Angels Nightclub
archmedia (584 points) | Tue, 2007-08-14 08:35
For those who are regulars here, seeing as there's been a mad influx of new members, most of you know that I tend to sketch alot of my stuff out. In doing so, i come up with random ideas that I've been known to just push aside for secondary projects that will be created or used down the road.... this is a PRIME example of that.
A friend of mine is working on a new nightclub/ultra lounge, he wasn't sure what to call it and he wanted me to pitch something to him. I dug this up and came up with the name and all, based on info he gave me of the style he's going for and everything else.. I've shown the original sketch i had from about 2 years ago, and i've shown where i'm at. Not sure how i feel about it all... I like it, but i'm not overly convinced. I think it could be a tad stronger of a concept, yet it's still different. Seems these days i've been seeing alot of clubs using the Century Gothic/Futura font for their names/logo's, so i just wanted something a little different...
as always, looking for feedback!
------------ UPDATE ------------
My friend LOVES the wings. He is after all the client, and though i feel i could tweak them a bit more, he's just wanting to run with this. Ironically, he's not sure the direction of his bar. he's got a bunch of concepts going. At the end of the day, he'll iron out his issues, and i walk away with another project under my belt, some cash in the wallet, and a sense of satisfaction.. i can't complain to be honest.
thank you everyone for the feedback, advice, opinions and thoughts.. with that said, here's the final...
I made the wings smaller, fully agreeing with what people said that they were slightly overpowering. I also added the devils tail to the "L" in angel. I wasn't keen on it, but i'm actually happy with it in the end. I just really really wanted to avoid the devil horns... hope it works...
------------ UPDATE #2------------
Some changes are to be made. after he sat on it for the night he wants some things changed. ironically, some of them i wasn't too keen on, and he's finally decided to change them. He doesn't want the devil tail after all. I got used to it, didn't mind it, but also won't mind it being removed. Being impartial to things never hurt, it's his identity, i'm just helping him convey it. He also wants to change the font for the "Nightclub" which i'd tried to do once before to no avail. Not sure what i want to do there... I'll post the updated image tonight when i work on it at home...
yet another set of thanks to everyone for the comments and feedback...
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Architectural Technician - Multimedia Designer
www.ArchMedia.us
I like it but I think the wings overpower the name. You should try to put the wings on the top of the logotype as a small crest or something.
Nice to see the sketch on paper too! :)
I like the typeface, but I think Ivan might be right about the wings overpowering the name. Also "nightclub & ultra lounge" feels a bit cramped. Maybe try "nightclub" to the left of the G and "ultra lounge" to the right.
Angels have an innocent, pure connotation. Is that what your friend wants to express in regards to his nightclub? If so, I think this concept would work. Otherwise you could put a twist on the angel concept and suggest something more mischievious which could be fun.
www.alessandraandy.com
As both Ivan and yourself have said, the wings are a little overpowering, though i'm sure everyone knows how it is looking at their own work, it seems fine till you throw it out to the wolves!
If you look up Pure nightclub in Las Vegas, he's going for that sort of white on white modernist/simplistic feel. Though he's not really using white, Pure does and he doesn't want to feel like he's copying them. He's leaning towards wood tones. I've been tempted to play with the mischievous side of it as you suggested, but i fear it'll be overplayed. I'm also leaning towards removing the Ultra lounge and just keeping "nightclub" so that i can make it fit a little more comfortably. I'll throw my new ideas up here tonight..
thanks!
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Architectural Technician - Multimedia Designer
www.ArchMedia.us
Those "wings" seem to have chevrons in them that remind me of stripes on an army sergeant's uniform. Is that intentional?
I think of traditional angel wings as more vertical than horizontal. Again, the emphasis on the horizontal has a military connotation. Intentional?
The handwritten "Angels" has a gang graffiti look. Third and last time, I promise: Intentional?
If the idea here is a sort-of "biker bar," Hell's Angels, WWII Army Air Corps squadron theme, or whatever, you're headed in the right direction.
If, on the other hand, your friend's bar name is just a play on the usual "drinking is devilish" idea, I think you might want to go more blatantly with vertical angel wings adjusted in some way to indicate the kind of mischief olliesan1 has in mind. Could be something as simple as one feather falling away.
Mara
again, one of those things you don't see till you show others, i never noticed the whole chevrons thing. Definitly not intentional, though interesting none the less. I'm not going for the bikers/army crowd. he's going for a more hip/modern crowd. Very "european" if i may say... don't know how to fully explain it. alot of it is still conceptual, even on his end.
