Critique On Omsi Logo Please A logo for Oregon Museum of Science and Industry

[BooZker 0]

OK for a project in my graphic design course in college we have been given the challenge of creating a timeless logo for a number of places i chose Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, or better known as, OMSI. OMSI, the client, wants a new timeless logo for their museum. OMSI mostly appeals to younger children. They have any exibits and children love them. Teens would not be, so interested in it. (I had to do all this research for OMSI) I will show you my black and white logo and explain the concept then my color logo and explain the colors. After that i will show you some alternatives and I would love to know what you guys think is better, worse, helping, cluttered, ect. REMEMBER THIS IS NOT A RENDERED PHOTOSHOP SIG!!! This is a timeless logo. In other words, a logo that should never become outdated except for maybe minor changes. Examples, Playboy's Bunny, Nike Swoosh, Apple's Apple, ect.

 

Please Rate on a 1-10 scale and explain why:

 

B&W Version:

 

 

Concept: Text is Gill Sans. It's a sans serif font which suites nicely with a timeless logo while still keeping it in the same genre of science and plants and space. The circles represent atoms/planents. Now they are orbiting, but the orbit are kids holding hands. I did this because OMSI is marketed towards children rather then adults. Because of this i wanted to incorperate children in here while still keeping it clean and not illustrative. (If you cant see the kids the white lines through the black are supposed to be there hands and your looking down at them.)

 

Color Versions:

 

 

Concept for the color:

In any art book you will learn about color schemes and I used almost the most basic one for children. Children are attracted to the triadic colors (red, blue, yellow) I used the green and orange because it creates a complimentary/split-complimentary color scheme which is also close to the the original original colors liking towards younger children, but different. It's fun, it's playful, but still calm and quite, and best of all clean.

 

OK so please, PLEASE tell me what you guys think about the logo. Remember I am designing for the clients and not myself. So if you said,"Have blood dripping off" I would not take that seriously. Tell me if you like the gloss on there also. Here are clickable thumbnails of past versions i got rid of:

 

[shadowx 0]

When i first saw the black and white one i was going to say "add colour" but i read on and see the colour ones too but i did like the shape of the black and white one better because the "arms" of the children taper and i likeds that shape better, it also suggests that the lines are almost, reaching out for something or someone, perhaps knoweledge, almost exploring if that makes sense?I like how simple it is and it dsefinately suits its audience showing that science and the like cdan be fun and interesting and maybe they will link the logo with the planets and almosat strengthen their interest/knowledge. I like the colours too, they are simple but not so simple that you take a look and ignore them. OVerall i think you did good so far. I personally would add the taper like effect of the B+W version on the 'arms' as i think it makes the logo much more interesting rather than being just a circle, but then again im not a graphic designer or a member of the target audience so i could just be talking twaddle Good job so far though **EDIT: Score out of ten? hum..... 8.5-9/10 adding the taper effect would IMHO make it a 9-9.5/10 i dont like to give things a 10/10 because...well i dont know why so 9.5 is basically top marks in my scale!

Edited February 21, 2007 by shadowx (see edit history)

[rvalkass 5]

Looking at the description you have provided for what was required, I would say you have met this perfectly. The colours, as you quite rightly say, are the classic childish colours and that gives the logo an overall warm and childlike appeal. It is also not too childlike in that it makes the organisation look unprofessional; you have reached a good balance. As for the gloss effect, I would lose it. It works well in the filled circle version provided at the end, but in the arms version it looks as if it has just be added on randomly (no offence). Keep it simple and remove the gloss effect. As shadowx has said, I think the tapering on the "arms" in the black and white version should be carried through to the colour version. It makes it look a bit more natural than just a circle. Overall your logo is very effective and you have done an excellent job. I can see it working on posters, leaflets and all sorts of stuff with ease. I've never liked giving ratings out of 10 for 'proper' design work, but as you've asked I'll have to say a 9.5 to 10 out of 10.

