I think you have a couple things going on here. First off, it is still hard to tell what your company is called.
The threes don’t seem to fit in. It’s not clear how it’s supposed to read out loud. Is it Three-Design-Three? Or Design-Thirty-Three? Three-Design-Three to me feels a little clunky and not catchy enough, but you can make it work if it’s a clever design solution!
Second, my eyes and my mind are skipping over your logo because it’s not creating enough visual and mental interest for me to stay and put in the effort to figure out how to read it. I know you are an awesomely creative writer, that you are super smart with your word play, sentence structure, and topics, and that you have an all around fabulous blog. Your logo right now is not singing loud and clear the long list of talents and creativity you bring to the table.
For clients that don’t know you, this logo is all they are going to see. You have to catch them at first glance and keep them interested! Make it clever, and make it stand out from the masses of other designers out there.
If you are set on the two 3s, what about reversing the last 3 or the first 3 so that they mirror each other? What if the 3s are in a different weight or a different but complimentary typeface. You said in your last post you are using the 3s because you like the way they look. Give the 3′s more of a purpose in the name and the design. Push the shape of the 3! Take it further! Play with them! Make a pattern out the 3s, change their shape and size! Play with the shapes of the letters or the white space created between the letters! Get off the computer and do some quick sketches and see where that takes you! Make a hundred different renditions, and then do a few more. Design is about finding creative solutions to visual problems, and to get there, you havehavehave to push the envelope.
And make sure it is effortless for anyone to read the name of your company out loud and feel confident that they are saying it right. From a marketing perspective, this is crucial!
Lastly, seriously consider your typeface choice and what it is saying about the look and feel of your company.
I hope that was gentle enough while still being blunt!
i second everything lauren said! i like the changes you’ve made since the last iteration – fixing the kerning helped quite a bit!
if i were going to make a minimal change, i would try lightening the two 3′s to a pale grey, so it creates a hierarchy in the lettering. if black is 100%, i would try taking them down to a 20 or 30%.
it’s the last 3 that bothers me the most. the first works because of the “3D” thing, but with the second one it makes me feel a bit dyslexic! i think if you can separate the 3′s visually via color, font, transparency, position, size, etc., so the name/pronunciation is evident, it would be more successful. hope that helps a bit! i’ve done some logo design myself and sometimes it’s the simple ones that are the trickiest :)
I agree pretty much with lauren and kamo. I almost want to turn the last 3 into a Z so I can say 3Designz.
I like the idea of turning the last 3 around, but then I think that some may want to read it as an “E”
The first thing I saw when I looked at it again was the need for color. Not much, just maybe 1 letter, or the dot on the “i”. What is the color scheme of your website? Maybe pick up that pretty shade of blue that you are using for links – try making the last “3″ that color. It may still look a little disjointed, but the eye would not want to try to make it into part of the word “Design”.
I didn’t comment on your earlier posting because I felt what I wrote was going off-track and sounding critical, and apparently I was right!
The changes make it not read as “3D E-SIGN” anymore to me. I figured it was for a three-dimensional electronic sign shop, LOL! Maybe neon or those plastic embossed light-up signs?
I’ve since found your URL, realize it’s for you and rectified my misperception… (…AND just learned misperception is a word not in Firefox’s spell checker.)
I’d still like to have a clue what the 3s signify or how you tell people your URL, to get the logo closer to the message.
I love the first two excellent comments, my first reaction is it looked too high-tech digital/”computery” machine perfect with the white “dirtiness” in the exact same spot on both 3′s. I’d paint a different spot, or if you don’t want to draw, flip one upside down? Then I saw the initial lovely suggestions, but instead of mirroring one of the 3′s, perhaps rotate it 180° instead?
Instead of grey for the 3s, how about bringing in color theory? Blue is reliable (think IBM), purple is rich (royalty), red energetic, yellow happy, white cleanliness, green is obviously out right now given the eco fads.
Meanwhile if you mean to evoke “3D”ness, perhaps a very, very, soft subtle shadow to give it some depth and pop?
If you are trying to stay one color to complement other page’s designs, maybe have the 3′s done in outline?
I guess I’m still stuck on the “but what does it MEAN” bit….if I saw this logo in someones sidebar, I can’t say I would immediately think “oh that must be the website designer”. It just doesn’t say much, convey much.
Half of me is tempted to launch into Freud mode and wonder if your recent choices in grungy/angry fonts aren’t signifying something else, the font in your new header here looks quite…..bloody and murderous, lol.
I agree though, if this is what you’re firm on then the 3′s need to be different. Right now it’s hard to read/process.
