I think the bottom version is more successful. Although the color "wave" treatment in the type is a fairly common effect, it works here because the typeface reinforces the movement in the graphic, as in the top of the "q" and "a" ... it's simple and really a good choice.

The "UNLIMITED" typeface doesn't work as well. Not loving that font, my eye keeps going to the "M" because it's so weighty , and there seems to be a big space in the "LI" combination. Adjusted kerning or a lighter weight of this font may help.

The "AU" mark is very clever, although I first read it as "AV". Perhaps some tweaking of those serifs? Overall, it has good balance and rhythm with the wordmark.

Nice work. The logo seems totally appropriate for your client. I like the flat version on the worksheet in the same font too.

In the top variation, my eye reads TI as the Hebrew word chai. It's a busy font, drawing too much attention to itself.

I prefer the second treatment, but neither of them says plants and other aquarium accessories to me. I get the fish, but when I studied your logo before reading your notes, I thought this was for a swimming pool facility or maybe a company dealing in products for pool maintenance, maybe because of the similarity of the color combinaton and wave theme to the logo for the BioGuard line http://www.bioguard.com/products.shtml . (I once had a client who owned a chain of stores that sold this stuff, which is maybe why I made that association. The average person probably wouldn't.)

Your fish are clever. Two of them in that juxtaposition to each other say Pisces. Could one of the fish be an aquatic plant, perhaps? Are these two PMS colors, or one, screened and 100%? I can't tell. If you're using two colors, why not blue and green?

Mara

I think the first version would look the best as an out door sign, but for screen and print only the second version looks best.

but like i said the first version would look good outside back lit, the gradient in the second version would have to be those expensive plastic cut out letters.

I love the logo (bottom one), but it looks like a pool supply store. I didn't really notice the fish in the AU art until it was mentioned by Mara. Though I like how you fit them in there, it still doesn't say "fish & tank supplies" to me.

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Visit Creative Guy for graphics and Mac OS tips, tricks, tutorials and commentary

I like the fish they're pretty cool, the aqautics type isn't working for me, the first version seems to remind me of the Atlantis Hotel, and the other one, well it's a little too playful

First of all, I love the fish, and I could see it as a very strong icon for a logo.

My problem with these is that before I read your description, I thought they were for a scuba diving store - and I think it's because of the type. The first one looks too much like a "resort" font, and the second is just a little too retro. Out of the two, though - I think the second is stronger. I would agree with earlier posts, that the "Unlimited" looks kind of awkward, it's font doesn't really match either of the other type-faces. It also seems to be in a a little too unimportant place/size for how important it is. It's part of the name right? It seems like where it is it's like a caption, or an extra description - like there is supposed to be a "limited" edition as well.

I'm also liking the colour scheme, they are some good saturations of blue in my opinion. Keep it up and keep us posted. I look forward to updated versions. :)

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Perfectly Lost Designs

Too bad the business name couldn't be something more descriptive and specific. Aquatic Pet Supplies, Aquatics: A Fish Store, or something along those lines...

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Powerpoint is not a design application

finally took up the courage to post here. Like everybody else, I'm drawn to the second one as well. Like the fish, the colors and the weight of the font but I didn't get the AU connection right away probably because "unlimited" is so downplayed in the whole design. The serifs serving as the fish tails also made the letters not so recognizable. Maybe some sort of fish in tank graphics similar to your AU execution could help solve the store's identity problem a bit?

(-_-)

I like the under one,
To be honest, I like it more without the AU symbol,
becuase the wavy "acuatics" font look very pretty, and the AU doesn't match with it. AU symbol's corners are too sharp, and Acuatic too curved and smooth, doesn't match.

I'm the black sheep of the bunch. I prefer the first one. The typography and lack of gradients inside the text will work well in all color spaces - B/W, Greyscale, CMYK, RGB. I think the "T" and the "I" could use a little kerning adjustment between to separate them so they don't come out looking more like the "pi" symbol.

The color variation between the "U" fish and the beginning of the business name is also helpful - it assists the eye in seeing that there are two separate elements to look at - the light blue "U" next to the second variaion when viewed from a distance makes the eye try to put the fish and "Aquatics" together, which has me trying to say "Uaquatics".... or even then, "Vaquatics".

Love the fish emblem, though - very creative.

... And I'm a dork - I just looked at the date of this submission and realized that this was a long time ago. Sorry, folks. :b