Entries #523 and #524 are updates to #406 and #404. :) Used the darker of the two colors on the inside, rather than the reverse, as it had better legibility that way. I don't recommend the other approach. I can use other colors, other oranges if you would like; I wanted to keep the gold you loved, though, and this was a really effective way to do that. :)
What are your thoughts on these updates?
And are you still keen on #518 and #519? Please let me know if you prefer more modifications and/or ideas. Are we in the right direction? Please let me know, whether good or otherwise. Happy to refine our efforts further.
And, the more I look at it...the more I like the blue versions once more! It would be unconventional, to say the least, to use the blue colors in a radiant logo; I like that. It gives the impression of a new star in the sky, a guiding light, a cleansing light. A holy light.
Doesn't necessarily have to be a warm tone to work! :) It's so pretty....
Another quick thought: blue can also represent holiness in the sense of...The Holy Spirit. :) And a radiant life -- a life living for Christ, a life living with The Holy Spirit inside of you...that icon can also represent the new life someone receives, the new spirit someone receives...after accepting Christ as their saviour. :) Christ, The Holy Spirit....a God-driven, purpose-filled life. The Spirit of God.
:)
A radiant life -- the very sound of it connotes Spirit, doesn't it? A life anew, in Christ, in holiness, right? A cleansed life....
Those are my thoughts; the more I think about it, the more I like blue. For this logo, especially. :)
That being said, all colors have validity, and use. You wouldn't necessarily have to commit to one color scheme; there is a trend in logo design referred to as a "dynamic logo"...the MIT Media Lab is the best example of this. Not that you need a "dynamic logo" -- it's a very, very diverse style to follow to the letter. You can use elements of it -- the fact that its color changes with each purpose (ministry, missions, women's groups, teen groups, etc.). You don't even have to restrict yourself to 3 color variations; you could use purples, greens, yellows, silvers, browns, pinks, and on and on...). Each purpose could be a different color variation.
It is a very, very flexible concept. Which fits your needs well -- a growing church needs to be forward-thinking, dynamic, and unconventional in today's world; it's not the same place it was years ago....times are a changin'....and this logo is dynamic enough to fit all your ministry and public-facing purposes.
Wasn't sure if you saw this mention earlier, regarding my latest concept; the icon in #535 and #536 -- it is an ambigram. To be exact, it is an ambigram letterform mark. You can rotate it 180 degrees, and it still will display the "RL" initials within it. Granted, its style is on the abstraction side, but the principle of its structure holds. :)
Ambigrams are highly sought after.
And it would be sooo cooool if your icon was...THIS cool! :) You would have an ambigram icon. And you're a *church!*...do you realize how *cool* that is!? :D Not only is it cutting-edge cool, but it lends an "ah, HA!" factor to your identity. Not to mention...it is *unique,* ontop of being memorable.
And, of course I'll mention once again that the possibilities are ENDLESS with this design! :) It has dynamism, flexibility...it can stretch to meet the needs ofany facet of your church's mission and purpose!
And, may I say it once more...that it's just downright *pretty*...? :D
It fits.
In every possible way imaginable. :D
Seriously, this is the perfect design for you. :)
Would love to hear your thoughts. What do you think? :)
I was actually just emailing our team. I sent all the logos to them a couple of days ago and there's a couple that I hadn't heard back from. I try to share my opinions after hearing their's so they will give me their true opinion and nothing I say will hinder that.
Your logo is my favorite among all of them, but I have to hear from them before we make a decision. I have already written out what the logo/brand "means" to me in a word doc just waiting to be emailed. If you would like you can send me your thoughts on what it means to you.
Here's my presentation of the Radiant LIfe concept that I've created for your church; I've gone into detail on its construction and its benefits...and its advantages for your church's re-branding efforts. I've also listed how this logo will further your mission and boost your reach within your community and beyond.
