Christian Photographers Community

Greetings all.  I had no idea where to post this, so I thought it best to post it here.  I'd greatly appreciate any feedback you may have for me. 

I've been working on a logo for my boy's elementary school.  I have a strong background in graphic arts, but admit to not using it much.  Working up a good logo is a slow, involved and sometimes painful process and making everyone involved happy is nearly impossible.  Yet, for some reason, I agreed to do this one - probably because I'm personally invested.

The school is called Inlet View and the mascot is an Orca (Killer) Whale.  I've struggled a bit with this, as it seems I always do, but I am currently working on this particular image.  Note, this is only rough draft.  Could I get your unfiltered opinion?  Does this come across as an elementary school (grades K thru 6)? Is it too busy? Is it simple enough?   

I generally work for a pure black & white image that is easily reproduced in print.  From there, I would develop the final design to a color one, something a bit more involved.  But the reason I start with black and white is that it tends to be the way it is most useful, and the cheapest way to reproduce in various ways.  Color always adds to cost.  So yes, this will be worked up into a color version, but as a general rule, I always work it up in black and white first.

Please ignore the rectangular boxes around the logo as well as the unrefined areas you'll see in the design - it's very late here, and I need some sleep.  I'll refine this more tomorrow. And you can ignore the type design as well. The boxes you see are simply an aid for design and will not appear in the final. The type design is not anywhere close to final.  Please focus on the graphic elements.  Many thanks for all your comments!  I value your input!  This goes in front of the PTA on Thursday.  Yeah, I'm sweating bullets.     Even though it's freebie / pro-bono job, I still want to do my best.

I'll tell you what I feel, its very good I like the Orca leaping from the base of the school, but too much variation in size of script, I think I would push the graphic down towards the bottom left of the frame, inlet view elementary school as a banner across top of page Anchorage Alaska, tucked in where it is now but in plain text perhaps Ariel, New times Roman, something like that, Small School, in very small letters, not too small Great Expectations very large letters.

   You've got me at it now, I've saved the picture so I' going to work on it now, there's my version I did it in photoshop elements, with great difficulty, might make a good competition see what everyone else can come up with. Hadn't time to explore the fonts, but the writing needed breakinh up into different groups, anyway its only an idea and by using paint programmes we can share visually what we think, Michael.

Hi Andy...

Love the school!  The apple is fantastic to have as the door to the school and the orca is tops.

I have a feeling of "busy-ness" as I look at it.    Not sure where I'd change it though.  I think that the fonts have to be changed as to size...

School name:  one size
Town Name:  small size
Caption:         maybe the size of the School name but try to get it on one line?


Our caption on the Cafe, I decided to put to the right of our larger name. 

Thank you for the comments and critique. 

I agree the type is not developed well, as mentioned in the initial post.  I threw that all in before heading off to bed in the wee hours of the morning.  Up and at it a short 3 hours later, got the kids off to school, stopped at the bank and then back for some photo editing (a related job), and finally, turned on the espresso maker and pulled a strong double.     Sitting down now to get a fresh view of things.

When I design, I'm concerned that the image will reproduce well down to about an inch.  This is a wee bit too busy, but my initial input from the PTA is that they didn't want to lose the whale, and somehow bring in the small school theme.  Hopefully, this design fulfills that.  The slogan, 'Small School, Big Expectations' was also my suggestion after a many other's ideas were shot down.  It's funny how that works.  The slogan was one of the last ideas to come off the top of my head after a lengthy lunch wrestling with ideas and concepts.

Anyway, I'll work on the type today, and let the brain sit on the back burner and stew with another logo idea I have.

Thanks for the suggestions on the type!

OK.  The coffee is kicking in.

Changed the type design layout based a bit on suggestions here and the fact that my wee-hour-of-the-morning efforts were agreeably poor.  I think this has a better feel and balance.  I'm not set on the font yet.  Need to have another espresso and dig thru my font collection.  And I've eliminated the words 'Elementary School'.  I don't know if those are necessary - probably a decision the PTA will make for me.   

I think you've got it there, the orca curves round the top of the school and points your eye in the direction of the first words, the text is just the rioght size to fit under the roof of the school, and the whole thing leads down nicely to the bottom line, its got rhythm, and I think I would leave this as is, including the font.

Andy, I'm liking this a lot.

I like the way the orca is looking at "Inlet View"

Nice job. 

Glad the coffee is kicking in.  Im going to go and put a pot on!!!

GREAT ideas, and super suggestions, too.

I viewed this earlier in the day, but couldn't post from the spot where I was viewing.

Great work - may God be with you. 

My thoughts in looking at the first one was that it was too "centered" and thus felt unbalanced to me.  Then, I saw your revision and it is 100% better! If the PTA wants Elementary School on there, try ES or just Elementary. 

I like that font because it is clean and simple and easy to read.  In some ways, it reminds me of one of my elementary teacher's handwriting. 

I really like the last one.  It's simple, states the school name and mascot, and is pleasing to the eye.

I noticed you took the town and state off.  As long as you won't need that, I think you have it.  Nita