Manitoulin Wind and Solar InstituteLogo Design Contest

Logo Design Contest
Contests / Manitoulin Wind and Solar Institute

Manitoulin Wind and Solar Institute has selected their winning logo design.

For $432 they received 154 designs from 16 different designers from around the world.
1st
#152

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4th
#110

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6th
#114

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7th
#111

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8th
#113

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9th
#103

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10th
#102

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New
#100

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#99

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#105

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#104

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#97

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#98

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#89

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#85

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#75

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#55

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#73

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#74

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#154

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#153

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#151

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#150

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#149

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#148

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#147

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#146

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#145

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#144

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#143

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#142

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#141

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#140

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#139

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#138

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#137

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#136

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#135

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#134

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#133

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#132

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#131

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#130

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#129

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#128

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#127

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#126

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#125

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#124

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#123

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#122

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#121

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#120

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#118

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#117

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#116

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#115

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#84

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#82

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#81
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Discussion

 
The font is nice and clean. I find the lines very straight/hard. Feel missing ojibwa tone. Please do a Google Image search for 'ojibwa art' or 'ojibwa painting' and you will see a distinctive look, kind of like this:

http://www.houseofthespiritbear.com/Robert_Kakegamic/Kakegamic,-Robert-_blue.jpg
12 years ago
 
Logo Designer
hi, thanks for the feedback and i'm so sorry bout the delay.
I tried tweak my design with Ojibwa feel. hope you like it :)

thanks
Elvin
12 years ago
 
Thank-you very much for the new entries Elvin. So far you are the only one to submit something with an obvious Ojibwa feel to it. Much appreciated. I prefer no tagline.

I really like the design and color of your sun. Color choice in the logo is great too. The slightly bent trees convey wind in a pleasant way.

Manitoulin is an large Island in Ontario, Canada. Take a look at Google Maps: http://maps.google.ca/maps?q=Manitoulin+Island,+Manitoulin+District,+ON&hl=en&ll=45.702343,-82.034912&spn=2.693129,5.811768&sll=49.894634,-97.119141&sspn=39.988427,92.988281&oq=Manitoulin+Island&hnear=Manitoulin+Island&t=m&z=8

Do you think it would work to make the logo roughly approximate the shape of Manitoulin? My suggestion: drop the bottom half and make the top half more pie shaped. Also our geography here is relatively flat, except for an elevated stretch with a flat top. We don't have pointed mountains. Here is a sample of the terrain:

http://www.ontariohighpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/P1020346.jpg
12 years ago
 
Logo Designer
Hi, Thanks for considering my design. i will make some changes and will upload again soon :)

elvin
12 years ago
 
Thanks for the new designs Elvin. I really like your work as it comes closest out of all the other entries to an Ojibwa look and feel. Where I am having trouble is that the designs are quite busy except #74. While I like the art and immediately pick up an indigenous feel, I get lost in looking at the details instead of quickly getting a sense that MWSI is about wind and solar power.

#74 is going in the right direction but the trees look somewhat cactus like, very dry (color choice I think). It is very lush here so that image feels out of place.

I'm not much a designer but I hacked this together based on your design:

http://mwsi.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/mwsi-logo1.png

It's a little simpler, portrays the wind in the trees and roughly approximates the shape and geography of Manitoulin Island (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/da/Manitoulin_Island.jpg) . Can you clean this up a bit (flatten the mountain top). I think it's probably better to leave animals/people out of the picture as they are distracting. Does that help?

12 years ago
 
Logo Designer
Okay, I've got your point and will provide entry as your request as soon. Thanks for these direction.

elvin
12 years ago
 
I've got feedback coming in from several people that you are the preferred artist. I feel the same way. I think we are going to have to fumble around a little more to nail down the design once the contest closes be we are getting close.

Do you speak English? Do you want to hop on a Skype call to work out the details or shall I just keep leaving messages here?
12 years ago
 
More feedback has come in.

On #74, can you:
- can you make the trees the same color as you did in #55, #73 & #77 and then make what is currently green, blue (sky).
- flatten the branches on the trees but keep them bent
- move the sun to the other corner

I'm seeking input from Ojibwa people to make sure we are representing things tastefully and well.

thanks Elvin!
12 years ago
 
Logo Designer
I am very grateful to learn a little about the great art of the Ojibwa people from your contest.

about communication, I thought you just put a message here, because "Logo Tournament" does not allow to make the relationship of Communications in a different way during the contest :)

i will make further changes and shall upload again shortly for you, hopefully I still have enough time from of you.
12 years ago
 
Logo Designer
Hi,

uploaded revisions with blue and more simple but i'm still unsure as to whether i got it right :(
12 years ago
 
Thanks Elvin. No worries. We will get to where we need to be! Perhaps my suggestions were not clear enough.

