New logo for my church

[TheRevTy]

While I have posted on here numerous times, typically regarding Central Florida sports teams, my actual profession is a pastor at a Lutheran Church (hence the username). I have been at my current location less than a year, and have been pushing hard to create a more cohesive (see: better) graphic identity. The name of the church is Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Cedar Park, Texas (just outside of Austin). This past Christmas, we put on a walk-through / drive-through production that was called Follow the Star. While my expectations were low, it ended up being an overwhelming success, with almost 10,000 people coming through on a single weekend. As such, there is some serious momentum in terms of creating a brand known in the community.

I have absolutely no experience in graphic design (as evidenced by the Microsoft Paint file I am about to upload). Unfortunately, our Communications Director was just let go due to... well, incompetence (see our website: www.gslc.cc). Thus, as the lone warrior carrying the branding banner, they suggested I attempt to whip something up. This is what I came up with:

The concept is to take the traditional representation of the star of Bethlehem, and give it some Texas flair with the beveling. I wanted to try to put the letters GSLC around it, but couldn't figure out how to properly align them.

The colors are completely and utterly flexible - in fact, I'd love to change the name of the church, but I don't know what would work. Star Lutheran? Lone Star Church? St. Judas? Who knows.

Any and all suggestions, tweaks, critiques, outright denouncements, etc. would be much appreciated.

[TheRevTy]

I would like to add, we've decided to outsource any and all graphic design / web design for the time being, so if anyone is interested, let me know via direct message.

[pianoknight]

I did this in about 5 minutes. Obviously you need a raster image, not a vector, but this gives you an idea of maybe how to incorporate a Texas flair.

[shaydre1019]

It looks good, maybe add GSLC arched around the top left portion of the circle.

Plano that one looks a bit too Texasy

[chris85ca]

[Joshawaggie]

Rev, your website. Woof.

[TheRevTy]

Rev, your website. Woof.

Yeah. I know. Believe me, I know.

[TheRevTy]

I really like this, with the thicker line weight. This is the difference between someone playing with Microsoft Paint, and someone who knows what they are doing.

Let me float this out there: we are potentially looking to go with a more classical idea for the church - getting away from the often lame "contemporary" music style and instead going with a timeless feel, including adding a Steinway grand piano in place of our 1970's organ that is the bane of my existence - though still incorporating some modern instruments and sound.

While the blue and yellow currently represented here is a bright, bold, fresh look - one that works well for a more contemporary styling, I am thinking we need to go a little more earth tone. Which leads to this question - how hard is it to represent a bronze or copper color in a logo without making it look like simple brown? I feel utilizing either of those metallic colors would set us apart graphically - but I have no idea if it works in most applications.

[TheRevTy]

I made the lines thicker, changed the coloring. As I said, I'd love if it could come across as bronze, right now it looks like a the campus chapel for University of Wyoming.

[LogoMark]

This is my first time trying to post an image and I couldn't figure it out, but if you click the link you can see it. In this logo I try to make the star a little more subtle and give it an overall more-traditional/less-modern stain glass feel.

http://s1292.beta.photobucket.com/user/LogoMark9/media/Sports%20Logos/Picture10_zps7b5937a6.png.html?sort=3&o=0

[Greg_Fryman]

there you go... this is not my work just posting the image for logo mark

[LogoMark]

Thank you Greg

[TheRevTy]

LogoMark, I really like the stained glass look of that. I'm going to see what it looks like in different colors.

Anyone have feedback on if it is possible to represent a metallic bronze graphically? Seems like something ColorWerx would know. In fact, are there any major sports teams that use bronze or copper in their identity? Michigan State has bronze trim on their uniforms, but not in their logo. Arizona Rattlers? Edmonton Oilers used to have that copper-ish color...

[pianoknight]

Look up Wyoming Cowboys and do the opposite. Their brown/yellows are drab, drab, drab.

Maybe the Tampa Bay Buccs? Don't they have that nifty pewter pants color?

[pluggerplugger1]

This with piano's texas colors would be wonderful. And "Star Lutheran Church" would be an awesome name!

[Mac the Knife]

Your name? "Lone Star Lutheran."

Simple. No need to include "church" because it says everything it needs to, all the while providing a nice, three-letter acronym "LSL" that can be incorporated into an overall branding concept.