Need help with logo concepts?

foxbunny · 2007-10-17 10:53:33

Okay, so you have a good idea, but only some rough sketches or scans of your doodles? Post them here so people can pick them up and work on them.

If you have a good design that works for you, but are unable to create all the variations (negative, black, small, big, with sugar and creme), post them here and e-mail an artist to help you out. Or simply wait for someone to pick it up. Describe the problems you are having.

Not happy with the design, but want some advice on how to fix it? Post it here as well.

Anything else that comes to your mind? Post it here. Just don't post if you have no artwork to show, okay?

PJ · 2007-10-17 11:21:09

A pretty rough sketch. I am not sure if I need help with it or if I should continue working on it. Anyway here it is:

My main problem for now is that my own computer is a bit unusable for now. I am trying to fix it but that is the main reason why I haven't been submitting any suggestions for logos lately.

foxbunny · 2007-10-17 12:31:28

I'm not sure if I like it as our logo at this stage. But it's nice artwork anyway. You could probably make it look reeeeealy 3D, which could look awsome.

PJ · 2007-10-17 12:42:36

foxbunny wrote:

I'm not sure if I like it as our logo at this stage. But it's nice artwork anyway. You could probably make it look reeeeealy 3D, which could look awsome.

Yes, I could do that but then it would probably be to advanced to be adobted as the offical logo. So at this point it is more or less a rough sketch which could inspire others.

foxbunny · 2007-10-17 13:16:30

Well, having a 3D look would not disqualify it as a logo, especially if you provide alternative 2D'd version as well... But, hey, people are people, and everybody likes different stuff.

Dusty · 2007-10-17 13:38:48

PJ wrote:

A pretty rough sketch.

PJ: I really like this for starters. I'm no artist, but I suggest that It would be really neat if you could make the lower sweeping curve/arch look like an L without losing the "A" look, and also without losing the overall "Arch" look.

Dusty

PJ · 2007-10-18 08:23:01

Dusty wrote:

PJ: I really like this for starters. I'm no artist, but I suggest that It would be really neat if you could make the lower sweeping curve/arch look like an L without losing the "A" look, and also without losing the overall "Arch" look.
Dusty

Thanks.
I tried to follow your suggestions and I am not sure if I got all of it. It's still a rough sketch and I am still not satisfied with the result so far.

foxbunny · 2007-10-18 09:47:12

PJ wrote:

Dusty wrote:
PJ: I really like this for starters. I'm no artist, but I suggest that It would be really neat if you could make the lower sweeping curve/arch look like an L without losing the "A" look, and also without losing the overall "Arch" look.
Dusty
Thanks.
I tried to follow your suggestions and I am not sure if I got all of it. It's still a rough sketch and I am still not satisfied with the result so far.
http://www.geocities.com/kinortkele/arch2.png

I don't think the left side can be made to look like L at all... OTOH, the right side has a much better chance.

PJ · 2007-10-18 09:54:16

That true.

I might try to do one version with the right side looking like a 'L'.

dezza · 2007-10-25 16:01:12

Is it possible that you could write what you're expecting from this logo?

I would like to know if you prefer it being compatible with the current color scheme, and if it should be totally different from the old one? Or something alike? I know we can just use our fantasy and create what we think is cool, but you must have spoken to each other on what you expect?

foxbunny · 2007-10-25 16:18:22

There is an entire thread about the actual goal of the concept.

http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=38051

Basically, everyone is encouraged to redefine Arch from any number of POWs. From what I remember, we have mentioned the following:

1. arch is simply an arch, as in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arch
2. if (1.) then, there could be two possibilities:
2a. an arch like the St. Louis Arch (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Louis_Arch)
2b. an arch like the Arc de Triomphe of Paris (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arc_de_Triomphe)
3. archer, archery, the arrows
4. any kind of modified letter A
5. arch as in principal, chief (arch nemesis, not necessarily in bad sense, this is what Judd picked when he named our distro)
6. Arhc's energy, speed, lighness (both in a mix or as separate concepts)
6a. speed and lightness as in light design, light colors
6b. energy as in Sun
6c. stability as in a boat on a fast-flowing river (canoe, rafting)
7. penguins are boring
8. Arch is inviting (soft, subdued colors and soft shapes)

The color scheme could be blue or anything else. Some suggestions were BLUE (d'oh!), PURPLE, YELLOW, BLACK, EMERALD, GRAY...

