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DeathMan · 06:54 PM

Hello,

I'm working on a logo for a website a friend and I are wanting to start. Its about ghost towns. I'm working on the logo and branding, and wanted to see what you guys thought.

Anyone out there ghost town experts, or have interest in this stuff?

[Edit: Updated image with better kerning. Thanks for the nitpick]

wdlove · Mar 16, 2005, 04:54 PM

I think that what you have done is very appropriate for the subject. Good job.

mitchell_pgh · Mar 16, 2005, 04:58 PM

I like it, but I would take more liberty with the "a" in Dead...

ManOfSteal · Mar 16, 2005, 05:02 PM

Originally posted by mitchell_pgh:
I like it, but I would take more liberty with the "a" in Dead...

Ditto.

I would try to create a ghost out of the "A"...

nredman · Mar 16, 2005, 05:03 PM

Originally posted by mitchell_pgh:
I like it, but I would take more liberty with the "a" in Dead...

seconded

ironknee · Mar 16, 2005, 05:08 PM

meh, i think the tombstone is enough to express the idea...no need to add another element..good job.

DeathMan · Mar 16, 2005, 05:10 PM

I thought about doing more with the A, but I'm not sure I want to overdo it. I had orginally placed a star in the counter of the o in towns, but decided to remove it for the same reason. I'm thinking the shape behind the a works as a key shape, and I don't know if I want to complicate that. I could be wrong, though.

dav · Mar 16, 2005, 05:55 PM

check the kerning? looks a bit tight between the tombstone "a" and the "e", maybe the "d". and between the "o" and "w" in town. but that's nit picking, looks good.

Mastrap · Mar 16, 2005, 05:58 PM

I also think it looks good as it is. Remember to KISS

The tombstone is just right, changing the 'A' would reduce legibility and detract from the idea.

DeathMan · Mar 16, 2005, 07:13 PM

Originally posted by dav:
check the kerning? looks a bit tight between the tombstone "a" and the "e", maybe the "d". and between the "o" and "w" in town. but that's nit picking, looks good.

Do you kern by the numbers, or do you just eyeball it? I've never learned proper kerning. I know there are certain ways letters go together, where they go tighter (dl is wider that bd for example), but do you have any formulas you use?

ghporter · Mar 16, 2005, 07:13 PM

I like what you have right now. It's cool, it fits the feel of the subject, and it's very distinctive. I think the only appropriate thing to do with the "A" in Dead would be to make it look like it's carved in the tombstone-background. That would also pull it completely out of the "old-time printing" style of the rest of the logo, though. As Mastrap said, "KISS."

DeathMan · Mar 16, 2005, 07:31 PM

Thats kind of what I was going for with that sharp serif there. Trying to give it the chiseled look without actually having to make it 3D.

historylme · Mar 16, 2005, 07:53 PM

How would it look like with a bullet hole at the top right hand corner of the t-stone?

shabbasuraj · Mar 16, 2005, 08:40 PM

The font for "Ghost of the old west" is to small.

It needs to be enlarged.

The greyish colour of this statement also should match the colour/pattern of the rest of the text above...

dav · Mar 16, 2005, 08:41 PM

Originally posted by DeathMan:
Do you kern by the numbers, or do you just eyeball it? I've never learned proper kerning. I know there are certain ways letters go together, where they go tighter (dl is wider that bd for example), but do you have any formulas you use?

for something like a logo or headline text, i just eyeball it, and make manual adjustments. looks better, maybe pull the "w" and "n" together in town. the "d" just a tiny hair closer to the tombstone "a".

JustAnOl'Broad · Mar 16, 2005, 08:55 PM

Originally posted by DeathMan:
Hello,

I'm working on a logo for a website a friend and I are wanting to start. Its about ghost towns. I'm working on the logo and branding, and wanted to see what you guys thought.

Anyone out there ghost town experts, or have interest in this stuff?

[Edit: Updated image with better kerning. Thanks for the nitpick]

The black type with speckles reminds me of outer space somehow..
like stars at nite.

The words on the line with ghost town kinda run together for me; kinda
looks like onelongword if you just glance.
Lots of old ghost towns in the Sierra's (California). Some of 'em, the only
thing left is the ghosts; no buildings remain.
overall impression

f1000 · Mar 16, 2005, 09:40 PM

I like it, but something about the tombstone bothers me. Have you tried giving it a more distinctive cap? Instead of a hemicircle, how about a gentle arc?

