Any logo designers out there?

[Jason]

Hi all,

I've developed the reputation at work of being the "design guru" - any time my boss needs a newsletter or a pamphlet or a brochure, I'm the guy he comes to. And for the most part, that's fine - I've been doing page layout for years and actually am quite good at it. Being a small independent retail store & deli, I know he can't afford to hire professional designers, and I'm happy to help out wherever I can.

However, his most recent request has me, well... in over my head. He's asked me to create a logo he wants to put on the new menu he wants to put up to announce that we're now doing fried chicken. I said I could do it, but now that I'm actually working on it, I find I can't. I just don't have the software, graphics experience, or (let's face it) creativity to come up with something like this. Yes, page layout with PageMaker or Publisher I can whip off in a few hours, but designing a logo.... I mean, I don't even own Photoshop anymore (and even when I did I really didn't know how to use it). And as good as my page layout software is, it simply doesn't have the graphics power to convert what I see in my head to look anything even remotely the same on-paper.

So... I'm coming to my friends here at FQ for some help. Is there anyone out there who just adores graphics work who would love to design a bright, colorful, cheerful, exciting logo for a product called "Lightning Fried Chicken" for me? I can't pay you, but I"d be willing to trade some page layout if you ever have the need for it. If page layout isn't something you need, I could... well... uhm... maybe I can just entertain you for half an hour telling knock-knock jokes? :dunno: (I guess I dont' have much of value to offer you... but hopefully someone will come forward to help).

Thanks,

Jason

[Evoir]

Jason,

You could send your boss to a discount logo place like LogoWorks or something like that... but it does cost money. Or, you might be able to simply find some clipart to do the job. In fact, this does sound like a job for clipart.

[Wassercrats]

Why is it called lightning fried chicken? Is it spicy? Low cal? For spicy, I'd get clip art of a chicken head with its mouth open and add a lightning bolt shooting out of its mouth. For low cal I'd do the same because I can't think of anything else. Clip art is cheating, but it's easy, and a lightning bold is just easy.

[Wassercrats]

http://www.polisource.com/PublicMisc/Chicken_Logo.gif

[Wassercrats]

Oh, maybe you'd rather have a worried looking chicken in a pot with a lightning bolt above. As in lightning-fried chicken. Unfortunately, I don't have real graphics software either.

[Randall]

My ad-writing client isn't a graphics person either, but he gets good mileage out of his clipart collection for flyers and his web site. Clipart seems to be improving these days, even the stuff that comes with MS Office and other programs.

I'll ask if he's seen any cool chickens. :wink:

That's my chicken you've decapitated, Wasser.

Randall

[Randall]

These are the best he could come up with on short notice:

http://randallblank.com/images/chicken-1.gif

http://randallblank.com/images/chicken-2.gif

That second one is a true chicken with attitude. :wink:

These can be edited in Illustrator. Changing colors, removing elements ... it's a starting point.

Randall

[Evoir]

I was imagining a super hero chicken... you know, with a lightening symbol on her shirt. :) But, I do like the second one. She's sweating it's so h*o*t

[Andilinks]

I think the operative word here is "appetizing." Really we need something that makes you want to eat the chicken not empathize with it. "Lightning" here means fast as in "fast food." n'est pas?

I first imagined (like Barry) a chicken being struck by a bolt of lightning but we know the Colonel didn't fry it that way... :rasberry:

[johnfl68]

I was imagining a super hero chicken

Makes me think of "Teenage Mutant Kung Fu Chickens"; Fricassee, Cordon Bleu, Cacciatore, and Stew. :smile:

John

[Andilinks]

Well, I can imagine the Burger King submissive chicken being fried by lightning...

(sorry I don't have a logo Jason, I'm just trying to keep the brain (thunder) storm going :) )

[Randall]

The first one might not fall into the "appetizing" category, unless you have a warped sense of humor. (I personally would have no problems with it.) I was imagining a super hero chicken... you know, with a lightening symbol on her shirt. Chicken #2 could easily be an action hero, but probably too grouchy for a superhero. Maybe replace that blue background with a big ol' yellow lightning bolt.