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Architectural Technician - Multimedia Designer
www.ArchMedia.us
Can we get an overview of the style he wants?
I really like the hand scripted look you did for "Angel" and find it unique but see the script distracting on the small tag. The use of a nice Palatino all caps there could provide some needed contrast and anchor the design.
The wings are in a very 'neutral' and downward 'depressed' position and have a feeling of fingers on a hand. For a more happy go lucky environment upward wings would work better. I also agree with the others the current scale is overpowering the identity which limit it's ability to be scaled down.
The name has a ton of promotion promise and I think it would appeal to both men and women. I could even see the waitresses wearing little angel wings.
then yes, i'd share it.. but he's doing what we refer to as "design build" in essence, he has a space, he has a concept, he has some design sketches, he has some images of reference/influence. the contractor takes on the liability and you do away with the architect. VERY minimal floor plans get made. he doesn't have a full "brief" of sorts for his club, he's done it before in other cities VERY successfully might I add, so now he just rides by the seat of his pants and goes with the flow. I showed him the design and said it's a prelim, he understands all that and likes the direction i'm taking. I just have tweaks i'm gonna be making tonight based partially on what he said, but mainly on what was said here...
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Architectural Technician - Multimedia Designer
www.ArchMedia.us
Is it a strip joint? cause that's what this reminds me of. I'm not a fan of the wings though i like the type. The style of the wings feels really heavy handed and not particularly flattering in my opinoin
life is great; without it, you'd be dead.
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Perfectly Lost Designs
hahahaha
I was wondering how many posts it would take before someone suggest that... and for a minute there i thought i was avoiding it pretty well. No, not going for the strip club feel, though nightclubs these days seem to all have that raunch side to them. or is it just the people?
As mentioned before, i already have some ideas on how i want to massage this design a little, i'll post it tonight.
thanks for the post!
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Architectural Technician - Multimedia Designer
www.ArchMedia.us
I like the typeface for "Angels", but I think every other element distracts from it, as previously mentioned. I would simplify the wings - maybe make them smaller.
Overall I'm not super fond of it, it reminds me of those stickers that say like "90% Angel" that you get out of the quarter machines at the grocery store. Lemme see if I can find an example. Ah, here. It must be angel written in graffiti or something.
I like the idea of angel wings in a logo, and I think it could work. Keep it up. Try coming up with different wing designs to see if they work a little more complimentary to the type.
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Perfectly Lost Designs
Too complicated.
Downscale
Simplify.
I agree with plugz. I'd say this is a pretty good starting point. I would take what you have and see how many lines and decorations you can strip i from without the logo loosing it's concept. The logo right now doesn't seem very European to me. I get where you're coming from by not wanting to use Futura for a bar, but what about some stylish serif with some type treatment (maybe it morphs into wings...)???
Just a thought.
It's always nice to get the approval of the client on a design but the decision of your friend seems a bit rushed in my opinion and I feel the logo isn't quite finished.
It's almost like he's approved the concept and direction (which I love) but skipped the step of refining and hammering out all of the details in the design.
Oh no, why did you add a devil's tail?
/cry
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Perfectly Lost Designs
I do think the wings are positioned better. Though I think it needs to be the wings without the tail or the tail without the wings -choose the element you like most. I also think maybe the nightclub font is too similar to the Angels font, it needs some contrast. It does fit better without the "ultra lounge" but you could extend it out to the S in Angels, though it might be tricky with the L sitting below the baseline. I think you're moving in the right direction.
www.alessandraandy.com
Haha... I scrolled down to write my critique without reading anyone else's... luckily "oh no why did you add a devil's tail" popped out... LOL
The thing is, we are not angels when it comes to nightclubs. It doesn't fit. Your logo is appealing but thanks for VS it makes me think of a bra (ugh). You need to make it somehow wicked... like it's teasing us. People are into teasing, especially at night clubs. ;-)
So, add some red strokes somewhere or the devil's tail or horns. Anything to make better fit the nightlife/bar lifestyle/experience.
Best, Nadia
P.S. I like the "ultra lounge." It adds to the "extreme" lifestyle. Work hard, play harder.
I can see your point, but I totally disagree. If you want the logo to be "naughty" or a "tease" then why have the angel wings at all? Why even call it "Angels?" A naughty angel in my opinion is a way overused concept, and it is kind of a "tween" thing - at least where I live. Something 12-15 year old girls advertise on t-shirts. I guess if that's what they want, then go for it - but in my opinion it's changing something that is ethereal or surreal into something that is just trying too hard.
