Business Logo Help
08-10-12, 12:39 PM
#1
Business Logo Help
I'm going to be starting an LLC soon, and am trying to come up with logo. The name will be Vulcan Autoworx. Vulcan has been a name I've used for other things. Vulcan is the Roman god of smithing (ie blacksmith, also god of fire (similar thing)) and my last name? You got it, Smith. (I also found out later that it is apparently a Star Trek thing.)
Autoworx, since my primary focus is car related. Some of you guys are familiar with my sleek light kit that Ive been working on for some time, well I'm also going to be releasing a sleepy eye kit in the next month or so. Both kits are for the 3rd gen RX-7 (FD3S), so I chose to spell Autoworx , with a rx, to tie it to my initial products, also to be something different.
So this brings me to my request, I would like some help designing a logo. I'm not real artsy in the sense of 2D art, but I kinda know what I want. I would prefer it be something simple (easily rendered in black and white). The name needs to be in its entirety (font im open to). the only thing i could come up with was something fire related, but couldn't come up with anything that didn't seem cheesy. Then I thought maybe the V (in vulcan) with 2 sparking spark plugs. But I drew a blank after that.
Also I will be laminating the logo in some of my pieces, so it will need to be easily readable on a 1"x2" label. For the same reason excessive detail is unnecessary.
So far all i have been able to come up with is this...
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/b...untitled-2.jpg
However I don't know that i want the rotors. I like them and it ties into my current projects well, but if i ever get the opportunity to expand I don't think that it would work well. And since the labels are permanent once the piece is finished i don't want to have different products with different style logos, all for the same name.
here are a few more
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/b...oworxplugs.jpg
plain text
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/b...toworxtext.jpg
modified version of the first
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/b...orxrotors2.jpg
and bear with me, these were made in a combo of ms paint and word. lol
(there maybe a few things that sound strange for me to state, i typed this for a local vehicle make nonspecific forum. and the copied and pasted)
Autoworx, since my primary focus is car related. Some of you guys are familiar with my sleek light kit that Ive been working on for some time, well I'm also going to be releasing a sleepy eye kit in the next month or so. Both kits are for the 3rd gen RX-7 (FD3S), so I chose to spell Autoworx , with a rx, to tie it to my initial products, also to be something different.
So this brings me to my request, I would like some help designing a logo. I'm not real artsy in the sense of 2D art, but I kinda know what I want. I would prefer it be something simple (easily rendered in black and white). The name needs to be in its entirety (font im open to). the only thing i could come up with was something fire related, but couldn't come up with anything that didn't seem cheesy. Then I thought maybe the V (in vulcan) with 2 sparking spark plugs. But I drew a blank after that.
Also I will be laminating the logo in some of my pieces, so it will need to be easily readable on a 1"x2" label. For the same reason excessive detail is unnecessary.
Picture of the shroud for the sleepy eye kit in carbon.
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/b...t/IMG_7172.jpg
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/b...IMG_4084-1.jpg
Original piece on the car
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/b...t/IMG_0140.jpg
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/b...t/IMG_0139.jpg
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/b...t/IMG_0142.jpg
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/b...t/IMG_7172.jpg
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/b...IMG_4084-1.jpg
Original piece on the car
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/b...t/IMG_0140.jpg
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/b...t/IMG_0139.jpg
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/b...t/IMG_0142.jpg
So far all i have been able to come up with is this...
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/b...untitled-2.jpg
However I don't know that i want the rotors. I like them and it ties into my current projects well, but if i ever get the opportunity to expand I don't think that it would work well. And since the labels are permanent once the piece is finished i don't want to have different products with different style logos, all for the same name.
here are a few more
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/b...oworxplugs.jpg
plain text
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/b...toworxtext.jpg
modified version of the first
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/b...orxrotors2.jpg
and bear with me, these were made in a combo of ms paint and word. lol
(there maybe a few things that sound strange for me to state, i typed this for a local vehicle make nonspecific forum. and the copied and pasted)
08-11-12, 04:35 PM
#2
Hey Dan,
I actually like the "plain text" one the best. It looks good and will translate should you produce products for non-rotary cars.