The visual is better than the last version, but I still don’t like the name. Like almost all the other commentators, I don’t understand why the 3s are there–the fact that you like them is not enough. It’s very befuddling to me, because I also read it in my mind as “3-design-3″, and that’s sort of a nonsense phrase. As everyone else has said, it’s not conveying anything to me about the nature of the company. Lauren’s suggestions on fixing the logo are good, and I assume you’re not changing the name because you have a track record with it. But if it’s at all possible to rebrand/rename now, I’d do it.
If the actual NAME of the company is 3DESIGN3, then I think it’s ok, although I think that font in black is kind of cold, impersonal, and institutional, and doesn’t really really represent YOU.
For a creative alternative (that doesn’t scream the name of the company quite as bluntly, but puts the focus on DESIGN rather than the 3s – not sure whether that’s good or bad, plus it would take up more vertical space), I’d suggest turning the 3s 90 degrees (one clockwise and one counter-clockwise) and moving them to over and under the “i”. This might accomplish 2 things visually:
a) seem like a continuation of the i (the negative space inside the 3s would create the serifs of a tall capital “I”), and eliminate the dot of that one annoying lowercase letter in the middle of all caps (just a personal pet peeve – it always feels like the girl in high school who dotted every “i” with a smiley face or heart), and
b) be subconsciously reminiscent of butts, if you want a little secret tongue-in-cheek reference. Pun intended. ;-) Maybe try it and see how it looks.
You just like 3s because if you turn your head to the side like a smiley you picture them as cute little butts. Or breasts.
So then I’d suggest 3DES3IGN3 which breaks the word up into two sets of three letters each! Also three 3′s! And it’s less obsequious to our professed confusion (omg, I spelled obsequious right on my first try)!
If the 3′s have no significance on par with the word “DESIGN”, then they definitely need to be differentiated visually. We are all TRYING to “see it” and not getting it, which means it won’t reach out and grab the casual observer ignoring all the competing eye spam in their peripheral view.
I suppose if you tilt your head to the right 3s could be the head of a penis? )8==3
Your logo will never look the same again, now that I perceive the white spots as you-know-what stains–it’s the dirtiest logo “evah”!
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I think you have a couple things going on here. First off, it is still hard to tell what your company is called.
The threes don’t seem to fit in. It’s not clear how it’s supposed to read out loud. Is it Three-Design-Three? Or Design-Thirty-Three? Three-Design-Three to me feels a little clunky and not catchy enough, but you can make it work if it’s a clever design solution!
Second, my eyes and my mind are skipping over your logo because it’s not creating enough visual and mental interest for me to stay and put in the effort to figure out how to read it. I know you are an awesomely creative writer, that you are super smart with your word play, sentence structure, and topics, and that you have an all around fabulous blog. Your logo right now is not singing loud and clear the long list of talents and creativity you bring to the table.
For clients that don’t know you, this logo is all they are going to see. You have to catch them at first glance and keep them interested! Make it clever, and make it stand out from the masses of other designers out there.
If you are set on the two 3s, what about reversing the last 3 or the first 3 so that they mirror each other? What if the 3s are in a different weight or a different but complimentary typeface. You said in your last post you are using the 3s because you like the way they look. Give the 3′s more of a purpose in the name and the design. Push the shape of the 3! Take it further! Play with them! Make a pattern out the 3s, change their shape and size! Play with the shapes of the letters or the white space created between the letters! Get off the computer and do some quick sketches and see where that takes you! Make a hundred different renditions, and then do a few more. Design is about finding creative solutions to visual problems, and to get there, you havehavehave to push the envelope.
And make sure it is effortless for anyone to read the name of your company out loud and feel confident that they are saying it right. From a marketing perspective, this is crucial!
Lastly, seriously consider your typeface choice and what it is saying about the look and feel of your company.
I hope that was gentle enough while still being blunt!
Thank you Lauren! :)
i second everything lauren said! i like the changes you’ve made since the last iteration – fixing the kerning helped quite a bit!
if i were going to make a minimal change, i would try lightening the two 3′s to a pale grey, so it creates a hierarchy in the lettering. if black is 100%, i would try taking them down to a 20 or 30%.
it’s the last 3 that bothers me the most. the first works because of the “3D” thing, but with the second one it makes me feel a bit dyslexic! i think if you can separate the 3′s visually via color, font, transparency, position, size, etc., so the name/pronunciation is evident, it would be more successful. hope that helps a bit! i’ve done some logo design myself and sometimes it’s the simple ones that are the trickiest :)
I agree pretty much with lauren and kamo. I almost want to turn the last 3 into a Z so I can say 3Designz.
