Surf Mountain Logo Update.
Gregorr (133 pencils) | Wed, 2011-01-05 17:43
Hey guys
I've been following the Creative Bits critique page for some time now.
I am not a qualified designer but have designed a few logo's for friends and work colleagues, and hope to one day pursue a career in web/graphic design.
I work for this company and offered to try and update their logo.
The store has two floors, the first floor is a surf shop and the top floor sells outdoor adventure gear.
Any guidance would be appreciated.
Greg
—
No amount of technology can save a bad idea.
Commenting on this Image is closed.
Oh, I forgot to mention, the top logo is their current one.
No amount of technology can save a bad idea.
Yup, second one is a winner for me. I'd fix the "since '84". It stands out like a sore thumb.
Leaky Penny
Check out what I've been up to lately!
http://petersonjoseph.com
I'm going to print it out and eat it.
-Unknown Artist
i think youve done an exceptionally good job, for someone who doesnt consider themselves a designer!
but i have to say that their existing mark is stronger
I too agree that the existing mark is stronger. I'd want to buy gear with that logo on it.
Of the ones you've created the middle one is the better of the two. Not sure the hues of green and blue are spot on yet. Have you tried it in black and white to see if the same feel comes through? I imagine they'd want to use the mark in newspaper ads, so it is something to consider.
Also, have you tried "Surf" in regular type and not italics? In italics, it makes me want to read it as "SURF mountain" instead of "surf mountain".
I would lose the "since '84" too distracting. Taglines aren't really meant for a logo. Nice job!
You're rubbing up against pure genius with that bottom logo. I can see someone building an entire new corporate identity around that one. Good work even if you have no idea what I'm talking about or why I think it's good. And let's face it - you don't. So I'll just randomly toss some ideas around and hope you get lucky again when you fix it - but first you need to be brought down a peg because I can see you're getting cocky already... The original logo has a better mountain - okay your wave is smoother - but use the original mountain and fix their wave. Now... what's with the color? Shouldn't the name "SURF MOUNTAIN" tell you what colors to use if you want to make a TWO COLOR logo? Yeah - not so cocky now are we, Einstein? And you could be a blind man and realize which color goes where too - doncha think? Why is the mark split in half? If you try to tell me that has something to do with your shop being on two floors I'm going to stop the car, turn around and slap that silly grin off your face. Finally, does the outer shape on the mark ADD anything to the logo or does it box in something that's supposed to be outdoors? Do you smell what Art is cooking? Let's hope so.
Still good work. Yeah - you're just throwing darts, but sometimes you get lucky and hit the cat anyway. Fix it and send me a t-shirt.
Agree that the existing mark is the strongest, A for effort though.
Art D Rector, you are the cocky jerk-head and a terrible designer... can you show us that Masthead you created again?
There are design snobs, and then there are fucking cunts.
Ricky Sam
www.rickysam.com
http://gumbercules.com/even_jesus.jpg
Leaky Penny
Check out what I've been up to lately!
http://petersonjoseph.com
I'm going to print it out and eat it.
-Unknown Artist
Hahaha....
No amount of technology can save a bad idea.
i think art d may have had a couple to drink when that critique was written... and we all get 2 free passes for that ; )
I compliment the guy's work and I get called derogatory names in return? That's not very nice. Especially from someone who's website claims...
"I’m a professional Christchurch based freelance designer."
Not really sure if that's very accurate since - if I remember correctly - Christ wasn't very big on the term "fucking cunt." Hey - we're both professionals here, so we know advertising and we both understand you can't believe everything you read on a website. But since you're going down that road anyway, maybe you should edit that line so it's more effective? Perhaps something like...
"I'm a jerk head fucking cunt Christchurch based freelance designer."
I guarantee that will get more people's attention. Remember... I'm here to help.
Good job (#2) I think you could go forward, still need some adjusting on vector. The idea is very good but don't like the shapes.
yes I'm brazilian xD
Way to go Gregorr! I beleive you have the nice designer touch, but I would suggest you change the mountain, I mean drive away from their original iconic mountain and see what happens. I think it'll be a stronger identity when you bring a new thing, especially when you use the suitable colors scheme.
www.ramziarabi.com
Wow,..cool, thank you very much for all the feedback!
I will syphon through all of your suggestions and come back with an update soon.
I feel very encouraged.
I was surprised to read many of you thought the original was stronger, I took some time to consider this and agree to a certain extent, but still feel that it looks terribly dated.
