Does this logo look alright?

[dogbone]

I really appreciate you guys taking an interest in this.

I couldn't sleep so I had a few more goes. The ampersand will not work as white, too confusing.

I think this latest one looks about as optically balanced as I could make it. I had to enlarge the blue copy to disguise the off centre logo (which actually appears centred, sort of) which is a good thing anyway. What makes this job even more challenging is that they have already accepted it, so I'm only doing all this for my own sake of not wanting to supply crap.

 

[Arnaud]

I think this latest one looks about as optically balanced as I could make it. I had to enlarge the blue copy to disguise the off centre logo (which actually appears centred, sort of) which is a good thing anyway. What makes this job even more challenging is that they have already accepted it, so I'm only doing all this for my own sake of not wanting to supply crap.

Looks quite good to me
No confusion, clear S and K, no optical disbalance...

Congratulations !

A.

 

[makisushi]

I really appreciate you guys taking an interest in this.

I couldn't sleep so I had a few more goes. The ampersand will not work as white, too confusing.

I think this latest one looks about as optically balanced as I could make it. I had to enlarge the blue copy to disguise the off centre logo (which actually appears centred, sort of) which is a good thing anyway. What makes this job even more challenging is that they have already accepted it, so I'm only doing all this for my own sake of not wanting to supply crap.

Designing logos is the toughest venture. That is why they are so expensive. I used to charge more for a logo than a 64 page brochure.

ok...now for my critique, and keep in mind, I am an arrogant prick.

It may be "optically balanced" but I am not quite feeling the essence of it. At first glance, I get the feeling that the firm is a new firm trying to look and feel like an old firm.
The blue and yellow convey a "royal" feeling to me. The colors themselves are bold and it screams for more dynamics.
It needs to be more dramatic. None of the objects in your logo interact with each other. It is ok to overlap things. Don't design in the center, it gives it no movement.

good luck!

 

[CompUser]

I'm no graphic design specialist, but it looks a little unbalanced.

Move the & up a little maybe?

 

[dogbone]

Designing logos is the toughest venture. That is why they are so expensive. I used to charge more for a logo than a 64 page brochure.

ok...now for my critique, and keep in mind, I am an arrogant prick.

It may be "optically balanced" but I am not quite feeling the essence of it. At first glance, I get the feeling that the firm is a new firm trying to look and feel like an old firm.
The blue and yellow convey a "royal" feeling to me. The colors themselves are bold and it screams for more dynamics.
It needs to be more dramatic. None of the objects in your logo interact with each other. It is ok to overlap things. Don't design in the center, it gives it no movement.

good luck!

Pretty spot on analysis. Do you think something like this could possibly work? I'm not sure what meaning would be taken from the smaller 'k'.

Here's two designers who haven't fared any better.
http://www.skmenswear.com/skmenswear/0010_index.asp
http://www.skecorp.com/

 

[dogbone]

OK it's all over, they like the big ampersand and don't want me to go any further.

Thanks for everyones input. It has been excellent. Here's one of the latest versions that they didn't see. Sort of like an outake.

 

[Lau]

I also thought a lighter weight of the same typeface for the ampersand - you keep the uniformity of the height of the letters, but the ampersand looks less important in the hierarchy. I did an example in Helvetica Neue, but obviously could just as easily be a serif typeface.

edit - oops, was doing the example, forgot to refresh and didn't see your post....

 

[flyfish29]

OK it's all over, they like the big ampersand and don't want me to go any further.

Thanks for everyones input. It has been excellent. Here's one of the latest versions that they didn't see. Sort of like an outake.

Boy- I really like the S and K with the and small and inside the two letters- your last post- I would only have put a slight amount of space between the S and the K but that looks very nice. It really makes the Accounting stand out with it larger!

 

[makisushi]

OK it's all over

Good job!

 

[GoCubsGo]

It looks fine now, but I think it would look neat if you made the & symbol the same yellow as the bottom of the logo.

TOTALLY AGREE!
Good eye.

 

[Sam/B]

I also think the font is dragging anything you do to it down. I can't see it ever looking professional with that font, the stroke weights shouldn't really vary that much.

Have a look through this a few times and reference to it when you can, i've found it very useful many a time - http://layersmagazine.com/magazine/novdec05/before_and_after.php

 

[Blue Velvet]

I also think the font is dragging anything you do to it down. I can't see it ever looking professional with that font, the stroke weights shouldn't really vary that much.

Stroke weights only come into play in terms of legibility for body copy.

Besides, Bodoni can be a beautiful face if generously leaded with a short measure and can be eminently suitable for display work.

 

[usclaneyj]

agree. nothing wrong with bodoni as a display face. i only dislike it when it is cramped up or streeeeeeeetched out.

 

[_bnkr612]

Is this a company that looks towards the future or dwells in it's past?

The font doesn't do anything for me. Maybe grandma would have grown up with that font.

What's your demographic? Sorry if grandma is your demo...

I whipped these up in 10 minutes. I would go with a sans serif identity and serif secondary... My two copper pieces...

PS, those colors you are using don't suggest business, you need some darker hues.

 

[RideIt]

OK it's all over, they like the big ampersand and don't want me to go any further.

Thanks for everyones input. It has been excellent. Here's one of the latest versions that they didn't see. Sort of like an outake.

If your customer is happy thats all that matters... Good job man.

 

[Arnaud]

...Honestly, for the sake of talking, I stick to the serif typo, as in the last official design, type "S&K".
It's classical, as should be for stability and money.

Without being adressed to grandma's, accounting is the market. The other modern designs, type "S&K, appear to me like:
- Swedish furniture shop,
- nurses outsourcing,
- young-company-which-wants-to-look-trendy (but will drown in 2 years, like most of the young companies).

Anyway, my perception

 

[2nyRiggz]

OK it's all over, they like the big ampersand and don't want me to go any further.

Thanks for everyones input. It has been excellent. Here's one of the latest versions that they didn't see. Sort of like an outake.

That one is nice....except for the S being clouded by the K but its cool.


Bless

 

[eclipse525]

Pretty spot on analysis. Do you think something like this could possibly work? I'm not sure what meaning would be taken from the smaller 'k'.

Here's two designers who haven't fared any better.
http://www.skmenswear.com/skmenswear/0010_index.asp
http://www.skecorp.com/

NOW you are starting to actually design a logo. Keep thinking outside the box. It's still not there but keep thinking. I highly recommend you stay away from the typeface if you insist on that logo configuration. Best of Luck!


~e

 

[stevep]

I agree with bnkr612 about the colours - they look a bit like a cheap DIY shop logo. Try http://stylephreak.frogrun.com/cm.php for colour work. For each of the colours specified, these are the suggestions:

 

[marchcapital]

I also thought a lighter weight of the same typeface for the ampersand - you keep the uniformity of the height of the letters, but the ampersand looks less important in the hierarchy. I did an example in Helvetica Neue, but obviously could just as easily be a serif typeface.

edit - oops, was doing the example, forgot to refresh and didn't see your post....

i like Lau's font suggestion. i prefer the contemprary look. especially if its a new company. the originally posted logo has sort of a dated look; no affence to the graphic artist.