Typophile

Did I get too inspired by another artist's design?

Xenethyl

Allow me to preface this post by mentioning that the logo I currently use was concepted about five years ago when I just began working with online media. At the time, I had just started using my ’Xenethyl’ alias and wanted to design a logo for myself. Looking around at other icons, I found myself very drawn to Eidos’ Hitman logo (as many of you gamers will likely realize).

Since the original drafting of my logo I have progressed to the point where I now do freelance graphic and web work as a hobby under Xen Graphics Studios. The name comes partly from my online alias and partly from a play on the word ’zen.’

My backstory aside, I’m wondering if I may have taken too many visual cues from the Hitman logo in my personal design. If it’s not readily apparent, my logo is supposed to represent a stylized ’X,’ which, sliced in half, plays somewhat on the idea of zen and balance.

Over the years I have really become attached to the original design, though in recent months I have felt the need to update it and make the curves and weighting a bit more balanced and professional-looking. At the same time, as I have become more involved in the graphic world I have gained an immensely high level of respect for designers and artists. That being said, the last thing I want to do is blatantly rip off Eidos’ hard work.

What do you all think? Was I too inspired by the Hitman logo in searching for my own branding? Links to the Hitman logo, my current logo and revision mock-ups, and my proposed final revision can be found below. Just to be clear, the updated logo I am looking to implement is the third link.

Eidos’ Hitman Logo
Original Logo Design & Redesign Mock-Ups
Revised, Final Redesign

Thanks!

‹ Logo critique needed ASAP Logo redesign for Pentecostal church ›
Chris Lozos

They look too much alike to me. There would easily be brand confusion here which is bad for both of you.

ChrisL

pica pusher

Seconded. Maybe try to pick up on some of the heavy contrast between curves and sharp angles, thin and fat, but pull it more towards a readable X?

vintagesignman

Rough idea, but what if you were to push the logo even more as an X.

Tiffany Wardle

SAGA has a similar feel with their faction symbols.

Patrick Witmer

A lot of these end up looking like a mask to me

p@

Xenethyl

dezcom - I agree, brand confusion is not something that I want to deal with.

pica pusher - I think moving in a direction that makes the logo more easily distinguishable as an ’X’ would be a good idea. It would at least allow me to continue using the same style.

vintagesignman - Thanks for the mock-up! I’ll see if I can play with the design a bit and move it more towards a recognizable ’X.’

Tiffany - I hadn’t considered the logo being faction-like, though I definitely agree with you. Maybe it was a sub-conscious thing...

Trick - I too started to notice that while I was looking over the different variations. I think slicing the icon in half helps to reduce the mask imagery, but maybe a little more treatment wouldn’t hurt either.

Thanks to all of you that have posted your comments regarding this design. I really appreciate it.

I’ll start working on some revisions and see if I can’t make this logo be more unique and recognizable.

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