Hey Michael, thank you for being the first to enter a logo, and thank you for reading my design description. I can see some of the things that you incorporated into the design are from that. But these two entry's aren't going to work, they have a metalic science-fiction feel to them that reminds me of "Star Wars" at first glance. We need to be softer, less hard and combative. Thanks for trying to incorporate my old "Hi-Tech" curved print logo, the only problem is that you spelled "Hi-Tech" with lettering that is only similar to the old logo, and what I meant is trying to use the exact same "Hi-Tech" print and shape (logo). So if you can't use the exact same "Hi-Tech" design that is attached, then I would just stay away from it completely and start from scratch with something completely new. But my preference is to use that old "Hi-Tech" shape/logo if it can be incorporated into the new logo in an attractive way, so please try that first.
In the design description I said I like horizontal/banner type logos, but after seeing entries #1 & #2, I'm thinking I might want to reconsider directing the designers in that way. After looking at #1 & #2, I'm realizing that Austin Hi-Tech Restoration is probably too long to be a straight across, left to right banner. I'm going to remove that direction from my description so designers will feel free to work with all shapes and designs.
Thanks again Michael. Please send me some more of your work.
Hey Michael, I looked at your portfollio and you've done some incredible designs. This site blows my mind and I can't wait to see something awsome for my business. In my contest breif, I attached my old logo within a Word Document because that is what I had that was easy and the color was good. Can you guy's work with that format as far as cutting and pasting the old "Hi-Tech" logo? Or do I need to get it to you in another format??
Hello Michael, are you going to post any additional entries to my contest? I hope your not mad at me for not being crazy about Entry #1 & #2. You are the only designer who has entered so far so I'm hoping that you are still interested. Please let me know if there is something I can do or change about my Brief that would make your job easier and would give you the ability to come up with the best logo. I'm open to anything and just hope to walk away from this process with something that I love and will use for the long haul.
Good Job Michael, I was worried that I had lost you. You are definitely on to something with #4. I have never done this before so would you mind helping me with some of the parameters involved? I know that I need to give you feedback so that you can tweak designs, but I worry that if I give you too many suggestions and requests for slight tweaks that I might overdo that and make the process too much work for you. I have a feeling that I will want to say "try this, and try that" just so I can see it different ways and hopefully come up with the best design for me. I like to look at multiple options, so feel free to tell me if I am going too far in that direction. I am now learning about how the ranking system works, and I want you to know that any revisions you make will stay on my final list so that you will at least get a point for those individually tweaked designs. Point is, I won't stick any of your designs in the "Not Interested" file.
With that being said here are some requests and questions concerning #4:
I love the fact that "Royal Blue" is dominant on this logo. Did you somehow copy that color directly from the Word Document that I attached or do you have a different color pallet that you use and you found the closest color of "Royal Blue" from that list? The reason that I ask is because the "Royal Blue" that I used in the old logo is actually one of the few canned colors that are available within Microsoft Word. I like it and it is close to my vision, but after seeing #4 I have another version of "Royal Blue" in mind that I think could give it even more punch. How can I communicate that exact version of "Royal Blue" to you? Should I pick it out on the web and then send you a web address? Or could you direct me to a place to look where I could give you a specific name or color #? If I could identify that in some way it would also make it easier for other designers in the contest because everyone would be on the same page. Would you mind helping me with that?
Restoration is a little bit faint and isn’t as bold at Austin. I’m guessing you did that to make it fit. The font size of Austin looks good design wise but I think it would be better if Austin and Restoration were the same font size and if they were a larger font so that they would stand out a bit better.
The tag line “Restoring lives after a loss” needs to stand out more, maybe a darker or bolder color. Try that Ocher color I mentioned in the brief and possibly black. Ocher is a slightly browned orange and is pretty much the same color as how your name is listed on the website. They use a lot of Ocher for their link tabs on the site. I think the tag line needs to be bolder as well. I think you should remove the stars on either side of the tag line, but maybe we can come up with some other ways to punctuate that. You might consider some other fonts for the tag line. There is nothing wrong with the font that you used, but I really can’t see it currently to judge whether I like it or not. Handwritten Cursive print might be nice or some version of that. Maybe Italic? But I think cursive might work well.
