#807793 - 01/04/09 07:04 AM
The T57Strat infamous logo challenge 2009
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T57Strat
Artist #40
Planeteer
Registered: 12/31/99
Posts: 18923
Loc: Keller, TX
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I'm still not happy with my company logo, but here are some latest trends. I need some feedback, but it's very important to me to do this myself. Thanks! (more to follow)
EDITED FOR EASIER VIEWING: Latest files are in this post
A:
B: 
Edited by T57Strat (01/05/09 08:13 AM)
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#807845 - 01/04/09 02:33 PM
Re: The T57Strat infamous logo challenge 2009
[Re: T57Strat]
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jimmyrock
Department Head of Redundancy Department Head
Planeteer
Registered: 12/18/05
Posts: 9689
Loc: America's File Cabinet
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OK, here's what i think. If I had to choose one now it would be B but I think you're getting closer to a better one with E, maybe if the background had a hint of color as opposed to black and white. A and C are really dark and the fonts dont seem to mix well with the background. D didnt grab me.
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#807887 - 01/04/09 04:15 PM
Re: The T57Strat infamous logo challenge 2009
[Re: fonts]
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vvmv
Planeteer
Registered: 09/06/08
Posts: 12383
Loc: atween
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A, C, and E look took gothic, too dark ...
D is OK, but I don't like the blue so much.
B is best, but can it be brighter? Mebbe a little simpler?
Edited by vvmv (01/04/09 04:16 PM)
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#807896 - 01/04/09 04:29 PM
Re: The T57Strat infamous logo challenge 2009
[Re: vvmv]
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Jammer
Planeteer
Registered: 05/18/99
Posts: 18791
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Out of what you have there so far, E is the most appealing to my eyes. Most likely because I find the combination of B&W and that blue very pleasing. The blue pops like a son of a bitch off of that background.
Second is B.
I don't care for any of the others.
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#807911 - 01/04/09 04:50 PM
Re: The T57Strat infamous logo challenge 2009
[Re: Jammer]
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Duckhead
Planeteer
Registered: 02/05/00
Posts: 13524
Loc: n Load!
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I like cows and even have some but it just doesnt jive with me on realty. I liked the first one you made up but thought the loop was overboard. The fade in was cool and the house looked good.
_________________________
Want Really High Speed Internet? Go to Hong Kong! What I know,I know!Its What I dont Know Thats a Problem!Never let an electrical engineer near a telescope or an astronomy book. They may end up correcting the astronomy book! 
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#807930 - 01/04/09 05:34 PM
Re: The T57Strat infamous logo challenge 2009
[Re: Duckhead]
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T57Strat
Artist #40
Planeteer
Registered: 12/31/99
Posts: 18923
Loc: Keller, TX
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Thanks Duck, that one is for the Featured Property page. I can set the repeat to zero and do a much better job on that. It was the first one I ever made and I wanted to see if it would work.
And for the record, I'm not trying to jive with Century 21 or the big guys. Screw them and their horses, they give real estate agents a bad name. My goal is to work into rural land, resorts, ranches & recreational properties.
I want something that will look good on a sign and be recognizable. Over the top realtors with giggling little websites have their place. I'm not going to be in it. I'm trying to understate it here, but be recognizable. I'm working on some other versions 
Thanks to all for the input, when we're done (if y'all help me) you can say you were part of designing my site 
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#807957 - 01/04/09 06:58 PM
Re: The T57Strat infamous logo challenge 2009
[Re: T57Strat]
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gvlive
Planeteer
Registered: 08/10/01
Posts: 9389
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if i had to make a decision RIGHT NOW i'd choose B, but i wouldn't use any of them. the fonts look cheap. jmo.
you can do wayyy better than any of these.
wanna link to the mother lode of fonts?
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#808011 - 01/04/09 09:43 PM
Re: The T57Strat infamous logo challenge 2009
[Re: gvlive]
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T57Strat
Artist #40
Planeteer
Registered: 12/31/99
Posts: 18923
Loc: Keller, TX
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Not sure what you mean by cheap?
A:
B:
Edited by T57Strat (01/04/09 09:52 PM)
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#808016 - 01/04/09 10:01 PM
Re: The T57Strat infamous logo challenge 2009
[Re: T57Strat]
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glensimonds
Planeteer
Registered: 12/14/02
Posts: 19628
Loc: Brooklyn Park, MN
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i think inexpensive sounds better 
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#808018 - 01/04/09 10:04 PM
Re: The T57Strat infamous logo challenge 2009
[Re: glensimonds]
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T57Strat
Artist #40
Planeteer
Registered: 12/31/99
Posts: 18923
Loc: Keller, TX
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Shit! Do you know how much Photoshop costs?