Another thought here is to contact your local university's graphic design program and ask for student help. They are usually really good and will do the work for little to no cost.
I actually like the "plain text" one the best. It looks good and will translate should you produce products for non-rotary cars.
Another thought here is to contact your local university's graphic design program and ask for student help. They are usually really good and will do the work for little to no cost.
08-12-12, 12:13 AM
#3
thanks david, i like the cursive style myself as well. and i have a few friends that are doing graphic design that have helped so far, but none of them really caught my eye.
also i should have your shrouds back soon, as well as the carbon ones for you to test!
also i should have your shrouds back soon, as well as the carbon ones for you to test!
08-13-12, 04:42 PM
#4
I'd go online and pay the $100-$150 and have a Professional do it. For no other reason that you are going to receive your logo in various formats and it isn't going to look like every other rotary/car logo out there.
I've worked with a few clients who worked with: Logopond - Identity Inspiration IIRC and the work was nice and fairly quick.
Please keep in mind that your brand isn't what you think of it, it is what your clients think of your business.
I applaud you for recognizing the value of decent marketing collateral because most small/startup businesses throw **** together in Microsoft Word and think it represents them well.
Good luck!
I've worked with a few clients who worked with: Logopond - Identity Inspiration IIRC and the work was nice and fairly quick.
Please keep in mind that your brand isn't what you think of it, it is what your clients think of your business.
I applaud you for recognizing the value of decent marketing collateral because most small/startup businesses throw **** together in Microsoft Word and think it represents them well.
Good luck!
08-14-12, 02:55 PM
#6
Sure I'll try my best.
Everyone talks about brand and branding. When you, as a business owner, create a product or company you have in your mind a vision of what your company stands for or is all about aka the "brand".
The reality is, your brand isn't what YOU think it is, but what your clients/end users/public say about your company.
If you think your brand makes the greatest widget in the world but the public believes the widget is overpriced, breaks and generally sucks ***...well that is what your brand truly is...a worthless piece of crap. =)
Granted this is a very simplified overview of the theory but the guy who explained it to me this way over dinner (and did a much better job of explaining) had done a 20 million dollar re-branding campaign for a major foreign car company.
It made sense to me because at the time I had a vision of what my company stood for and his question was, "How are you sure." My answer was "Because that is what I think it is." and his reply was, "Have you asked your clients". I never had...it was certainly eye opening to do so.
Over all the satisfaction was high but it allowed me to make some changes that improved the service I was delivering at the time greatly. =)
Hope this helps!
Everyone talks about brand and branding. When you, as a business owner, create a product or company you have in your mind a vision of what your company stands for or is all about aka the "brand".
The reality is, your brand isn't what YOU think it is, but what your clients/end users/public say about your company.
If you think your brand makes the greatest widget in the world but the public believes the widget is overpriced, breaks and generally sucks ***...well that is what your brand truly is...a worthless piece of crap. =)
Granted this is a very simplified overview of the theory but the guy who explained it to me this way over dinner (and did a much better job of explaining) had done a 20 million dollar re-branding campaign for a major foreign car company.
It made sense to me because at the time I had a vision of what my company stood for and his question was, "How are you sure." My answer was "Because that is what I think it is." and his reply was, "Have you asked your clients". I never had...it was certainly eye opening to do so.
Over all the satisfaction was high but it allowed me to make some changes that improved the service I was delivering at the time greatly. =)
Hope this helps!
08-14-12, 10:23 PM
#7
I see what your saying. but i dont understand how a logo has that much influence.
also how do i know what people are saying before have the product available? im trying to plan my logo, so that i can maintain the design indefinitely. i want it to be "universal" as in use it for more than rotary vehicles. this is why i am likely to keep the rotor out of the logo.
I am not intending to convey any sarcasm, as i read it, it seems as if i am. i am looking for any input, especially educated input. as this company is like my child, and i have spent a lot of time and money on it and want to be perfect.
thanks in advance
also how do i know what people are saying before have the product available? im trying to plan my logo, so that i can maintain the design indefinitely. i want it to be "universal" as in use it for more than rotary vehicles. this is why i am likely to keep the rotor out of the logo.