Nice improvements! Let's make the tag line a bit bolder to make it stand out a bit more and be more ledgible. Same thing with "Austin" & "Restoration". I like it better with the R in Restoration capitalized, that was a good change. I like the halo and the shadow type edge on top, it helps balance out the logo on the bottom and makes the whole image more of a "stamp".
One thing to consider. I will be using this alot for embrodiery work on our nice work shirts and caps. There is some limit to how fine the print can be to do embrodiery. You probably know more about this then I do, but that is one of the reasons I think we should consider stepping up the font some. But as far as appearance for prited media, I can see how the design might look a little better with print that isn't too bold for the items other than Hi-Tech. I'll show this to my embroidery guy and get his opinion.
But for now lets try to make those items stand out more yet still achieve balance. You might have to make the oval a bit fatter to achieve this, but I do really like it the shape that it currently is so see what you can do to keep it similar but have bolder print where needed.
Also, if you make the tag line print bigger, do something with the shadow above so that you achieve the same balance. That was a good addition and really helps.
Hey Michael, will you please post 2 more entries which will be slight varients of #12. One the first one, leave everything exactly like it is on #12 currently, except this time remove the halo that makes it look 3 dimensional. I'm talking about the "reflection halo" that goes across the center of the logo "stamp". We'll call this entry #12a.
Then make me a 2nd one exactly like #12a except incorporate the changes that I discussed above in my June 2nd comment. I would like to see the Austin, Restoration, and Tag Line a bit larger or bolder.
I'm still thinking about the embrodiery issue and making sure that people can read those items when the logo is on the side of a truck. But I'm really liking this logo and I want to keep working with it. I've got a few more ideas in mind for it but lets do the two tweaks above first.
OK buddy, looks like we are going to start fine tuning this one. It’s the best logo I’ve seen so far so let’s get it in its best form before the contest closes.
Let’s get a little terminology straight so we don’t confuse each other when talking about different aspects of the logo that we might want to change.
Let’s call the reflective shadow that is going across the middle of Entry #12 a “halo”. That “halo” is what makes the body of the logo look shiny and 3D.
Let’s call the gray band “shadow” around the top (which is biggest on the top right side) the “swoosh”.
OK, now we’re on the same page.
Concerning the lettering for “Austin”, “Restoration”, and The Tag Line, is it possible to make them BOLDER without increasing the font size? I know that making them bolder will make them bigger, I guess I’m just curious if they are already in a bold setting and the only way to make them bigger is to increase the font size.
On Entry #27, what I’m hoping you can do is make Austin and Restoration “bolder” without increasing the font size. See if you can do that and let’s call it #27a. In #27a both Austin and Restoration will be the same font size.
Something that is at issue here is that I like the lettering that you used, it looks awesome from a design standpoint, but it is so skinny it is hard to read and I think will be impossible to embroider. So we have to figure out a way to make this design work within those parameters.
Another limitation is that I REALLY like the skinnier ovals like Entry #12 instead of the fatter oval like Entry #29. So basically I want to have my cake and eat it to (which is often times a problem for me).
#27b – start with Entry #27 and leave everything the same except drop the tagline down below the image in a straight line. Almost like it’s floating there, and leave it the same font size just as bold as possible.
#27c – same as above except use the font size on the tagline that was used in Entry #28.
Then what I would do is play with maybe some other types of font that will fit our tight dimensions but will make the letters “bolder” (fatter).
It sucks, I love everything about the design on Entry #27 and Entry #12, but I don’t think they will work for embroidery. But when you start making the letters taller like in Entry #28 it loses some punch and power, and making the oval fatter like Entry #29 has an even worse effect.
I like Entry #27 and Entry #12 so much because they look like a speeding bullet. They express speed, efficiency, and aerodynamics. They are crisp and clean and unencumbered. So we want the design to keep that feel.
Thanks for your help. Let’s look at what you can do there and think about the best steps to take.
Sorry if you have to wait too long because I was yesterday there is an urgent need and I have to go out of town .. but now I have returned, once again I'm apologize .. let's continue ... 27a logo