Randall

[Andilinks]

Some ideas here (http://images.google.com/images?q=super+chicken&hl=en&btnG=Search+Images) maybe.

And thank you to the idiots who send anonymous encouragement...

[Wassercrats]

Some ideas here (http://images.google.com/images?q=super+chicken&hl=en&btnG=Search+Images) maybe.

And thank you to the idiots who send anonymous encouragement...In one of the posts about the notability system I think it says the voting is being monitored. I wonder if that's still true. I guess there's a log so you can report it if you think someone's abusing the system.

[Joseph]

In one of the posts about the notability system I think it says the voting is being monitored. I wonder if that's still true. I guess there's a log so you can report it if you think someone's abusing the system.

The votes are monitored. I have removed this vote as I and other team members felt it was completely unnecessary.

Please continue on the original topic and refrain from posting any comments on this matter in this thread. Please send them to the Support Desk if you must say something.

Thank you.

[Randall]

Here's a version of Chicken #2 with the color scheme of #1. Those pastels look kinda dated.

http://randallblank.com/images/chicken-2.png

Randall

[Wassercrats]

The background should be either transparent, white, or black

[Randall]

You're looking at it with IE 5/6 -- it's a transparent PNG. On Firefox, Opera and IE7 it'll look better.

There's a way to force IE to make it transparent, but I can't do that in a forum post.

Randall

[Wassercrats]

The body colors would be better at rgb 252, 255, 222 and 232, 235, 190.

[Randall]

There are any number of better colors, but unless Jason likes the Action Chicken concept, it's all academic. :wink:

Edit: He did say cheerful, didn't he? I've removed the eyebrows and the sweat droplets.

Randall

[Wassercrats]

Assuming it's running directly away from the lightning bolt that would be added, the shadow is in the wrong place.

[Jason]

Wow... lots more responses much more quickly than I expected! Andi is right - the "lightning" refers to speed, not much else. And yes, something appetizing would definitely be prefered. The clip-art that Randall found (and edited) looks really cool... now I just have to figure out how to put it all together. I'd like a lightning bolt in there somewhere (but, that, too, has proved problematic - I spent hours searching online for lightning clip art and there isn't much out there that I felt looked that good).

Thanks for the help and ideas. I'm still mulling it over. The main problem is trying to combine artwork, lettering, etc. - I just don't have the right software for it :sad:

Thanks everyone for your help so far!

Jason

[Wassercrats]

If it's about speed, then I'd go with Evoir's idea. A chicken with a lightning bolt on its costume with a trail behind it to make it look like it was moving fast. If you put a lightning bolt behind Randall's chicken, people will think "lightning fried" means fried-by-lightning. Which I think is better, but it's not what lightning fried means. :hrmm:

To make the graphics easier, maybe find a chicken that doesn't look scared and put a lightning bolt in the background, not like it's striking the chicken. These (http://images.google.com/images?q=lightning+logo&hl=en) can give you some ideas.

[Randall]

A lightning bolt behind my chicken has proved to be problematic, because it would have to be very large to be recognizable. I'd lean more toward a small bolt in conjunction with the lettering. The artwork already suggests speed and doesn't really need the help.

If you do like this one Jason, let me clean it up a bit -- I don't like the way the colors and the outlines are misaligned, and I should extend the eyeball outlines.

And I'll provide you with a vector format for use in Pagemaker or whatever. :smile:

Randall

[Wassercrats]

I don't like the way the colors and the outlines are misaligned, and I should extend the eyeball outlines.Might as well give it claws then.

[Andilinks]

Professionals make big money photographing food, it is a well developed art... I think we just assumed it had to be a logo incorporating a live chicken or chicken cartoon character but maybe an abstract logo would be easier. A chicken as (generic) NASCAR driver in a car emblazoned with the lightning logo sounds good but it would require the services of a member of the artist's union. Now we know why those logo designers make the big bucks.

I like your new avatar Barry.

Andi

[Randall]

http://randallblank.com/images/lf-chicken.gif

The font is just a suggestion, not sure it works in this context. I like your new avatar Barry. It's an improvement over the old one, anyway.

