some others and see what looks good.

We'll see when the clean version is delivered. It might take me a while, I've got family and work and long winded message board posts to type in the middle of the night.

>>Your personal logo will say a lot about you. Let it say that you're professional, experienced and trustful. That's it. I've been in this business long enough to know that you shouldn't put into it your deep personal feelings, your musical tastes, your love for kinky elvish erotic novels or whatever irrelevant aspects of your personality potential clients won't care about.

I think what I really need to do is break this up and rethink it all. Most of my professional work has been in the sign industry, and I have a simpler cleaner portfolio layout for all that, but no equivalent logo or monogram for that document. If the new clean cut version passes the sniff test maybe I'll use it there.

unterm rad's picture
91 pencils

Also leave my interest in kinky elvish erotic novels out of this. I told you that in confidence, I can't believe you'd bring that up here, that's so petty. I told you, it's research for a.. an assignment. A project. I don't want to talk about it here.

Waffles's picture
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*Says nothing*

...

Also, the next short story is going to be published soon! I'll let you know.

j.o.y's picture
238 pencils

I kind of like it.... I say "kind of" because I think it's ok to have some bells and whistles since it is the cover page of your portfolio and not really a logomark. However, it feels cold- from both the color and the texture. So, I would ask your self, if this is the mood you want to set on the FIRST page of your portfolio???

Someone above mentioned the closeness of the letters MS- I also feel they are a bit too close. I do like your font choice and the kerning on all the rest of the type.

unterm rad's picture
91 pencils

Thanks... kind of? ;) See my long winded response above, it may shed some light on the darkness of this image.

No really, thanks for your input. Hearing from the group is why I posted it.

oossama's picture
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I do understand where your idea comes from, regardless what "too many pencils" say, I find it catchy and yes i feel the darkness and I like it.
You are a "shaper" of different materials used for signage along the debossing, embossing, etching, floating letters ... etc
If this was to be actually produced as a sign it would look INSANE especially using actual granite and all the other materials and the long work hours involved.

But, i feel your digital version is a bit far from the real thing, plus must be simplified a lot for web use and in its current state it would look really bad on print.

This may sound crazy but I suggest mastering an actual piece then go digital.

Otherwise the following you will need to consider:
(Order from bottom level to top)
- More sharp details and bits on the grey layer
- Increase transparency to 100% on the green layer and less details and if it was suppose to be "granite" then round corners can't be there
- Enhance the effect on the name (I'm not able to know if letters are suppose to look engraved or floating but keep visibility in mind)
- GRAPHIC DESIGN ı ELECTRONIC ARTS, you will need to kill the shadow for more visibility
- Adding cracks to the bluish grey layer would look nice
- Deleting the next grey layer will allow you to increase the inner badge size

Good luck :)

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