Here are some of my proposals. Instead of creating a separate icon / typography combination, I've created an all encompassing logo / unit. One that can be used for additional elements just as watermarks and favicons.
The logo is 100% vector so will scale well to any size, and works well in full colour, B&W and on coloured backgrounds if needed,
It would be my pleasure to work up any variations so please do say. I look forward to your comments or thoughts.
Ok, we like what you've done here with #9 (and the black and white version - that's perfect, we'd like to have both). Some feedback for tweaks:
1. The "Summer English Institute" text will be too small when we use it on letterhead. So, what are some ways you can make that text bigger and more readable? Maybe spread "Summer English" around the top, and then "Institute" curving around the bottom?
2. In that text's place, we would like a single open book facing up so you can see both pages. The imagery is that this book is the foundation of everything.
3. Play around with the dotted lines and things a little bit. Just some different options.
4. This may be a long shot, but reference the "net" over the globe effect on our main logo at http://wanetusa.org/. How could we incorporate that into this logo? Maybe not possible. How could you combine the WAnet logo and this SEI logo so that they would appear side by side? Wondering if your creativity might know how that might happen?
Looks great though and looking forward to what else can be done!
Thanks for the great feedback and direction, always appreciated!
Will work on these and submit variations for you.
All options shouldn't be a problem - the only one that might, as you say, be a long shot is the "net". I'll try and incorporate this somehow. However it might end up being that it looks like too much is going on ... But we can try :)
And here are those variations ... Each one slightly different.
With the last one (#15), I tried incorporating the "net" idea, but not the same as the wanetusa.org version as this wouldn't sit right in the logo, but a version of (if that makes sense). Of course I had to remove the books at the top though.
We like #16, here are some tweaks we'd love to see.
If you see the Wake Forest logo I uploaded, notice how the outside edges aren't so bumpy? Could you smooth it out just like that logo?
Similarly, what if you took the "Summer English" and "Institute" text and put it outside the circle, just like the Wake Forest logo? That's what we want.
Does the "SEI" have to be dead center? Probably, but if you lowered it, it would create more room.
We'd like to have the "skyscraper books" AND the globe net both if possible.
One other idea - what if this logo had more contrast? Something with a white background? Maybe the circle where the text currently is could be white background?
We'd love to see a few different versions of this, just play with it? Thanks.
On #17, could you turn all the orange into white (like #10).
And, I really do love this font, especially for the "SEI", but do you think you could use a more Sans Serif font so that it's more readable when the logo is smaller. Obviously it will be readable when it's printed largely, but I'm thinking if it's on a letter head of a paper, can people read "Summer English Institute"?
Some other variations to play with, based off of #17:
1. Get rid of lower book (too busy), definitely keep the stacks of books 2. What are other options for the circle? If no bumps, then what? Plain circle? What you have may be what we go with, but just wondering if there are other options. 3. Replace stars with Statue of Liberty Torch, or keep stars and add Torch somewhere. 4. Try the globe net as the background for the whole inner circle
5. Another version: since the lower book is now removed, maybe put "Summer English Institute" back in the bottom, now with more space, larger font.
Also, on #23, I liked the original font for the "SEI" just need a more readable one for "Summer English Institute" text. That may be against the rules of design to mix fonts, but could you try it?
Not a problem at all ... And don't worry you can have a mix of fonts :) General rule is no more than 3 in general design, but its often a personal thing.
Here are some variations:
#28 - SEI font original again, stars back, B&W, globe all of inner #29 - as per above, but now with the bumpy/rosette edge #30 - as per above, but with the lines above SEI going all the way to the edge
Yes! Ok #30 is getting really really close. No major design changes as of now. This may be the exact one we end up with.
Next step - could you basically use a paint bucket type tool and make a color version of this logo with the same colors as the WAnet logo (uploaded to contest brief)? Something that harmonizes with the WAnet logo side by side. It may look dumb.
Maybe some gradient or bevel/shadow/typical photoshop type effects to spruce up a color version.
Not a problem at all, here are some colour options! Basically I took the colours from the WAnet logo, and applied it to this one.
I think overall #31 has the better combination and sits easier on the eye.
As a side note, these are all vector logos, which is the industry standard and how we have to work here on logotournament. This means they can be scaled to any size without the loss of quality, which is then perfect for any printing (and also what printers will ask for these files). So I won't be able to do any photoshop effects I'm afraid. That said the WAnet looks like its also originally vector due to the flat colour, so it will probably be good, since they'll be next to each other, to keep the same style.
Right I think its time for my evening dinner here in London :)
These color combinations don't really thrill us much. We'll keep thinking of some color options, but personally I kind of like the gray and white.
One minor change on #30. Let's get rid of the dashes on either side of "Institute". Simplifies things a little, and then that new version will be the leading logo.
We could always do something like this: #38 Which uses similar colours to the WAnet, but a bit stronger. All the previous colours were directly from that.
We like the #43 color the best. I have yet to sit down and discuss in depth with my colleague, so some changes may be coming. Speaking of colors, is there a way to play with different shades of black/grey/white on #37?
Also on #43, what if you made the globe net a different color? That same navy blue? Grey? Something to make it stand out a little more. Right now it can get lost because it's such a light color.
Ok, I talked it over with my colleague, and we still think we need a version with the same WAnet logo colors. I personally like the navy/red.
So, if you were to modify #48, could you make the horizontal SEI cross background shape black, then the inner circle the same maroon as the WAnet logo, with black patterned edges. And white stars, so we don't introduce another color.
Also, what are the two fonts you are using? I want to explore incorporating them into other aspects of our publications.
#53 - 100% black and maroon, globe and books navy #54 - as per above, but black globe and books #55 - as per above, but 90% black instead of 100%
The main reason for #55 and the 90% black is because that's what I've used for options #37 and #52. I often find 100% black is very hard, so dropping it still keeps it black but a bit softer.
Here's his idea: on #58, make the gold stars maroon, outlined with white. Like a star within a star. This might help create a red, white, and blue American feel to it (even though yes, it's maroon, not red).
Ok, yes, we have selected #63 as the winner! This looks nice. Could you please go ahead and upload #62 and #60 as well, just different color variations of the winning one, in case we need to use them for different backgrounds, etc.
Thanks for your prompt work throughout this process. We are very pleased with the end result.