[WIP] ► Forum logotype

[SirBilly]

Hi, I've been asked to design a kind of logotype for Habforum.net wich is a fansite/forum to the swedish habbohotel. Since I'm aspecially known as a pixelartist at the forum many probably expect it to be über amazing as usual, so I thought I'd really make an effort on this one. I'm very entusiastic and ambitious about this so don't be shy posting challenging critique. This is like a job application for the graphic designer position on the forum, so I'd really appreciate reading your suggestions and creative ideas in this thread!♥


First WIP save:





Thanks guys!

[Firgof]

It looks nice, but it's a little hard to read!

The colors seem to blend together just in the right way that the letters take a few moments to register.

[tehwexxl0rz]

Step 1: Contrast!
Step 2: Anti-alias!

I noticed that two of your gray shades are really close to each other. What a waste! Own your color count!

[SirBilly]

Thanks for replies! It is quite difficult to read what it says, but is it the colours or the design it self I need to change here? Perhaps I should just make the font just a little bit smaller?

I'll also change the BG, since the one I've got atm is similar to the previous.

Thanks again!

[Endpiece]

Personally I find the colours in the text are too close together. Quick edit to demonstrate contrast in colour for easier readability.



If you're not keen on changing the colours themselves (say because you're keeping to a certain palette), you might want to consider outlining the letters.

[EyeCraft]

Step 1: Contrast!
Step 2: Anti-alias!

Seconded.

I'd suggest using warm colours for the text, maybe orange. Also possibly a neutral colour for the HABBO stamp in the top right, since at the moment its quite distracting. I'd say green.

You might also want to consider composition more carefully. At the moment the two lines of figures amount to two horizontal lines that either lead the eye off the right of the image, or lead the eye into the slanting text, which then leads the eye off the bottom left. You need to contain the eye more with composition, imo. To this end I think the organisation of the human figures will need more dynamic introduced. Regardless, the figures in the back layer should be smaller in scale than the foreground figures. The text may also need modification to address composition. Possible texture variation across the surface to make a focus point of value nearer the inner part of the image to pull the eye back in might be something you could do, if you are set on keeping the isometric form of the text. But I would probably suggest going for broke and giving that the axe.

[SirBilly]

I did an edit, but the result was quite messed up, so I decided to make a new one with a different style too not loose my motivation.
Are the letters to simple? They want a simple design, nothing too complicated.

[Koi Kami Mauro]

I'dd suggest adding the... bevel? the thing you had originally in the letters. Damned language barrier. The Perspective? Right now it's a bit hard to read.

[Emtch]

New version is too distracting. Also, the compositison feels wrong.

The letters lead out of the picture, and there's nothing to weigh against it on the other side.
Balance is important in composition.

[SirBilly]

So, should I choose another font and make it a bit smaller? And should I go with the previous 3D style or..? If the font is allright I can start making it 3D mabye? If so, 3D like the previous or just 3D?

[SirBilly]

I guess my last post wasn't interesting enough. Anyway, I made another update! 

[Terley]

I like the concept but I think you'd be better looking at other isometric art to help, I'd use about 7 or 8 colours for the whole of this.. Well i've done a quick edit of some of the text to show ya what i'd do. Use of black to seperate it from the back, I think you had the right idea with outlining it but it just needs more contrast imho. Hope this edit helps.

[SirBilly]

Wow, you sure know a lot!
I Finished the style you were going in to and I made a new background with the same colours. And I also made one with light blue letters, to make it even easier to read.
I showed the owner of the forum the previous logo and he thought it was great, but it perhaps needed a little more Habbo in it, so im thinking of mabye adding some of these to start with (Official Habbo symbols, pops up when you've got a new message):


Mainly because I want the logo to represent discussion and interaction, the forum is far more active than the logo is at the moment.

Anyway heres the update(s):

[SirBilly]

Another one with a little bit less harsh colours, but with the same sharp outlining on the text. I also made the background a little bit out of focus when I changed the dark blue to a litte brighter shade so the letters gets more attention

[Terley]

I think it might looks better to be quickly read if the contrast values of the background and main logo varied. Using colours from the same palette but just having the background not so contrasted, so the lightsource is the same without any clashing.



it's looking great, just keep in mind composition and focal points. It's more graphic design than art.

[Mathias]

Chiming in late, but regardless I'd just like to say the 'a' in Hab could be better recognizable as an 'a', could be mistaken as an 'o', even though 'FORUM' has an 'o', my eye hadn't got there yet before I tried to figure out how to read 'Hab'.

[Dr D]

I've been reading it as a 'J'.

[Terley]

im gonna stop doing edits but here's how I'd have the A 

http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/9182/41327023.gif

[SirBilly]

It's amazing how people help eachother out here, thanks a lot!

Ok first, thanks a lot Terley!
I think I'm going for my last edit, they seemed to really like the white I used, and it feels a little bit more catroonish, wich fits the forum perfectly since it's a for members of the Habbo community!
And I think the A shouldn't be a capital, I'll fix the A in a milisec! I'll show a version with Terley's A aswell, you never know!

Thanks a lot again for helping me develop a beautiful logo for the forum, and if anyone feel like posting any crits, go ahead, this willl editable anytime!

[SirBilly]

I'm actually gonna go with Terley's A, but it's up to them to decide!

[Souly]

The capital A doesn't make sense since the B is lower case.

[SirBilly]

The R in "Forum" is an lowercase aswell. But as I mentioned in my last reply I thought the same, but IMO I think the capital look much better than the lowercase. So should I just go with the "old" A?

[Terley]

I prefer your new lowercase A, makes much more sense. If you prefer capitals its easy done to make the B capital too.

But it's lookin good, anything gonna be on the right of this banner?

[SirBilly]

I thought this thread had fullfilled its purpose already, but I guess not!
I talked to the owner again and he liked the headcased one better out of all, so I guess that's the one.. Perhaps I should mention that it iis a capital A and a lowercase B?
Anyway, I don't think I will add anything on the empty space to the right exept for a small "stamp"  in the top right corner wich will also be blue so it'll blend with the BG.
And I'm not quite sure what to call that thingie I just added, my lovely Google Translator translates it to bubble. Is it to random? Or should I just add more of them in different sizes?
   

[thedaemon]

It does look random. It's light outline makes it stand out even more. It's called a chat balloon or chat bubble, so you are correct on the English name.

[SirBilly]

Should I just remove the chat bubbles? 

[Rydin]

The chat bubbles are beautiful.  Perhaps give them black outlines to be consistent with the headline?

[JJ Naas]

The latest version looks good. Maybe the reflection bits on the speech bubbles are unnecessary. Or just keep the inner parts of the white or very light blue and add the black outlines as Rydin suggested. As an official Habbo pixel artist (since december 2008) I totally approve.

(I'll post my own Habbo dump on the forum in a bit, if that's alright. I can't post any WIP pieces obviously.)

[ter-o]

I made a small edit for you. I think there were so many really confusing planes that I had to. I might've accidentally removed a few intended planes but forgive me, this was just a quick edit.

[SirBilly]

Wow, that's awesome! I must see your work! I actually started to experiment with pixels after I joined habbo in 2003 and someone told me that most of the tings were made with pure pixels!

Anyway! Here's an update:

Reflection on speech bubble:




No reflection on speech bubble

I'll definitely go with your edit, thank you!

[SirBilly]

Done!


Thanks a LOT!