Logo for a church convention

[JCRGraphix]

I AM LOOKING FOR FEEDBACK ON THIS DESIGN. I DO NOT CARE ABOUT YOUR RELIGIOUS BELIEFS. THIS IS NOT A PLACE FOR DEBATING/BASHING EACH OTHERS RELIGION OR THE LACK THEREOF.

That being said, I was commissioned by the Catholic Diocese of Kalamazoo to design a logo for an upcoming national youth convention. Specifically what they wanted was "The state of Michigan rendered like praying hands, with the quote "We Pray Here" over the Kalamazoo area". The target audience for the shirts was teens 14-18.

This is what I worked up for them.

[LogoMark]

Very nice, the only thing I would change would be the typeface. I'm not sure a "typewriter" typeface really fits the target demographic, maybe try an old english font, a custom script, or maybe a "modern" style? Also maybe try making the text a little smaller, I really like imagery and currently the text just seems to be distracting. Just some ideas, nice work

[JCRGraphix]

Thanks, that's some pretty solid feedback. I'll try a couple different fonts.

[pianoknight]

Also, if the logo didn't specifically mention Kalamazoo, I would have never known it was for Michigan. I get that you're trying to combine the outline of the state with praying hands, but you lost enough detail on the state outline part that it kind of looks like a ghost wearing rosary beads.

[elsephen]

I was thinking the same as pianoknight. Being from MI, I wouldn't have made the connection to the Mitten shape.

I also thought it was a character wearing rosary beads.

That's a witty idea, but tough one to pull off. I think sticking to the mapped shape of Michigan will help it more.

[Cosmic]

I really like what you've done. I agree with the others about the font, though. I think I have one good idea and one possibly maybe good idea:

1. I really like the rosary idea. What about sort of combining the star for Kalamazoo with the cross on the rosary into a cross with the sunburst in the middle as the "X marks the spot"? Cleaner and it gives a purpose for the rosary.

2. I think the design suffers a little bit because you have to strike this balance with how much you can make it look like the hands while still making it look like Michigan. Too much like hands and it doesn't look like the state like they want and vice versa. Perhaps you can move the design towards both ends at the same time and mash them together? Make a more literal shape for Michigan, maybe even parts of the outlines for the surrounding states, and put additional city markers: Detroit, Cleveland, Chicago, Milwaukee. Then I would try literally drawing the top hand on top of the state. The "thumb" looks really thick, but I'm not an artist. In the end, it might be easier to keep a more abstract shape, but I think adding city markers and maybe some parts of other state's outlines will help people "get" it.