Arch Linux logo concept

foxbunny · 2007-10-15 14:45:35

Yup, I'm a KDE guy. (But KDEmod uses a tango set of icons.) And yes, I've redone the entire Tango'd set, but didn't have time to post. I'll upload and post as soon as I can.

As for the softness, you ca't do much with that shape.... or maybe you can, but I can't. I'll see what I can do.

Last edited by foxbunny (2007-10-15 14:46:05)

PJ · 2007-10-15 14:50:25

foxbunny wrote:

As for the softness, you ca't do much with that shape.... or maybe you can, but I can't. I'll see what I can do.

I will look in to that if you don't mind.

FeatherMonkey · 2007-10-15 15:02:13

Strange peoples perception I think many are brilliant, what I'm intrigued by is many of these imply to me arc old and new. When I think of arch I think http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arc_de_Triomphe a proper triumphal arch.

Personally I think it should acquire something like this into it more blocky built with bricks. Particularly when you take into account the multitude of arch shapes you could incorporate. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arch

But alas my skills lack. So instead I'll admire the handy work of others and wish I had the skills.

foxbunny · 2007-10-15 15:36:24

PJ wrote:

foxbunny wrote:
As for the softness, you ca't do much with that shape.... or maybe you can, but I can't. I'll see what I can do.
I will look in to that if you don't mind.

Okay, I'll toss you the SVGs when I get home.

foxbunny · 2007-10-15 15:41:23

FeatherMonkey wrote:

But alas my skills lack. So instead I'll admire the handy work of others and wish I had the skills.

Can you sketch your ideas and scan them? Or maybe try to draw them i Paint software if you don't have a scanner. And then post here. Maybe someone will get a good idea.

To me personally, the St. Louis Arch is the perfect real-life example of a structure that resembles the Arch phylosophy: it seems as if it has no mass as all though it's structure is rigid, and resists the elements, and it's simplicity and beauty are astonishing. That's how I see Arch among the all houses and buildings that are the other distros. Quite different and unique.

Last edited by foxbunny (2007-10-15 15:44:36)

Cerebral · 2007-10-15 15:45:45

It might be worthwhile to note at this point that the idea has gained some traction on the Public Dev ML. (link to thread http://archlinux.org/pipermail/arch-dev … 02158.html which I posted a little while ago)

We're talking about possibly holding a logo competition of some sort, and discussing details. Nothing set in stone yet, and I will keep you informed.

FeatherMonkey · 2007-10-15 15:51:42

No scan I'm afraid, but my idea would be a little based on the isometric view from the wiki arch page. More straight on, than that example.

Perhaps with some balance on one side incorporating the bricks not a full wall but sort of in the process of being built, or in ruins yet still the arch stands. Just simple lines that made a semi 3d arch.

So you'd end up knowing it was an arch, a doorway to linux, the bricks symbolising the way we all put our arch together in little bits, its strength in design, the simple holding the heavy, one keystone locking it all together, what arch does.

Edit
To me if the arch doesn't have a keystone then its an arc. Also if it carries no weight its an arc.

Though a more triumphal arch would make sense as well a solid sturdy, like the one I linked to again things it should represent solid and sturdy arch linux.

Last edited by FeatherMonkey (2007-10-15 16:13:28)

foxbunny · 2007-10-15 16:07:57

Celebral, I've seen the dev list. It's still under discussion whether there should be a open-to-all-ideas competition or a more strict rule of using only derivatives of the current logo.

IMHO, it's a question of whether we will redesign the current logo or contribute an entirely new idea... I think this question has to get an answer before there can be a competition. And it could also be useful if we could all receive templates for what we are going to contribute as additional art (CD cases, CDs, mugs, whatever), as well as written specs for those. I see in the Arch shop that we have mugs and T-shirts, and those have to be covered as well, right? Or maybe not?

And someone on the list mentioned a scalable version of the logo. For some people it is not possible (if they use, say, GIMP to design the logo).

Here are the templates for the CD and CD cases:

http://kev.coolcavemen.com/2006/09/cd-t … se-in-svg/

thayer · 2007-10-15 16:10:28

Cerebral, that's excellent...

To everyone else:

As foxbunny pointed out, please post any and all future logo concepts to the separate thread:

http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=38550

Cerebral · 2007-10-15 16:12:22

foxbunny wrote:

Celebral, I've seen the dev list. It's still under discussion whether there should be a open-to-all-ideas competition or a more strict rule of using only derivatives of the current logo.

Like I said, it's gaining some traction but nothing's set in stone - we're still discussing it, yes. Like I said, I'll let you know when we've come to a decision; I just figured those posting in this thread would be interested in a status update.

