OPTIMUS THREAD: APPRENTICE

[gingerbreadmann]

I feel I need to interject again. Are you guys working in RGB? If so, you better convert to CMYK or Pantone values. Your RGB stuff won't reproduce correctly when printed.

Yup, I completely forgot about that. I still don't grasp all the color type/usage stuff but I should have remembered that.

Here's another variation:

Again this is a rough version, there's a lot of empty space that needs sorted out.

Hmm... I like it, I do. I just think it focuses too much on the logo and isn't enough of a wordmark so it would look a little awkward on a T-Shirt because of the shape. Also I think it could be a little more modern, but it's a nice start for sure.

[lets_go_red]

I feel I need to interject again. Are you guys working in RGB? If so, you better convert to CMYK or Pantone values. Your RGB stuff won't reproduce correctly when printed.

Yup, I completely forgot about that. I still don't grasp all the color type/usage stuff but I should have remembered that.

Here's another variation:

Again this is a rough version, there's a lot of empty space that needs sorted out.

Hmm... I like it, I do. I just think it focuses too much on the logo and isn't enough of a wordmark so it would look a little awkward on a T-Shirt because of the shape. Also I think it could be a little more modern, but it's a nice start for sure.

I think you're exactly right gbm...as far as patch logos, I was thinking of putting an interlocking "NSS" over the state of North Carolina inside a circle that reads North State Senators Softball Club, but it might be a little to old school for the way we are going. I know I wasn't really here for the primary/wordmark part...sorry I was in Chicago for a couple of days. But what if we went with a cursiph kind of text. I mean when I think of Senators I think old school...maybe thats just me.

[ShinyHubCaps]

A couple of things for our Wednesday afternoon update:

1.) In seeing the concepts, as well as William's link of North Carolina symbols, it seems as if red would work the best to complement the blue and white/silver. So, in thinking about your concepts, one of the following will be our color set (no CMYK or PANTONE values yet, but I imagine the final package will have all value configurations):

2.) A friend from North Carolina has informed me that the State Capitol building is more recognizable than the General Assembly and pointed out, as did William, that it used to house the General Assembly. In moving forward, I suggest that we try to incorporate this rather than the General Assembly. I say this reluctantly because GBM's logo was very good as well, but hopefully we can move forward with something resembling my first logo or William's latest, both of which use the State Capitol dome.

Here is my first logo again, and in the next day (hopefully), I will be able to streamline this a bit. As Bruschi mentioned, the star isn't working as well I had hoped.

I will post an updated version as soon as I'm finished.

3.) Bruschi and Troy both have good ideas for a patch. Don't be afraid to make it look old school if you have to, because I'm working on a modern one, and we'll be happy to have an old-school one should we decide to go that direction. In fact, I encourage everyone to post their ideas for a secondary, and I hope to see a couple of them by this time tomorrow as we move forward in our logo decisions. As a general rule, the patch should be smaller and with less detail, and if you would like to inscribe it within a shape (such as a circle, the outline of the state, or anything else), that would work the best for the patch.

I'd say that for the patch, think maybe along the lines of NBA secondary logos. They are clean, small, and convenient, and any letters are in the style of the wordmark. (Of course, we're not settled on the style of wordmark yet, but we can easily change any lettering that you may have to match the primary when complete.)

[mania]

I really, really think a slightly deeper red would work world's better. The bright, pure red against the blue has a tendency to look kind of pink-ish.

Maybe something like the Angels primary shade?

[ShinyHubCaps]

I thought I went deep enough on the red, and I wanted a darker shade, so I will certainly change it.

Here is my first albeit messy attempt at a secondary; again, I really look forward to seeing the rest of your ideas.

EDIT: Here are the updated color options.

[gingerbreadmann]

I really, really think a slightly deeper red would work world's better. The bright, pure red against the blue has a tendency to look kind of pink-ish.

Maybe something like the Angels primary shade?

I think that is a great thought. I don't think we should have two 'primary' colors, rather something that would have one complement the other instead of both colors trying to draw your attention. Royal Blue by itself is pretty strong so do you guys think this shade of red is subtle enough to complement it and not kind of take over, but strong enough to hold it's own?

Well if we're going with the State Capitol then I'll trash my other logo and see what I can come up with.

[ShinyHubCaps]

Well if we're going with the State Capitol then I'll trash my other logo and see what I can come up with.

Aww, now I feel guilty. I'd hate to see you "trash" anything. You pulled off the star much better than I did... In fact, would it be possible to do the "NORTH (star) STATE" on a banner below the rest of the wordmark? I think a "scroll" effect with tapered sides would look cool as well. This logo is full of them.