//Concept The shapes you see placed before you are formed into an ambigram. To be exact, it is an abstract letterform ambigram. Comprised of the letters "r" and "L" -- much like how the "Life Church" logo has a subtle "L" an d "C" in their icon. In that case, their icon's use of those letters forms into a wheat seed -- clever, because they are seeding churches. In this case, the letters are formed into a radiant burst of light. Clever, because your church is radiant -- Radiant Life, to be exact.
So, what is an 'ambigram'...? It is a design where the viewer may rotate it 180 degrees, and it retains its message -- readability and all -- when rotated.
Look for the letters at the corners of the icon. They are rotated; the "r" is first on the left-hand side, rotated to the left; the "L" follows and is rotated to the right, placed next to it. the mirror image of those two letters are placed to the right of them.
The letters themselves are radiant bursts of light...waves of light, trickling down in almost digital chunks. Light waves, or energy waves, are short; the graphics follow that standard. This is why you see in any photograph with 'lens flares' -- you'll see "geometric" impressions on the lens where the light hits. The spaces inbetween the shapes also connote energy, where higher frequencies of light exist and cannot be seen with the human eye.
//Color Many variations of color are used in this presentation. To keep in line with the sun, or any light source, actually...the inner color is lighter than the outer color used. So you see two tones of color with each variation of the design.
Each color may be used for a different focus.
*Red: passion, warmth, humanity, sacrifice (Christ's sacrifice on the cross in particular; any act where a life is exchanged for another, a heroic act for example), passion, creativity, action, blossoming (think: flower), full potential, courage, heart, passion, honor, loyalty, commitment
*Blue: holy light, cleansing light, the dawn of new life, virginity, honesty, purity, epiphany, higher power, life force, spirit, Holy Spirit, redemption through accepting Christ as their personal Saviour, fresh life, new chances, new morning, guiding light, north star, water, cleansing, essential to living, air, clouds, nobility, higher purpose
*Gold: light of the sun, generosity, humility, wealth, success, beauty, cheer, happiness, kindness, esteem, royalty, prestige, upper echelon, achievement, light, life, warmth, bright fire
*Green: life, growth, living well, prosperity, vibrance, vitality, freshness, validity, essential to life, renewal, rejuvenation, powerful, calm, focused, redemption, new, down to earth, living well, kindness, generosity, fullness, potential reached, grace, loveliness, lilting, ease of spirit, relaxation, calmness
Other colors have potential as well, but I've narrowed it down to these 4, as they seem to have the most connection to your mission and spirit; each of these offers particular benefits, and may be adjusted to meet every purpose.
//Advantages As this is an ambigram, first and foremost, it offers that other concepts do not;; as it is unique, remarkable, and exceptionally flexible, it goes beyond the ordinary presentation of letters to present itself in a cohesive and eye-catching fashion.
Now, eye-catching is good; that increases memory retention, which helps your church's name and its brand become 'seared' in the mind of the viewer. Basically, if it's memorable, that's a good thing. When it comes to brand identity work, memorability is perhaps the most important standard one needs to meet.
Essentially, the more time a viewer takes to actually *look* at your icon, your logo...the better chance it has of making a lasting impression in the mind of the viewer. This is why common presentations are assumed to be 'generic' -- they offer nothing unique to the viewer, resulting in little to no memory retention.
Now, a more interesting or odd looking item? It catches the attention of the brain, holds it, and makes an impression. If the brain sees something interesting, it wants to know more. If it's not immediately "categorizable" it makes the brain interested in looking at it. Couple that with the eventual "ah-HA!" factor when they figure it out..and you have a winner on your hands.
Hope this helps. :)
Feel free to contact me with any questions or further requests for elaboration. :)
Please replace the first paragraph of "//Ambigram" with this text:
//Advantages As this is an ambigram, first and foremost, it offers advantages that other concepts do not. Because it is unique, remarkable, and exceptionally flexible, it goes beyond any ordinary presentation of letters; instead, it becomes a cohesive, eye-catching, and memorable design.