Matt3o gave us a nice overview of colors used by different distros and suggested we try colors that are not used that often: http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php? … 87#p290287

Tango theme is considered an optional element, and the logo should not try to follow the Tango specs. The reason is that Tango themed stuff tend to look like icons rather than logos.

I have collected logos from lots of distros (364 of them to be precise) and posted them in a gallery for on-line viewing:

http://archlinux.team88.org/main.php?g2_itemId=13

You can also grab the whole bunch in a .zip file from here:

http://foxbunny.team88.org/arch/linuxlo … -logos.zip

Things to avoid:

1. penguins
2. overly complex designs
3. http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php? … 42#p290342
4. warm colors (people are generally okay with blue, whereas some people may show much resistance towards the red part of the spectrum: reds, oranges, browns, yellows)
5. @ symbol (already used by a different distro)

Color is subjective, so not every color works for everyone the same way as with you.

Just remembered something: FONTS. The current "archlinux" logotype uses a non-free font that cannot be used for many things people might like to use them for because of the licensing issues. You are free to find any alternative font if you think it would work better with your concept. However, designing the logotype is not a requirement. You may also design a logoless concept that uses only the logotype. But keep in mind that there are not many such designs in the Linux world. Examples of such designs in the IT world however are not few: IBM, HP, Microsoft, Solaris, Novell, Sony, NEC, etc. They all use a logoless approach with the exception of Novell, who uses "N" as a logo.

Last edited by foxbunny (2007-10-25 16:50:43)

louipc · 2007-10-25 22:28:35

Hey man penguins are awesome. Tux has been overused however.

foxbunny · 2007-10-26 07:06:52

Yes. But some people can't tell the difference between Tux and a penguin.

pedepy · 2007-10-26 20:05:59

i disagree about warm colors .. Altough red probably gets on one's nerve if you stare for too long, yellow and soft orange tones are much more vibrant than blue. I agree that blue probably reaches to more people but doesnt it get boring after a short while?

I like the logo submissions that enable various color palettes to be applied. The "alpha sun" one, for instance, could use pretty much any color from blue to yellow to green, and even red, if you'd want to. Weren't previous arch "releases" labelled by color as well as name ?

By the way i cant stop staring at that alpha sun logo .. i dunno who'd designed it exactly, but its gorgeous ... Ive downloaded all SVG sources and im thinking of using it as my arch logo whatever the outcome of the contest will be I hope the dev's who get to vote will take in account the community's feelings about the logos.

Again, good job everyone

Last edited by pedepy (2007-10-26 20:13:19)

foxbunny · 2007-10-26 20:34:23

Thank you, pedepy, that'd be me.

Anyway, please do NOT release any artwork using the logo yet. The logo itself is currently not licensable. I'm waiting for the the contest to end.

Take look at the gallery at

http://archlinux.team88.org/

There should be some basic guidelines for the logo use. Fot the time being, I will allow only compliant artwork some very limited license. It's comlicated, I know, but bear with me.

pedepy · 2007-10-27 06:54:41

dont worry its for my sole personal use

not that it matters cause i think this one's got the best chance yet ;p really, the only thing I can see againts it is thats its not just an "A" design as seems to have been the traditional way to conceive the arch logo. but like i said, i like it. I liked the one with multiple arches a while back but I kinda grew tired of it.

i also like that you can use the same arch font with it and it still fits .. by the way was it intentional to have the obvious "A" arch but also the "X" (on the right side from the two lines crossing) .. you know .. arch linux ?

it can be surprising the kind of a effect a logo as as to attract people to a distro. They may not end up adopting it, but at least they'll have checked it out.

foxbunny · 2007-10-27 09:36:32

It is actually a different font. It's called 'London Between'. I use it because it resembles the old one to some extent, and it is free for us all to use in any way (except modification and redistribution for profit, of course).

pelle.k · 2007-10-27 11:17:06

You're very talanted, foxbunny!
If i had enough energy i would take a stab at creating a logo too, but i have too little time and, well, time...