I'd also like to see some font suggestions apart from the architecture if anyone has any.

[mania]

Can only speak for myself, but I think it does look a lot better, comparatively.

[lets_go_red]

This is my idea for the shoulder patch. I think it could work without the circle part behind it. I'm also debating adding stitches to the circle so it would look like a softball....ideas anyone???

[ShinyHubCaps]

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c346/badgerguy27/nss2.png

This is my idea for the shoulder patch. I think it could work without the circle part behind it. I'm also debating adding stitches to the circle so it would look like a softball....ideas anyone???

Brilliant! I also tried a circle logo with stitches, and it wasn't great... the stitches are comparatively smaller on a softball relative to a Mets-like baseball logo, and they don't show up as well. You wouldn't want to clutter it, either.

I eagerly await the critiques from the rest of the team, because it looks like a winner (maybe without the outer circle?). How were you planning the colors would be configured?

Also, if we use this, we'd probably need something like William's varsity lettering for the primary (wordmark).

[mania]

For the shoulder patch, I would say add the lines, but not the stitching if that makes sense (see: the ball in glove).

Alright, it might be generally getting ahead of things, but I think we've got some good stuff to build off of elsewhere... has there been any thought to what style the custom numbers should be?

[jake22]

hey guys, sorry that i haven't said anything yet, i have just been really busy. I love let-go-red's sholder patch idea.

As for the main logo, i was thinking that some powder blue would look great! because the red just looks a little out of place, i know its the red white and blue but idk maby someone could just try it.

[heernumurr]

I think the sleeve patch idea looks good, but it's not original. The "state outline" thing has been done loads of times before, and considering the imagery of our logo/wordmark isnt going to be groundbreaking, I reckon we should try to be more innovative with the patch. I'm going to try something with some other North Carolina imagery I've found.

As for the custom numbers, they're going to have to fit with the rest of the identity, so I reckon we need to get a wordmark sorted first.

[gingerbreadmann]

I loosely traced Troy's logo... It's missing something but I don't know what? (I left out the text for now)

Edit: I'm thinking I agree with William about this too.

Jake, how would powder blue work with Royal Blue do you think?

[heernumurr]

Again, I like the idea, and GBM, you've executed it very well. It's just boring, especially now I see a properly rendered version. Just because it looks like a baseball team might use it, doesn;t mean THIS baseball (softball) team should.

[heernumurr]

Powder blue with a darker background:

[mania]

Well, here was my take on it.

Admittedly, for time reasons, the map was pulled off a NC Map .pdf, figured if we used anything close to this we'd need to make a less detailed one for printing reasons.

[mania]

and re: the darker blue, there's no guarantee, or really reason to think, these won't be the most primary royal blue shirts imaginable, and I think with that color, the powder blue would have to be lighter to work off of it, and with a lighter royal blue, the white might get lost.

[mania]

Hot damn, a triple post...

But looking at the vectorized version, I saw a few small changes I'd like to make.

And although it might not be the most ground-breaking or original design, I think it's very solid and might end up being the thing that best fits our primary.

[ShinyHubCaps]

Here's my attempt at the primary. It's more shortened than the sketch, which would be optimal since it's a wordmark first and a "primary" second.

Here is an .ai file in case someone wants to brush up on it: http://www.mediafire.com/?9zzmpz99fhy. And yes, I know that I didn't arrange the colors in the best possible way. This is mostly for structure.

Having said that, I would like to see William's design somewhat shortened. For sizing, imagine the highest point to be just under the collar and still have the wordmark across the chest.

Also, now that we don't have any star-flags, I'd be open again to some other colors, like the powder blue above, or even the green again. I hate to backtrack, but if we get a killer logo and someone says that the colors would look better differently, then I wouldn't mind seeing some variations.

We have 16 hours to (hopefully) get our logos in, so I'd like to see anything and everything that you may have.

Finally, quick poll: Which would you be more proud of moving forward in this contest, or which do you imagine the judges would prefer: something clean, or something groundbreaking (or both)? I think we have a good start on the wordmark, but this question was mentioned about the secondary, and I'm undecided. If there's something else that we can do, something unique or whatever, please submit your thoughts. I'd love to have a simple, iconic logo (like the Optimus logo) if at all possible, but at this point, any clean logo that peaks my interest is worth consideration. I'll be interested to see what everyone brings to the table in the next 16 hours before our (tentative) logo deadline.