Okay, I'm going to say it's due to a lack of caffeine...and typing this all out on a phone. On the road at the moment; my apologies for the goofiness with the typos. Apparently, I have a perpetual need to make typos and subsequently post more updates to said typos... ;)
I'm thinking you already figured out that there is no paragraph named "//Ambigram"...yes, it's the "//Advantages" paragraph I was referring to in my last post. Good heavens, lol...that was a goof. I am in no way perfect; praise the LORD he knows that, lol....forgive the typos, pretty please. My humanity seems to be pretty intent on expressing its flaws tonight. :)
Even if this concept is not chosen, it is refreshing to hear there is a body of believers out there who are focused on reaching new audiences, in the most cutting-edge ways possible. I love your mission, and admire your forward-thinking manner. It's fantastic.
God bless, and take care. From one gratefully redeemed sinner to another. :)
So, I'm betting you're speaking with a lot of folks who are making this decision, which is pretty normal.
The contest is in judging now, and the only thing I would be able to do for you is to refine my existing concept, rather than go in an entirely new direction.
I'm willing to try to put a border around the icon, if the lack of a border is bothering you. I previously tried a solid background, but did not think about a clear background, with only a line around the outside; I believe that could work. That way, the idea that it is a floating light source, cohesive via the light that emits from it....is kept, while giving you the chance to feel it is a bit more solid.
What do you think?
Are there any concerns about this design that I can amend, or address? Please let me know. Hope you're having a great holiday! :)
Noticed that you reset the contest to run in Top 5 Mode. Excellent!
So, may I ask...what was the feedback on my logo? I'm guessing there was something in way of an opinion...and it wasn't positive. :) Otherwise, I'd be sending you final files right now.
Please let me know what the prevailing opinion and feedback was on my previous design. I'm free to develop a brand-new concept in Top 5, and that's exactly what I'll do. Just need to know what did and did not go right with the previous round, and I'll be sure to come up with something spectacular as a result.
The reason I extended it was because I wanted one more opportunity to meet with my team in person tomorrow evening. I don't want you to change anything. I'm glad that you took a risk by not adding anything to the background of the logomark. Here's where we are though.
I am part of a group of 4 overseers (elders) of the church. I am 28 but we have a young group of overseers. I know...kinda strange. My gift is creativity...etc. For this relaunch we have started a marketing team of me and 5 other people. Out of 9 of us 8 like the other brand the best. I think your brand is our best choice. The overseer group believes in me though and I had a long talk with one if them tonight and they really put a lot of trust in me in this specific area. As a video editor/motion graphic designer I see a lot more flexibility with your brand. I also see more qualities that make a good logo in your better than the others.
All of this being said, I need to meet with the marketing team again and see if they have the same trust in me. 8 to 1 is a hard thing to overcome and I can't promise that I can make it happen. The plus side is that every designer I have asked has said the same thing without my influence and that has been your logo. I'm going to try with everything that I can tomorrow to make the best decision. Also, it isn't necessary to change anything with your logo. I like the direction and right now I think that is the difference. The logos we are looking at are 2 totally different directions.
To clarify...the designers that I told you I've asked that have all said yours is the best choice are all outside of my team. That's the hard part. I really need to do a good job of leading tomorrow night. You could pray for me in that. Thanks for all your hard work and what I believe to be the best option we have received.
Thank you for letting me know all of that! Very cool. It's reassuring that fellow designers have seen the value in the vision that you and I have created as much as you and I do! :)
Because I have the habit of perpetually messing with my own work...I took the liberty of experimenting with the frame approach. This frame is useful and does add to the concept; it serves as both a viewscreen border (as in...television or computer monitor), which lines up perfectly with the Life Church logo. Both the frame used here and the border/background used with Life Church correspond nicely to one another. The benefit here: that frame may also be interpreted as a "window." Meaning, the light may be shining through the window...because it is clear. The frame used, when interpreted as a screen, may also be used to add to the concept that you are getting enlightenment through the television and/or computer monitor (as the sermons may be viewed via television or computer screen.)
