[Closed] Poll: Which logo do you prefer ?

You seem to have missed off option 3: back to the drawing board 😉

...gun to my head, 2.

two

They are both terrible !! But I voted for #1

voted 2

I have no idea. I'll have another look in the morning.

not a massive fan of either.. but I couldn't vote for the provincial 80s hiking shop looks of 1 so I voted 2 which is hopefully just ahead of it's time or something..

Both pants, stick with the cammo header 🙂

logo 2

?

From the two I prefer the second, but there's room for improvement.

Both awful, stuck in the past. Can we see no. 3?

😯

Looks like 2 is leading. Thanks for posting so far.

2 is half decent.
#1 is pretty bad tbf - I'd be disappointed if I came up with that myself which is saying something.

Two. It reminds me of our local mountain rescue charity collection box.

Erm...the nineties are calling

...etc

top one, but they are both crap. IMHO etc

What is MT13 Arena?

I like the one the little boy did.

can i say neither?

Hate them both. But 1 at least has a little bit of retro cool about it (if you lose the little bikes!) so it gets my vote, though it does feel a bit like choosing between 2 vomit sandwiches.

"like" both the same amount and I could not pick between them, not in a good way ...sorry.

Sorry, but neither floats my boat. I have designed a fair few logos over the years, as well as entire books and their jackets, so I have graphics experience, and personally I'd stick with the masthead you're already using. Those just look a bit too much like the local free magazine went to work with a freeware paintbox programme. The colour palette is very reminiscent of early nineties web graphics, when 168 colours or whatever was all that was available. I'm afraid they just look a bit... amateur really. 🙁

Off to design more 🙁

Why don't you ask the STW design community to knock one up for you tomorrow? That normally goes down well and they'll even do you a version in Word (and PowerPoint if you ask nicely).

What CountZero sed, basically.

Both are too fussy, too obvious and just don't stand out enough. My philosophy with logos is that they should convey what they represent as simply as possible, and be memorable. You really don't need to tell a whole story with a logo, you just need something that will stick in someone's head.

Look at these:

[img] [/img]
[img] [/img]
[img] [/img]

See?

Less is more.

[url= http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2010/09/13/expressive-web-typography-useful-examples-and-techniques/ ]some inspiration[/url]

if in doubt rip someone off

sorry both are pants

if in doubt rip someone off

Which is 99% of logo design anyway. 🙂

Shut up DD you are rubbish and you smell so there. 😐

[url= http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/08/11/beautiful-hand-drawn-typography/ ]hand drawn stuff[/url]

[url= http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/08/02/bauhaus-ninety-years-of-inspiration/ ]bauhaus[/url] note the colour palettes

I am rubbish at logo design, but I can't be awesome at everything. Swimming and logo design are two of my weaknesses. 😡

[url= http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/04/01/drawing-inspiration-from-creative-logos/ ]lots to copy here[/url]

Done a banner.
[img] [/img]

Right then, what about this ?

http://www.mtbarena.com/?p=260

[img] [/img]

That last one is better IMO!
Bit of a mis-match between the 3D of the chainring (?) and the flat text. Maybe try the text in the same 3D style?
I also tried to read it as mtbarena first.

IMO I would make the chainring on the last one 2D but keep it silver, and try making the words read mtb ARENA or switch fonts between the two words to better distinguish between them...you're getting closer on that last one...sorry but the first two were just dreadful

redthunder - Member
Off to design more

Without meaning to be harsh, I think this might be part of the problem. I'd be inclined to try and twist the arm of a graphic designer friend to have a go at it.

im not keen on any so far. Try n keep it simple is all i can say

they're both crap. sorry

No offence meant but they are poor.

The second one is the better though because the first reads MT13

Get a designer to do them or just pick a strong font you like and use it black on white until you can get a designer to do you a logo.

that last effort has got a bit more potential.. ignore what those guys have said about the conflict between the 2d and 3d.. it's actually quite a good thing and adds a bit of dynamism and catches the eyes attention a little.. not too shabby.. 🙂

Hate to say it, but I agree with Elfin.
Keep it simple. I see some bloody horrible logos that try to do too much, and number two is one of them. 6 colour too.

The third one is 'better' in that it's much simpler. But I think you're falling into the trap of trying to make it too 'mountain bikey'. Sometimes, a logo needs to convey meaning of the product or service, but very often, something more abstract and not immediately visually obvious can actually work better. Take Nike's 'Swoosh', for example. Suggests speed and vigour.