I found your comments very amusing artDrector, although a little confusing, but as you said, that was to be expected.
I did cut the logo in half because the upstairs and downstairs section of the shops, although both very outgoing*, have very different personalities and customer base. I'm not sure why this would be a bad thing to do?
No amount of technology can save a bad idea.
It's not a bad thing to do - it's a clever way to suggest one aspect of your business. This is what makes a good designer - being able to visually convey an idea thru shape, form, color, typography, etc... (I was being sarcastic above) If you considered that angle in the design process, you might have a future as an artist. But I would suggest you take it even further - ask yourself how and why your business is divided and how you can better suggest that in the mark. Don't just randomly split the mark in half - split it in the proper place for a reason. Design is logical - it makes sense.
Then apply those same thoughts to the typography and the colors. Use italics for a reason (or don't use it if you don't have a reason). Color is not random - colors tell a story... red suggests passion, yellow suggests cowardice, etc... What colors would enhance your concept and reinforce the idea behind the business? Think it thru and use color appropriately. Keep in mind design is a process - it's very rare that the first thing you put on paper is a winner. Think it over. Move on to other ideas. Come back to it. Improve it.
So far as the original logo - there are a couple reasons why everyone likes that one. It's very iconic - it's a simple representation of the mountains and the surf that works very well. That is a hallmark of a good logo - simple, clean, iconic. Your new wave is better - but I think the original mountain is better. You're smart - you figure out why. That's where shape and form play a part - the original mountain tells us something and your mountain tells a different story.
Hope that clarifies things. Believe it or not - these are the same ideas from my first post. :-) I really think you're onto something with the bottom one, and this is a wonderful logo for a newbie to learn these concepts because - if you just sit down and think about it logically... everything should fall into place without a whole lot of sweat.
superb explanation ArtD! ; )
in reference to your description of the original version as more "iconic" that is so right on!
looking at it, i immediately get whats going on. and thats what a good logo / mark needs to do. the two that the OP has done also do that. but they dont do it quite as well as an ensemble. and the type, though competent - distracts from the mark.
It's going to be tough to top the original mark imo. The oval makes it look a little dated, but the icon is wonderful and the typography is simple and sweet. I'd like to see the undercurl fixed and maybe drop the outer border on the oval. BAM - "updated" (like Starbucks:)
That said, I also think there is a very nice - different mark - hiding in that bottom one. Don't know if it would be as effective as the original, but certainly there's something there I could sell all day long.
Yeh, I always did think the original image was strong, this is why I didn't kill it completely.
I just felt it was very 'eighties', the oval particularly, so thought putting it inside a more modern shape would bring it forward.
I also thought that making the wave and mountain look more realistic would help it look more modern and give, ugh....I don't know? Richness perhaps?
After all the comments about the original I went back and did exactly what you suggested above.
Although it does look great I'm still not happy with the overall feel the layout gives you.
It doesn't have any FUN in it.
I work downstairs in the surf department (it's not really a department,......it's just me), we sell surfboards, wetsuits, skateboards, frisbees etc. Essentially toys for boys, so I wanted the new logo to represent this fun side to Surf Mountains personality.
Everything I've done has been aimed at making the logo more modern, less clinical and represent both the fun, and serious sides to the store.
Admittedly, due to my inexperience, I have been making most decisions with more of shotgun approach, rather than using my head, which is a lesson I'm learning, and after reading your advice will certainly give my decisions more careful thought in the future.
I'm very intrigued by this different mark you see hiding in my second attempt, unfortunately I'm having difficulty seeing it, but it's it's a riddle I'm having fun trying to solve. If I get it, I want a t-shirt.
I really appreciate all the guidance.
I will keep working on this and post my updates soon.
No amount of technology can save a bad idea.
Rework it and repost it (in a new thread please - nobody likes it when new stuff is posted in an old thread) - then we'll discuss it some more. In the meantime, your thinking should be SIMPLIFY. Don't worry about richness or whether it's modern looking - worry about surfing and climbing mountains. That's what you're selling here.
I still think your a cunt.
Ricky Sam
www.rickysam.com
*You're
Leaky Penny
Check out what I've been up to lately!
http://petersonjoseph.com
I'm going to print it out and eat it.
-Unknown Artist
(|)
http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/2968/bitchnn.jpg
Ricky Sam
www.rickysam.com
Thanks for clarifying that, riq - because previously there were a couple options and I wasn't sure if you thought I was a design snob or a fucking cunt. Now there's no confusion.