[gotnousername]

Hi folks.

Been keeping an eye on the site for a while now, and thought it was about time I should post something, cos if I am to be honest, I need your help, have to get the prelims out for this job this week!

I am working on a budget job for a local grab service.

They are basically a service that removes unwanted waste, in particular earth & soil for landscape gardens & construction builders.

Grab services tend to use Arial et al for there company names. No messing and no fancy type. (As you can see from the photo of his lorry).

My main aims were to suggest movement, and the solid no messing strength of the service, while keeping it constrained and down to earth.

If you want any more info, please do not hesitate to ask, and I will try and help.

Thanks!!!



Here are some photos of the lorry and the grab bucket to give you a little background.







And here are some of the sketches that I focussed on a little...








Many thanks in advance for any comments. Please don't be shy!

[sub]

First impression is that a lot of work has gone into the initial concepts - perhaps too much too early.
Has the client specified what the do/do not like, their thoughts on what their logo will look like?

My preference would be the top and bottom concepts (with pinched text) on the first set of drawings, but would be better presented in digital format as apposed to pencil scetches.

[rightclick]

If you refined a couple of the ones you feel work best and posted them, as worked ident's, nice and neat, then you'd get a better, more accurate response. Do that (<<) and then post back.

[gotnousername]

Yes I have talked through scamps and they like all the directions I am taking, but they are client, we are the designers.

As you know at this stage, logos aren't about the excecution, I am asking for direction on the concepts (as I am working on me todd with this one), so I can explore them a little further, and experiment with the finer points and post some tighter roughs.

Basically just want to know what you guys feel I should develop.

I am not a branding designer by any stretch of the imagination, but need the cash so have took a few small jobs in. I am just a little unsure of my directions as it is getting a little late in the day for this one.

Anyway cheers for the responses so far.

[sub]

If it is the brand you are trying to develop you need to work on more than just the logo - It is not always the purpose of a company logo to illustrate the product/service it offers.

Look around at other branding that works. The most successfully executed branding works with the simplist logo designs. A clean, simple logo that is sympathetic to the over all branding will work across the range of mediums from product to website and stationery. It's then just a case of convincing your client that "less is more" and showing how the design will look in situe.

[gotnousername]

Hi subcircle, yes I am aware of the basics of branding.

It is just the logo he wants at the mo, particularily for the vehicles he has (3 in total, which are blue and it is not an option to change thier colour...) and some basic stationery & forms for the refuse site and maybe a basic site in the future.

I have been thinking of supporting graphics while working on these, (the arm on No3. I like the the way the angle is strong, yet has some movement without being whimsical that could be used to seperate areas, just an avenue I may use for the stationery and site among others)

I digress though, what do you think of the direction of the roughs? Too literal? Not suggestive of movement and strength enough? Don't worry I won't bite if you think there is no scope to continue and hit the board with other ideas, after all that is what this section is about isn't it? For constructive crits?

[stickmus]

The third one on the first, but give it a grabber next to the end. And get on with it, how much are you charging for this?

[gotnousername]

Originally Posted by stickmus

The third one on the first, but give it a grabber next to the end. And get on with it, how much are you charging for this?

No 3 was what I saw the most potential in too, I think it's just the angles express what I am aiming at without being to ott.

I think tonight I am gonna try and push the second and third, and maybe try and get some vectors down.

As for the ££££, not enough at all, it is a very small business, but as said I need to develop in this area, hence my posting here to get some good input from folks that have more experience than I.

It is just time is short, and I want to get something solid to present this week.

[Limbo]

That K is definetly crying out to be used as the grabbers jaws - perhaps you could hinge it on the G and use the grab text as the truck or the 'grabbee' - in 3d block or summit?

I like you concept development - it's good to see - but what you hear is right - like clients we need to see more before we can say more

[gotnousername]

Originally Posted by Limbo

That K is definetly crying out to be used as the grabbers jaws - perhaps you could hinge it on the G and use the grab text as the truck or the 'grabbee' - in 3d block or summit?