:)
So, it all works out. Either way -- with or without the frame, it's a nice concept.
What do you think of these?
And yes, I am surely, definitely, and currently praying for the minds and hearts of listeners to be open to what you have to say tonight. :) God speed; my prayers are with you! :)
When you present to others tonight, you may want to try this:
-Isolate my new version of the icon (complete with border), and isolate the Life Church icon. Put them side by side; draw comparisons with the style of each. Note the "chunking" of graphics that make up each of the icons. Point out the horizontal/landscape type of rectangles (wider than they are tall), the rounded edges of both...and the symbolism of both shapes correlates ecceedingly well (due to both having a "screen" in them)...and the fact that each icon has letters within its grapics/structure (mine has more abstract letters, but they're letters nonetheless). Also let them know that in each design there is *heavy* use of symbolism. In this one, the symbolism reflects your name -- radiant, a light source, God...and HOPE! :) In Life Church, there is hope as well; their symbol reflects seeding churches..seeding HOPE and the message of sslvation, The Good News...hence the wheat seed that their letters are formed into. :)
-Then, isolate the icons of the other two designs...and speak about...well, whatever their message is; I can't speak for them. :D
That comparison of each icon of each design to the Life Church icon should open up their eyes!!!! :D
-I recommend using the "red" version of all three logos for this comparison, as that is the color scheme used in the Life Church logo. And, on the white background, as that allows for the most straightforward comparison.
-Again...I recommend using my most recent uploaded red version, with the border. :) And, even though I am recommending that you isolate the icon (bordered one) for the first half of your presentation...when you do present it as a full logo, either #582 (centered version) or #592 (horizontal version) are great ones to use. :)
I don't know if you want to copy the submission icons of each (separated from the text) into a Word doc and write some text (points to cover) for the first phase of the presentation -- each icon side by side with the Life Church icon...and then include the full logos of each for the last half of the presentation, side by side with the full Life Church logo...or if this is a series of PowerPoint slides that you will speak with...but either way, if you could write down what each logo "says" visually, on their own (without the comparison) in addition to the icon isolation portion of your presentation...I believe you will get your point across.
I have a P/T freelance biz outside of LogoTourmament. Have been doing this forever, lol... The one thing I find in presentations is this: the folks who are not "design savvy" need to develop a design sense. They don't "speak our language." :)
You and I, and other Designers, innately "see into" a design's structure and understand its purpose from a purely visual standpoint. Graphics have their own language, and we recognize the importance of an icon to speak without words..for it to **mean** something. You have to teach the uninitiated how to read and recognize this, in eacg design-- you have to translate it -- for them. Explain how an icon needs to have a message reflective of the mission of the church.
Breaking down the visual message of each via the isolation of the icons for each *without any text below or beside any of them*...will be ***key** to having them begin to see the value in this concept. :D I firmly believe this, and recommend this approach wholeheartedly. :D :D :D
I am once again typing this all out on my phone, lol...so if there are errors, please forgive me. :)
I do firmly believe expressing the meaning and or message tied to each will help them understand what the real benefits of this concept bring to the church. I hope you feel the same way. :D
Last but not least...know what the best quality I believe this concept imparts? HOPE. There is absolutely no mistaking it for being hopeful. It radiates, much like the Spirit of God does. :)
Hope you're having a great day!! Praying for you and the presentation. Take care! :)
Thank you for all your hard work! A lot of people see the vision of this after I explained last night. There are still a few that don't. The next thing we are going to do is decide color. I think the orange is what a few of us are going to propose. We are revealing the new launch to the entire church tonight. It would be awesome if I could get one of the variations by then. I would probably suggest the one that has the the blue on top (or the winner I selected) and possibly the ones that are only black and white. If I get it in time I'm going to do a sweet logo animation in before tonight! Thank you again.