SpeckledNewt - Prize $60

[Niel1952]

(Admin code added by Palmer - 701091J)

I'm bringing the closing forward to 16 June 2003 @ 1800 GMT

...unless there is a sudden spate of entries. Is anyone else planning to show? If not, I'm sure Kimber and I can work something out on her designs. Fortunately I do like what she has done.

It's quite intriguiging going through the contests to see which are popular with the designers and trying to work out why. While the prize on offer does seem to have a bearing, it doesn't seem to play that big a role.
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I own the domain name specklednewt.com and I want a logo to go with that domain name.

I don't yet have a totally clear idea what I intend to do with that domain, so this is going to be a bit vague. Sorry about that. I originally bought the domain at the height of the dotcom boom to create a site to sell legal services - I thought it would be a lot more memorable than say, suegrabbitandrun.com.

I would like a newt-like creature as part of the logo but there is no actual creature called a speckled newt (as far as I am aware). I would like the logo in vector format, not too many colours. I would like the text to be separable from the graphic element of the logo and preferably in a font which is readily available so that I can vary the textual element i.e. either a standard Windows font or freeware or not too expensive ware. Ideally, I would like the logo to look good in black and white (laser printed) as well as in colour - if necessary by removing any fill colours.

I haven't worked out how to activate this but this is a competition and I have paid the $60 prize money.

Is two weeks enough for you guys?

If this works and I work out what I want to do, I may want to post anothe competition for a website to go with the logo.

[cre8or]

Hi Niel,
Here's my idea of a "speckledNewt".
He's 2-colours. (The eye is a radial blend -- this can be gotten rid of).
He's total-vector.
The font is GillSans -- this can easily be changed.
Your initial thoughts would be appreciated.
Thanks,
-Kimber.

[Niel1952]

I do like those designs but I would like something to compare them to :(

Ah well, 13 days to go...

My only slight niggle is that the newt does look rather self-satisfied.

I'd like him/her to convey honesty, integrity, friendliness, approachability and all those other well-known lawyerly traits ;) so if there is something that you can do on that, I would be grateful.

If possible, could you also let me have some alternative colours. I'd also like to see what the logos look like in black (possibly leaving the dot of the .com in grey)

[cre8or]

Hi Niel,
The same (self-satisfied) newt in Black...

[cre8or]

And a new more friendly, approachable newt...

[Niel1952]

Hi Kimber

I've played around with your original drawings and I think it is probably just the mouth that I don't like in your first two designs. My impression is that the wicked curve is what makes Specky look smug. I attach a version with the mouth edited (in Paint) to give an idea of what I mean.

I also prefer the mixed lowercase font and the smaller dot on the second design.

A long, long time ago when I used to be a journalist, I was told that when you used a photograph on a page, you always made the person look into rather than out of the page. As I recall, the theory was that that drew the eye into the page. As I envisage using the logo on the left hand side of a web page, maybe the picture component needs to be flipped horizontally.

I do like your new designs but the text would not be separable from the picture and so they wouldn't be as flexible.

Subject to any other designers posting and the changes mentioned above, it is between the first two designs.

Incidentally. I note some of the designers when they post put an identifiable number next to the design. This seems to me to be a good idea as, if a thread gets long it is much easier and clearer to refer to "Kimber02" than to "the second design".

Thanks for your interest to date

Niel

[Michael]

I am working on something will post soon

Michael

[Niel1952]

Thanks, Michael

I look forward to seeing it.

[Michael]

Sorry not much, but thought seeing only Kimber is posting better give you more choice.

Anyway heres mine..

http://www.2square.co.uk/contests/sn.jpg

Michael

[Niel1952]

Thanks, Michael

I think your logos are what I envisaged receiving when I posted the competition and (except that I don't like the newt forming the S of Speckled) I do think they are fine.

However, at the moment I think Kimber's newts have more "personality" and would therefore be more memorable.

BTW I'm sorry that I keep saying "I think" in such a wishy-washy way but it is because I find the logos on this website so impressive and my design skills are so limited that I am almost embarrassed at making suggestions.

My firm acts for quite a number of start-up businesses so I am spreading the news of this site so that none of our clients should ever have an excuse for a shoddy logo ever again.

[Michael]

Thanks for the feedback, yes I agree with you that Kimbers is very well done.

Good luck

Michael

[cre8or]

Originally posted by Niel1952@Jun 12 2003, 02:31 AM

My firm acts for quite a number of start-up businesses so I am spreading the news of this site so that none of our clients should ever have an excuse for a shoddy logo ever again.
Word of mouth is the best advertising to have. Niel.
Please, spread the word about DO to your clients.
Thank you.