I like you concept development - it's good to see - but what you hear is right - like clients we need to see more before we can say more

Cheers for your time Limbo.

Yes I thought the same with the K, it's just my hand type skills are not on form, Didn't really want the mark to be to illustrative, but I will give it a go tonight though for sure.

When you say you need more, do you mean more concepts, more of a refinement (ie vectors) on the marks, or just more of how the mark will be applied? Just a bit unsure here, as you are not a client, hopefully you are a designer who understands development and potential, most clients don't, as we all know.

Again thanks for your comment, well appreciated.

[Narate]

Inside the box

[gotnousername]

Originally Posted by Narate

Inside the box

Yes I know, but is a grab hire business the place to show foward thinking and creativity in a mark?

BTW, Inside the box is the newer even cheesier outside of the box!!!

[Narate]

Too right it is, there is a million and 12 options you can go down that doesnt involve actually drawing some grabby hands.

But fair doo's to you for putting pen to paper before starting, lost art that seems to be.

[gotnousername]

What do you suggest Narate? I'm not asking you to do my shit for me at all, just interested of your perspective on this.

Do you not think the excecution could bring these marks 'out of the box' .(I can't believe I just said that!!!), especially the 3rd?? It's just I haven't looked into type, line, colour etc yet and feel that this will obviously progress the core idea, or do you feel the idea is not suggestive enough? As mentioned marks are not my strongest point!

[d*d]

Originally Posted by subcircle

First impression is that a lot of work has gone into the initial concepts - perhaps too much too early.

is that not about right to thrash a couple of ideas out? depending on the project I've filled more pages with sketches than that, depends on the way you work I s'pose.

anyway I think the second one has some potential with the inversed copy, doesn't look enough like a grabber though.

[sub]

Originally Posted by d*d

is that not about right to thrash a couple of ideas out?

That's more than a couple of ideas.
I just thought three pages of conceptual drawing is a lot of work and time spent on a budget logo without some initial direction from the client.

[pat]

I dunno, they're only sketches - any work i do, i always sketch out on rough papaer until im happy with an idea - surely it's good to have something to show a client too.

[squire2k]

Originally Posted by Mitch

As for the ££££, not enough at all, it is a very small business

this winds me up - it's annoying how the design industry (not a dig at you as i've experienced this but...) changes their rates for smaller companies... if this was a multi-billion pound company, you would've charged shitloads for branding, milked em senseless, but with generally the same effort and results...

[gotnousername]

Originally Posted by squire2k

this winds me up - it's annoying how the design industry (not a dig at you as i've experienced this but...) changes their rates for smaller companies... if this was a multi-billion pound company, you would've charged shitloads for branding, milked em senseless, but with generally the same effort and results...

I see your point Squire, but the price relates to the effort put into the job. As my old man would say, horses for courses...

This can pushed loads more, I know that and you know that, but when it comes to it the client is getting charged exactly the same as others, but the time spent on it is no where near that would be charged for a fully developed project.

Hence the smaller price, hence the lack of time, hence the underdeveloped logo. But when it comes to it, hopefully his will stand out a little more and have some of the prerequisites of design which 90% do not have at all. As said Ariel is the mainstay of branding for business such as this.

When it comes to it, you get what you pay for.

[gotnousername]

Originally Posted by subcircle

That's more than a couple of ideas.
I just thought three pages of conceptual drawing is a lot of work and time spent on a budget logo without some initial direction from the client.

In my opinion this is a very narrow path I have taken, and really only holds a few concepts. But I surely you need to get ideas before you can direct the customer? Yeah he has told me what he doesn't like, and the rough direction he would like to take it, (hence me commenting on strength, movement and not making it fussy etc) as said I will see him Thursday evening, and we will decide together what will be the next angle to take.

I soometimes show customers sketches, if I think they can see where it is heading, (and was quite surprised that folks here wanted to see finished artwork, when it is still at the concepting stage), what is the point in wasting loads of time working in Illy, getting the all important crisp lines spot on just for a customer to say in the words of Matt Lucas, 'Don't like that'.