affinity designer Brian's Logos

[gdenby]

Well some times the client's ideal view doesn't always match up to the Designer's view. As long as the client is satisfied, that is what matters I guess.

 

Sorry, was not implying anything about you. Just reminiscing on a rather painful event in my past.

[Bri-Toon]

Sorry, was not implying anything about you. Just reminiscing on a rather painful event in my past.

 

It's not a problem at all, and I know you weren't. I was saying that sometimes like in the experience you dealt with, the designer has a better feel than the client. But that happens. And that's too bad that you had that painful past, but I guess it's also educational.

[Anna Susanna]

Thank you for all of the ideas, Anna, but now that the boss knows what he wants, I need to follow his latest description. But since he said to put the text in the diamond shape, I can use your idea to have the text on two lines (for one of the variations).

You're Welcome :) . 

[Bri-Toon]

Just to let people know, this is the final version of the logo that my boss wanted. I personally like the other concepts better, but I guess everyone has different taste.

 

[Anna Susanna]

It's not that bad of a look,the roundness makes me think of round audio equipment/wires things like that and the purple with the font style helps bring out the feel of the brand a bit. Also the purple makes me think of black lights on posters a bit too lol. Over all good job and glad we all could help you get this done for your boss.  B)

[Alfred]

It's not that bad of a look,the roundness makes me think of round audio equipment/wires things like that and the purple with the font style helps bring out the feel of the brand a bit. Also the purple makes me think of black lights on posters a bit too lol. Over all good job and glad we all could help you get this done for your boss.  B)

 

What she said! And I like the fact that you used the same font for the initials as for the words underneath: I think it ties the elements together nicely. What font is that, by the way?

[pxls2prnt]

… What font is that, by the way?

 

Looks like Chicago.

[Bri-Toon]

Nope. The font is Krungthep.

 

It's not that bad of a look,the roundness makes me think of round audio equipment/wires things like that and the purple with the font style helps bring out the feel of the brand a bit. Also the purple makes me think of black lights on posters a bit too lol. Over all good job and glad we all could help you get this done for your boss.  B)

 

That's interesting. I didn't really think of that, but I guess it does.

[Alfred]

Looks like Chicago.

 

My kind of town! :D (Susan Kare strikes again. Not being a Mac user, I don't have Chicago here.)

 

Nope. The font is Krungthep.

 

I'd never heard of Krungthep until now. It looks very much like a rip-off of Susan Kare's creation.

[pxls2prnt]

Nope. The font is Krungthep.

 

Which is essentially Chicago, just partially repackaged. You could also say it is Silom (go ahead, try swapping it out and see what happens).

[Bri-Toon]

My kind of town! :D (Susan Kare strikes again. Not being a Mac user, I don't have Chicago here.)

 

I'm a Mac user, and I don't have it either. I think it's a font that needs to be installed additionally.

[Bri-Toon]

Which is essentially Chicago, just partially repackaged. You could also say it is Silom (go ahead, try swapping it out and see what happens).

 

Well how about that. I see no difference at all.

[pxls2prnt]

Chicago is no longer bundled with macOS, but some of the characters from Susan Kare's Chicago are still used in Krungthep and Silom.

[Bri-Toon]

Something occurred to me. Obviously, I appreciate everyone's input (and this is not the case here), but I am just curious about something in general. Several years ago, logos had a much more "lively" look. Similar to how software UIs are turning more flat, I wonder if it is actually necessary. We have technology to print detailed logos in such small sizes, yet we tell ourselves to keep it simple. But from what we were educated over time, did we forget that art varies? When ever I show complex art or logos to people who are not graphic designers, they love it. I'm just curious to see how and why things changed over time. I personally hate modern UIs for software and how everything is looking flat and competing with Microsoft, and I see many others do as well, but I fear several years down the road, all UIs will look like that, and then people will learn to like it. That new style will be encouraged. (Simplicity is not the same as plainness.)

 

I am not complaining, but I am just trying to understand, do we take our learning too seriously without realizing it? Kind of like how many people to this day prefer 2D animation over CGI? Are changes of style forced, and we just forget over time because we are never taught why?

[SrPx]

If you are capable to know what design tendencies will be like in next years, you get my full admiration! It changes a lot, constantly, and not very easy to predict.