I like the idea of turning the last 3 around, but then I think that some may want to read it as an “E”
The first thing I saw when I looked at it again was the need for color. Not much, just maybe 1 letter, or the dot on the “i”. What is the color scheme of your website? Maybe pick up that pretty shade of blue that you are using for links – try making the last “3″ that color. It may still look a little disjointed, but the eye would not want to try to make it into part of the word “Design”.
I’m too waffly to be blunt, sorry!
I didn’t comment on your earlier posting because I felt what I wrote was going off-track and sounding critical, and apparently I was right!
The changes make it not read as “3D E-SIGN” anymore to me. I figured it was for a three-dimensional electronic sign shop, LOL! Maybe neon or those plastic embossed light-up signs?
I’ve since found your URL, realize it’s for you and rectified my misperception… (…AND just learned misperception is a word not in Firefox’s spell checker.)
I’d still like to have a clue what the 3s signify or how you tell people your URL, to get the logo closer to the message.
I love the first two excellent comments, my first reaction is it looked too high-tech digital/”computery” machine perfect with the white “dirtiness” in the exact same spot on both 3′s. I’d paint a different spot, or if you don’t want to draw, flip one upside down? Then I saw the initial lovely suggestions, but instead of mirroring one of the 3′s, perhaps rotate it 180° instead?
Instead of grey for the 3s, how about bringing in color theory? Blue is reliable (think IBM), purple is rich (royalty), red energetic, yellow happy, white cleanliness, green is obviously out right now given the eco fads.
Meanwhile if you mean to evoke “3D”ness, perhaps a very, very, soft subtle shadow to give it some depth and pop?
If you are trying to stay one color to complement other page’s designs, maybe have the 3′s done in outline?
hth…
I guess I’m still stuck on the “but what does it MEAN” bit….if I saw this logo in someones sidebar, I can’t say I would immediately think “oh that must be the website designer”. It just doesn’t say much, convey much.
Half of me is tempted to launch into Freud mode and wonder if your recent choices in grungy/angry fonts aren’t signifying something else, the font in your new header here looks quite…..bloody and murderous, lol.
I agree though, if this is what you’re firm on then the 3′s need to be different. Right now it’s hard to read/process.
I like threes! :)
Bloody? Murderous? Me? NEVER!
I like living in the free world where there are Hitachis and Eroscillators and good lube!
OMG! I have a great idea!
I’m going to make a new banner! In pink and blue! With comic sans! And it will say “I LIKE THREES”
:)
Ok, I’m going to bed now.
The visual is better than the last version, but I still don’t like the name. Like almost all the other commentators, I don’t understand why the 3s are there–the fact that you like them is not enough. It’s very befuddling to me, because I also read it in my mind as “3-design-3″, and that’s sort of a nonsense phrase. As everyone else has said, it’s not conveying anything to me about the nature of the company. Lauren’s suggestions on fixing the logo are good, and I assume you’re not changing the name because you have a track record with it. But if it’s at all possible to rebrand/rename now, I’d do it.
Even 3Design or Design3 makes more sense to me . . . ThreeDesign? Sigh.
If the actual NAME of the company is 3DESIGN3, then I think it’s ok, although I think that font in black is kind of cold, impersonal, and institutional, and doesn’t really really represent YOU.
For a creative alternative (that doesn’t scream the name of the company quite as bluntly, but puts the focus on DESIGN rather than the 3s – not sure whether that’s good or bad, plus it would take up more vertical space), I’d suggest turning the 3s 90 degrees (one clockwise and one counter-clockwise) and moving them to over and under the “i”. This might accomplish 2 things visually:
a) seem like a continuation of the i (the negative space inside the 3s would create the serifs of a tall capital “I”), and eliminate the dot of that one annoying lowercase letter in the middle of all caps (just a personal pet peeve – it always feels like the girl in high school who dotted every “i” with a smiley face or heart), and
b) be subconsciously reminiscent of butts, if you want a little secret tongue-in-cheek reference. Pun intended. ;-) Maybe try it and see how it looks.
You just like 3s because if you turn your head to the side like a smiley you picture them as cute little butts. Or breasts.
So then I’d suggest 3DES3IGN3 which breaks the word up into two sets of three letters each! Also three 3′s! And it’s less obsequious to our professed confusion (omg, I spelled obsequious right on my first try)!
If the 3′s have no significance on par with the word “DESIGN”, then they definitely need to be differentiated visually. We are all TRYING to “see it” and not getting it, which means it won’t reach out and grab the casual observer ignoring all the competing eye spam in their peripheral view.
I suppose if you tilt your head to the right 3s could be the head of a penis? )8==3
Your logo will never look the same again, now that I perceive the white spots as you-know-what stains–it’s the dirtiest logo “evah”!