Space City Airbrush

Mike178 · #1 (**permalink**) 08-23-2005, 02:18 PM

Hey guys,

This is a ROUGH pencil sketch of the logo I am thinking of. I would like some critique on the concept and design before I start working on a pc version.

My company mainly airbrushes shirts and boxers at parties and we also do shirts for schools. To a smaller extent we do personal orders and ship them, but most of our business is local.

What sets us apart locally is that no one I know of makes personal appearances, or if they do, they don't advertise at all. Since optimizing my site for search engines I have been getting 1-3 calls a day, so I am trying to make my site more professional by learning CSS and -- yes -- a professional logo.

So, here it is:

here is the link if you want it:

www.spacecityairbrush.com/test/scalogoa.jpg

this a link to the new index page I am working on in case you whant to see the direction the site is going with my new understanding of CSS (which is very noob btw :))

www.spacecityairbrush.com/test/index.html

Thanks!

webhost1 · #2 (**permalink**) 08-24-2005, 03:49 AM

Intersting design. What colors do you plan on making the logo out of? Have you thought of having flames coming out of the back?

JKomp · #3 (**permalink**) 08-24-2005, 07:25 AM

very nice logo, will be interesting to see how you work in some colours.

Mike178 · #4 (**permalink**) 08-24-2005, 11:35 AM

Thanks, Guys.

Yes, I am pretty sure I am going to use flames instead of the straight lines. It's more of an airbrush thing (hot rod flames prolly).

Also I am trying a version with the rocket angled up.

As usual, I am having to learn something new, namely CorelDraw 12. So far I like the program. It is much easier to use than photoshop, LOL.

Anyway, I hope to have a more finished product in a day or so. I have to do some money making work before I get back to it. I'll post as soon as I get it.

Thanks for the input!

**JMuncy** · #5 (**permalink**) 08-24-2005, 12:17 PM

Greetings Mike178,

I think you have a really good design going for you. Like the others I anticipate seeing the final product in color.

Very well designed, I like the flame idea, but I also like the straight lines coming from the back, kind of gives it some balance with the pointed front end.

Please post your final product...

panther · #6 (**permalink**) 08-25-2005, 11:50 AM

good looking design...I don't recommend corel though. I live by illustrator. Learn the pen tool and you can do anything. Its not the same in corel. they tried to combine pixel (photoshop) and vector (illustrator). They are both too powerful to be one. anyway here is the way i see your design. you can have it if you want just give illustrator a try. and if you have a web site maybe you can put a link somewhere on your site. Good luck!

JKomp · #7 (**permalink**) 08-25-2005, 02:38 PM

very nice, both the logo and the offer!

**JMuncy** · #8 (**permalink**) 08-25-2005, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by panther

I don't recommend corel though. I live by illustrator. Learn the pen tool and you can do anything. Its not the same in corel.

Couldn't agree more...

Nice looking logo design. The tip of the "rocket" reminds me of a road cone.

MarcieZoob · #9 (**permalink**) 08-26-2005, 06:26 AM

Another nice logo concept by panther. The word "airbrush" needs to look more... well, airbrushed.

nipplecharms1 · #10 (**permalink**) 08-26-2005, 12:39 PM

Damn panther that is even better.. love the "George Jetson" letters!

Just a little change.... point the ship heading up. Give the viewer the perception of the company is heading in a positive direction. You do not have to go over-board with the angle just so it is noticable.

Perception is EVERYTHING!

H-O-T!!!

Ok, e-mail for a job! lol

Michael

---- Do as I say, not as I do! ----

webhost1 · #11 (**permalink**) 08-26-2005, 06:48 PM

panther you did it again. Nice looking logo. Care to try a hand at mine sites logo?

I agree in regards to the rocket at a slant. I think a 3d affect might look good on the airbrush word.

panther · #12 (**permalink**) 08-26-2005, 06:52 PM

Thanks everyone for the compliments. I feel this forum gives me a good chance to practice and I get to help a few people out. The only thing is after I do a logo the people never respond again. Thats why I don't edit them from your suggestions until I hear from the customer. But it hasn't happened yet.

Mike178 · #13 (**permalink**) 08-27-2005, 04:26 AM

Sorry not to have replied, everyone. I have been battling some severe cluster headaches for the past week (if you don't know what CH is, count yourself very lucky - www.clusterheadaches.com -- if you're interested or know someone who has it).

In my spare time I learned CorelDraw and am now working with Illustrater. I agree that Illustrater is better, but learning Corel first is helping me figure out Illustater faster (similar concepts).

Panther, you rock... seems you're always willing to dive in and help someone out. That is awesome.

Anyway, here is what I finally came up with (and I have toyed with the idea of pointing the rocket up to the right... prolly fool around with the layout tomorrow.)

I like panthers design also. It's more of a charicature which is very much in the realm of airbrushing. I'll have to noodle over it a while.