 

But... In general simplicity (plain quads or in any other form/expression of it) in design is not new. The Bauhaus (art school which very heavily influenced design then and in many years later, and a lot of now can't be explained without it) is from 1919, and its revolution was indeed the focus on the function over decoration, and thus, simplicity was key in many ways. With that influence, minimalism and simplicity has been a mantra in design in many ways through all 20th century, and it is yet now. Consider that more organic and detail loving styles part of a certain nostalgy movement was still very present, the Art Noveau (from the ending of XIX century, and first years of the XX). So... I'd say indeed the last focus back on simplicity is way more "design", in the 20th century concept of it (which one can like or not) than other tendencies. If you remember, or were in the sad moment of the web 2.0, when everyone and his/her dog wanted their logo, website, and even business card be "2.0" I've seen my self (because I like to eat, and dislike having a constant fight with my boss back then, specially during the morning coffee time) doing more Apple-like (by the time!) reflections, subtle freaking soft shadows (so problematic for print, large posters, etc), and freaking rounded fonts, to just name a few. Even certain "3d like"  but very slight touch in some elements, the freaking disgrace of the very overused stars with a twisted font insde, the overuse of pastel palettes... Absolutely another demonstration that an artist's, a graphic designer's criteria counted close to nothing inside many companies, unless the designer had an established name and/or a very solid network.

 

Windows 8 came, and a lot of strength in that flat-only tendency, big quads, flat-everything style, and a minimalism, but playing a lot with spaces. (this had been also in 2.0, and is indeed a norm in design. Is not like they are inventing anything amazingly new, with all these "trends", lol.... )

 

So, I don't see it that way: Design has always, at least since that bauhaus movement where it became more about something to serve the function rather than the embellishment, and a more detailed aesthetics, more about simplicity, reduction, impact, usability, and most of all, synthesis (I don't know if the word is like in my language, now that i stop to think... I mean, the focus on doing a summary, and schema, a certain economy in your language to bring a stronger message without excessive elements). The "horror vacui", the fear to leave empty spaces, that a lot of bosses never understood, that space is an element in design, too, has always been fighting with actual design... is an old fight.

 

That said... I'm probably more like you, more of an illustrator. Heck, I'm a detail lover, a realistic painter, also in my cartoonist branch I prefer the detailed route... But IMO, is good to recognize that there are some disciplines that have its different circumstances and characteristics. When I -had to- started working in design, many years ago, I repeatedly heard -sometimes at my face as an insult- how illustrators, we should stay out of the designers' business (the old accusation of meddling, intrusismo laboral in my language..)... That "Leonardos" were frowned upon... And I believed I was indeed acting wrong ! Until I saw too many of those doing really bad design, and not following certain minimum rules or making the necessary effort... While IMO, everyone should care about own's work quality and creations, not so much in what the neighbour is making...

 

Design changes every month... or week... Is very difficult to know what would bring next years... (within a year range, yeah, maybe easier, but...)

 

And even so, IMHO, nobody is forced to follow absolutely anything unless you work like I worked, as a grunt in a company. Then if your boss tells you it must be that blue, and not this other one, or wants "the logo bigger" , you gotta do so. At least in my area. If in yours there's an unemployment lower than 30%, great for you ! :D :D  And BTW, what a boosting thrust for freelancing activity, this type of bosses, hehe.

 

I mean, you can definitely do detailed logos, you can still think them very carefully, and do great logos, even resulting very functional and in the way a logo needs to be, even if you make them detailed... TILL some point. Overly detailed design tends to have practical issues, in the many applications and media it is required to work at.  Yet so, you can always find a niche in some very specific cases were still a detailed logo more in the line of realistic art, has its place.

[SrPx]

BTW, having the technology to print detailed logos... First, despite all what has evolved, still some media has very strong physical limitations, yet today.  Also, is often more about a relation of cost/technology. if you can do design that will work in cheapo circumstances, you will get the work done in an effective way for the company. An exaggerated example: Your work quality can only be fully appreciated if printed by an very expensive hexachrome printer... or, less in the worlds of fantasy, just if you deny to do any gig that wont count on regular CMYK based offset printer... You would miss a lot of work, might better off adapting to the limits and losses produced in digital printing, these pod companies and etc, just like we all adapted from our high end illustrations to make pixel art for games in the 90s, or 256 colors gifs for the web, etc....