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#808021 - 01/04/09 10:06 PM
Re: The T57Strat infamous logo challenge 2009
[Re: glensimonds]
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itchybrother
Artist # 454
Planeteer
Registered: 11/16/03
Posts: 1176
Loc: BongoCongo
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seriously, everyone's tellin you: make it more simple. the background needs to go. it gets in the way of everything that is important. i know nothing about this stuff; im a consumer.
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#808037 - 01/04/09 10:52 PM
Re: The T57Strat infamous logo challenge 2009
[Re: itchybrother]
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T57Strat
Artist #40
Planeteer
Registered: 12/31/99
Posts: 18923
Loc: Keller, TX
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I changed it live and it hit this page. B from above is live right now...less crap
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#808041 - 01/04/09 11:01 PM
Re: The T57Strat infamous logo challenge 2009
[Re: T57Strat]
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glensimonds
Planeteer
Registered: 12/14/02
Posts: 19628
Loc: Brooklyn Park, MN
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Use both logos in different areas i guess
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#808050 - 01/04/09 11:26 PM
Re: The T57Strat infamous logo challenge 2009
[Re: glensimonds]
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T57Strat
Artist #40
Planeteer
Registered: 12/31/99
Posts: 18923
Loc: Keller, TX
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I didn't go to UT or anything
Edited by T57Strat (01/04/09 11:27 PM)
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#808185 - 01/05/09 04:14 AM
Re: The T57Strat infamous logo challenge 2009
[Re: T57Strat]
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Larry Sheehan
Planeteer
Registered: 04/19/99
Posts: 2855
Loc: Georgetown, TX, USA
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The longhorn says TX all right, but to me it doesn't say "I'll find your house".
Maybe I'm too simple minded, but I like LOGOs that epitomize the business you're in. Perhaps a picture/sketch of a ranch like "Southfork"?
Edited by Larry Sheehan (01/05/09 04:16 AM)
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#808187 - 01/05/09 04:23 AM
Re: The T57Strat infamous logo challenge 2009
[Re: Larry Sheehan]
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What does this button do?
Planeteer
Registered: 03/24/05
Posts: 4183
Loc: Atlanta, Ga
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I'm with Larry on this one. It may be well worth the expense to get a professional to do this for you. Either that, or ditch the logo and just use your company name.
I think a bad logo is much more harmful than no logo at all.
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#808198 - 01/05/09 05:09 AM
Re: The T57Strat infamous logo challenge 2009
[Re: What does this button do?]
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T57Strat
Artist #40
Planeteer
Registered: 12/31/99
Posts: 18923
Loc: Keller, TX
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I don't have any money. I can execute any idea, I just got no ideas
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#808199 - 01/05/09 05:13 AM
Re: The T57Strat infamous logo challenge 2009
[Re: T57Strat]
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T57Strat
Artist #40
Planeteer
Registered: 12/31/99
Posts: 18923
Loc: Keller, TX
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any suggestions in any direction is what I'm looking for. Not to critique what I have so much, but to suggest something I don't have. If I can see it in my head, I can execute it...I just don't see anything. So far I'm more or less hearing scrap what I have and that's cool. It's hard to associate Afterimage with real estate. I might have to scrap the name.
This one is more simpler: These are transparent to any background color
or:
Edited by T57Strat (01/05/09 06:06 AM)
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#808212 - 01/05/09 08:08 AM
Re: The T57Strat infamous logo challenge 2009
[Re: Jammer]
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T57Strat
Artist #40
Planeteer
Registered: 12/31/99
Posts: 18923
Loc: Keller, TX
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Afterimage is what you see when you close your eyes after someone takes a flash picture of you.
All the good names were taken, I don't know...
Here's another one in a totally different direction. Photoshop rocks, this was all done using blurs and twirls and crap.
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#808214 - 01/05/09 09:12 AM
Re: The T57Strat infamous logo challenge 2009
[Re: T57Strat]
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kid-surf
Planeteer
Registered: 09/21/99
Posts: 14908
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You may not like my opinion, Trav:
I think your company name looks/sounds too much like AFTER IMAGE REALITY.
...Which, too me, sounds like some new-agey, goth, christian rock band. Not a friendly, professional realtor. Not at all.
Why not use your name? Or, think of a better name. Something any fool could decipher as having to do with realty. There's no excuse for not conceiving of a snappy name, someone thought of one before you, someone will think of one after you. Just be patient and do the work. Your name, now, has nothing to do with "the show". See, I look at your logo and instantly think of myself as I'm conceiving the title/logo for the TV-show I'm creating. If your company name were that of a TV-show about realtors, a producer would tell you to change the name to something that "had anything at all to do with the show".
Maybe think of it that way. What is "your show" ABOUT? You gonna tell us it's about an "Afterimage you see when you close your eyes after someone takes a flash picture of you."
