AV is too tight, EA is too loose.

THE and FOR is too loose, the rest is OK.

Thanks so much apankrat! I updated the image based on your suggestions. Looking better?

AV still looks tight to me.

Thanks eliason! Updated again.

I like your logo.

Actually V E looks a bit tight to me. Kern it reading only the top half of the word.

Hey Tim, I think you might be right, but could you say a bit more about the strategy of kerning WRT the top half? I think I understand what you are saying in this case, but I am not sure I get how the overall balance relies more heavily on the top half. Part of what I was struggling with in this design is that it first seemed like a tighter spacing was possible, but going looser overall really has helped overcome some of the particularly difficult areas. Still tweaking by tiny bits! Thanks for the help!

When people read, they actually only read the top half of words. So in order for your logotype to be as legible as possible you should have a nice rhythm (optical spacing) between the top half of your letters.

It's a trick I learnt from watching Doyald Young's documentary, and it has worked pretty good for me.

Every type lover should see this documentary and therefore I have posted it on my blog: http://brandsandtypography.blogspot.com/2011/12/tweede-bericht.html

Great inspiration!

The looser the spacing the more space you have to optically align letters. That's a given.

But I think in this case the looser spacing also fits the brand better.

Yea I am happy with the looser spacing. I have seen the documentary, and I do know about the tops of the letters being critical to reading. I always assumed that reading the tops was mostly a lowercase thing. But I think you are right about rhythm. I probably was focusing too much on trying to achieve even color and equal volume between letters. Anyhow, thanks for the help, I do feel this has improved greatly thanks to all your feedback! Thank you!

It seems to work out in this case. Maybe some pro's can give their opinion about the subject?

Anyway I like the outcome. The leaven symbol is also great!

Nice logo! Yet, I believe there's still just a little too much space between the AV. (At first glance, the LEA and VEN rather look as though they're separate sections.)