If you want to make your ópera prima, a very specific personal project, then these considerations shouldn't affect at all, but is about two very different situations...

[gdenby]

I'm glad your client is satisfied. The logo really does look pretty good.

 

... Several years ago, logos had a much more "lively" look. Similar to how software UIs are turning more flat, I wonder if it is actually necessary. We have technology to print detailed logos in such small sizes, yet we tell ourselves to keep it simple. But from what we were educated over time, did we forget that art varies? When ever I show complex art or logos to people who are not graphic designers, they love it. I'm just curious to see how and why things changed over time. I personally hate modern UIs for software and how everything is looking flat and competing with Microsoft, and I see many others do as well, but I fear several years down the road, all UIs will look like that, and then people will learn to like it. That new style will be encouraged. (Simplicity is not the same as plainness.)

 

Logos are part commodity. I personally would like less "flat" designs, but I can think of an economic necessity. Assume a company is widely accessible. What if there are a half billion hits on the website? In some places, viewers may have plenty of bandwidth, tho' the cost may be high. In other places, the bandwidth is small, and the cost is even higher. And the company/institution would like to keep its costs down too. The aggregate savings could be significant.

 

I've mentioned I worked in an art museum. There were pieces I viewed w. wonder every work day for 40 years. Alas, the average view time by a visitor for a work was 15 seconds. If the display didn't engage in less than 3 seconds, the average viewer would pass over the item(s). What was worse was that most people in the US, where I worked, wanted learn about art. They would spend 10 seconds of viewing time reading the historical description, and more on information panels. The artwork was secondary.

 

Essentially, one must design for economy, but create for delight, and hope there are some who will go for the later.

 

(historical note. Look up the illustrator/painter Maxfield Parish. Compare the work he was paid to do, and what he did on for himself.All exquisite, but some beyond words.)

[Bri-Toon]

The "horror vacui", the fear to leave empty spaces, that a lot of bosses never understood, that space is an element in design, too, has always been fighting with actual design... is an old fight.

 

Exactly. Space was a contradiction until it was discovered that negative space is good. The same for middle alignment. It was discovered that it looks boring for various arts and is unbalanced.

 

 

That said... I'm probably more like you, more of an illustrator. Heck, I'm a detail lover, a realistic painter, also in my cartoonist branch I prefer the detailed route...

 

That is good to know. I find a lot of vintage styles absolutely charming. I may not always like the selling points, but I appreciate every bit of the style.

 

And even so, IMHO, nobody is forced to follow absolutely anything unless you work like I worked, as a grunt in a company. Then if your boss tells you it must be that blue, and not this other one, or wants "the logo bigger" , you gotta do so. At least in my area. If in yours there's an unemployment lower than 30%, great for you ! :D :D  And BTW, what a boosting thrust for freelancing activity, this type of bosses, hehe.

 

Well even though I said forced, I meant unwilling to see. When we are being educated, we are taught things that may not always be 100% accurate, because styles change and even professional designers can misinterpret art principles over time. I argue that there are some cases when Comic Sans can be used. Because it's not professional to use it in marketing, we have taught ourselves to believe that it is never to be used. I even argue that all caps do not always indicate screaming. It depends on the font.

 

(historical note. Look up the illustrator/painter Maxfield Parish. Compare the work he was paid to do, and what he did on for himself.All exquisite, but some beyond words.)

 

Beautiful work indeed.

 

I've mentioned I worked in an art museum. There were pieces I viewed w. wonder every work day for 40 years. Alas, the average view time by a visitor for a work was 15 seconds. If the display didn't engage in less than 3 seconds, the average viewer would pass over the item(s). What was worse was that most people in the US, where I worked, wanted learn about art. They would spend 10 seconds of viewing time reading the historical description, and more on information panels. The artwork was secondary.

 

That must be frustrating. I strongly encourage the term, "Art Appreciation," and I believe in bringing it back. Those examples have a beautiful style, and most importantly, they are innocent. I think a lot of people sadly do lack innocence, and therefor, it is hard for them to appreciate these styles like we do. For me, it's motivating and peaceful.