Logo Design (my first)

Could you all give me thoughts on this logo? its my first ever! Any ideas what i could change etc.





Is the green background on the 2nd to much?

Thanks for posting your work Joy. I have a few comments that might help out a bit. At this point they are only critiques, but I'm sure that this will change as you progress

One thing I noticed is that there's a bit too much going on within the logo. When trying to describe something complex like a business --visually or verbally-- it's very easy to get carried away with details. Try to simplify your ideas into one main point so that an observer can digest the entire design in the blink of an eye.

Ask, what will people see when they view this logo? What will they remember about it? The answers should not be very long --two or three words at the most. Afterwards, simply design (exactly) one visual concept to represent those words. I should mention that, because the words are simple, be careful not to lose sight of what/whom you are designing for. Keep all the details in the back of your mind and tweak the visual to represent those details in cases where the words you've chosen are too ambiguous. If the first one isn't working out, create more. Use quick sketching to ensure that you don't get too involved with one idea; otherwise you might not want to give it up.

Try your best to simplify wherever possible. Note that simplifying doesn't always mean "getting rid of"; sometimes you can just soften things a bit and achieve the same effect. What does "soften" mean in this case? It depends; could be something like decreasing the size or lightening the value. If you feel that you have to soften too many things, it means that your non-softened parts are not doing their job. Try, instead, to make them more descriptive without adding much to their complexity.

Some things to simplify/minimize include the number of styles used, the amount of stringy or peppered shapes, the amount of things that are being meshed together, and the number of places where color changes drastically. All of those things add to the logo's complexity and they tend to lead onlookers away from its main point.

I mentioned the number of styles used just now. To give an example of where style changes in your design, consider its text. The words "En Joy" are written in a an elegant-ish font, but are followed by "Designs", which is a very machined looking font. I'm not saying you should get rid of this in particular, but in the future this could be a good candidate for where to start simplifying.

Hope that helps, even though it's not very simple Simplicity is not always easy, and I need to get to bed. Good luck!

Edited by _Redrum, 25 September 2008 - 04:10 AM.

I agree with Redrum, too much going on too much fonts and too much too small dingy or thingys. You need to conside which side you are using the logo when you resize the logo now to a much smaller size the small things will all disappear. You need to learn to design a logo and sometime resize to check if everything is still there or step few meters from your screen.

Also reconsider the name because there are about 10 design companies all over the world called enjoy design.

This looks more like a drawing than logo.

mmm First off i did check the size every time i changed it! (im not that dim whited lol) Um wow its a bit overwhelming but i think i kinda get it. However i thought or think that the fonts go together well! Should i get rid of the swirly nonsense in the background. It seems a bit plain without it though but is plain good? hows this?

[ATTACH]5375[/ATTACH]

Here is the direction I would take this design. Feel free to add, use, or ignore any part of it.

This is what I did:
1) Changed the colors
2) Lowered the E
3) Changed the font for design
4) added the smily face in a larger o

[ATTACH]5375[/ATTACH]

Here is the direction I would take this design. Feel free to add, use, or ignore any part of it.

This is what I did:
1) Changed the colors
2) Lowered the E
3) Changed the font for design
4) added the smily face in a larger o

Not bad I like it... but at the same time i dont... thanks for the idea though!

That's fine, it's a bit cartoony.

What is your concept? What do you want the logo to communicate?

That's fine, it's a bit cartoony.

What is your concept? What do you want the logo to communicate?

Thats the problem I havent the slightest clue! i have no ideas about that at all it takes time to think about these things mean while my dad is trying to rush me

Why is he trying to rush you? Is the design for him?

In your logo it looks to me like you're trying to communicate an idea of fun and technology. But you went a little too far. I agree with everyone else, take it a few notches down and you may have something pretty cool. Steplat's idea is going in the right direction, IMO.

Jen

while my dad is trying to rush me

THere's really no need to rush, making a logo. It's better to take your time and develop a nice logo-design (since it's for yourself/your family) as it's in the importance of the company really ...