A top like this might be nice, too, http://www.postmortemstudiorental.co...tal%20prop.JPG

Gator Lager · Mar 16, 2005, 09:52 PM

What about replacing the stars with old style six shooters.

Like others have suggested "KISS". Other idea's, a saddle,
hangman's noose or just a coil of rope, cowboy hat...etc.

Disgruntled Head of C-3PO · Mar 16, 2005, 09:58 PM

It's hot.

demograph68 · Mar 16, 2005, 10:08 PM

KISS?

Wiskedjak · Mar 16, 2005, 10:15 PM

Originally posted by demograph68:
KISS?

Keep It Simple, Stupid

grayware · Mar 16, 2005, 10:35 PM

I like it. Pretty good font choice. How about some custom brushes to distress it in PShop a little rather than just the speckles? What about making the tombstone shaped more like an 1800's stone not just a simple arc (Google to see what I mean) and/or eliminating the reversed A so it's just a silo of the stone?

DeathMan · Mar 17, 2005, 02:11 AM

Originally posted by grayware:
I like it. Pretty good font choice. How about some custom brushes to distress it in PShop a little rather than just the speckles? What about making the tombstone shaped more like an 1800's stone not just a simple arc (Google to see what I mean) and/or eliminating the reversed A so it's just a silo of the stone?

I like the idea of better distressing. I struggled with what I've got, and finally just said, thats good for now. I'll look up some custom distressing tomorrow.

Paco500 · Mar 17, 2005, 02:17 AM

Originally posted by DeathMan:
I like the idea of better distressing. I struggled with what I've got, and finally just said, thats good for now. I'll look up some custom distressing tomorrow.

My only comment- and take this with a grain of salt because it's late and I'm tired- when I looked at it I thought the tombstone was an arched door. It's obvious once you think about it, but I think the tombstone could be more obviously a tombstone.

But, that being said, great job, looks very good.

effgee · Mar 17, 2005, 03:44 AM

Well, it's early and I'm still tired too - but I have to agree with Paco. The tombstone does indeed look a little like a doorway. An alternate (more distinct) shape like the one in the photo linked to by f1000 might just do the trick without having to "over-detail" the tombstone's outline.

Other than that it's a bit hard to tell because the version posted was so large (even harder since the logo doesn't load any longer this morning

) - would you mind posting a version in its original/intended size? If it's supposed to be used as a "regular" web site logo (e.g. at a width of let's say 100-140 pixels) I'd be a bit concerned that the second line of text might be a bit too hard to read.

I'd try it myself - but as mentioned above, the image no longer loads for me.

Also - what's the purpose of this site? It's always hard to critique a logo without having a bit of knowledge about the environment it's going to be used in. Is there a color palette? I would assume something brown/woodie and/or shades of gray?

iREZ · Mar 17, 2005, 04:46 AM

I like it just fine...well done. Only thing that stands out to me is the Ghosts of the old west type on the bottom. Something bout that just doesn't sit quite right...but it looks really good to me.

budster101 · Mar 17, 2005, 11:53 AM

I like it just fine as well. Except, in the old west, Saloons were very popular and that tombstone looking thing on the 'A' could be used a bit better. So, I combined the saloon doors with the hangman's noose. Another thing they did alot back then... hung people.

DeathMan · Mar 17, 2005, 12:03 PM

Originally posted by effgee:

Also - what's the purpose of this site? It's always hard to critique a logo without having a bit of knowledge about the environment it's going to be used in. Is there a color palette? I would assume something brown/woodie and/or shades of gray?

The images are loading fine now (9:00 am MST).

http://deadtowns.com is the url. The basic color pallette can be found there. I agree with the comments regarding the tombstone looking like a doorway. I knew it sort of reminded me of something else, but coudn't think of what it was. I've already experimented with some other shapes, and I'll probably use a flatter arch.

The text below isn't really part of the logo. I'll probably change it, shorten the text, and make it larger.

Thanks for the comments.

ort888 · Mar 17, 2005, 12:17 PM

The gradient on the supporting line is funky. The "T" at the end looks like it's a different color. I would make it match the logo itself and dump the gradient. Maybe change the font as well.

