there's also a couple of variations, and the logo applied:

Please describe the band.

hhp

I love the image/painting...

The logo seems too corporate for me. Like the logo to a dentist's office. Maybe pretend for a moment that LB is really a dentist's office, and design the logo of their nightmares.

Doh, I usually don't forget to describe the client when it comes to logo critique.

It's a nu-jazz band. meaning they play jazz but incorporate samplers and syntheziers in their music... They are also some sort of conceptual band, so they don't stick completely to the jazz route.

I wanted a logo that was relatively neutral for the above reason, but when I think about it, it should be something organic.

As for the dentist office comment, yeah, I have had it before... :/

Back to the drawing board I guess.

Suggestions for a condensed gothic typeface? (other than trade gothic)

> something organic

Cool - my favorite thing.

Check out the logo here:
http://www.thtfct.com/

And there was also a logo shown here on Typophile, but I can't find it now - it was a lc "b" with some amorphous border - that was great too.

Ligation: too often it's relied on as a gimmick, but here it might actually make sense. If the band were German I'd suggest trying to make an eszet look like an "L" + "B"... Or what about this: try merging the "L" + "B" into something that looks like a musical note, like maybe that clef thing.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=musical+symbols

hhp

Hmmm... Perhaps there's a way you can still use some of the work and momentum you've already built....

It wouldn't be too difficult to turn your current logo into a musical "repeat" bar -- the double bar with two dots next to it (the two dots, of course, would be formed by the counters of the "B"). This way ou could keep the "LB" direction and work in the music concept as well.

David

I'm playing with the idea of growing branches, and perhaps flowers (but that's stretching it a bit) on the LB part, to emphazise the jazz in an interesting way, it helps getting away from the corporate look IMHO. Here's a small update (only sketches).



I feel that the first one is the best looking, extensive ornamentation might be interesting but It's quite difficult to get good looking branches

Comments?

As for the musical note ideas, I thought of it from the beginning, tried a few... but the band didn't want anything obviously related to music, very interesting ideas and links non the less. Thanks.

> the band didn't want anything obviously related to music

Makes sense. And the botanical angle is cool. But you're right about avoiding too much ornamentation.

The left one is the best, but it really looks like an "L" licking an "R". The licking might actually be a plus (and in any case the two forms seem to be interlocking nicely), but of course not the "R" part. BTW, have you tried a leaf, instead of a branch?

hhp

Nope, haven't tried a leaf... I'll do that.

One request I got from the band was to make the logo less fat... It had the downside that the B began to look as an R instead. I'll try to fix it, but I might end up scrapping the LB "ligature".

As for ornamentation, Björk (or her design bureau) have made some nice ornamented design, but as stated previously, it's difficult to get it looking good. (not to mention print and especially web issues...)

As for branching, I've found a flash magazine that had some nice animated flowers with the look I'm going for (http://www.thisisamagazine.com)



it might be a bit over the top though.

You might want to look at the work of Jill Bell, as well as Lee Schulz.

hhp

Jill Bell; nice!
Lee Schulz; didn't find anything

Schulz's site seems to have disappeared. :-(
So try to find a copy of the book "Alphabook".

hhp

Your branches, in this execution, look more like
snake tongues or thorns. Kiss vs. Jazz? Ewww.

The LB thing is lost. I see an LR... Perhaps
connect the bottom bowl of the B with the L?

I like what you're doing with the stencil/
spraypainted execution of the piece. It
definately takes it out of the dental (?) realm.
(Incidentally, John, are dentists your worst
nightmare? :-)

Bjork's recent art is delicious.

yeah. I get a slight Kizz feeling from it myself.. not so much the first one, but the other two.. yuck.

The stencil thing is what I set out to do, I sort of want to give theese guys an easily reproducable logo. that might very well change over time though... evil grin >)

I like the vespertine cover, and back. By the way, is the typeface on the back really a typeface (the björk vespertine connected script thing) or is it custom lettering? I really like it.

My guess is it's a font, given the number of
other Vespertine materials I've seen using it...

Joe -- as a matter of fact, I just got 2 fillings last week and nearly had to have a root canal.

Okey, I decided to work slightly low res. what's this wor an idea? It's inspired by the script on the björk cd cover...

It might be ornamented if it's big, I don't know...

Comments?

The presence of the "L" is too weak. Maybe just run down the stem to connect.

How does it look large/hi-res, bitmapped?

hhp

I'm done. Thoughts?

Wow. My kind of logo.

The only problem I think is the weight: although making it heavier would affect its character, I really think it needs more body. Especially when reproduced small.

Very nice.

hhp

Thanks.

I'll probably make a slightly heavier version for use below certain sizes, I think it would affect it in a bad way though (if used @ display sizes).

Sure, go with two logos. LB 72pt and LB 400 pt.