Personal logo

[fiasco!]

Sanuk from FontShop is a beauty.

[gordie_delini]

that's what i was saying about looking at those websites. we can make all sorts of suggestions, but ultimately it comes down to you. and to reinforce what joel was saying, you really don't learn about fonts in college, you learn about using type as a design element. Type should never ever be an afterthought - its something that takes just as much composition and fine tuning as the graphics.

[tBBP]

that's what i was saying about looking at those websites. we can make all sorts of suggestions, but ultimately it comes down to you. and to reinforce what joel was saying, you really don't learn about fonts in college, you learn about using type as a design element. Type should never ever be an afterthought - its something that takes just as much composition and fine tuning as the graphics.

Yes...yes, yes it does.

See if you can somehow get your hands on any typography books...I PROMISE you they will help you immensely!

As for your personal logo idea...well, let me just share with you what I did in coming up with mine.

The assignment for us was to work in black-and-white, and come up with some type of symbol that represented us (the students, personally). So I started laying out in my mind all the different things I could use to represent me, or where I come from. Being that I come from a place well-known for the beach and naval aviation, naturally my first instinct was fighter jet, then some type of plane since up until about three years ago I've always been either in or around the aviation industry all my life, then went with some type of island-like sketch...then was looking at how to incorporate a "B" into it, since it's my first and last initial. Eventually...I scrapped the entire idea and kept working with the letters. This is where sketching and playing with letters in Illustrator might help a lot. One day, on accident...it came together for me, and the result is my "b inside the B" logo you see down in my sig. I've been using that for well over two years now.

I say all that to say this: your first idea, and sometimes even your second and third idea, may not come together for you, but if you stick with it, and keep playing with different things...at some point, something should click for you and it'll all come together for you.

[gingerbreadmann]

If you're still looking for fonts, here is an absolutely wonderful site with a collection of a few awesome free fonts by Jos Buivenga.

[Cola]

chestnutz....I was looking at your Apprentice entry and had a though. If Adam Vance is your real name...you have big opportunity for a play on a particular word while making a connection with your name and the word itself:

advance.

Or, to be a little different: AdVance

AdVance Design Collective

AdVance Media

AdVance Designs

AdVance Visuals

etc

Just a thought I wanted to throw out there.

[chestnutz]

Not my real name

[tBBP]

Not my real name

Well...even still, the chance is there. My Pensacola connect up above you just threw out a pretty good name there: Advance.

Why does a client come to a graphic designer or some type of print shop? They have an idea, a product, or some type of service...and they want to get it noticed. In other words (hair-splitting though this may be)...they wish to advance their idea.

That's where you, the graphic designer, come in.

You are the "advancer" of the idea. You are the one who will help that client move their idea, product, or service forward, by means of visual representation i.e. business cards, mailers, tri-fold brochure, letterhead--whatever. (This is the pre-press editor in me talking, now.)

I say work with that idea and see how far you can take it. (And while I'm at it, that sentence I just typed might also serve as something of a "motto" or slogan for you...even if only in your own mind. How far can you take that client's idea, product, or service?

Advance.

(If done right, it can probably work in giving off a similar vibe to AAO's "Elevate" Design and Branding. Just saying...similar concept in a way.)

Here's an interesting thought, if you decide to go this route: if you can somehow manage to render an acorn or chestnut into something of an arrow...

...Something you might want to play with.

OR...you can try to use your real name to come up with some type of snappy name. may take a while and you might fry some brain cells doing it, but it may be well worth it on the other end.

Stick with it, cat...you got people pushng you now.

[chestnutz]

chestnutz is a play off my real name. my last name sounds exactly like chestnutz

[Jigga]

chestnutz is a play off my real name. my last name sounds exactly like chestnutz

Better chestnutz than deesnutz.

[josdin00]

I have to say, the upside-down nut on the black background in the first post reminded me of one of those 'idea' lightbulbs, which could play into the 'creative' part of your name.

[Arts11]

I like it. I like logos that are simple enough that it'll look good shrunk down, yet be "full" enough to look okay if enlarged. My only suggestion would be to make the curves more symmetrical. It might just be me, but the curvature of the "nut" doesn't seem even; it kinda 'leans' to the left a bit.

[logomizator]

here an idea to see may be it could be nice to you

just look at the C is open

the pencil inside for drawing

and the exlamation for the idea !!!!!

sorry for my english im just french !!

[logomizator]

another idea !!!

[phlash]

another idea !!!

imo the best, most original and strongest logos come out of the belief that simple is better. The 'c' for the acorn is excellent direction, i would only use a few of those elements and perhaps make more use of white space. overall good design, just a little cc to help you tighten it up, logomizator. hope i spoke in simple enough english, although it can be a very difficult language to understand sometimes

[chestnutz]

So I had an idea while I couldn't sleep last night, and decided to sketch it out on the computer tonight. It's my initials, EC. The letters are one continuous line, rotated 45 degrees counterclockwise. The one on the left is the logo in white on a blue background, and on the right is vice versa. Let me know if it has any potential. I really want something abstract as my "brand," so any help is appreciated.

[gingerbreadmann]

Not bad. A little hard to decipher. You can tell it's supposed to be an E, and you can see a C, but it isn't obvious that the C is supposed to be read. Actually, what jumped out at me was that maybe you could play off of this on/off logo, they look similar at least.

[Davidson]

like it.

try it within a circle. it should still work.

[chestnutz]

Quick update

What colors you guys think would work best for this? Just tried out a couple there.

I tried out the circle thing, is that what you meant davidson?

And Nordiques, I'll definitely add a wordmark, but this is just a mock up of what I was thinking and wanted to get some opinions on it before I went any further.

Do ya'll think it's best leaving the edges squared off, or should I round them?

[fiasco!]

That is a great mark. Works well in any color. Awesome work with that one.

[slapshot]

I think it works better on its own that within the circle. If you're going to use the circle, try rounding the line segments instead of sharp corners.