I also thought it was a door, but it still looks good. I would run with it as is. Don't overthink it.

DeathMan · Mar 17, 2005, 12:22 PM

The site is basically going to be a guide to the ghost towns in the west. We're going to feature photography primarily, and hopefully compile a book of the best photos, which we'll sell from the site.

Thats basically the whole idea for the site. Its more of an experiment in photography and search engine placement than anything.

I'm still working on the distressing, cause I know it still looks funky.

f1000 · Mar 17, 2005, 12:33 PM

Originally posted by DeathMan:
I'm still working on the distressing, cause I know it still looks funky.

I prefer seeing the small text underneath the main logo, especially the stars. That's what makes the website seem more American Western. At the very least, consider placing a star on either side of the main logo.

One other thing: have you considered using wood or leather as a texture?

effgee · Mar 17, 2005, 01:01 PM

Originally posted by DeathMan:
The images are loading fine now (9:00 am MST).

http://deadtowns.com is the url. The basic color pallette can be found there. I agree with the comments regarding the tombstone looking like a doorway. I knew it sort of reminded me of something else, but coudn't think of what it was. I've already experimented with some other shapes, and I'll probably use a flatter arch.

The text below isn't really part of the logo. I'll probably change it, shorten the text, and make it larger.

Thanks for the comments.

Wow! That wooden board is beautiful - if I were you, I wouldn't cover the majority of it with torn paper. Compared to the plasticity of the wood the paper appears a bit flat - how about some wrinkles and/or an edge that is bent up slightly?

Where'd you get that wooden board? </nosy>

Have you tried either integrating the logo directly into the wood? Like a branded "stamp" on a wooden crate - evtl. even slightly angled (<10�). Another possibility might be to keep a smaller piece of paper with the logo on it and angle the paper itself by a couple of degrees - as if it had been tacked onto the wood (where's the nail?) absent-mindedly.

I really love the combination of the old wooden board on the very clean beige background - definitely keep that up!

As for the logo itself - looks great with the new tombstone. Personally I would make the word "towns" the same width as "dead" - it'll be easier to integrate into a header when there's a straight vertical line down the left/right side that you can pick up for alignment purposes. It'd also give even more emphasis to the word "dead" which, imho, is good thing. But that's not a deal-breaker - it looks great as is.

Two more tiny things - now that you have removed the footer text, the "A" in dead might appear a bit alien to folks who don't where it came from - maybe try with an "A" in the same font as the rest of the logo? The tumbstone metaphor should be expressed sufficiently by the new shape. For the integration on your temporary page you might want to try what the logo looks like if it's not pure grayscale but has the tiniest shade of brown to it - looks a bit more like faded ink and integrates a bit better into the overall color palette. And I'm not talking "brown" - more like a really dark grayish, dirt-brown.

That is a very nice start

I'm curious to see the final product (the site, that is)! After I wake up from the nap which I'm going to take. Right now.

iREZ · Mar 17, 2005, 01:32 PM

I also think a brand on to the wood would look better than the paper placed atop it.

andi*pandi · Mar 17, 2005, 04:31 PM

I like it. It's perfect without being fussy. I like the new arc on the tombstone too.

Only nitpick, I would either make the stars a bit smaller though, or drop em entirely.

If I can remember how I did the distressing on a similar project, I'll let you know... most li
likely involved noise, blur, and perhaps phhotocopy.

f1000 · Mar 17, 2005, 04:48 PM

Originally posted by effgee:
Have you tried either integrating the logo directly into the wood? Like a branded "stamp" on a wooden crate

Yes, this is kind of what I had in mind, also.

DeathMan · Mar 17, 2005, 04:59 PM

Originally posted by f1000:
Yes, this is kind of what I had in mind, also.

I'd played around with it a bit, but wasn't getting enough contrast. I could lighten up the wood, but I think I like the wood the color it is, and the paper seems like a good solution. Thinking of those hand-bills they used to have. I'd like to find some of those, and copy one a bit better. I remember them being really tight, and kind of busy, but having a certain clarity of design that is missing in a lot of today's stuff.

Still no nails, sorry.

ManOfSteal · Mar 17, 2005, 05:08 PM

Originally posted by DeathMan:
Still no nails, sorry.