Huh? I thought this TV show was about selling houses??? What does an after-image have to do with realty? AND...If you are going after a client that will find these logos compelling, you are going for a VERY specific and SMALL demographic. Not good if you like money.
Maybe this will help you to see it in a new way...
I feel you are thinking too much like a musician and/or allowing yourself to be razzle-dazzled by Photo Shop. Your concept is ambiguous, if not misleading.
I say, focus on these elements:
1) Get to the point.
2) Include Texas, and/or Texas colors (red, white, blue)
3) We (idiots) can clearly surmise this is a realtor logo even if you were to REMOVE all lettering.
4) We clearly get the feeling this is a respectable, honest company.
I feel you're over-thinking this, Trav. Do you want to sell homes or have a logo that looks like a rock album? I've had to rethink my natural tendency to over-create logos as I conceive them for my TV show pitches, and/or my titles. Gotta K.I.S.S = Keep It Simple Stupid...and always get to the point.
It's actually harder (in some ways) to think of that, BANG!, dirt simple logo/title that incapsulates everything you're NEEDING to portray so that EVERYONE will "get it". No different than the film/TV industry in this way, you are playing to a mass audience...whereby the lowest common denominator needs to be able to LOOK at your logo and know you sell houses.
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#808215 - 01/05/09 09:22 AM
Re: The T57Strat infamous logo challenge 2009
[Re: kid-surf]
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kid-surf
Planeteer
Registered: 09/21/99
Posts: 14908
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BTW -- just like with movies and TV shows: We can never be too stubborn or afraid to throw out bad ideas, particularly when they are the title of the show. We can't get caught up in the "work we've done/time spent". Nobody cares, they want a good flick/show, period!
Same ideology. Make sure your logo can help get you paid! Your logo/company name is a catalyst, and therefore very important you get it right.
My opinion...
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#808225 - 01/05/09 12:21 PM
Re: The T57Strat infamous logo challenge 2009
[Re: kid-surf]
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havlicek
Planeteer
Registered: 05/26/02
Posts: 6738
Loc: East Hampton, NY
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One more from the peanut gallery. I agree with Jay that the name itself doesn't really speak to me regarding the business type. Having said that...it tends to run together visually so that I get weird meaning out of it like "afte-rimage" or "aft-erimage" or "afteri-mage"...all kinda sounding vaguely french. If the name is a deal-breaker, I would capitalize the "I" even while keeping the letters together as a single word...so "AfterImage" and then whatever logo design around it.
I disagree that the typefaces themselves are in any way "cheap" looking. I'm no taste expert but I did do a lengthy stint as manager of a pretty good sized graphic arts and printing division...starting out doing handset and running handfed windmill or platen presses (you gotta stay alert!) all the way to four color lithography. It could be that using a particular font and then manipulating that font a little (the way you might do to any other graphic) would have more impact.
-john
_________________________
"anyone who believes that what they think is so important they will post political messages in a no-politics forum, only highlights their assholiness"
-John Havlicek (from "How To Spot An Internet Idiot", © 2012)
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#808265 - 01/05/09 02:53 PM
Re: The T57Strat infamous logo challenge 2009
[Re: havlicek]
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LakeStone Karl
Planeteer
Registered: 06/26/02
Posts: 15821
Loc: Eastern PA, USA
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[DUTCH_UNCLE]
Trav...
Even if "AfterImage" stays, that font has GOT TO GO!
It's way to skinny and wavy.
The last one, with the blue background, looks like one of those cheap "free business cards" you can design on the web. Sorry.
Nothing I have seen in this thread looks "professional" to me.
Put photoshop away. Sit with some smoke and whiskey until you come up with a name. Bounce the name around a little until you're sure you like it, and it fits your purpose.
Then spend $100 or so to have a graphic artist develop a logo for you. There's a difference between "can execute" and "looks good".
Have you looked on the Web for examples of logos for similar enterprises?
[/DUTCH_UNCLE]
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#808268 - 01/05/09 02:56 PM
Re: The T57Strat infamous logo challenge 2009
[Re: LakeStone Karl]
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glensimonds
Planeteer
Registered: 12/14/02
Posts: 19628
Loc: Brooklyn Park, MN
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i like the way you think Karl
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#808272 - 01/05/09 03:06 PM
Re: The T57Strat infamous logo challenge 2009
[Re: glensimonds]
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cajun
Planeteer
Registered: 10/13/01
Posts: 2964
Loc: Kicking it in Y Town Louisiana
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T57, You need to look at logos and create in black and white. No blurs, type treatments, backgrounds, etc... A logo has to stand on it's own in black and white to be effective. It's got to have contrast and be legible. Once you have a solid logo, a few treatments will just dress it up.
Kidsurf touched on 4 points that are very important as well.