Ya i know tell him that! but what do you guys think of the 2nd design i took away the background image

I honestly think that you're trying a little too much with the name.
The fonts you used for 'En Joy' and 'Design' don't fit together. While you used a script-type (calligraphy) font for the 'En Joy', you're using a techno kind of font for 'Design'. I really can't encourage combining these type of fonts.

All I can say, and I'm gonna be honest about this, is that you should dare to simplyfy the logo a bit. It wil look less like a drawing then. Dare to go for something totally different! Don't feel you have to stick with the first idea! Good luck mate

I honestly think that you're trying a little too much with the name.
The fonts you used for 'En Joy' and 'Design' don't fit together. While you used a script-type (calligraphy) font for the 'En Joy', you're using a techno kind of font for 'Design'. I really can't encourage combining these type of fonts.

All I can say, and I'm gonna be honest about this, is that you should dare to simplyfy the logo a bit. It wil look less like a drawing then. Dare to go for something totally different! Don't feel you have to stick with the first idea! Good luck mate

i think the fonts look grand together! but ok thanks! maybe i will try to think of a new idea!

I think the second design is definitely an improvement. However, you should consider taking it a level further. Currently I can see at least three different ideas in your logo:

1. The contrast between the font styles, which highlights the fact that designs produced by this company or person are both elegant and hip

2. The decoration of the letter "i" to look like a person seems to imply that the company is people-oriented; and

3. There appears to be some sort of party going on with the scribbles between the text. I'm not sure what the meaning of those is, but it definitely adds a new point of interest to the logo that is separate from the other two. If, as you mentioned, they really are just nonsense scribbles, I would cut them out entirely

At this point you should try to either focus on only one of those three concepts, or find a way to bring them all together in harmony. Right now there are three distinct sections in the logo: "En Joy" is section 1; "Designs" with the little person figure is section 2; and the squiggles are section 3. To fully digest the design, a viewer has to interpret all three sections. And since (as I mentioned above) they all say something different about the business, interpreting all of them is not as easy as it should be.

The main problem with having things separated is that the viewer's brain struggles to figure out what exactly the logo is trying to say. Here's a rather bland but powerful analogy. Imagine your logo is a logical argument. A logical argument is a line-by-line argument that is composed of premises followed by a conclusion. Example:

Premise 1: All ducks are birds
Premise 2: All birds have wings
---
Conclusion: Therefore, all ducks have wings

Now lets say I were to have a conversation with someone who has no idea that ducks have wings, and I want to inform her that they do in fact have wings. What should I say to make it easiest for her to understand? Should I give her the premises separately and leave out the conclusion? Or should I give her the conclusion by itself and spare her the time of trying to figure it out from the premises? I would say the conclusion is easiest.

Now relate that to your logo, where you are trying to inform people about your business --a business they otherwise know absolutely nothing about. Your current design is giving people little tidbits (the premises) but instead you should simply give them the conclusion. Just find one visual that explains to them what EnJoy Designs is, and make that your logo.

Show someone the logo for three seconds, and if there is a detail they cannot remember after that, get rid of it.

Good luck

Edited by _Redrum, 27 September 2008 - 01:00 AM.

1. The contrast between the font styles, which highlights the fact that designs produced by this company or person are both elegant and hip

If this is the fylosophy you wanna put behind the company's identity, I'd suggest using two Regular font. So please don't combine an italic and a regular font in this logo rlly.

Sometimes it works. Like the variants on some products (Coke light).
But in this case if you'd use fonts that are this different I wouldn't go for the combination Regular-Italic. :/

Good Luck!

wow redrum,

your comments are superb. not trying to hijack this post. but i am new to logo design myself. and i have problems coming up with what u call the conclusion. finding that one visual to embody what a company is about. your explanations are wonderful and as i read them i feel you are talking to me. i am also in the middle of creating a logo (for practise) but i have no idea what direction to take it. i hear and read about communicating through design, and i have a hard time applyin this. any tips in trying to translate what a company is about into the visual representation? thanks.. this forum is great

