XTStatic

Hey guys; Static here, I created this a month or 2 ago in prep for setting up a small design business as a hobby to accompany my apprenticeship should I succeed in my interview.

Anyway; I was wanting a little critique; I've found that I don't tend to like it as much as I USED too; so I'm planning on revamping it somewhat.

Mitch

I really like the stylized "X". I really think it looks great - slick, polished and dynamic. However you don't seem to have paid the "static design" type as much attention. It looks like a bit of an afterthought squeezed in underneath the X. How about having a nice modernist sans-serif (like Modena, or Futura) set with quite a hefty amount of letterspacing, so that it's drawn out across the width of the big X, and maybe just set with a light-to-dark blue gradient to compliment the overall colour scheme.

Either that or nestling the word "static" in the right side of the X (with a hypen), using a modern, techno flavoured font (Good Times and Ethnocentric are pretty good, and free from Da Font - although I don't know what the license permits in terms of commercial/personal use etc), and set in the same kind of style as the X, but not enough to detract from it.

Seriously though, that's not meant to be a criticism. I really do like the X. Be good to see some of your other work.

wdltd

If you are offering design as a service then this logo is not right. This logo will make you look like an ageing wrestler or an outdated porn merchant.

Look at design agencies and see what their logos are like, you will notice they are nothing like what you have produced as they are more sophisticated, simple and concisely executed.

Examples :

KentLyons :: Design Agency :: 020 7394 2500

Thirdperson

Spin

wdltd

If you are offering design as a service then this logo is not right. This logo will make you look like an ageing wrestler or an outdated porn merchant.

Look at design agencies and see what their logos are like, you will notice they are nothing like what you have produced as they are more sophisticated, simple and concisely executed.

Examples :

KentLyons :: Design Agency :: 020 7394 2500

Thirdperson

Spin

omninogd

Slightly off topic but; I'm really loving Kent Lyons web site. Really nice approach, very well executed.

wdltd

I agree omnigod, great website and great work

wdltd

Mitch, probably best not to advise people to go to Dafont.com to get typefaces for use in their designs. The fonts are rubbish, overused and detrimental to all the type designers out there. Dafont.com is useful for dingbats such as if you were wanting an arrow as there are plenty of graphical fonts and it saves time drawing one, but steer clear for actual typefaces.

Invest in some quality font families and youre designs will benefit from it.

Mitch

Yeah, the KentLyons website is great. When they moved to their new studio premises near Tower Bridge they put a video up on their homepage of the move. It was quite clever, it showed footage of the company packing up and leaving their old studio juxtaposed with footage of their arrival and unpacking at the new studio. Nice touch.

robertjmccarthy, I agree that DaFont shouldn't be you first port of call but, if you don't have a budget for a new typeface or font family, it can offer an acceptable alternative. Sure there's some questionable letterspacing and kerning, and examples where someone has just taken the Illustrator warp tool to an existing typeface and called it original, but there are the odd nuggets - as long as you pay heed to licenses etc. And I think some people just design typefaces for fun. But yes, top quality typfaces do cost.

wdltd

nice one mitch, completely agree with you that it should be used with moderation :)

detachedindividual

On the font discussion, I have to admit I do use freebies (but I'm only in the stage of building a portfolio, so nothing is commercial). But using them I often find myself adapting them to suit.
For example, I'll work letter-by-letter, loose text capability and convert to image layer, eventually they're nothing more than a convenient template to change to suit my design and intended style.

For basics I think the option is great, but I would never use them for a finished work.