Wake Forest Logo Concept

[rentz]

Hey guys. Wake Forest is currently my dream university to attend. (I know my username refers to fellow ACC member Florida State-- my parents are FSU grads so I was raised a Seminole sports fan; however I don't want to go to school there.) I think they have one of the most unique identities in the NCAA, and have a great logo, in my opinion-- however it is a logo that is from a fundamental aesthetic perspective absolutely atrocious. So this was an attempt to update the logo with a modern design. So here it is-- on the left is their current logo and the right is my update.

All C+C welcome. I'm thinking about doing jerseys too, as their current ones are Mizzou templates and thus are a palette swap of 30 other teams. Maybe I should put this guy on the helmet?

[Brave-Bird 08]

this looks really good.

[Epiphanic]

Overall, it looks sharper, and I do like some of the subtle changes you made to the facial featuers. However, you went way overboard with the gold shadowing/shading. So much that I can't say it's an improvment.

[logoman]

This is a really nice update. I see a few issues with some of your line work but overall it is very nice. There's something chillingly cold about the eyes, he truly looks like a demon deacon.

[dgnmrwrw]

He certainly looks "demon"-ized. I think it's a good update. The line work looks well done. My only concern is using the gold as a highlight on the skin tone. It's making him look shiny. (Right now, all that comes to mind is this video.) I wouldn't lose that element, because it adds a lot of much-needed depth. Maybe just try a darker flesh tone.

[vicfurth]

It might be a bit over-detailed with the skin shadowing.

Plus, the hat highlight doesn't match up with where the shadow implies the light is coming from.

[Wasatch]

Way too much shadowing. If you were to ease up on that a bit, it would be a perfect reboot of what they currently have!

[rentz]

Valid points. I had originally done the concept without the shadows but I felt it was a little too close to the original to justify it as an update, so I added the shadows, which in hindsight are a bit much. So here's what it looked like before I added the shadows-- I think I'll try to compromise and use some shadows, as they make it a bit less flat and more dynamic.

[Wasatch]

You could try the shadows with a slightly darker color of his skin tone.

[rentz]

An update-- and I think I'm pretty close now. I simplified the shadows and I don't think they are as obtrusive. I've also made them a darker flesh tone. His hair is a bit more "scruffy" as well.

Also included is a helmet view. (Frankly I don't know why they don't use the head now, I'm not a fan of the serif W and F. They could even use their clever WF logo they use as the university's official logo-- you can see it at their website.)

[CAB]

Much, much better. Great update to a very unique logo.

[Cola]

Update is much better. You had way too many highlights going on at first. Still though, I am not liking the one that borders behind the pupil...almost out of place. Anyhow, great job although I don't think the Deacon should ever make it to the helmet.

[Ben5]

I think you are moving in the right direction, but I still can't say I like it yet. With the shadows, there are 5 colors on the logo; Wake's colors are Old Gold and Black. If you are going to redo this logo, then I suggest you totally redo it. Start from scratch and make it look less awkward.

And the helmets do have the deacon logo on them. And they have for years.

[BIGBAD]

that logo looks awesome

100% UPGRADE

[9erssteve]

An update-- and I think I'm pretty close now. I simplified the shadows and I don't think they are as obtrusive. I've also made them a darker flesh tone. His hair is a bit more "scruffy" as well.

Also included is a helmet view. (Frankly I don't know why they don't use the head now, I'm not a fan of the serif W and F. They could even use their clever WF logo they use as the university's official logo-- you can see it at their website.)

Okay there's no doubt you've improved the execution of this by a ton, but there are still some really dodgy bits on it that are letting it down. The brim of the hat for example.

You've clearly redrawn parts of the logo yourself really well but others you can tell at a glance appear to have been left almost entirely untouched after a raster image was put through a trace function. The way the black outline behaves around the gold hat band being one of the most obvious points. Another being the point at the bottom of the back of his neck and how the inner coloured area and outer black line dont follow the same curves as each other.

You're doing a great job updating this but it still needs some more work done to it to really push it over the top, but keep at it as it's almost there.

9erssteve

[Cola]

And the helmets do have the deacon logo on them. And they have for years.

Show me...I've never seen a helmet with the deacon on it.

[Ben5]

A small decal on the back of the helmet. It's been there since at least 2004, and I'm guessing since 2002 or so.

[Cola]

A small decal on the back of the helmet. It's been there since at least 2004, and I'm guessing since 2002 or so.

Okay I was referring to primary decal...like he was displaying.

[Ben5]

Okay I was referring to primary decal...like he was displaying.

But I was not.

[andrewharrington]

I think you are moving in the right direction, but I still can't say I like it yet. With the shadows, there are 5 colors on the logo; Wake's colors are Old Gold and Black. If you are going to redo this logo, then I suggest you totally redo it. Start from scratch and make it look less awkward.

And the helmets do have the deacon logo on them. And they have for years.

Seconded. The problem here is that your logo is the same logo as the current one. Sure, you smoothed and thickened up the lines, added colors and what have you, but the logo is essentially unchanged. You could really take this logo to the next level by going further with the reinvention of it.