[Project Complete] Logo for wooden toy/train online store - $150

[kbingham]

(Admin code added by Palmer - 1X864904HR635454S)

Hello Designers,

I am launching a new online store in January and need a logo, prefer to have the logo finished (or near finished) by Dec 19th to allow time to finish the site before the new year.

The site is called Clackity Creek, it might also be called Clackity Creek Railroad though the domain is just clackitycreek.com. I am willing to look at logos with or without the word railroad, however the logo must have a steam locomotive image. (read on for more info)

The site will specialize in selling wooden railway sets, trains, track add-ons and accessories. It will also carry other railroad related toys and items as well as a few other wooden toy products. Though this is a new venture, I have been selling software on the internet for 9 years.

This is a niche market, we are not looking to compete with the big online toy retailers, we are looking for people specifically interested in wooden railway sets (such as Brio, Thomas & Friends, TC Timber, Maxim, etc.) The target audience is mothers buying for their children, with a secondary audience of fathers. The logo should be "happy" and whimsical (for Mothers) with some nostalgic railroad qualities (for Fathers). The website will present itself as a niche speciality store run as a family business (which it is), and the logo should convey this also.

The logo will primarily be used on the website, but I will also need to translate well to print for business cards, invoices, etc. Prefer color & b/w versions.

Something reminiscent of an old 1800's mountain railroad logo. As mentioned before, the logo must incorporate a steam locomotive in some way.

I have no specific colors in mind (the final sight will be designed around the logo), but keep in mind that we are selling wood toys. No plastic toys, no batteries, no high-tech. Old timey, old fashion goodness.

We do not have a tag line or slogan as yet. If you think of something please feel free to give it a try.

Some of our competitors, and what I think of their logos:

Wooden Railway Adventures
http://store.woodenrailwayadventures.com
The logo/site looks too cartoony, no nostalgia.

Trains 4 Tots
http://trains4tots.com/
It's not a logo, nothing memorable.

Wooden Tracks
http://woodentracks.com/
Too busy, looks amaturish.

Squirrel Tracks
http://www.squirreltracks.com/
Logo has nothing to do with trains.

[kbingham]

I realized after posting that I had the wrong due date, the desired due date is December 12th (not the 19th).

[splunking]

Here is an initial idea. I look forward to your feedback.

Thanks,
Cindy
Flashbrite Studios
http://www.flashbrite.com/images/DO/train1a.jpg

[kbingham]

Hello Splunking,

The link to your image appears to be invalid or the image is corrupt.

http://www.flashbrite.com/images/DO/train1a.jpg

[splunking]

Sorry about that. My host seems to be having some sort of issue... here it is for now.
:blush:

Sorry for the inconvenience,
Thanks,
Cindy
Flashbrite Studios

http://www.designoutpost.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=50300&stc=1

[Ratbaggy]

Hi kbingham,

I wanted to get this concept work in progress up (WIP) to get your feedback while I develop it a bit further.

Let me know you thoughts

Cheers,

Paul

[BlueCherryGraphics]

One from me:

[kbingham]

Splunking
Elegant, but not quite what I'm looking for. It's a bit too long, doesn't evoke a railroad feel, no nostalgic quality.

Ratbaggy
I like this design, but again it's not what I am looking for. No railroad feel. If I were a selling tracks only it would be great.

J.Johnson
This one comes the closest to what I am looking for, it definitely has the nostalgic railroad feel. However, it feels a bit stiff, no "whimsy", maybe a cartoon locomotive. Also the fonts seem off a little, can't place my finger on what it is. (though I do like the EST 2005).

[Bojan]

hi

here is my first entry. i will appreciate your feedback

kind regards

bojan

[Ratbaggy]

Are you able to post some pictures of your product or perhaps take a look at the DesignOutpost "Logo Design Assessment"?

Cheers,

Paul

[kbingham]

Bojan
I like the graphic and the placement of the text. I am not sure about the brown and purple colors or the font. I would also like to see it with the word railroad and no .com to see how it looks.