Thanks for all the help guys. I feel like I discovered burried treasure the day I found this board!

panther · #14 (**permalink**) 08-27-2005, 11:06 PM

Hi again,
I like your design. The way the font follows the shape of the rocket. I can send you the font and illustrator file if you want and you can mess around with the design to make it your own. Do know how to draw very good. I used to airbrush also. I also free hand. But, since I learned Illustrator 3 years ago I feel I can draw faster and more precise on a computer then with my hand. Plus the "undo" option is nice. anyway my email is dustin@blackcastledesign.com if your interested. Good luck!!

Mike178 · #15 (**permalink**) 08-27-2005, 11:24 PM

I'll definately email you, Panther. I do draw by hand all the time -- that's the only way to do it on a t-shirt or canvas or motorcyle or... well you get the point. I've been airbrushing on and off since I was fifteen and drawing all my life (39 y.o.)

Anyway, thats O/T lol...

Here is a tilted version. It's definately an improvement in my opinion... more "interesting"

webhost1 · #16 (**permalink**) 08-28-2005, 07:06 AM

Add the airbrush on a tilt also. I think it would look go that way.

Steve W · #17 (**permalink**) 08-28-2005, 07:24 AM

Just my opinion: the logo looks great but like two disparate items - try overlapping the airbrush with the rocket and use layers to pick out whichever needs to be on top to blend them into a single space. It might help to draw a temporary box around the logo to frame the space your trying to define (width / height : aspect ratio) that often works for me :)

Given the rocket is emerging from the screen, it would make sense to put that above the airbrush wording, but maybe make airbrush bigger and chunkier and have the rocket starting to overfly it, but not to the point you can't easily read the words - just my 2p (Brit)

JKomp · #18 (**permalink**) 08-28-2005, 11:19 AM

Cant you have the rocket point upwards in the other direction with airbrush coming out like the flames, it would mean redesigning the rocket so that spacecity still read the right way but it might work :S

**JMuncy** · #19 (**permalink**) 08-29-2005, 11:23 AM

Hello Mike178,

I really like your logo design. I just have a few suggestions...

1) As previously said by another member, you might consider putting "airbrush" on a slant to so it fits well with the rocket.

2) Having the drop shadow on "airbrush" makes it slightly difficult to read. You may want to lighten the DS on it and maybe change the color...

3) You may want to play around with some differnt color combinations. Having "Space City" being the same color as the tip and the fins on the rocket, kind of makes it blend in.. not stick out as it should.

Mike178 · #20 (**permalink**) 08-29-2005, 12:14 PM

I just want to take a minute to thank everyone for the input. Your suggestions have been a huge help. I will be incorporating these Ideas in the next few days and I will post my next version as soon as I get it. Thanks again! You guys ROCK!

nipplecharms1 · #21 (**permalink**) 08-29-2005, 02:54 PM

Hey Mike, great changes.

love the tilt on the rocket but not sure you want it on the "airbrush". I think the word on the horizonal gives it better perspective.

My two cents.

M

**JMuncy** · #22 (**permalink**) 08-30-2005, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nipplecharms1

...not sure you want it on the "airbrush". I think the word on the horizonal gives it better perspective.

Very good point, I know I said before that "airbrush" would look nice on a slant also... but now I'm beggining to reconsider my stance.

Good point nipplecharms1

Mike178 · #23 (**permalink**) 08-30-2005, 12:31 PM

An artist friend of mine once said there is no such thing as a finished work of art, just a project abandoned... his meaning being that you could work on one piece the rest of your life and never be satisfied with it.

That's the point I'm at here. I tried pointing the rocket the other way, but then when you read "SPACECITY" your eyes travel down instead of up which is not the way you follow a successful rocket. I also tried changing the color of the word "SPACECITY" but I didn't like the way it broke up the design and it also seemed to interrupt the eye-flow.

I may enlarge the word airbrush to sort of force the perspective more.

For now, I need to get back to the actual web design, as I am very anxious for my customers to see my new layout.

Check it out here:

www.spacecityairbrush.com/test/index.html

It's got the logo on the page. BTW the demo links don't work yet, sorry.

Thanks for all the help and inspiration, guys! If you want, I'll post the other versions I came up with so you can compare.

Mike178 · #24 (**permalink**) 08-30-2005, 12:55 PM

Here are the other two versions I looked at.

Try to imagine this one slanted up and notice how your eyes travel down as you read it:

Thanks again, guys!

nipplecharms1 · #25 (**permalink**) 08-30-2005, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jmuncy

but now I'm beggining to reconsider my stance.

Yes... The marketing I understand. The art is all Greek to me. I need a logo for a new site we are going to launch and tried to get hold of panther with no luck.

I needed some help, would I post that in the forum under a new topic???

Thanks all.

M