I think you have some good starting points. Keep plugging away, and you'll hopefully come up with something nice. I just scribble stuff on old envelopes and that, and designs evolve from those scribbles.

Try to think of basic shapes and patterns associated with MTBing, rather than trying to tell a whole story in one simple logo.

And keep in mind how it will be used; web, print, colour, black and white, etc. Personally I think using the minimum amount of colours is best, keeps it simple.

As Elfin says, keep it simple. Here are a few examples from other websites (which I presume your trying to compete with), as you can see they are all instantly recognisable and very simple:

[img] [/img]

[img] [/img]

[img] [/img]

[img] [/img]

[img] [/img]

they are all instantly recognisable

As will be this if we keep posting it up here

[img] [/img]

Happy to help 🙂

(seriously though, the third one is much much better)

I love the little rider doing the 'look Mum, no hands!' thing.

Although it's a crap logo.

As above something simpler (and less red) would be a lot betterer.

Make the MTB big... and black.

Overlay with a white Arena...in smaller.

Might look alright.

[img] [/img]

I prefer the one you are using already.

Just nudge it away from the edges.

Both awful I'm afraid. Elfin is on the money. Less is more. Its not what you put in, its what you leave out. ie: Use clean, simple typefaces, not wacky 'modern' ones. On account of them all being crap

AND... Every time I see a Photoshop filter (bevel, emboss, textures) applied to type, a little part of me dies. JUST DON"T!

Can everyone please start using photoshop filters on every post today please. If a little bit of binners dies each time...well...you never know. 😉

You just need to dump the red and add some gnarr!

(CBA to sort the border properly, I have actual work to do)

[img] [/img]

2 is bearable, but it could do with being simplified.

Think clean and simple. A good logo should also work in multiple colours.

Er, neither. And FFS if you really are going to do this then get someone to give you a proof read/ sort out the text on your site. The number of flying apostrophes 😯 is enough to wind up even the most mild mannered grammar nerd.

None of the Above - but well done for settling on something no-one seems to like

You monster DD!!! I'll keep you updated on which bits of me are carking it 🙁

From Butterfly2346:-

Thank you to all of those who gave constructive feedback. It really has helped and we have taken on board your comments. We are still working on the logo and we are close to getting it right.

Thanks again!

I don't like either - too dated. the other one you posted on page 1 looks like clipart with some text dumped in it.

ourkidsam rework of your logo is an improvement.

If you want a good logo, pay someone to do it for you.

Don't just choose a crappy logo for the sake of having a logo...you'd be better off with some simple text as JEngledow illustrates. Perhaps get a good image of people riding singletrack and create a banner with your text over it.

And your favicon looks like a warning sign.

Thanks chaps for all the constructive comments and taking a moment to vote.

Probably run with last offering or something similar.

Ta Muchly.

PS:

Voting went like this 🙂

Logo1
17.4% (15 votes)
Logo2
82.6% (71 votes)

If you are gonna use that one above (ourkidsam) please FFS flip the second 'A' so it tilts the other way and mimics the shape of the mountain more.

Not that I actually like either. Sorry.

I'm not using the ourkidsam logo [thanks for having a go at it though]

I'll be using the chain ring one I did last night. Just been playing a bit more with it.

[img] [/img]

[img] [/img]

[img] [/img]

Much much better.

I'd suggest trying to simplify the chainring even more, make it a bit more 'abstract'; a logo that can be used on it's own without the text, maybe.

But it's definitely getting there. it's nice to see the process from original ideas through to the finished thing. 🙂

The others were guff, but the last one is a bit better, but please don't use Ariel as the font, I hate that font. It's going to be just grey is it?

i think all of those 3 look really good.

once you've got that far, just pick one and call it a day, you could be fine tuning forever.

Thanks chaps 🙂

Ariel is not on the cards so dont panic!. Possibly Franklin Gothic.

PS: Managed to delete the original logos I did, not such a bad thing ;-). There on a different machine and I'll post back later for thread continuity.

The 3D one sis good above. Just been through the whole logo thing ourselves for www.pmba.org.uk. Kept it simple, sure we could have done better but it's not easy. Something recognisable is better than nothing.

Ariel is not on the cards so dont panic!. Possibly Franklin Gothic.

Arial is fine. Dunno why Coogan is so vehemently opposed to it. Now if it were Sand or Comic Sans or something I could understand....