That aside, you raise some good points, which I will bring up on the list after work today.

foxbunny · 2007-10-15 16:13:43

'Kay, sry if I sounded like I'm rushing things... because I am.

Nah, just too excited!

I'd also like to point out the issue of desktop integration. If accepted, the logos should be ported to various specs, including, but not limited to, Tango. Also, the future KDE4's Crystal theme. These are NOT the design requirements. These are optional artwork that can also be packaged by people other than the original designers.

Maybe we can compile the list of specs logos should be ported to? Also the filenames, paletes.

For Tango set, take a look at these articles:

http://tango.freedesktop.org/Tango_Icon … Guidelines
http://tango.freedesktop.org/Tango_Icon_Library
http://www.tango-project.org/static/cvs … alette.gpl (gimp palette)
http://www.tango-project.org/static/cvs … alette.svg (SVG palette)
http://www.benpbrown.com/2006/06/29/tan … te-swatch/ (Photoshop swatches)

For new KDE 4 crystal set:

http://www.everaldo.com/crystal/
http://www.everaldo.com/crystal/?action=preview

*Crystal project does not provide a unified color scheme, AFAIK.

Oxygen set:

http://www.oxygen-icons.org/?page_id=2
http://www.oxygen-icons.org/?page_id=2#fig4 (colors at the bottom of the page)

In any case, we should try to port to at least those sets that Arch supplies by default and are used by default in GNOME, KDE, Xfce, and maybe something else?

Last edited by foxbunny (2007-10-15 16:32:15)

thayer · 2007-10-15 19:58:29

Is deviation from the norm always a bad thing? I like the original better than the current (*tongue in cheek*)

http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php? … 98#p289698

The meaning of "Arch" according to Judd (circa 2002)

[Q] Why the name Arch Linux?
[A] From dictionary.com:

arch (rch)
adj.

1. Chief; principal: their arch foe.
2. Mischievous; roguish: an arch glance.

I came across the well-known term "arch-enemy" in a book and
clued in that "arch" means "the primary", "the principal", the one
that comes first among others. Far from true with regard to
Arch Linux perhaps, but I'm proud of it. Now, the second
definition may or may not fit; I guess it depends on how you use
your computer.

Source: http://web.archive.org/web/200206050619 … rg/faq.php

Last edited by thayer.w (2007-10-15 20:42:37)

shining · 2007-10-15 20:21:04

Btw, about Arch artwork, I found this very funny and interesting :
http://www.archlinux.org/pipermail/arch … 02008.html
http://lux.perisa.ch/tmp/img_6366_uxga.jpg

I don't know if it could be inspirational in any way though, but well..

rson451 · 2007-10-15 21:42:31

shining that is very interesting. could make for some very nice wallpapers using this concept.

louipc · 2007-10-16 01:21:32

Ooh yeah that's awesome.

Hah that penguin riding a binary string is pretty awesome too.

Someone made a good point about arch vs. arc. I think thayer.w's A design could be adapted to actually look like an arch more than a lot of the others. The rest are just arcs!

Hmm but then maybe people will start to think this is a distro from St. Louis.

tdphys · 2007-10-16 05:30:19

thayer.w wrote:

Is deviation from the norm always a bad thing? I like the original better than the current (*tongue in cheek*)
http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php? … 98#p289698
The meaning of "Arch" according to Judd (circa 2002)
[Q] Why the name Arch Linux?
[A] From dictionary.com:
arch (rch)
adj.
1. Chief; principal: their arch foe.
2. Mischievous; roguish: an arch glance.

I came across the well-known term "arch-enemy" in a book and
clued in that "arch" means "the primary", "the principal", the one
that comes first among others. Far from true with regard to
Arch Linux perhaps, but I'm proud of it. Now, the second
definition may or may not fit; I guess it depends on how you use
your computer.

Hmmm... That's rough, how would you visualize "archlinux" as in "archnemesis"
Any thoughts?
I'm ranging from a cloaked penguin with a big sword or gun, to some kind off pinnacle thing, you know, like the eye thing on the american dollar.
Or is it important to keep the "arch/arc" thing going as thats what the designs been most recently?

foxbunny · 2007-10-16 10:18:46

I like the current logo better than the original one. Much simpler and easyer to associate with the word Arch, albeit not the original meaning given by Judd.

Guys, if you want an inspiration... something that says why penguins are so great, and why Tux is nowhere near the real penguins, try to find the "March of the Penguins", the WB/National Geographic documentary on emperor penguins. It's a great movie, much better than anything penguin-related I've ever seen. From there, you could maybe imagine the archpenguin, the first among all penguins.