I like the use over "ultra-lounge" as well. Sounds better than nightclub in my opinion, but nightclub isn't bad either.
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Perfectly Lost Designs
though i believe in the ideal that i should only take on projects that are good for me, this is one that i'm bending parts of my own business ethics and rules. It's a friend i owe favors to but i'm not working for free. I'm not overly crazy on this one, though i don't hate it. I'd have taken it on even if it wasn't a friend, though i'd push different concepts and approaches alot more if it was any other client. it comes back to him having done this before overly successfully and i have confidence in him to pull it off again.
I personally hesitate on the "nightclub" word and MUCH prefer the idea of an Ultra-Lounge. It just sounds ALOT classier and more appealing. Maybe i'll just have to talk to him about things after a few beers :D hahaha
and yes, he's removing the devil tail cause it's been overplayed. He just wants it called angel, no pun on the devilish-angel...
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Architectural Technician - Multimedia Designer
www.ArchMedia.us
"Maybe i'll just have to talk to him about things after a few beers :D hahaha"LOL. That's the way to change a client's mind. I like it. :D
Sorry if I seemed pushy with the ideas, sometimes there's details that we don't know on our end when critiquing.
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Perfectly Lost Designs
not pushy at all... tone of voice is what's missing in IM's and online forums... i don't take much as pushy unless it's insanely obvious that the message is pushy.
You're absolutely right that info is often missing when making a critique, that's why i personally don't say much when people post a picture and don't add ANY information.
and yes, a few beers always helps to convince clients, especially when you're friends with them. (and no, i don't often do business for friends and family for a REAL good reason!)
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Architectural Technician - Multimedia Designer
www.ArchMedia.us
Yes, the devil's tail and horns have been used before but you know, I think it would work well in this logo.
Here's my thing, I'm not feeling the name. I don't want to be an angel on Friday nights and I don't know how your male demographic is going to respond. I hope you have a kick ass interior designer to continue the theme inside.
That said, on Friday nights I want my alter ego to run loose; hence the devilish side to the angel theme.
As for angels and teasing, it does indeed work, and works well. Naughty private school girl or naughty librarian... etc. You could have a really successful ad campaign if you went with the alter ego theme.
As for the wings, can you reduce that peak from the top? Makes it look like a bat wing.
Best,
Nadia
"Naughty private school girl or naughty librarian... etc. You could have a really successful ad campaign if you went with the alter ego theme."I think our views on nightclubs are very different. Nightclubs and Sex Shoppes are two different places where I live.
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Perfectly Lost Designs
Oh where I live there are no differences between nightclubs and sex shoppes. We are all swingers and LOVE it! Woohoo! LOL
Oh, and I will offer you one piece of professional advice: fix your site. You have an html error on it and if I saw that while looking for a designer you would go into the reject bin.
"Oh, and I will offer you one piece of professional advice: fix your site. You have an html error on it and if I saw that while looking for a designer you would go into the reject bin."I'm not working on that version of my site anymore. I'm working on a CSS-based XHTML redesign that should be up next week. Thanks for the advice, however; I'd rather you give it to me when I ask for it.
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Perfectly Lost Designs
and get some tact.
And please stop harassing me you troll.
lets not turn this into a pissing contest. to be honest, both people are out of line one more then the other but i'm not taking sides...
with that said, tact would be to just swallow your pride, not say anything and leave the other person be instead of pointing out faults and getting into a mud slinging contest. This thread, let alone this site, isn't here for ANY of that shit... not to mention, at least seraphim is posting her site for the public.
everyone should grow up. And yes, i'll be glad to delete the posting of the whole thread if people start acting like my 4 year old cousins..
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Architectural Technician - Multimedia Designer
www.ArchMedia.us
interesting, how not long after my comments you change your profile to not show your name or much information at all.... quite interesting indeed...
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Architectural Technician - Multimedia Designer
www.ArchMedia.us
FIRST: what is happening to this forum? If we all allowed for direct contact we can all take these fights outside.
WINGS: wings look awesome in your sketch and in your interpretation, but you have basically made leaqther wings - not enough poof to make it angelic.
At first glance I thought it was hands.
There is a bar called RED in Red Bank, NJ that does not use the color red anywhere -- you could try THAT. Of course -- they are a good example of overly-hip, but if you are going for "ultra-lounge" maybe that what you want.
Good luck with your client-friend. Thay can be the toughest customers.
I enjoy the updated ver. #2, wings/hands welcoming you into the lounge. Works for me.