To continue trying to be 'constructive'; in what way does the chainring represent mountain bicycling over any other form of cycling?

I think it's a bit too obvious to use something like a chainring for a biking thing logo, but maybe that's just me. How many other biking things have similar logos?

It really depends how important it is to have a top-class logo though. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't.

Personally I'd be exploring the idea of a knobbly tyre, tyre tread pattern, incorporate that into the design maybe.

Also, using the 'arena' bit as the basis for ideas. A shape evocative of a sporting area type thing. Hmm, maybe too Olympicky...

I definitely think a circle is a good shape to use though, represents movement maybe, 'cycles', inclusiveness, etc.

Fascinating.

in what way does the chainring represent mountain bicycling over any other form of cycling?

fair point - but ..............

Also, using the 'arena' bit as the basis for ideas

what mtbing takes place in an arena ?

from experience i think you can analyse these things until you just end up crawling up your own ass.

chainring logos look good to me. polish it up, put it to bed.

Ariel is a shit font, simple fact. Helvetica, Franklin Gothic, Univers, News Gothic, DIN, Gotham etc etc are clean well designed fonts. Ariel has always looked like a cheap rubbish rip off. Which it is.

I'd bin the 3D look, no offence but unless your an out and out designer, can be difficult to get these right and for them to work in different situations. I also agree with the chain ring though, I'd probably bin that part too. Do a search for MTB logos, and unless it's a big bike maker, they all have tyre treads, or chains, or bad bike illustrations and so on.

Clean and simple. Always work. Can you tell I work with designers?

from experience i think you can analyse these things until you just end up crawling up your own ass.

Fair point.

One can get far too carried away with such things. 😀

what mtbing takes place in an arena ?

A metaphorical arena, not an actual one. But yeah, difficult to represent such a concept in graphical form in relation to mtbing I spose. Track cycling for example woon't be so difficult.

[img] [/img]
[img] [/img]
[img] [/img]

Cycling logos in general do seem to follow an obvious and familiar theme...

[img] [/img]
[img] [/img]
[img] [/img]

But simplicity wins, I think.

Ariel is a shit font, simple fact. Helvetica, Franklin Gothic, Univers, News Gothic, DIN, Gotham etc etc are clean well designed fonts. Ariel has always looked like a cheap rubbish rip off. Which it is.

Uh-oh! Font Fascist! 😀

No it's good to see people passionate about such things. Most folk I know would be happy with Times New Roman or whatever default font is on their computer programmes. 😥

Or worse, they think something like a 'Wild West' style font is 'quirky and fun'. 😐

I like the realistic chainring. It's something we're all so familiar with, so the form is quite visceral and evocative.

However the name is a bit of a problem. MTB Arena? What is it? You're all going to get together in the Colosseum and try and own each other with bombers whilst the crowd roar on? Or is it a forum where that happens metaphorically?

An interesting spin on the usual MTB forum where there's an Emperor who decides who wins the bitter protracted arguments.. nice idea, I like it.

Ariel is a shit font, and that is a fact.

Uh-oh! Font Fascist!

And rightly so. It is actually fact - not a matter of opinion.

Arial was [i]designed[/i] as a substandard typeface. It could [i]only ever be[/i] a substandard typeface. It was commissioned by Microsoft for the sole reason of avoiding having to pay Linotype to licence Helvetica.

So the brief for the design of Arial was to copy Helvetica but change it [i]just enough[/i] to not get sued. Therefore, any deviation from the original design could only make it worse.

By its very nature Arial can only ever be substandard. It's the result of one of the richest corporations the world has ever seen deciding it would circumvent the sort of copyright it rigidly and desperately applies to its own output.

For designers, Arial is like going to see a really great band, only to find out it's a tribute act.

If you are going to rip into Arial, at least spell it correctly... 😀

That's how much I hate it!

Edited 🙂

Down with Comic Sans 😉

[img] [/img]

Well I quite like Arial. But then Helvetica and some of them are nice too, but tbh, they all look pretty similar really. But I'm not a Font Fascist. As a Londoner, I do love Johnston, but that's prolly cos I've lived with it all my life and so it's almost part of who I am. It's a bloody nice font though.

Best not mention Gill Sans.... 😯

Poor Redthunder. Came on here hoping for a bit of advice, and now there's probbly a war about to erupt* on the merits of various fonts.... 🙁

*Well I hope there is, cos it'll be fun! 😀