Randall

[Wassercrats]

I like your new avatar Barry.I was going to use Colonel Sanders instead of the smilies but I didn't think he looked good that small.

[Wassercrats]

Not speedy looking enough. I'd still think "fried by lightning."

[Andilinks]

I think the elements could be shuffled, this is just a suggestion there are many better possibilities.

http://www.andifashion.com/chkn.gif

Nothing will make a hen fast on her feet like a well placed bolt of lightning.

[Wassercrats]

I think the elements could be shuffled, this is just a suggestion there are many better possibilities.You whited out part of the lightning bolt. Top left.

[Randall]

I think the elements could be shuffled, this is just a suggestion there are many better possibilities. I rather like that. :smile:

Randall

[Andilinks]

You whited out part of the lightning bolt. Top left.I don't see that, but it's just a trial proof for positioning anyway the final final can be cleaned up.

edit: Oh yes, now I see it, just a nick--easy to fix. fixed :)I rather like that.Thanks. The bolt seems just right, but as you said the font and font color might have room for improvement.

[Wassercrats]

Should be a feather trail to show speed.

[Randall]

I've been working on that, now incorporated into Andi's version (more or less):

http://randallblank.com/images/lf-chicken-fast.gif

edit: But I think it would be hard to reproduce the effect in Illustrator.

Randall

[Wassercrats]

Don't like my color suggestion, huh? Kakhi chickens are only found on military farms.

[Randall]

Oh, all right. :rolleyes: But I prefer 228, 229, 202 for the secondary color.

http://randallblank.com/images/lf-chicken-yellow.gif

Randall

[Andilinks]

Just a suggestion of a lost feather behind the hen would be enough, a curved line placed just right. As a more solid line this would work better in a vector version.

[Wassercrats]

Here's more than a suggestion, with Randall's colors because I didn't know he changed them.

http://www.polisource.com/PublicMisc/Lightning_Chicken_Feathered.gif

[Randall]

Just a suggestion of a lost feather behind the hen would be enough, a curved line placed just right. Hmmm... The "placed just right" part is the tough one.

edit: Last version retrofitted with a feather.

Randall

[Andilinks]

The "placed just right" part is the tough one.Yes. that would be an illustration skill. Someone with a good eye and proficient with a tablet could do it easily. Contrary to popular belief not all artists smoke dope when they do this.

I tried for a while using PSP but a drawing tablet would make it much easier. Just smudge it with pastel chalk.

[Wassercrats]

I wonder if people will be saying "but chickens don't fly." Maybe the shadow was good.

[Andilinks]

I wonder if people will be saying "but chickens don't fly."I think she looks grounded even without the shadow, but people don't critique such things consciously or analyze them logically. It's all an impression created in a fraction of a second. If the image "looks right" in less than a second it's good. If the viewer looks back because the image is dissonant it has failed. An image that sticks in the memory without being annoying is success. The folks from PITA with their prejudice against electrocuting chickens don't matter because they don't eat chicken.

I'm wondering though if a chicken that appears a little less worried might be better, lest someone think she's running from a frying pan or lightning bolt.

Didn't Kentucky Fried Chicken change it's name to KFC to lose the cholesterol connection with "fried?"

Ahh, but it's been shown that people like to eat naughty when ordering comfort food. Fried chicken is reminiscent of a simpler, happier time. Sunday dinner with the folks, mashed potatoes and gravy.

[Randall]

I wonder if people will be saying "but chickens don't fly." Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken) says they do: Domestic chickens are not capable of flying for long distances, although they are generally capable of flying for short distances such as over fences. Anyway, it looks more like it's running to me, especially at this angle. Maybe the shadow was good. Jury's still out on that one. But I like these fonts better.

http://randallblank.com/images/lf-chicken-bright.gif

It's crying out for some kind of tagline, but I don't know if this is it. :ytthink:

Randall

[Wassercrats]

Boxier letters don't help the speedy look. A more lightningy look for "Lightning" would help.

[Wassercrats]

And if you're going to add a slogan, better provide a no-slogan version too.

[Randall]

A more lightningy look for "Lightning" would help. Too clichéd. But Lucida has a really nice italic that implies speed.