For the tree option:

- I prefer the color choices of #75 for the trees, for example: http://mwsi.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/tree-color.jpg
- I like the sun location of #82
- I like the trees (no leaves) of #80

For #75 tweaks
- Can you simplify it? Most people who have seen it like it but felt it is too busy for a logo. I also got feedback today that the circle is an important element in native/ojibwa culture. Any ideas how to represent your work in a circle?

I hope you are ok with going back and forth a little more. We really like your art but it is obviously difficult to wrap so many layers/dimensions into the logo and try and explain here in text.

Does that help? Please ask any questions that would help to clarify the process.
12 years ago
 
Logo Designer
okay, I'll try again :)
12 years ago
 
Logo Designer
uploaded the revisions. hope still look like ojibwa but not too busy

thanks

elvin
12 years ago
 
Thanks Elvin. Still looking Ojibwa to me, although I am an under-qualified white guy.

#89. The font wrapping around compliments the round logo. The moon balances the sun in a pleasing way. I think #89 looks the best on its own but I am concerned about how it will reproduce at small scales (letterhead, business cards, etc). Thoughts? I don't have much experienced in print.

I like the font color and face in #85. I definitely prefer sans-serif.

I've been reading about how the four directions are part of the (North American) indigenous belief system: North/South/East/West and four colours human races (Red/Yellow/Black/White).

Examples:
http://www.whetung.com/shop/gifts/Q-SB-FourDirections.jpg
http://rlv.zcache.com/anishinabek_dodem_4_directions_t_shirt-p235398492188809826z7tts_152.jpg
http://www.queensu.ca/gnds/images/fourdirections.jpg

Your latest round designs are close to incorporating this idea (accident?).

As an alternative, I hacked this together: http://mwsi.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/logo-horizontal.jpg It is going to the simple extreme, perhaps too far but all I can do with the skill and tools I have. Can you play with this approach?
12 years ago
 
Logo Designer
I'm working now, will make more simple and upload soon. Thanks for your patience.

elvin
12 years ago
 
Elvin. We're getting close. My artist friend took your design and some ideas that I have been trying to convey:

http://mwsi.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/mwsi-4-quadrant-logo.jpg

See's not an computer design ninja like you are so she can't easily create it. Can you run with the link above?

I like your color choice for the moon/smaller circles.

Almost there!
Justin
12 years ago
 
Logo Designer
hi Justin,

I've done with the alterntieves. okay, give me 2 hours
oh, the blue font is the same color. thanks

elvin
12 years ago
 
Logo Designer
just update
12 years ago
 
Logo Designer
update alternate :)
12 years ago
 
Elvin, you are an amazing designer. Thank-you for your committed energy to see this through. After the contest closes, let's talk about letterhead as well. We are REALLY close. Only minor changes from here on in. Let's work with #103

1. Please make the small sun the same color as #89
2. Experiment: switch the spirals from the black & red corners to the yellow and white ones
3. Change the yellow sun in the center to the light green you used in #89
4. The only part that needs a little tweaking is the trees you borrowed from my friend. I think her trees look sad with the downturned branches (even though that is how branches are typically oriented). Your original up turned branches looks better (more lively) but not quite right. Here is a suggestion from my friend: http://mwsi.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/mwsi-new-tree.jpg You don't have to try and make the tree(s) look exactly like hers but this one is closer to what people will recognize around here. I'm not sure if one tree will look too lonely or not. I'll have to see it to be able to decide.

12 years ago
 
Logo Designer
Thank you for your compliment, I glad you already happy with my works, Justin. I'm javanese man who have been given the opportunity to learn another culture. Ojibwa! Thanks again for that.

Okay, I will try to provide th tree as best as I can do
12 years ago
 
Logo Designer
Hi, Justin

Sorry about the delay. I hope the tree is allowed in Ojibwa. Thanks
12 years ago
 
No worries on the delay. We are really close!