I am not intending to convey any sarcasm, as i read it, it seems as if i am. i am looking for any input, especially educated input. as this company is like my child, and i have spent a lot of time and money on it and want to be perfect.
thanks in advance
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08-15-12, 09:43 AM
#9
In a Perfect world i would like to expand past rx7 (and rotary in general). however i plan to stay with aesthetic modifications. i may eventually start an online store to sell performance upgrades, but nothing i actually engineer myself.
08-15-12, 10:03 AM
#10
死*神*
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here is a observation from a marketing point of view.
I like the idea of the spark plug incorporated into the design however the examples above are to obvious. What you should try to do is keep it simple almost free hand of sorts. For example it should be easy to recognize for everyone and not just enthusiasts. I do not have design software or even the skills to show you what I mean but with the name Vulcan you could use the left(or outside) edge of that first letter as your sparkplug but once again leave it simple and such. Almost like you are writing the word in cursive and the spark plug starts the lines.
here is an example of what I mean by simple
http://image.shutterstock.com/displa...d-73287406.jpg
and
http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs50/i/20...by_Koyasan.jpg
when designing a logo, you should always start with a 2bit or basic drawing. Once you establish your base drawing you update it slightly with graffic assist and such. after you done that modify it again until it is more of your liking. The reason you always start with simple is so that you can capture that tiemless look that gathers attention. a good example is FOX television. they were a simple black font on the screen and evolved it into a dancing craziness that it is now.
At least that is how I see it. I have a great design in my head for you but lack the ability to present it with you. That and since you plan on going LLC you would have to reward anyone online with some kind of royalties for it since it will become your intellectaul property at that point.
I like the idea of the spark plug incorporated into the design however the examples above are to obvious. What you should try to do is keep it simple almost free hand of sorts. For example it should be easy to recognize for everyone and not just enthusiasts. I do not have design software or even the skills to show you what I mean but with the name Vulcan you could use the left(or outside) edge of that first letter as your sparkplug but once again leave it simple and such. Almost like you are writing the word in cursive and the spark plug starts the lines.
here is an example of what I mean by simple
http://image.shutterstock.com/displa...d-73287406.jpg
and
http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs50/i/20...by_Koyasan.jpg
when designing a logo, you should always start with a 2bit or basic drawing. Once you establish your base drawing you update it slightly with graffic assist and such. after you done that modify it again until it is more of your liking. The reason you always start with simple is so that you can capture that tiemless look that gathers attention. a good example is FOX television. they were a simple black font on the screen and evolved it into a dancing craziness that it is now.
At least that is how I see it. I have a great design in my head for you but lack the ability to present it with you. That and since you plan on going LLC you would have to reward anyone online with some kind of royalties for it since it will become your intellectaul property at that point.
08-23-12, 07:03 PM
#15
the implications matter
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A contact for you:
http://www.norotors.com/index.php?topic=7515.0
Tyler did the Ronin Speedworks logo... He had great ideas and it was really quite reasonably priced. You need to get a graphic artist involved if it's going to be something you intend to stand behind long run. If you need a graphic artist, you need a recommendation for someone good who's still priced right. Free work of low quality is not a deal.
A suggestion for you... Don't spell autoworks with an "X". I think you'll find long run that it was a trendy fad with no staying power. It's like putting "LOL" in a business title and few folks are likely to put together the rx7 connotation.
http://www.norotors.com/index.php?topic=7515.0
Tyler did the Ronin Speedworks logo... He had great ideas and it was really quite reasonably priced. You need to get a graphic artist involved if it's going to be something you intend to stand behind long run. If you need a graphic artist, you need a recommendation for someone good who's still priced right. Free work of low quality is not a deal.
A suggestion for you... Don't spell autoworks with an "X". I think you'll find long run that it was a trendy fad with no staying power. It's like putting "LOL" in a business title and few folks are likely to put together the rx7 connotation.
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