If I had to choose a background color, I think this would be it:

http://randallblank.com/images/lf-chicken-green.gif

And if you're going to add a slogan, better provide a no-slogan version too. But of course. You always give the client options. :winky:

Randall

# Hope Jason likes green

[Wassercrats]

Too clichéd. But Lucida has a really nice italic that implies speed.How dare you interpret my lightningy desire as a cliche. With or without an accent. I didn't need anything flashier than italics.

Your green's too dark.

...eh...it was mostly my monitor.

[Randall]

...eh...it was mostly my monitor. So glad to hear that.

Randall

[Andilinks]

Needs a border.

http://www.andifashion.com/1.gif

[Randall]

Needs a border. If you insist...

Improved feather.

http://randallblank.com/images/lf-chicken-border.gif

Still think I like it better without the italics.

Randall

[Andilinks]

Alternate tag line, "Fast, Fresh and Crispy"

[Wassercrats]

No it doesn't.

http://www.polisource.com/PublicMisc/Lightning_Chicken_no_border.gif

I don't know. Maybe it does.

You know, that grass-like texture that Irfanview added all by itself isn't a bad idea.

[Wassercrats]

Still think I like it better without the italics.If anything, I'd make it even more lightningy. Maybe more slanted. Maybe thinner too. But whatever.

[Wassercrats]

Here's another option. (idea-only sized)

http://www.polisource.com/PublicMisc/Lightning_Chicken_idea.gif

[Randall]

Now we're back to electrocuting the bird. By tying the lightning to the logotype I'm trying to avoid that.

Interesting border idea (http://www.aota.net/forums/showthread.php?postid=152052#post152052). Matches the visual style better than a straight geometric one.

Randall

[Wassercrats]

Now we're back to electrocuting the bird.I don't see it that way. At least no more than your version looks like electrocuting the chicken.

"What does the funny N stand for mommy?"

"I'm not sure, Cindy. Maybe it's not available."

Or Mary, or JoAnne. You know what I mean.

[Randall]

You know what I mean. Thankfully, no.

http://randallblank.com/images/lf-chicken-distressed.gif

To quote a wise old man, "Last chicken for tonight."

Randall

[Jason]

Hi Everyone,

Thanks to everyone for the great ideas! After reading through this thread and doing some searching online for some slightly fancier lightning, I came up with a concept I thought really gelled. It's a combination of some of what you guys came up with and some of my own concepts, and I think I like it. I'd love your feedback or suggestions on it, though, before I hand it over to my boss.

Incidentally, in all my searching, I ran across a logo design software that worked amazingly well - even with all of your help I still don't think I could have designed this in Pagemaker or Publisher, but LogoSmartz just made it work.

I'm not totally happy with the lightning - I like the style of it a lot (which is why I picked it) but there's too much white noise - partly because I had to blow it up a lot to make it fit, and partly because it's a grayscale clip-art put into a color logo.

FYI, the choice of the maroon background was to match our existing store colors, and the yellow text just because it stands out well against the maroon.

Anyway - here it is. Let me know what you think.

On a white background:

http://www.blamejason.com/logo-1.jpg

On a black background:

http://www.blamejason.com/logo-2.jpg

Thanks,

Jason

[Andilinks]

Well the bird is definitely being blasted with the lightning, which works well as a mnemonic device and would make a great animated spot for TV when the Lightning Fried Chicken campaign gets there--I can imagine the TV ad starting with a loud boom and the chicken flapping away.

If the gray lightning bolt is your final choice it could be cleaned up in about an hour one pixel at a time by blowing it up very large. I think it might be easier to print the isolated bolt out very large, color it with a ruler and markers and then rescan the image to be further cleaned up digitally. Someone who is skilled with a digital drawing pen and tablet could do it in a few minutes, but finding and hiring such a person would take longer than printing and rescanning. :)

I like the black background best, the text is less visible against the white.

Good luck Jason.

Andi

[Wassercrats]

It looks good, but you need to fix the lightning. I think you should use it as a model and recreate it from straight lines. It could even be done in MS Paint. You can create it oversized, then reduce the size and the lines will smooth out.