 

This is just a random suggestion of a method I use and find very helpful, but rarely see others using. Your logo is likely to be used on all sorts of publications, which are going to be printed and probably photocopied. Some logos look great in full colour on your screen and printed on glossy paper, but thats not the 'real world'. Print the logo quite small (about an inch square) in colour and check it is still readable. Then photocopy it in greyscale. If you want to really test it (which I recommend) add some random text around the logo, then print and photocopy. Try photocopying the photocopy. Try copying the copy of the copy. Your logo should still be readable and stand out from the text. If you don't have access to a photocopier, scan and print it in greyscale at a low res.

[TypoMage 0]

I say you change the text to something better fitting other then that 7/10

[jlhaslip 4]

Great stuff there. Excellent job getting to this point. Anything else I have to say has pretty much been covered up top. Go with the coloured, tapered version and you will have a winner.Only thing else would be to cut the letters out of the middle, make them larger than the circle and paste them back in so the omsi actually extends outside the circle. I think that would look cool, and classic, too. That might also create a more readable text as suggested above.A unique logo is "priceless", and this is very good. If they accept your work, your mark will be around for a long time.

[serverph 0]

it seems unanimous that your black and white design stands out the best from the group. the color combination you came up with is likewise appealing, but just not rightfully executed in the design to create the impression you want of children reaching towards each other. the font used is a bit off for me too, only because the letters are not spaced uniformly. the letter S is so thin, compared to O and M. if you have "Luxury-Gold" in your font list, try to substitute it for the one you are using now. quite similar, just more uniformly-spaced. if you don't have it, i can email the OTF file to you.

 

and since a picture is worth a thousand words (too bad it doesn't count for hosting credits ), i cobbled up the changes i visualize. nothing major, hope you don't mind me making the changes to illustrate it. i just rearranged the colors to allow the vision of children more prominent (and did away with the black text altogether). font in image is the substitute i used, Luxury-Gold (horizontal and vertical guides in light blue are shown to mark the height and width of the letters, for a more uniform spacing).

 

 

a render in grayscale is also provided (which works better than black, although all-black would still look good).

 

 

you can switch the blue and green colors alternatively, so you will have a more striking set of grays (from light to dark) in the figures of children, with the text the darkest, when you convert to grayscale.

 

black design: 8.5/10

color design (no gloss): 7/10

color design (with gloss): 7/10 [i would agree with others for you not to use any gloss at all]

[BooZker 0]

OK first I want to say, i can't believe the first real logo i made got such good reviews. Also another thing I wants to say was i worked on that logo for so long i totally didnt noticed that i copied the wrong one to make it into color. I had tapered arms already done i just uploaded the wrong one.

The font I will change also. I just used fontbook and went through a dozen font (and i have at least 300+) and picked the first sans serif even width font I found. I will change it to one that resembles serverph more. I liked it!

The gloss WAS just thrown on there haha! I didnt know if it looked good or not so i asked you guys.

I really like serverph idea with coloring all of the people. I think i will make a alternate one and we will be having a critique tomorrow and I will find out which one my class and instructor likes. I really like it though. It decreases the colors also. Then i only have 4 instead of 5.

I can see it working on posters, leaflets and all sorts of stuff with ease

Sweet because that's the 2nd part of the project next week. We have to create 3 advertisements. So i will return with critques on that also!

Only thing else would be to cut the letters out of the middle, make them larger than the circle and paste them back in so the omsi actually extends outside the

I am not 100% sure what you meant by this. Is there anyway you could show me or explain it differently. Is sounds unique and I want to try it, but i am not 100% sure what you mean.

Thanks for your input!

[jlhaslip 4]

What I was suggesting was to make the letters larger and "pull" them forward so they extend out past the children's arms, like so they overlap about 15 % wider then the children. This might focus more on the abbreviation for the organisation and create a more forceful "branding" of the OMSI. Just an idea I had... I am not a gfx guy, so treat my comments lightly. *edit*Another possibility would be to drop the 'O' from the initials inside and only have the MSI. The children's arms would create the 'O'??? Doing that would let you have more focus on the MSI portion of the logo while placing emphasis on the children since they would them be more integrated into the design? Is any of this making sense? It is late here and it has been a long day.

[BooZker 0]

OK so i actually server PH suggestions! i made them three colors seperate to make them more like kids! Great idea. And now im trying out haslips ideas. Thanks for all the help guys!