resident · 2007-10-27 16:39:47

Hi, my arch logo submission is at http://img.flashtux.org/img13242732cd4cx8ea15dd3.png
don't know how to make SVG logo so need lots of help

foxbunny · 2007-10-27 18:02:57

Resident, that is... um... not even original.

http://archlinux.team88.org/main.php?g2_itemId=1034

ibendiben · 2007-10-31 19:18:04

heey, I'd like to add a design, and I'm working very hard on it, but I'm afraid I'm not that good in putting it all together on the comp. I wanted to share the idea though cause I thought it's a good one.
Arch:Cutting edge:Power in back in users hands:Lightweight:Simple:A:L:Pacman.
So I thought: BOOMERANG! That's quite a nice symbol and it holds up quite a few archthoughts behind it. You could get an A/L and pacman out of it, it has cutting edge, rolling release system, is simple yet powerfull, lightweight... etc.
Maybe one of you designers can create a logo out of it.
Here's a scan of my first sketches:

Last edited by ibendiben (2007-10-31 19:20:43)

SiD · 2007-11-01 10:15:14

I like the idea to use a "pacman" instead of a normal "C" .

foxbunny · 2007-11-01 11:35:48

@ibendiben
I don't know if I'll be able to start working on it today, but maybe I'll be able to create something. If you need help with Inkscape, you can reach me via e-mail. Otherwise, please hold on until I make some time for your concept.

Meanwhile, you may try to trace some photos with Inkscape?

http://images.google.com/images?client= … a=N&tab=wi

Last edited by foxbunny (2007-11-01 11:38:21)

ibendiben · 2007-11-01 15:30:53

Stumbled on this post...
http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=34948
...doing an 'arch boomerang' search in google images. While I still think the boomerang is a good idea for the logo, it wasn't original and thayer.w deserves the credit for it.
I'm continuing to work on it tough (and learning inkscape), and even more curious what foxbunny is going to make of it

ps. @foxbunny 'alfa sun' is nice! pacman's is in there too
ps2. lambda is 'L' right?

Last edited by ibendiben (2007-11-01 16:09:55)

foxbunny · 2007-11-01 16:10:35

Lambda is L, but I doubt it will be recognized as such by non-scientific people... Also the Delta which is D has potential to be taken as an A...

Arch Linux

#1 2007-10-17 10:53:33

Need help with logo concepts?

#2 2007-10-17 11:21:09

Re: Need help with logo concepts?

#3 2007-10-17 12:31:28

Re: Need help with logo concepts?

#4 2007-10-17 12:42:36

Re: Need help with logo concepts?

#5 2007-10-17 13:16:30

Re: Need help with logo concepts?

#6 2007-10-17 13:38:48

Re: Need help with logo concepts?

#7 2007-10-18 08:23:01

Re: Need help with logo concepts?

#8 2007-10-18 09:47:12

Re: Need help with logo concepts?

#9 2007-10-18 09:54:16

Re: Need help with logo concepts?

#10 2007-10-25 16:01:12

Re: Need help with logo concepts?

#11 2007-10-25 16:18:22

Re: Need help with logo concepts?

#12 2007-10-25 22:28:35

Re: Need help with logo concepts?

#13 2007-10-26 07:06:52

Re: Need help with logo concepts?

#14 2007-10-26 20:05:59

Re: Need help with logo concepts?

#15 2007-10-26 20:34:23

Re: Need help with logo concepts?

#16 2007-10-27 06:54:41

Re: Need help with logo concepts?

#17 2007-10-27 09:36:32

Re: Need help with logo concepts?

#18 2007-10-27 11:17:06

Re: Need help with logo concepts?

#19 2007-10-27 16:39:47

Re: Need help with logo concepts?

#20 2007-10-27 18:02:57

Re: Need help with logo concepts?

#21 2007-10-31 19:18:04

Re: Need help with logo concepts?

#22 2007-11-01 10:15:14

Re: Need help with logo concepts?

#23 2007-11-01 11:35:48

Re: Need help with logo concepts?

#24 2007-11-01 15:30:53

Re: Need help with logo concepts?

#25 2007-11-01 16:10:35

Re: Need help with logo concepts?

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