Logo critique/help.

Kylejlemaire

New Member
I am designing a logo for a friends theatre company and I am a little stuck. Their brand is joyful, creative, bold, and sophisticated. I feel it still isn’t right. I don’t know if it is just me second guessing. Should I start a new direction or can I make this work? Is it to much? Any help greatly appreciated.
 

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Gradient on side doesn't work, it isn't really legible at thumbnail size and tbh is it needed. I have no idea what it's referencing either.
Something is off to me because it's missing an eye on the second face, the image it's referencing is hugely iconic, especially in the theatrical world.
Alliance doesn't line up with the other words and I'd argue it might be a little close to the bottom left curve.

Also as said, doesn't exactly scream joyful either, colour 'might' help.
 
There is a whole loads of discussion on text orientation. You need to do some testing on top to bottom and bottom to top and left or right orientation. There are a number of usability testing site you can use to get feedback on the four options.

For me it doesn’t feel right. I’m also not at all sure what the words mean. Does it mean it’s not in a fixed location?

And black doesn’t suggest joy
 
Same here, not keen on the tag line there, shouldn't be part of the logo and the full stops are confusing anyway (it's all a bit 'eats shoots and leaves'!).
The other eye needs to be in there, add some colour.
 
Thank you so much. I completely agree!
I uploaded the color versions of the design. I am working on the masks. The idea is that one mask is covering the other. I also included the original logo design.The client wants to use the same shape of the mask as a mention of the identity they have started to create.
 

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But it's just the same thing with different colours.

The eye is still missing and the tagline configuration on the right doesn't work
 
If one of the criteria is sophisticated, then I am afraid, this completely misses the mark. You have got an element of fun in there, but in a more child-like way than I imagine they’d b happy with, unless they are a kids’ theatre company. Your logo sits somewhere between Adult and kids.

Personally I’d start again and completely lose the theatrical cliché. The Greek comedy/tragedy mask is thoroughly overused. Think about the kind of productions they put on. Who would go and see them? What is unique to them? Communicate this, rather than some general idea of theatre using cliché visual devices. Do they have a distinctive building? Are they intrinsic to a particular town? Are they a travelling theatre company? What makes them unique? Dig a bit deeper. If they are a travelling theatre company that puts on more classical productions, look at literary references to travelling theatre, as a starting point, to get your train of thought going. Only that way will you come up with an idea that represents them and not any theatre company.

Enjoy yourself and open up your thinking. Be silly. You don’t have to use the silly, blind-alley thoughts, but you never know where they’ll take you. Even if you go up an alley that goes nowhere, don’t ditch it. Park it. You’ll be surprised how often you come full circle and that stupid idea, laterally slots into some other train of thinking that comes later.

NEVER stop at your first idea. Your brain will alway ping up the clichés first and only when you’ve gone through that will you come to original, useful thinking.

Hope this helps.
 
Sock and Buskin are synonymous with theatre - everyone instantly gets it when it's used. Unless there's another USP to the theatre, like being a waterfront and using a lighthouse or something - even at that the text would need to be really good typography to translate that its theatre.

I'd say for this - either have really good typography with Sock and Buskin - or just have really good typography and drop the icon completely.

But if it's to convey its theatre - then I'd stick with Sock and Buskin, it's instantly recognisable.
 
I am designing a logo for a friends theatre company and I am a little stuck. Their brand is joyful, creative, bold, and sophisticated. I feel it still isn’t right. I don’t know if it is just me second guessing. Should I start a new direction or can I make this work? Is it to much? Any help greatly appreciated.
I like the design, i would do one simple thing, swap the text along the side to black and make the rest the gradient instead of black. Black text is more readable and the colourful gradient is more joyful.
 
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