Comments on this logo: as a novice i have to agree with the pros, my first reaction to this logo was it was to busy.. then the proportions and aligment seemed off. my brain has a problem trying to "get" whats your logo is about. and i still havent gotten it as yet. I agree that your font choices arent the best. U seem to be a bit tied to this concept. y not try experimenting with others. dont get tied to one idea so deep that ur blocked out from trying somethin different. One trick i think is effective which will work for logo design is if u remove an element from your design, and the meaning or the concept you are trying to convey has not changed.. then keep it out.. go through all your elements until removing one changes it.. then u know that ur logo is simplified. i know how hard logo design is..esp for us novices so i think if you or your dad or your client wants a great looking logo, they must appreciate that it takes time. it takes professionals time to create a logo much less some one not so experienced. I think you have been given some great advice, its jus time for u to give it some thought, tweek and refine somethigns..try sketching as well. am not good at sketchin but it helps to get the bad ideas out of your system and u jus may stumble on somethin good..

thanks from a novice.

I think the second design is definitely an improvement. However, you should consider taking it a level further. Currently I can see at least three different ideas in your logo:

1. The contrast between the font styles, which highlights the fact that designs produced by this company or person are both elegant and hip

2. The decoration of the letter "i" to look like a person seems to imply that the company is people-oriented; and

3. There appears to be some sort of party going on with the scribbles between the text. I'm not sure what the meaning of those is, but it definitely adds a new point of interest to the logo that is separate from the other two. If, as you mentioned, they really are just nonsense scribbles, I would cut them out entirely

At this point you should try to either focus on only one of those three concepts, or find a way to bring them all together in harmony. Right now there are three distinct sections in the logo: "En Joy" is section 1; "Designs" with the little person figure is section 2; and the squiggles are section 3. To fully digest the design, a viewer has to interpret all three sections. And since (as I mentioned above) they all say something different about the business, interpreting all of them is not as easy as it should be.

The main problem with having things separated is that the viewer's brain struggles to figure out what exactly the logo is trying to say. Here's a rather bland but powerful analogy. Imagine your logo is a logical argument. A logical argument is a line-by-line argument that is composed of premises followed by a conclusion. Example:

Premise 1: All ducks are birds
Premise 2: All birds have wings
---
Conclusion: Therefore, all ducks have wings

Now lets say I were to have a conversation with someone who has no idea that ducks have wings, and I want to inform her that they do in fact have wings. What should I say to make it easiest for her to understand? Should I give her the premises separately and leave out the conclusion? Or should I give her the conclusion by itself and spare her the time of trying to figure it out from the premises? I would say the conclusion is easiest.

Now relate that to your logo, where you are trying to inform people about your business --a business they otherwise know absolutely nothing about. Your current design is giving people little tidbits (the premises) but instead you should simply give them the conclusion. Just find one visual that explains to them what EnJoy Designs is, and make that your logo.

Show someone the logo for three seconds, and if there is a detail they cannot remember after that, get rid of it.

Good luck

Ejoy,

I think your heading in the right direction as well, the first two designs thus far do have a lot going on in them but like reddrum said that doesn't have to be a bad thing. I think what you really should do is take a minute and ask yourself what part of the design do you want to be the focus.

** To be honest it doesn't have to be one single thing

My Critique:
When I read or view your design studio name I think of enjoy being a happy place to work, a place where clients can expect "service they can enjoy". When I think of that I think of a person smiling or a symbol that embraces Joy/happiness.

To be honest I did a little bit of brainstorming on your name for fun as well. I like to practice using concepts such as logos a lot. (anyways back to the critique) I see a lot of potiential in playing with the letters J Y or even i. My creations came out of as one being an abstract face and the other as an illustrated cartoon head sorta like the go daddy head.

Creation a logo that you want consumers, clients, etc can be difficult at times but thats okay. Take your time you don't necessarily have to use the same one forever, if in time to come you want to revamp feel free. There are plenty of companies out there that have done similiar design moments as well.

Hope this helps or inspires your design in some way,

Best of luck,

~ Tim

Thanks very much for everyones opinions i will definitely think about it and put more thought into it! Get back to ya soon

This looks more like a drawing than logo.

yer right hehehe