The process of logo design.
Recently, I was given the opportunity of designing a logo for another b5media blog, Hockey Beat. I went through several revisions before I came to one that Mark and I both liked.
So listed below are a few of the revisions and the process I went through in designing this logo. Initially, I looked at Hockey Team logos.
Problem was they all look different. Someone in the NHL really needs to standardize logos!
The first step in this was to read the existing content on the blog. Luckily there was a little. This gave me an idea of what audience and feel that Hockey Beat was going after.
Then I got the text out there. I use SwishMax for all of my logo work. I know it’s built more for developing flash (which is great if your final logo is going to be animated). I know there are better tools out there, but I like the way that I can interact and move things around with SwishMax as compared to actual graphic programs, especially with text.
Turns out, my first idea was pretty close to the mark for what Mark liked.
Except for one thing.
Looking good. I’m not crazy about the puck – it looks like a big black circle…:)
Dang it! He was right. Stupid Pucks always end up in Hockey logos and mine looked darker and more obnoxious than most here. The fact that it was larger than the stick should have been my clue that this wasn’t going to work. But, I didn’t see that then. I just saw a big black dot that needed some help to make it look more like a puck. I also thought to work on the stick just a little more.
Okay, there we go. No Dot. It looks like a puck. It’s still freaking huge. I like everything else.
Better. Can you try one with a hockey skate?
Now, I’m not a hockey player. What the heck is the difference between skates?! A quick image search showed the difference. A figure skating skate has a much narrower blade that is longer, stops abruptly about an inch after the heel and has tow tips for stopping. A hockey skate is basically a thick blade on a shoe that is rounded on both ends, made for skating both directions and turning quickly. Also it’s a little more ruggedly built.
The final version came into being.
Proportions worked much better here. You can tell it’s a Hockey Skate as opposed to a figure skating skate. I made the stick a little wider. overall there is better flow to the design and better spacing. You can check it out on the site of the same name. www.hockeybeat.com
14 Comments
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The second one is better in my opinion. Anyway, would you be interested designing a logo for my blog? I need a rough estimate of the cost first. Thanks.
sure, I’ll send you an email and we can talk about it a little more.
Hi,
Nice design. Can you email me to discuss a logo for my blog?
thanks
Dan
Sorry to be picky here, but I just can’t resist pointing out that if you tried to use figure skate picks for stopping, you’d likely end up with a concussion and a few less teeth.
As for the logo… Every time I look at it, all a see is ‘Hockey Boot’. I think you were on the right track with the puck, if you took version two and reduced the size of the puck to 75% of the text height, you have a winner. I also wonder why the stick has what appears to be a collar at the bottom of the shaft just above the blade.
Sorry to be so critical, but I’m watching the NHL Playoffs, and spent two hours on the ice myself this afternoon – so it hit pretty close to home, y’know?
Constructive criticism is the name of the game with the design world. I liked number two as well, but when reduced, it looked like a dot again…lol As for the boot, well… it’s aboot hockey, eh?
For the stick, I see it too. Usually there is a change in the pattern as the stick widens out, I probably over emphasized this a little, but it served more to help the reflection on the blade of the stick stand out. Without it, it looked a little too plain in my opinion and didn’t give a “finished feel”.
As for the blog logos… this is bringing me to another set of posts on ethics as an artist. I will contact you both Monday to discuss what ideas and thoughts you had regarding color scheme, sizes, general feel. It will also give me time to read your blogs and see what grabs me about your common topics that might want to be emphasized in your logos. I usually encourage people to look for logos and for the feel they like in something beforehand. Feel free to email me at “william @ b5media . com” if inspiration hits here in the next few days.
I tend to agree that the 2nd one looks better and really looks “all about hockey” by first impression.
I agree about the second one. The stick and puck are a good pairing anyway, and the angle of the puck conveys action. I like it much better.
Good write-up, by the way.
Like so many other, I think also that second one is best. It’s just that in ice-hockey there should be a puck, so something is missing in final version.
I agree with the others and like #2 best. Someone needs to tell this hockeybeat dude to do a survey or something.
Hmmmm. He’s probably reading all these comments and lurking around here somewhere. As artists, we also know that sometimes we come up with designs or ideas that we don’t share too. Then you only present the customer with the choices that you wouldn’t mind being in the public eye. This may not always be the best strategy.
Okay, I think you’ve convinced me that number 2 is better…lol But when it comes down to it, that is what working on commission is about to some degree. The customer doesn’t always choose the best design from the same perspective.
Showing your client design sketches has it’s pros and cons.
On the plus side they become more aware of the logo design process, and can see where they’re money is going.
On the negative side, they’re presented with ideas that you might not like, and inevitably they’re going to choose the worst (except when they don’t like any of the sketches).
Nice logo. Honestly, I prefer the second one with the puck. If you could reduce the size of it and probably make it a little brighter, the logo would look perfect. The final one suits a figure skating club better, it looks kinda feminine too.
You’re great in designing it though!
[...] Awhile back I got some good feedback on an post I did about creating a logo for your blog. [...]