As for me, I'll stick to the arch theme.

foxbunny · 2007-10-16 10:31:17

louipc wrote:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/e … y_arch.jpg
Hmm but then maybe people will start to think this is a distro from St. Louis.

Well, if you do an exact copy of the arch, they most certainly will.

The important things to know about the St. Lous arch is that it is:

a. thin
b. robust (hard to present unless you know it's a building)
c. nicely proportioned.

So, what you need to replicate in your logo (if you're going for an arch like that):

a. no too thin (would be hard to reproduce at smalled sizes), but present "thin" graphically by varying the width of the arch along it's stroke
b. put both legs on the ground at the same height (do not make either leg hang in the air as it will lose stability)
c. try to use the same proportions (width vs height) as the St. Lous arch.

I can give you one more tip. Start with two elipses to draw the arch. Then cut the two elipses with a rectangle (if you're using Inkscape) or crop the elipses if you're using GIMP and similar raster graphics tools. Then use the shape as a STARTING POINT. Take a look at the example below.

I distorted the proportion a bit to accomodate the text (so that the text won't be too small).

Fixed the 'stability' issue:

Last edited by foxbunny (2007-10-16 10:56:43)

Sigi · 2007-10-16 12:04:56

Nice work, foxbunny. But the logo has IMHO too much white space between the arc(h)'s, no substance (to quote Bad Religion )

zenlord · 2007-10-16 12:15:02

foxbunny wrote:

I distorted the proportion a bit to accomodate the text (so that the text won't be too small).
http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/3072 … au5.th.jpg
Fixed the 'stability' issue:
http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/568/ … ve7.th.jpg

I fail to see the difference between those two, but I like 'em both very much - I think you're getting the hang of it (concept-wise)

Zl.
/EDIT: oh, wait. The bottom one is a little taller and colored a little lighter, no?

Last edited by zenlord (2007-10-16 12:17:02)

PJ · 2007-10-16 12:24:41

zenlord wrote:

/EDIT: oh, wait. The bottom one is a little taller and colored a little lighter, no?

I am not sure about it but to me it seems like the bottom one has a thinner black arc.

foxbunny · 2007-10-16 12:46:13

@zenlord, PJ

You're both right. I enjoy introducing those subtle chages, just for the kick of it. The bottom one has legs that do not align. Why? Because they are aligned visually instead of geometrically. Therefore, the left leg was made a bit longer to compensate for the weight the black arc is putting on it. And, yes, the bottom one is taller.

Sometimes, perfection means introducing bits of inperfection.

@Sigi

The white space is excessive precisely to depict lightness of the Arch distro. I'm half-Japanese so I have no prob with whitespace, but I guess it is normal that western people may feel a bit intimidated by the 'emptiness' as they see it. I believe there is nothing intimidating about emptiness, because it is not even there to begin with. Nothingness cannot be scary because it doesn't exist.

BTW, when scaling this one down, the arch has to become progressively thicker at smaller sizes, so it won't be as difficult to scale it down as it may seem at first.

Little tweak to the black arc shape:

Last edited by foxbunny (2007-10-16 13:00:45)

Sigi · 2007-10-16 12:58:38

foxbunny wrote:

@Sigi
The white space is excessive precisely to depict lightness of the Arch distro. I'm half-Japanese so I have no prob with whitespace, but I guess it is normal that western people may feel a bit intimidated by the 'emptiness' as they see it. I believe there is nothing intimidating about emptiness, because it is not even there to begin with. Nothingness cannot be scary because it doesn't exist.

I disagree. I don't think that this white area intimidates me. But there are more clever ways to play with empty space. The former logo of the school (ZHW) I just finished shows this:

foxbunny · 2007-10-16 13:03:36

I was speaking of the difference in the views between the east and the west. In east, empty space is not even part of the artwork. As you clearly illustrated yourself, the western artists are afraid to have INSIDE their artwork the non-artwork areas.

BTW, great job on that logo, man.

In the picture above, the inside of the circle (as well as outside) is not even considered part of the circle, a concept many artists in Europe (at least) would disagree with. For example, it would not be offensive if I took a pencil and scribbled something in the white space (unless, of course, I wrote something offensive).

Last edited by foxbunny (2007-10-16 13:08:13)

Sigi · 2007-10-16 13:08:54

foxbunny wrote:

I was speaking of the difference in the views between the east and the west. In east, empty space is not even part of the artwork. As you clearly illustrated yourself, the western artists are afraid to have INSIDE their artwork the non-artwork areas.
BTW, great job on that logo, man.

LOL (Just to clarify: this logo is _not_ my work!)

I think I got your point.

Arch Linux

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Re: Arch Linux logo concept

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