The kerning in Guedira could use some work, especially the “di” ligature, perhaps you can join them? Also the lower case g ends up looking (to me) like a paragraph return symbol.

After three months and four drafts.

I hope for their sake the client isn’t paying by the hour.

Nick Cooke

I also find it surprising that what you’ve shown us is the result of all that time and work - looks more like a first stab at something to me, rather than the result of a thoughtful logo exploration.

Furthermore - what is that? some poorly digitized version of an uninspiring Times? Can’t you find something better just scrolling through your font menu? Should take all of 30 seconds.

Nick Cooke

Is it a lower case g? To me it looks like a snail moving slowly downwards. What’s the concept behind this logo?

Three thoughts: 1] there is too much negative/white space in the lower center, try moving the name bottom name into that area; 2] replace the initial capital G with the blocked in, italic g; and 3] the smallest blocked in g doesn’t add anything, it appears to be a superscript. I would delete it.
mgk

I don’t think you guys are being nearly mean enough... ( he said sarcastically ). :-(

Fernando, I think that the pacing on the letters is not even enough and they spacing is too tight overall. The curl at the bottom of the g is a bit lumpy. The space between the G and the lowercase is too large for the tightness in the rest of the setting. If you have been at this for a while you could just have mental fatigue or it might be that you don’t have the skills you need. I suggest that if you don’t have the experience to space the letters well yet you hire somebody to help with these problems, or ask for help doing it from a pal. You could also take my suggestions and those of others ( assuming others speak up) and see if you can learn by showing your progress and getting feedback here on Typophile.

By the way what is the context for this project? Is it a school thing or a job? If it’s a job what kind of Org or Company is having it done? Why? What’s the intent?

Cheers!

I love kind people.

Yeah, Fernando, if you could give us a bit more context that would help. I think there could be a better typeface altogether (not to throw you off). I think the spacing issues may be easier with a different typeface. Looks like you picked a book / text typeface, one that’s meant to be used small, rather than a display typeface, which has finer details and is adjusted for large sizes. And you may not need a symbol at all. I don’t think the symbol does a lot for you. Just a nice logotype would be more memorable than a logotype & a letter-symbol. But tell us a bit more and I’m sure we’ll help you find the right solution.

>Looks like you picked a book / text typeface, one that’s meant to be used small, rather than a display typeface

I think that’s on target. That’s Adobe Caslon, with its r sticking up over the n. When it came out, designer Carol Twombly said that it wasn’t meant for large sizes.

Thanks for your all commments! Really appriciating them!

Concerning “kerning” I used ALT+(Down arrow) in Illustrator and fine tuned in the character menu. I will try to adjust the space between the capital G and the u and using more space between the other letters.

About the concept for the logotype. It’s an PR / Event firm which I’ve started my self. It’s nothing big - 12 hours a week job at the moment. I’m using purple as my main color. A bit rebellious as everyone else is using light blue / light green / black&white. I’m targeting companies that I’ve worked for in the past. I’ve got an magician part time employed which I will use for upcoming events. So the logotype should be simple/elegant with a touch of rebellious.

As you all say: the font isn’t a master piece. I’ve struggled with the font for a long time now. I was inspired by the advertising firm “Deutsch Inc” wich use some kind of variation of Times as their logotype. I’ve tried everything from Helvetica Neue to Lourdes and nothing seems to fit. Any tips?

When I had a advertising firm with a designer two years ago (he made all the design work) he always told me that a logotype should have a name and a symbol. I don’t know if he was right, but I will follow that unless I find a font which is as good as a symbol (for example IBM’s logotype). Why I want a G as a symbol is because it’s a family company. The name’s starts on G and the symbol should have something with a G in it I think. Like Trump’s empire. He has a “T” as the symbol.

Thanks again for all comments.

PS. Unfortunately, my designer friend isn’t available. So I can’t get any free help.

Fernando, how about just highlighting the G some way instead of adding the second one? Like in this quick example (you say your corporate color is purple).