Think about someone who's creating music in their bedroom and putting way too many effects on everything. Everything loses focus. Same thing with logos having too many effects on them.
Logos are way too important to your business image and brand building. You want someone to be able to get your message quickly by looking at the logo then remembering who you are everytime they see it.
Hope this helps.
doug
_________________________
doug
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#808280 - 01/05/09 03:43 PM
Re: The T57Strat infamous logo challenge 2009
[Re: cajun]
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Grankspoine
Planeteer
Registered: 04/27/07
Posts: 4475
Loc: Darent Valley, SE England
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I have to agree with Jay and Karl. The over-complexity, fancy typefaces, ripple effects, graduated drop-shads etc etc – all make these look like yet another example of 'man with Photoshop but not a designer', I'm afraid, Trav.
Simple strong idea, simple strong artwork, simple strong typeface. Look at examples of professional logos: most of them are driven by a strong conceptual idea and simple graphic execution which makes them stand out.
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#808294 - 01/05/09 04:19 PM
Re: The T57Strat infamous logo challenge 2009
[Re: Grankspoine]
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String Jammer
Hall Of Fame Fiddler
Planeteer
Registered: 07/07/04
Posts: 19468
Loc: Northeastern US
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What confuses me the most in the name. What does afterimage have to do with realty? It seems more suitable for a photograpy biz IMO.
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#808295 - 01/05/09 04:23 PM
Re: The T57Strat infamous logo challenge 2009
[Re: Grankspoine]
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Larry Sheehan
Planeteer
Registered: 04/19/99
Posts: 2855
Loc: Georgetown, TX, USA
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Look at Dell, IBM, Ford, GM, even ENRON for examples of great logos. You don't read them, you just recognise them and associate the image with the company.
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#808297 - 01/05/09 04:29 PM
Re: The T57Strat infamous logo challenge 2009
[Re: Larry Sheehan]
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Mooseboy
That's "MR. Asshole" to you, buddy!
Loquacious Planeteer
Registered: 04/24/99
Posts: 37254
Loc: Black Mountain Hills of Dakota
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I think your company name looks/sounds too much like AFTER IMAGE REALITY.
...Which, too me, sounds like some new-agey, goth, christian rock band.
HEY! That's the name of MY New agey goth christian rock band! I'm gonna sue!
_________________________
"My fingers go wiggle wiggle and the music goes jingle jangle and the crowd is happy"
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#808325 - 01/05/09 06:03 PM
Re: The T57Strat infamous logo challenge 2009
[Re: Mooseboy]
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vvmv
Planeteer
Registered: 09/06/08
Posts: 12383
Loc: atween
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#808332 - 01/05/09 06:20 PM
Re: The T57Strat infamous logo challenge 2009
[Re: Mooseboy]
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T57Strat
Artist #40
Planeteer
Registered: 12/31/99
Posts: 18923
Loc: Keller, TX
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I had typed a response last night and didn't hit enter, but thanks Kid.
Ok, I'm punting on the name. I'll just get a new domain and I can redirect everything I've built to it.
I agree with most everything everybody said or I wouldn't have brought it to you guys. As far as budgeting goes, I'm living on borrowed money and time right now. Starting up in this business is not the fastest path to riches and stardom. I've spent way more than I've made so far and I can't spend any more. I just don't have it. I would prefer to think we're talking the difference between ok and drop your jaw cool than I just suck. This isn't my first rodeo.
havlicek: I used to own a commercial print shop as well, but most of my graphics work was recreating existing pieces, not so much on design. I've hand fed letter presses, run litho presses, worked in darkrooms and handled every aspect from pre-press to bindery.
"Simple strong idea, simple strong artwork, simple strong typeface."
Doesn't get more simple than Times New Roman, which is what I was using, combined with Verdana.
The critiques are a little confusing. The images are extremely hi-res, at least I have that going. So there is nothing good at all that anyone would even consider keeping?
I need a name now. Better take care of it today, but I can't do whiskey. I may be able to take a trip to the garage though
I think cheap is the wrong word, I've seen cheap and this ain't it. I think the reference is to the design, not the quality.
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#808377 - 01/05/09 07:40 PM
Re: The T57Strat infamous logo challenge 2009
[Re: T57Strat]
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T57Strat
Artist #40
Planeteer
Registered: 12/31/99
Posts: 18923
Loc: Keller, TX
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assurancerealestate.com is available, any thoughts?
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#808379 - 01/05/09 07:47 PM
Re: The T57Strat infamous logo challenge 2009
[Re: T57Strat]
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Jammer
Planeteer
Registered: 05/18/99
Posts: 18791
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Wouldn't want my business name to start with ASS. Not tryin' to be a prick. It's just the very first thing I noticed when I read it. I doubt that I'd be the only one. Sorry bro. JMO. 
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