Easy:

- Can you change the yellow sun behind the tree to a light green, lighter than the green that surrounds the tree
- Can you try a dark font color that exists in the logo (brown perhaps)? The blue looked great with your earlier designs that were more blue heavy. (#75, #105) Now the blue color makes the text feel somewhat separate.

More challenging: the tree. You latest version is the getting closer. Do you have trees with needles (no leaves) where you live? With have both deciduous (trees that loose leaves in the winter) and evergreens (no leaves, just needles year round). We are trying to represent an evergreen tree called a pine.

Here is some more details: http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/ClimateChange/2ColumnSubPage/267244.html
Artistic rendition: http://www.maureenoneill.ca/Pictures/manitoulin-painting.jpg
Pine tree in winter: http://mwsi.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/winter-fence-pine-tree.jpg

Some subtle changes:
- Can you make the bottom of the trunk a little narrower?
- Can you make the leaves look more like needles (less down facing)?
- Can you reconnect the tentacles from the outer ring to the branches. I hope this will work somehow because those lines convey a feeling of connection with nature and all things which is an important element

Keep:
- The trunk bent as this helps convey wind
- The grass bent in the same direction as the tree

Question on payment. I feel I've asked you to create an extraordinary number of changes. I believe in fair pay. If you feel I have asked for more work to be done than you will get from Logo Tournament, let's talk after the contest closes and see if we can work something out.

thanks
12 years ago
 
Hello Elvin. I'm wondering if you will have time over the next couple of days to make some final tweaks to the tree? I ask because I need to send the logo to a printer on Monday to prepare materials for a conference that I am attending.

thanks
12 years ago
 
Logo Designer
update work. different size pine with Fonts variation color
12 years ago
 
Almost there!

Keep:
The green font in #119 is great.
The tall tree in #124
Seven tree roots
The top of the tree connected to sun like #124

Try:
Drop the moon
Make the moon white
Drop the grass (it looks like claws).
Drop the tentacles, just leaving the tree. I know I asked for these but we are finding the interface between the dreamy tentacles with the realistic looking tree somewhat forced. Sorry this piece is so difficult. We might have to experiment a little more here. Again, we can send some more money your way if this back and forth process is beyond what is reasonable for you.

Change:
Please make the roots on the left side of the image connect more with the trunk of the tree (like the right side)
12 years ago
 
Logo Designer
update work

alternate moon color: #129, #130, #131
alternate moon color + drop tentacles: #132. #133, #134
alternate moon color + drop grass: #135, #136, #137
alternate moon color + drop grass + drop tentacles: #138, #139, #140

alternate background color: #141, #142, #143

experiment the tree + background + alternate font color (I imagine that spirals surrounding the circle are the wind blows): #144, #145, #146, #147

thanks

12 years ago
 
Logo Designer
alternate variations color : #148, #149, #150
12 years ago
 
Sorry for the delay Elvin. Thank-you for your continued patience and contribution to this process. This has been a difficult logo to create. I asked for help over the last couple days because the central tree was not working. The input I received is that the 'thunder bird', a mythical bird important to the ojibwe culture (like a huge eagle) would work well as a central element, subtly conveying wind and connection to nature and spirit. My artist friend sketched this up:

http://mwsi.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/MWSI-final-logo.jpg

I know this is incorporating more of her design that your original work - I hope this is not offensive to you. She is very much in touch with the local culture here so she was able to translate my ideas into a working model that kept the local indigenous elements intact. We need you to make it look good on the computer. Can you take care of that? This is where the inspiration came from: http://mwsi.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/mwsi-thunderbird.jpg

Also one minor change, swap the red and yellow colors. I didn't realize the orientation and direction was important but I learned that they are.
12 years ago
 
Logo Designer
No problem Justin, I'll upload soon
12 years ago
 
Logo Designer
update work #151, #152, #153, #154
12 years ago
 
Elvin, I recognize this was a challenging process (largely due to my inexperience leading it). You were so incredibly accommodating and skillful to work with. I am so pleased to be able to select you as winner today.

I may need additional help with letterhead and perhaps website design. Can we connect via email to sort out additional work as it comes up? My work email is justin dot tilson at mwsi dot ca.

huge gratitude and thanks
Justin
12 years ago
 
Elvin, would you be able to connect with me via email? I want to ask you about additional work:

justin dot tilson@mwsi dot ca

thanks
Justin
12 years ago
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