I'll work on wiping that smirk off my newt tonight. ;)

[ElKootcho]

Originally posted by cre8or@Jun 12 2003, 04:49 AM
I'll work on wiping that smirk off my newt tonight. ;)
Yeah, smack him around a bit. Let 'em know who's boss! :bang:

[cre8or]

Originally posted by ElKootcho@Jun 12 2003, 04:45 PM
Yeah, smack him around a bit. Let 'em know who's boss! :bang:
Shhhh.
Not so loud....
I'll have the S.P.C.N. after me! :lol:

[cre8or]

Well, waddaya know...
I wiped that silly grin off his face, and he turned out to be a Chameleon! :lol:

[Niel1952]

Kimber, the smile is fine. I like chameleons anyway. Where I grew up, I used to catch them in the garden and keep them as pets. Well, for a day or two until they worked out where the window was and escaped. Now I where I live I have newts in my pond...

Now (putting on a dictatorial fierce client kinda face), what is want is:
Go back to the original two designs (I'd like to see this with and without the circle)
Use the original line drawing style, rather than the negative look on your current (1A no smirk) designs
Put on the new smile
Use the original GillSans (despite the fact that's not a good typeface for a newt as GillSans means without gills :) ) font with in the "specklednewt.com" format, i.e. newt in bold the rest normal
Can I see this in (i) the original red, (ii) a darkish olivey green and (iii) in black, please
Can I also see one example with the newt flipped horizontally, please
er.. that's it
Thanks

Niel


I'm bringing the closing forward to 16 June 2003 @ 1800 GMT

...unless there is a sudden spate of entries. Is anyone else planning to show? If not, I'm sure Kimber and I can work something out on her designs. Fortunately I do like what she has done.

It's quite intriguiging going through the contests to see which are popular with the designers and trying to work out why. While the prize on offer does seem to have a bearing, it doesn't seem to play that big a role.

[Julie]

Here's something for you to look at--it's in a totally different style.

And, just so you know, the reason I often don't enter competitions is that sometimes someone will post an awesome design right away, and since I have to pick my battles due to time constraints, I tend not to get as involved in those. I can't imagine I'm totally different that all the other designers here, so I think that's probably what happened with yours. Both of those who posted gave some excellent choices to you, IMHO ;)

But, anyway, here's newtie...

[Palmer]

He's invisible, nice concept :D

[Julie]

Well, attaching him would help !

[Julie]

Thanks, Palmer...I SOOO appreciate your help ;)

[Palmer]

:winkiss:

[Mike]

Originally posted by Palmer@Jun 13 2003, 07:01 AM
He's invisible, nice concept :D
Must save on printing costs. :D

[cre8or]

Originally posted by Niel1952@Jun 13 2003, 12:40 AM

Now (putting on a dictatorial fierce client kinda face), what is want is:
Go back to the original two designs (I'd like to see this with and without the circle)
Use the original line drawing style, rather than the negative look on your current (1A no smirk) designs
Put on the new smile
Use the original GillSans (despite the fact that's not a good typeface for a newt as GillSans means without gills :) ) font with in the "specklednewt.com" format, i.e. newt in bold the rest normal
Can I see this in (i) the original red, (ii) a darkish olivey green and (iii) in black, please
Can I also see one example with the newt flipped horizontally, please
er.. that's it
Thanks


Okay Neil,
I think I've covered it.
(I don't know if the "olive" green will look that way on your monitor.)
If you have a particual shade of OLIVE, please let me know... and I'll re-colour him.

Here they are:

[novapages]

Originally posted by Niel1952@Jun 9 2003, 03:44 AM
(Admin code added by Palmer - 701091J)

I'm bringing the closing forward to 16 June 2003 @ 1800 GMT

...unless there is a sudden spate of entries. Is anyone else planning to show? If not, I'm sure Kimber and I can work something out on her designs. Fortunately I do like what she has done.

It's quite intriguiging going through the contests to see which are popular with the designers and trying to work out why. While the prize on offer does seem to have a bearing, it doesn't seem to play that big a role.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------




I own the domain name specklednewt.com and I want a logo to go with that domain name.

I don't yet have a totally clear idea what I intend to do with that domain, so this is going to be a bit vague. Sorry about that. I originally bought the domain at the height of the dotcom boom to create a site to sell legal services - I thought it would be a lot more memorable than say, suegrabbitandrun.com.

I would like a newt-like creature as part of the logo but there is no actual creature called a speckled newt (as far as I am aware). I would like the logo in vector format, not too many colours. I would like the text to be separable from the graphic element of the logo and preferably in a font which is readily available so that I can vary the textual element i.e. either a standard Windows font or freeware or not too expensive ware. Ideally, I would like the logo to look good in black and white (laser printed) as well as in colour - if necessary by removing any fill colours.

