Optimus Thread- Apprentice Challenge 4

[Cola]

Alright guys, the challenge was just posted. Our requirements:

1. Create a new logo from scratch (no current elements) for the Beijing Olympics.

2. Create a mascot to represent the event.

Winning team gets a head start on the next challenge AND this will put us a good ways ahead of Prodigy.

The timeline for our challenge will go as follows:

- Suggestions/Concepts for logo by Thursday (7/31) at 11:59pm.

- Selection/Tweaking/Final of logo by Saturday (8/2) at 11:59pm.

- Suggestions/Concepts for mascot by Sunday at noon.

- Selection/Tweaking/Final of mascot by Monday (8/4) at 11:59pm.

- Putting package together and assuring it flows well by Tuesday at noon.

- Any touchups or last minute changes/edits will be resolved after the above point to assure we are prepared.

Below is the current logo:

IMO, it isn't very impressive. The best part of it is the wordmark and how it slightly resembles the Chinese alphabet/type.

Be thinking about China, the culture of the country, symbols it is known for and can be related to it, AND a figurehead (aka mascot) that goes well.

I know the schedule is tight, but there is lots of work to be done and it is imperative that we stay focused and on schedule.

[mania]

I am honestly trying to think and just drawing a blank. Is there anything that is very distinctly Chinese/Beijing that would work?

Maybe something involving architecture and the torch or something.

[mania]

Actually, maybe something involving this?

It's the Chinese characters for Competition. Maybe kind of hidden in the negative space of whatever else we work in.

[Cola]

Well, from what I was told- the current logo is actually very similar to the chinese symbol for "jing" as in Bei-jing which means "capital". I am not sure we should jump straight to Chinese symbolism although it is certainly a safe path, and if someone comes up with something unique and interesting using them- it is certainly worth going for. I have a few ideas of my own but it is too late to work them out...rather do it on my company's time tomorrow at work haha.

[Cola]

Another quick note: don't be afraid to tap into your abstract art skills in this challenge...an Olympic logo isn't always, especially when consider China and it's culture, bound by crisp design rules that we would normally expect from a logo. A lot of Chinese/Asian art often appears with that smeared/brushed look...something to think about.

Also, a dragon is an obvious choice for a mascot or possibly even an element in the event logo.

EDIT: One more quick thing...thinking "outside the box" will be important for this challenge in my opinion. For example, in my opinion, Chinese art/design is more timeless in contrast to Western design...we are always looking for the fresh, new, on the edge design and most designs seem to improve with the times- although, of course, there are many examples of our own timeless designs. Asian designs seem to stick to a more strict and basic structure that, while timeless, always fits and looks well as it blends with the strong culture and history. I'm not saying to keep it simple and play safe...but more to do some research on Chinese culture and Chinese design/art to get a feel and understanding before you go to the pen and pad.

[ShinyHubCaps]

Also, a dragon is an obvious choice for a mascot or possibly even an element in the event logo.

Just read this, but I was already thinking of this for a mascot:

My research will likely consist of figuring out the significance of these parade dragons, but they do look cool.

[lets_go_red]

We could always go for a ninja mascot or logo too...it would be dynamic and display atheletic elements. We could also tap into something like the Terra Cota Warriors, Chinese Temples, or the ever popular smog

[Cola]

sometimes the talk in both of these threads is distracting- especially when i see someone mention an idea i am working on...makes me want to abandon it totally...

[mania]

Ninja's Japanese in heritage.

Something that is a big piece of Chinese folklore is Tigers. Maybe we could use it in the logo or for the mascot.

[lets_go_red]

Well if not ninjas, then martial arts such as kung fu. Also doing some research these guys could be pretty cool...

Chinese Guardian Lions

[mania]

how about something like this, with the ruboff becoming the flame?

[mania]

sometimes the talk in both of these threads is distracting- especially when i see someone mention an idea i am working on...makes me want to abandon it totally...

I say we move ahead however we choose, regardless of what they do. Honestly, I'd much rather see there be smaller boards opened up to where we wouldn't be posting basically side by side.

But there's been nothing suggested, on either side, that I think could ever be interpreted as "stolen", at least so far. They've all been fairly broad and base ideas, nothing that either side wouldn't come to on their own. Once an actual concept logo gets put up, things might go out the window.

Also, another idea.

How about koi fish, 5 in each of the colors, swimming around making the Olympic rings with the waves?

[heernumurr]

Hey folks, interesting challenge here. On one hand it's great for me, on the other it really sucks, here's why:

This is 100% the route I would have suggested we take, and I've done a large amount of research on Chinese imagery very recently. But I've already used this concept for my IFA team, and recycling the logo would be lazy. So I'm going to have to dig even deeper for new ideas.

That said, I'm really behind Cola's idea of going abstract with this. In my opinion, Olympic logos couldn't be further away in style from the kind of Americanised sports logo we all discuss regularly on this forum. The Olympics is more than a sporting event and we should treat the logo as such. I think the mascot will be closer in style to a sports logo once we get round to it. I'll try and get a few concepts up soon.

[heernumurr]

Here's a quick idea for a stylised dragon. Might be too simple, my first concept of each challenge is usually pretty crap!

Was also having trouble finding a decent vector of the Olympic rings, so I've made one that anyone can use as and when they need it.

[heernumurr]

Here's an idea for the logo. I still need to clean up the lines and I'm going to give each dragon a different head, but this is the general idea.

I was thinking either really hand drawn looking with the heads and necks like they are now, or clean everything up and line the heads up evenly across the top of the logo.

[mania]

I like the idea, but definitely keep the different heights.

[heernumurr]

Here's a variation for comparison:

[Cola]

william, that looks very very good...really makes me think of the chinese when I see it for some reason, especially regarding their other sports logos like in their professional baseball league. it certainly could use some cleaning up along with a few different looks, but overall, i think it is a very good start early on- which is what we need.

[Cola]

something about the necks of the dragons needs to be worked on...the red dragon is kind of stretching out big time, while the others hardly have any movement to them. how about kind of flipping the yellow dragon to the left and then mirroring that to the other side for the red and green dragons...then possibly have the black dragon almost going vertical? i do think the dragon head could be improved on as well...but again, we are going somewhere fast.

what i really like, which i am not sure if you intended or not, is that it reminds me of those chinese parades and dances they have with the floating dragons/fish and such.

also, use some strokes somewhere in the dragons to separate them...the overlaying of them is kind of distracting.

[heernumurr]

Thanks guys, I personally think this is the route we should take. Simple images using these colours just screams "Olympics" to me. Here's the .ai file for everyone to work on:

Logo and Dragon Head

I think it would be great if every dragon head was slightly different, and it would be a great way to get everyone involved by doing their own version.