Ratbaggy
We will be carrying a large number of products in the store, the competitor links in my original post should give you an idea. I also touched on most of the logo design assessment topics in the original posting. One thing I didn't touch on in the original post is how we will be different than our competitors, which will be our charm, small family business aspect and sense of community. Studies show that women who buy online (who will be our primary customers) are drawn by the site feel more than anything.

[Ratbaggy]

Addition of Train to come.

:)

[Ratbaggy]

And another with addition of train to come.

:)

[BlueCherryGraphics]

Couple more ideas:

[BlueCherryGraphics]

.

[Bojan]

hi

here is the reviewed design... hope i am closer to what you need

kind regards

bojan

[kbingham]

Ratbaggy
I like the new postings, I am looking forward to seeing them with the addition of an locomotive.

J.Johnson
These also seem a bit stiff, they don't seem to flow. Sorry that I can't explain it any better.

Bojan
I like the black outline of the graphic. I would like to see some other color combinations for the fill, perhaps some blues and reds. For the font, maybe something between the "fun" in v1 and the basic of v2.

[Paula23]

A few more designs for you :)

[Paula23]

..

[Paula23]

Thanks,Paula

[kbingham]

Hello Paula23,
Thank you for your submissions. They are a bit too busy for what I am looking for.

[Bojan]

hi

here are some options.. what do you think of this?

kind regards

bojan

[kbingham]

Hello Designers,

Thank you for your submissions. Many of the designs, while very good, did not catch what we were looking for.

As a result we have to extend the deadline to 12/16 which is closer to the original posted (yet incorrect) date.

In addition we have decided to change the name of the site (and the logo) from Clackity Creek Railroad to Clackity Creek Express.

We hope that name change might give you some new ideas.

Thanks,
Keith

[kbingham]

Since we are getting close to going live with our online store (3 weeks) and haven't seen much activity on this thread we have developed the color scheme and a temporary logo. Please feel free to use the colors and logo for ideas.

You can view the site at the link below, please note that this is a work in progress and some links or portions of the site may not work properly. You must access it via the index.php page as the default page is a place holder.

http://www.clackitycreek.com/index.php

-Keith

[djaka]

:d

[kbingham]

Djaka
I like how you've incorporated the name into the train. I would like to see how it looks with just red, blue and yellow as the colors for the train/name. I would also like to see it horizontal rather than on an incline (keeping the wave), with the cars slightly farther apart and some features (such as windows) in the engine and cars, maybe with the third car as a caboose.

[djaka]

:)

[djaka]

another option

[kbingham]

Hello djaka,
I like version 1.b better, would it be possible to see it without colored text (as in 1c), and with the caboose (express) slightly lower in height. It seems to overpower the others, though you are limited by the length of the word of course.

[djaka]

:)
this is the revision.

[kbingham]

Hello Djaka,
The caboose still seems much larger than the rest of the train. Can you make the engine longer (to the end of the C) and taller to better match the size of the caboose and change the second car to a tender (which slopes in the back).

[kbingham]

A few examples of engines with slope-back tenders.

http://www.gngoat.org/gn_steam_4.jpg
http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/bac/bac50614.htm

[djaka]

revision
:)

[kbingham]

Designer Selected - We have decided to go with the idea from Djaka, thanks to everyone who participated.

Djaka,
We like your design and have selected it, we just have a few tweaks we would like to see. With version 1e, the train is not really aligned with the track, can you adjust either the train or the track. Also, I would like to see it with a flat track (and flat without the track). Finally, for the colors we would like the caboose to be green, for a triadic color scheme, and to have the colors be brighter. Thanks for you work on this.

[djaka]

these are the revisions :)

[djaka]

:)

[djaka]

this another alternative

[kbingham]

Hello Djaka,

We will go with version 2, nice work. thank you.

[djaka]

Do you want some more revisions?
if no revisions needed I'll send the files..
thank you
:)

[kbingham]

Hello Djaka,
We like version 2 as it is, please send the files.

[djaka]

I have sent you the link to the files via private message.
Thank you
:)

[kbingham]

Hello Djaka,

I have received the files. Thank you for your work and quick response on this project, it is greatly appreciated.

Keith

[kbingham]

Project Complete - Files Received

[djaka]

Thanks Keith, nice working with you. :)