I read the first one as "goc." Helvetica seems like a non-statement; but of course you can't pin the entire identity on the logo. It took me a minute to see that you were trying to represent stacked stones with the letterforms. Are you going for a modern, clean, feel for the overall identity?

#1 reads as goc. #2 as gpc but is really ungraceful to my eye. Both call to mind Paul Rand's old ABC network logo.

Stone paving, and you're using Helvomita?

hhp

goc is what it reads, but when you know it stands for g***** paving centre (which will accompany the logo) one will work out the logo then. the modern clean look is what i'm hoping to achieve, their will be an earthy/ stony feel to the colour scheme - which adds to the stone services which they provide.

the gpc (with the obvious descender on the 'p') is quite ugly to the eye. so i hope to push the 'goc' which may turn out to be a quirky nickname for the company..

> one will work out the logo then.

I don't think it can work like that.
Better to have a non-textual logo then.

Just because your client's suggestion was no good doesn't make
your original suggestion good... Look at what the client had to
work with for inspiration! :-/

Also, "modern clean" isn't what it used to be.

--

Frankly this all sounds like the typical case of a graphic artist (second word chosen with intent...) making a final decision, and showing it off simply hoping that people will cheer, and when they don't, ignoring the problem. I do hope I'm wrong though.

hhp

Who's the audience? If business, this could work, though I agree that the 'goc' reading is an issue. If it's for consumers, I don't think this really hits the mark.

thanks for the comment hrant. i heed your words wisely and agree. i did show the client over 20 variations of the gpc.

i think your are right, i need to push it further to solve the problem correctly. the problem has not been ignored!

the paving idea is key to the solution, i am sure of.

>Who’s the audience? If business, this could work, though I agree that the ’goc’ reading is an issue. If it’s for consumers, I don’t think this really hits the mark.

the audience will be a mixture of developers/ architects plus the ordinary consumer. i agree with your comment. it needs more to make the consumer feel at ease with the look, feel and tone of the mark.

http://www.myfonts.com/fonts/fontbureau/pilsner/black/
Too cheesy?

hhp

hmm

i like your suggestion, but i do not think it has the polished look helvetica has.

Maybe try using the ear of a bicameral (two-story) "g"
added to a "p" - but then I don't know about the "c"...

hhp

Maybe think about paving less literally. paving is covering something up, revealing an avenue, a repeated pattern etc etc.
I don't show a client too many options, 3 max.

it's still not really LAYING and solid GROUND work imo.

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Paul Ducco
Graphic Design Melbourne
Bicycle Film Festival

Might be a good idea to hit it with a pencil and paper before pulling into illustrator. You'd be amazed what sketching first will turn out.

strategy, I'm obviously not as wise or experienced as some of these professionals here, and that's why I have to have a unwavering dedication to the creative problem solving process in order to make sure I get the results I need!

before I start a project I go through a cycle kind of like this.

Strategy, Concept, Development, Review, Production.

Stragegy would be knowing you need to make a logo, and also knowing what you need to communicate with it. If you could use your logo to communicate 3 words, what would those words be? How can either font choice, layout r imagery help communicate those words?

Concept would be yur sketches, development your computer roughs, review is what you're asking for here - a critique of your work, and then production is the final.

in order that we can better help critique your work, can you tell us more about your strategy please?

the strategy is to create an identity for a stone paving centre. they are building a new yard which will house all their products in several different styles. they will be dealing with the general public plus private contractors. i am working closely with the landscape designer over the project. he is hoping for a strong mark that has a feel of paving whilst keeping it modern.

i think the client wants to run with the gpc overlapping.

professional
quality
confidence

random brainstorming ideas:

basketweave
patterns
landscapes
planes
roads
paths
tiles
patterns
bold
strong
longevity
solid

...keep brainstorming along those lines.

just to fill you people in..

my client went with the second logo i posted on the top of this page.
i still am not too happy but reckon i can change it with time.

thanks for all the feedback, found it extremely useful.

Make sure you do the optical correction where the descenders join.

hhp

this is what the client likes/ wants and i hate!

Well, I hate Helvetica but I'm working with it!
And I don't even get any money out of this!! :-)

But actually, I don't think we're talking about the same thing: what I'm talking about is a subtle change to avoid the "clot" where they join. Like where the bowl meets the stem in Futura's "a" (especially in dark weights).

hhp