[BowserYo]

Hello all, I am in the process of designing a website. I am trying to come up with a logo that will be displayed at the top of all pages. I need help brainstorming to figure out how I can depict what the website is about through a logo.

The site is designed to help the government (USA) find contractors to fulfill mission requirements. Generally these contractors are ex-military, or have some specific skill in intelligence other desirable fields. The logo should somehow depict the idea of securing America, as I said above, not necessarily through weapons, but through other means like intelligence.

Can anyone shoot some idea's onto this thread? It would be much appreciated, I am not that great at coming up with Logo's.

Thanks,
Bowser

[Lemur]

If you're not great at coming up with logos and have to ask other people for ideas then perhaps this isn't a good field for you to pursue.

[BowserYo]

Unfortunately I don't have much choice. I thought about that long before I posted. Thanks for the suggestion, though.

As of right now, I have a simple circle with the initials of the site inside of it. But I'm thinking that there has got to be something better than that.

Thanks,
Bowser

[MrWobbles]

Think about what your asking and look for key words that you can easily generate a 'picture' from. Start sketching things out in a notebook, keep these quick and light - don't get into the details yet and make A LOT of them. I don't mean a few, I mean a lot, I don't even want to put a number on it, just keep sketching and coming up with new ideas whether they are good or bad.

Then go through and pick out several you want to flesh out (10 - 15) and do a little more with them, think about them more thoroughly - do they get the idea across, what colors might you use, put a little more detail into them, etc.. then keep narrowing it down until you have 1 or 2, then post again asking for suggestions.

It will be much easier to help you from that point than it would be to just do the hard work for you.

Good Luck.

[BowserYo]

Mr Wobbles,

Thank you for the suggestion, I didn't intend to ask anyone to do the hard work for me. What you have suggested is a excellent idea, I will do exactly that.

Thanks,
Bowser

[Lemur]

BowserYo, on 11 August 2011 - 09:05 AM, said:

Unfortunately I don't have much choice. I thought about that long before I posted. Thanks for the suggestion, though.

As of right now, I have a simple circle with the initials of the site inside of it. But I'm thinking that there has got to be something better than that.

Thanks,
Bowser

You need to think longer and harder then. A logo defines a company, and if you don't have the skills to reflect that then you're doing the company a huge amount of harm. Don't bite off more than you can chew, this is definitely in that category.

I spend at least 10 hours on a logo itself just sketching and getting ideas. This isn't a simple job that you can just pick up and do. Treating it as such invites disaster.

I'm saying this as fair warning to you, it will come back to haunt you very quickly or at very least the company that cheaped out on the logo.

[BowserYo]

Lemur, on 11 August 2011 - 12:08 PM, said:

You need to think longer and harder then. A logo defines a company, and if you don't have the skills to reflect that then you're doing the company a huge amount of harm. Don't bite off more than you can chew, this is definitely in that category.

I spend at least 10 hours on a logo itself just sketching and getting ideas. This isn't a simple job that you can just pick up and do. Treating it as such invites disaster.

I'm saying this as fair warning to you, it will come back to haunt you very quickly or at very least the company that cheaped out on the logo.

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind. I have plenty of time to sketch away, I toke note that sketching is an important aspect of logo design, which I fully intend to utilize.

I have gotten the help I wanted (where I should start). Maybe I can post it up here for everyone to criticize when I feel it's about ready.

Thank you,
Bowser

[RudiVisser]

Sorry to hijack a bit but is your site meant to look like this?

[BowserYo]

Please hijack away when you see something like that. Actually, it is suppose to look like this.



I just took that a few minutes ago, what browser/version are you running?

EDIT: Fixed image link

This post has been edited by BowserYo: 11 August 2011 - 12:51 PM

[RudiVisser]

Opera 12.

EDIT: I found out why it's broken:

<table align="center" style="margin:0px auto;"><tr><td>
		<!-- Header or Banner Located Here -->
		<div id="outerBanner">

This post has been edited by RudiVisser: 11 August 2011 - 12:51 PM

[BowserYo]

Interesting...thank you for the heads up. I fixed the link, you should be able to see the picture now.

[Finney_3]

I'm not sure as to what the solution to this logo design was but if your doing something pertaining to security and dont want to use guns try using a satellite image of some kind with some rays comming off of it. This can sometimes refer to intelligence and is known in the military for the most part. I would be selective when using typography for helping push the logo for this idea. I usually draw out some ideas on paper when designing and make a list of about 5 text that interest me that I feel would go with the over all flow of the logo and work it from there. I hope this gives you a different idea for your logo.

[Finney_3]

Here is just an idea of what I was talking about as far as a design. This is in by no way shape or form how I would present the logo to a client but this is just used for a visual idea. I took 5 min to just give you a general idea of what I was talking about in case the other comment seem to have made no sense. I hope this give you a possible idea.

Whatever the companys name you can put where ever I just used your sites name.. for and example.

This post has been edited by Finney_3: 16 August 2011 - 10:19 AM

[BowserYo]

Finney, just read your post, I somehow missed the notification. Anyway, that is a good idea, I will add that to the list of idea's.

Draft #1: Tear it apart.



I had the idea of combing a lock and America somehow, this was my first quick attempt after I drew sketches out. Do you guys recommend that I separate the actually logo and "SON?" Or keep it combined as it is right now. SON is an acronym for the company name.

I appreciate all the help and input,
Prophet aka Bowser

[MrWobbles]

Could make the lock in the shape of america then tilt it so you can see the key hole and with the bar on top it should remain obvious that it is indeed a lock