DC United badge

[Krona]

Here's my attempt at a new look for DC United. It still feels a bit flat, so I'd like some feedback from fresh eyes. Let me know what you think:

[ColeJ]

the monument would look more natural, if it disappeared behind the ribbon, instead of above it. as it stands now, it looks like a short/fat nubby washington monument..

[Krona]

[BB61]

I like this. It maintains the original theme while making it look less cartoonish and, like you said, a little more DC-centric. Nice work.

[IceCap]

Very nice. Here are some suggestions....

remove the "96" from the eagle, and the "DCUFC" from the monument. Then, change the ribbon to say "DC" to the left of the soccer ball and "UNITED" to the right of the ball. To finish it up but "EST. 1996" on the monument where you currently have "DCUFC".

[eRay]

it bothers me that the word 'united' is seperated.

[DDR]

Agreed. I'd prefer to see the word "United," well, united.

[BallWonk]

I like the general idea, and your technical execution is great. Good balance of red and black, too, at least as far as better matching the team's uniforms. The monument bit, though, doesn't look to me anything like the Washington Monument. It looks more like the squat monstrosities they used to use for grave markers in the Congressional cemetery. Suggestions for the monument:

-Make it a little bit taller overall.

-Make the peak, in particular, taller and more acute. You're showing the Monument as seen from very near the base, not as it's seen in most of Washington.

-Your shading, particularly on the peak, makes the monument look like it's made of iPod plastic, not stone. Honestly, where does that white highlight on the left come from? Flat stone surfaces never, ever look even remotely like that.

-Tip: The top of the monument has red navigation lights to warn planes away. Red is a team color. Including the nav lights and/or the observation windows, which from the ground appear black, could be a "you got your chocolate in my peanut butter!" moment for your design.

I second the objections to splitting the word "United". I would break the text on the banner as follows: "DC - UNITED - FC". I'm also a bit put off by the business of the aesthetics up the middle. Making the laurel wreath contained within the monument, atop the little ball, creates an unintended feel of a figure-eight or a set of buttons on a shirt. Wreaths are usually used as a sort of border; our eyes are trained to see them that way, so it's a bit jarring to see the wreath used as such a small interior element. Also, what's the meaning of the black sun rays around the ball? That element feels pasted on, and to my eye it just doesn't say "DC".

Another idea: The actual Washington Monument is surrounded by a ring of 50 flags. Perhaps instead of your ribbon, which honestly is kind of generic, what about using a set of overlapping flags across the bottom to spell out "United" or whatever? Would look much more like DC and the Washington Monument than the ribbon.

But please refer again to my praise at the beginning -- this concept has a lot going for it in my book.

[cyandlux]

Too many elements. Simplify and youve really got something.

[Saturn]

Too many elements. Simplify and youve really got something.

Agreed. Also take the FC off.

[Leonard]

Very classy.

[rams80]

Very classy.

Ya needs stripes

[kabubbies]

I like it.

Maybe add something for the four championships the team has won, four stars somewhere or four stipes