Also, the chicken's shadow should be on the other side of the chicken if it's there at all.

[Wassercrats]

Makes me think of "fried by lightning" like Andi said.

[Andilinks]

I think you should use it as a model and recreate it from straight lines. It could even be done in MS Paint. You can create it oversized, then reduce the size and the lines will smooth out.Creating an image oversize, say 1000% and then reducing it is a trick I've used a lot, especially with text. From what I could gather from Jason's description of his graphics skills I thought print/fix in analog/rescan would be easiest but if he can recreate it in a drawing program more quickly that would be better.

[Wassercrats]

I did it without making an oversized version first. In MS Paint I used the second thickest line and drew it at approximately the same size as the original. Then I pasted it into Irfan view and blurred it (effects > blur) four or five times, then I went into Image > Enhance colors > Gamma correction and reduced the gamma correction (forgot how much), then Image > Sharpen and sharpened it. I should have started with a thinner line though. And it needs shadows.

http://www.polisource.com/PublicMisc/Lightning_Bolt.gif

[Randall]

I was working on a vector version of your lightning bolt, Jason, but I've run out of free time. :sad: Aside from the resolution problem, the angle looks all wrong to me somehow.

But in any event, you'll want a high-res version of the chicken for printing (not to mention the improvements I've made to the vector art). Give me an idea of the final printed size and I'll generate a 600dpi file for you.

Randall

[Jason]

But in any event, you'll want a high-res version of the chicken for printing (not to mention the improvements I've made to the vector art). Give me an idea of the final printed size and I'll generate a 600dpi file for you.

Well... it's going to be used in several applications - from a small probably 3"x3" to go on the printed menu to a large of probably 3'x3' to go on the sign on the wall. I hadn't gotten quite far enough to figure out how to scale the thing - I just was worried about getting it designed. Now that you point out the scaling problem... erm... oof...

Anyway - thanks again for everyone's help! I have to go to work now, I'll check back in when I get home tonight.

Thanks,

Jason

[Randall]

Yeah, you're gonna need scalable graphics for sure. I can give you the chicken and my version of a 3D lightning bolt; you may have to handle the lettering and the glow effect at your end.

Is an EPS file workable? I assume the sign at least is going to be done by a print shop, and they like EPS files just fine. But if you're going to be printing anything inhouse on an inkjet, EPS won't do it...

Randall

[Jason]

Hi Randall,

Interestingly, I went into LogoSmartz (the program that I actually put the thing together in) and they support exporting the finished logo to EPS, but they won't import an image in EPS.

Just as an experiment, I exported my logo in EPS and pulled it up in Publisher. I set Publisher to it's maximum poster size (like 36" x 24") and expanded the logo out to the max. Everything scaled. I'm amazed. Even though what went into the logo was just gif and jpg clip art, the finished product really was rendered by EPS and scaled fine.

The only problem is, when I exported a JPG from LogoSmartz, it looks great. But the EPS doesn't render the same. The background behind the chicken and also behind the lightning bolt renders white (instead of transparent to the background color like it does when viewing it in LogoSmartz and on the JPG export) and the opaque outline around the words isn't there. You can see what I mean by downloading the EPS directly at http://www.blamejason.com/logo2a.eps

I am very confused by this and don't know how to fix it :umm:

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Jason

[Randall]

Interestingly, I went into LogoSmartz (the program that I actually put the thing together in) and they support exporting the finished logo to EPS, but they won't import an image in EPS. Can it import Illustrator (.ai) or Corel Draw files? (edit: Never mind. Looks like Illustrator doesn't save in the Illustrator (!) or Corel formats anymore -- just EPS, PDF and SVG. Oh, and Flash, too.)

As an alternate route, I think can load an EPS into Illustrator, add stuff like the chicken and then export it back to EPS.

Anyway, it turns out that the hardest part about designing a lightning bolt in Illustrator was making it look sorta-kinda like the chicken. There's a limit to how many ways I can style it, but I offer this as an option. It can be rotated any which way.

http://randallblank.com/images/lf-chicken-jason.gif

Randall