Looking for critique for assignment purposes..if time

S

susan maher

Member
I had to create a 2-D poster and 3-D signage for a new design studio (hypothetical). I had to create a client brief also hypothetical and confusing as I am the client ! I chose a suburb in Australia that is quaint with cute, heritage listed shop frontages; is wealthy and the hub of a creative scene.
My usual style is illustrative with rough sketch strokes but I tried for a more polished look with this. I would need to know:
1. Which is your favourite.
2. Does it reveal originality and eco friendly practices.
3. Does it tie in with rural yet artsy and trendy township.
4. Is it professional enough or do I need to learn more tools. esp regarding signage. Does it look 3-d'ish?
5. Is it eye catching?
6. How can I improve? All tips and suggestions are welcome.
....We were not required to design a logo but I felt it was necessary to do so. Any feedback on the logo would also be appreciated.
Slide2.PNG Poster mock upsSlide1.PNG
 
1. none of the above
2. no
3. no
4. no and definitely not 3d
5. yes but not in a good way
6. honestly, learn the basics like white space etc

Yes it's harsh but you only asked specific questions
 
Yes..harsh but that's why I am here :)
The student forum is full of beginners like me and I don't get the critique I need there not to mention zero support from assessors who continuously leave.
I have issues with the course regarding its ability to teach the basics. It is an online course which in my opinion means we pay them but teach ourselves.
Okay ..so i guess the next step for this assignment is to learn 'effective use of white space'' then go back to the drawing board.
I am grateful for professional feedback, however harsh.
 
what course and level is it you're trying to do.. the odds are we can suggest a better option or point you in the right direction. I'd also suggest looking on you tube, you'll be surprised how many tutorials etc there are there.
 
If you want to create a logo then you can follow the following tips:
  1. Create a logo as simple as possible
  2. Do not use background images in the logos
  3. Choose the fonts for the logos wisely because every font has a special meaning
  4. A logo design should portray brand or an organization
  5. Consider proportion and symmetry
  6. Think about utilizing negative space
 
Thanks Claire. I appreciate that. I have started from scratch but again put my logo ( bear thing ) into my poster design. I realise now that it is not done like this.
Because it is a new company ( all hypothetical), I thought I could introduce my logo or symbol through a poster concept , making it a live thing that is part of a story.... then have it stand alone when I become famous :=)
 
Yes I recently subscribed to Lynda.com :)
In general I feel similarly about youtube tutorials. One simple step omitted by a tutor can be very frustrating for a beginner and a time waster and I often don't like the end result.

Unfortunately the lynda.com tutor on 3d lettering omitted a step and I have given up trying to figure out why the hell his screen looks so different to mine. My 3d efforts in photoshop applied a block effect to the entire word rather than to the individual lettering, even though I followed every step of his tutorial. :( At this stage it will take me too long to figure it out so I went with this one ***
by Will Patterson ...the best one for my needs in the end ! At last I have the 3-d lettering sorted.

Thank you for your links with lynda.com. I will check them out as the poster and logo component is proving the hardest at this stage. But I am enjoying the practice and feel it is important to experiment for my own sake rather than just comply with assignment requirements which do not mention a logo and I do not see how one could hypothetically open a new design studio without one.o_O
 
I often find with tutorials it's not the tutor that left out a step, but the student who skipped a step!
 
Hankscorpio..these Lynda tutes are EXACTLY what i needed. Thank You so much!! Gonna start everything from scratch. Having guidance from a great teacher such as John McWade warms my heart :)
 
Okay new design based on some real tuition at last.
The township is close to a seaside resort; is a fun place; has lots of activities; cafes, music , watersports, artists. tourists...etc...
I chose the palette and paintbrush idea to work with , as it resembles a fish as well as art. I used driftwood ( beach theme) for the fill and I think it depicts the subtropical colourful area in which the design studio is to be opened. I changed the 3-d lettering to suit.
I feel the background is not suitable? but at the same time depicts the stormy tropical skies of that region which can range from blue to black to purple at any given moment.
Comments on How to improve this would be appreciated.lesuse final in 3d v 2.png
 
Yes..Thanks. Can't see the "woods for the trees'.
Have decided to go for a business card instead of poster as my 2d design.
I hope this is my final effort. I will add more factual details to the back of the card but I am finally happy ( i think ) with the logo.
Again any suggestions appreciated. ...
Thanks for your help.lesuse fish logo v4 bus card.png
 
It's not bad. Not sure why "design" has a lowercase "d".

The shape is nice, not sure what it is, but it needs to be simplified even more!
 
The larger case didn't fit in with the circular motion which I worked on to create the impression of movement; rolling hills, waves and yes whales which are prevalent in that region. It was too divisive. Perhaps I should have found a different font. I stuck with this font to blend in with the shape which I later altered so don't really need this font now.
To simplify it more whilst encapsulating some meaning may be beyond my skill range. I definitely want to keep the whale tail :)
I am Using illustrator again, instead of photoshop so am back in my comfort zone which may mean I can pull it off.. maybe tomorrow ......
Thanks for having a look. I Appreciate it .
 
lesuse fish logo 15 for export (2).png lesuse fish logo 16 (2).png

I got rid of the whale tail and came up with 2x more ideas. A Bird has emerged!
Am not sure out of this three which to submit for assignment. I am thinking number 3?
Again comments, suggestions appreciated.
 
upload_2017-1-5_13-26-35.pngupload_2017-1-5_13-26-56.pngupload_2017-1-5_13-27-9.pngupload_2017-1-5_13-27-27.pngupload_2017-1-5_13-27-40.png

These are my final five to choose from. The last one is blurred I know ...I think 1,2,and 4 may be the best altho 3. kind of suggests sun, beach and rolling hills. No. 4 is the most simplified ( finally managed a simple one ) ..but I am not sure it suggests anything. It is an enlarged L letter from font family spumante , therefore probably subjected to copyright , altho' none of this is for monetary gain but rather an assignment by student.
Either way...Thanks to all who helped me with this.
 
I'd step back from the computer and use pencil and paper to sketch out your ideas.

Only go to the computer when you have 3 or 4 solid ideas.

Lose the details of the stripes in the logo - simplify - simplify - simplify - and don't distort text
 
Let's be honest here, these are all pretty awful. These are really just doodles, but worse - done on a computer.
Like Hank says, pick up a pencil and sketch a few ideas. The mark needs to mean something. Otherwise, do something
with the text, instead of picking random, 80's style fonts. Take a look at what other people do, look around you, there
are logos everywhere. While we're at it, I would change the name for starters - Less Use?! Where I come from, it sounds like a phrase
for something not particularly useful!

Remember - K.I.S.S. Keep It Simple, S*****!
 
Okay....all good advice.

Once this course finishes I think i will just do everything again via Lynda.com or attend real live classes.
All the advice you guys are giving me is something I should be learning on my course, not via a forum.

Logos always baffle me....and yes we are surrounded by mainstream logos which target ordinary people , not working in design , and who in my opinion don't get the meaning anyway. Except for the elite few ingenious logo designs that resonate with people from all walks of life, I find most logos incredibly boring.
Name origin les use ...could also suggest lets use this design studio :) I did consider the implications ( believe it or not ) . This company is waaay more blatant about such sensitivities!
Sparking-ice_1.gif
 
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