I don’t know about the touch of rebellious but I’ve always thought that Dolly Small Caps would look good for your name. Simply beautiful and elegant.

No symbol, just Dolly.

IMHO

Sharon

Logos can be just Letters even though often they are not. Microsoft, Curves (Shudder, not at the logo which is clever but the company), Knoll. And that’s just thinking about it for maybe 3 seconds...

Thanks for the background info Fernando.

Have you looked at two-storey lower case g’s for your symbol? Might be worth a try?

”...he always told me that a logotype should have a name and a symbol. I don’t know if he was right...”

I’m quite cetain he wasn’t. It’s entirely dictated by your needs. Don’t do a symbol just because you feel you have to. There are lots and lots of examples of successful identities that are little more than unadorned typefaces. You might like to take a look at this:

http://www.identityworks.com/issues/issues3.htm

“Why I want a G as a symbol is because it’s a family company. The name’s starts on G and the symbol should have something with a G in it I think”

You may or may not have noticed, but the lowercase ’g’ is one of the interesting characters in typography. While almost all other letters of the alphabet have fairly fixed forms, the ’g’ is allowed quite a lot of freedom. If you run through a typeface catalogue, you’ll see a delightful variety of g’s. Also the two-storeyed g’s, often look a bit like a person with glasses on! What could be more rebellious with a piece of typography than not following the convention of starting a proper noun with an uppercase ’G’?

Like Trump’s empire. He has a “T” as the symbol”
I don’t know if Trump is a good reference for a PR consultancy. I’d magine your business values would be discreteness and efficiency, and not flamboyance. Your clients might find an elegant and restrained identity more reassuring. After all your job is to make them seen and heard, not yourself ;)

So the logotype should be simple/elegant with a touch of rebellious.

Unfortunately your choice of font and treatment are not really either elegant or rebellious. I also don’t think a symbol is necessary, it isn’t as though you’re going to be splashing this logo on sneakers and cell phones. I realize you aren’t a designer by trade but I think you should take a close look at some other fonts and think of how these particular characters look. Or perhaps consider a unicase font such as Filosofia (the sample below is not kerned or anything - just a screen shot from Font Explorer).

I also like loremipsum’s suggestion of highlighting the dot on the i. Maybe you flip around a character - rebellion?

Here’s a rather unusual lower case ’g’:

http://www.t26.com/fonts/Target

Now this is rebellion :-)

Or let us have a serious rebellion

Two storey rebell g:

Canterbury and Suburban both have very distinctive lower case g’s.

... So does:

http://www.fontshop.com/fonts/foundry/porchez/

But then Bjorn has cracked it anyway!

When I had a advertising firm with a designer two years ago (he made all the design work) he always told me that a logotype should have a name and a symbol. I don’t know if he was right...

I think that, first and foremost, a logo should be memorable. As others have already said, don’t follow rules or recipes blindly. Whatever solution you come up with has to be in response to the needs of this particular design problem (i.e., a logotype or wordmark for your PR/events firm).

Go to the pub and have four drafts (all at once, not over three months). Then try to design something. It is sure to be wonderful.

Or not.:)

LoremIpsum, Sharon Van Lieu, WritingDesigning, PattyFab and BjornH: thank you for your examples! I’m stunned by all your work! All examples are ten times better than mine. I don’t know how I’m going to pay you all for your work. The least I could do is to transfer a symbolic sum of money to you all. Please write down your email if you’re interested.

I also want to thank everyone else who have written their opinion and told us about typography. This is a community with heart!

Yours faithfully
G

“The least I could do is to transfer a symbolic sum of money to you all.”

As for me, it’s the last thing you should do :-))
Pleasure on my side if the suggestions helped you in any way. I wish you success with your business.

Yes, what loremipsum said.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

Sharon

If I had to pay for all the helpfull knowledge I recieve here I’d be ruined by now. Totaly agree with loreipsum and Sharon.