Haha, I was just about to say that...I think that would be a very nice touch and to roll up the side of the paper a little bit if possible as previously mentioned.

effgee · Mar 17, 2005, 05:11 PM

nailed.
totally nailed.

AKcrab · Mar 17, 2005, 05:29 PM

Originally posted by effgee:
nailed.
totally nailed.

If he uses nails, they should be the old sqare ones.

DeathMan · 05:40 PM

Originally posted by effgee:
nailed.
totally nailed.

Nice. Thx

Happy now gorickey?

DeathMan · Mar 17, 2005, 05:41 PM

Originally posted by AKcrab:
If he uses nails, they should be the old sqare ones.

damn you, why didn't post that before I made those nails.

effgee · Mar 17, 2005, 05:46 PM

Originally posted by AKcrab:
If he uses nails, they should be the old sqare ones.

Hairsplitter.

But you're 100% correct, of course

ManOfSteal · Mar 17, 2005, 05:48 PM

Originally posted by DeathMan:
Happy now gorickey?

Dare I say...

New Hotness!

effgee · Mar 17, 2005, 05:52 PM

Uhm, DeathMan - unless the "Cowboy" who nailed the paper to the board was carrying a ruler in his belt, the paper (most likely) shouldn't be "pixel-perfect-straight" on that board - same goes for the nails, of course.

And it seems you forgot the little frop shadow underneath the paper - I'd make it a tiny bit elliptical (bit taller towards the center of the paper) so it looks like the paper is closer to the board where the nails are.

edit: Huh? I could have sworn there was no drop shadow when I checked a second ago ... I'm losing it.

editedit: Whoa! you cheated - I had the thread open in another tab and there was the image without the drop shadow.

Tricksy hobbit

KeriVit · Mar 17, 2005, 05:54 PM

Originally posted by effgee:
nailed.
totally nailed.

Have you bought stuff from this site? Is it for real? What's the catch?

effgee · Mar 17, 2005, 05:58 PM

Originally posted by KeriVit:
Have you bought stuff from this site? Is it for real? What's the catch?

There isn't a catch - I spent about $150 with them last year. It's a stock photo site where relatively unknown photographers (as in: basically everybody, the img's are being screened, though) can sell their photos for little money.

While the quality isn't as good as TonyStone for example, they do have quite a few good pics.

Hence their tag line - "the designer's dirty little secret". Don't tell anyone ...

DeathMan · Mar 17, 2005, 06:02 PM

Originally posted by effgee:
Uhm, DeathMan - unless the "Cowboy" who nailed the paper to the board was carrying a ruler in his belt, the paper (most likely) shouldn't be "pixel-perfect-straight" on that board - same goes for the nails, of course.

And it seems you forgot the little frop shadow underneath the paper - I'd make it a tiny bit elliptical (bit taller towards the center of the paper) so it looks like the paper is closer to the board where the nails are.

edit: Huh? I could have sworn there was no drop shadow when I checked a second ago ... I'm losing it.

editedit: Whoa! you cheated - I had the thread open in another tab and there was the image without the drop shadow.

Tricksy hobbit

I did do a stealth edit, but I hadn't read this comment yet, so I don't think its *really* cheating.

effgee · Mar 17, 2005, 06:09 PM

Originally posted by DeathMan:
I did do a stealth edit, but I hadn't read this comment yet, so I don't think its *really* cheating.

You know I wasn't being serious, right?

That looks very nice! Still a tiny bit too straight (the paper) for me - but that's nitpicking.

DeathMan · Mar 17, 2005, 06:12 PM

Originally posted by effgee:
You know I wasn't being serious, right?

That looks very nice! Still a tiny bit too straight (the paper) for me - but that's nitpicking.

This cowboy has a good eye. It goes against my design sense to turn it too much. I just can't allow myself to turn it too much.

I know you were just playing. Its nice to know you had the same thought as me. Earlier versions had a shadow, but I turned it off at one point, but forgot to turn it on. The I actually had 2 nails in the middle, and the shadow kind of going like a butterfly away from the middle, but I think this works better.

budster101 · Mar 17, 2005, 06:52 PM

Here is another thought:

I was going to put a desert sunset in the background but I gotta run...