I haven't worked out how to activate this but this is a competition and I have paid the $60 prize money.

Is two weeks enough for you guys?

If this works and I work out what I want to do, I may want to post anothe competition for a website to go with the logo.
Hola,

Just chiming in to let you know I'm cooking something up for you. My computer has been down (had to format it for the stupid DSL techs, where in the end the problem was on THEIR side.. grr) but now the DSL is working so I'm reinstalling all my programs.

I've been watching your contest too and I think I could make a reasonable offering. That is unless you're already pretty well set on what Kimber has done. And she has done alot of work on this, it seems. If you still want more entries, give me a day or two (still got to get this all up and working) and I'll have one for you.

[Niel1952]

Julie - love the graphics and I think they would be wonderful for certain kinds of enterprises - fashion or jewellery, for example. It's unfair because I don't yet know what I want this logo for but I am highly unlikely to be branching out into those areas. If I were, probably would have wanted other fonts. It has also become clear (to me at least) as this contest developed that I do want the graphic element of the logo to dominate. Thank you vey much for entering.

Velda - It is very difficult. I do like Kimber's logos a lot but, watching other contests on DesignOutpost, a late entry does often dislodge a previous favourite. I would very much like to see what you have in mind, even in rough but I will fully understand if you don't enter.

Kimber - That's great. I haven't finally made up my mind on orientation or colour. If I choose these, the only other changes I would want would be final tweaking, like thesize of the dots in in specklednewt.com and the placement of that text in the right-hand column.

Generally, can you help me on the question of colour. I have read about "browser safe colours" and have even looked at them on the Visibone (http://www.visibone.com/colorlab/) website. Is this really a serious issue which should be borne in mind? In particular, would I be advised to choose an "olive green" from the 216 colours or has this been over-hyped?

Thank you all

[Niel1952]

As it is now past 1800 GMT, I'd like to announce that Kimber is the winner of my little contest. Thanks everybody else who showed interest. I'll liaise with Kimber about some final tweaking when she has been paid.

[cre8or]

Thank you very much Neil!
Feel free to send your tweaks via PM or email.
I'll do my best to bring it up to snuff and prepare your artwork ASAP.

[Michael]

Well done Kimber, nice work



Michael

[Palmer]

Prize money sent...

Thanks Neil, congrats Kimber :tup:

[novapages]

Originally posted by Niel1952@Jun 16 2003, 12:28 PM
As it is now past 1800 GMT, I'd like to announce that Kimber is the winner of my little contest. Thanks everybody else who showed interest. I'll liaise with Kimber about some final tweaking when she has been paid.
Thanks Neil and sorry I didn't enter -- after looking over Kimbers hard work and after playing a little more with the one I was working on, I decided not to enter. She did a really good job. :)

Congrats Kimber :)

[Victoria]

That newt is so cute.. :wee:

[Niel1952]

Originally posted by Victoria@Jun 17 2003, 12:05 PM
That newt is so cute..  

:tup: Now that his smirk has been battered out of him...

No, he is great and I intend to adopt him as my avatar :tup:

[Niel1952]

This post is just to show off my wonderful new avatar :rolleyes:

[cre8or]

I see you've received your newt-identity. (bad joke)
BTW... What are you doing still up?! :D

[Niel1952]

Originally posted by cre8or@Jun 17 2003, 10:17 PM
I see you've received your newt-identity. (bad joke)
BTW... What are you doing still up?!  :D
Sleep is for wimps!

Originally posted by LONDON (Reuters)@March 22
Shift-work, longer working days and a "sleep-is-for-wimps culture" meant Britain was moving toward a 24-hour society, Professor Jim Horne of the Sleep Research Center at Loughborough University told the Observer newspaper.

Falling one hour short of eight hours sleep a night could temporarily knock one point off a person's IQ. Fifteen points could easily be lost in a week, which would make an average person with an IQ of about 100 "borderline retarded," according to the researchers.

[Niel1952]

Originally posted by Niel1952@Jun 14 2003, 04:45 AM
Julie - love the graphics and I think they would be wonderful for certain kinds of enterprises - fashion or jewellery, for example.
When newtie is as famous and Julie is as rich as Calvin Klein, I will sit on my bench in skid row and shake my finger at the millions of people wearing newtie apparel and say in a quavering voice "That was my idea you know!"

http://storetn.cafepress.com/1/6522571_F_store.jpg

other newtie apparel (http://www.cafeshops.com/oakgrove/122839)

Great idea, great stuff, Julie. :tup:

Just wish I had thought of it and bought your logos too. I still love specky, though.

[Julie]

I couldn't resist :) He's so cute, and since I had a store going anyway, why not?

:D