Northern Xposure Competition

After receiving some good critique from members here at GU, its been decided to hold a competition open to anyone to create a logo for the band, plus a few other little graphics icons - see here http://www.gamers-underground.com/forum/showthread.php?t=25185

Background Info :- Northern Xposure is a band in the Torres Strait made up of a trio of musicians that all play acoustic guitars. They have just started out, and as a favor I have setup a website for them. (They are Friends and I am not been paid to produce their site) As I know there are quite a few talented people here, I am curious what anyone can come up with, and I will provide some cash prizes for the winners.

Rules:-

All entries must be officially posted on the Northern Xposure website forum, but preffered that initially all posts are made here for comment etc. (Put up all your practice images here for discussion and comparisons, besides, im still putting up the webforum )

The Prizes

"00 will go to the best logo that is selected by the band members themselves (they could decide to keep the current one)

If the band does not choose any of the logo's, then I will set the prize money to $50 to first place as voted by the members of the northern xposure forum, and $25 to second place.

Additionally I will put up $40 for the winning menu button package, or "0 for each individual one (being pair of on and off).

All files should be in png format or able to be opened and edited using programs like fireworks. Should be made on transparent background

The logo should contain the bands primary colours which are Cobalt Blue, Red and Fluorescent Green. I will enter below the current logos and menu buttons. But not restricted to those colours if it inhibits your creativity

Again, the bands website is http://www.northernxposure.net

I reserve the right to change the rules whilst i think of them :)

Entries will close sometime in approx next month

PS - Mods, if this post does not meet with the forum rules, please advise and i shall edit accordingly

The Northern Xposure Logo Competition

Northern Xposure is a new band in the Torres Strait consisting of an Accoustic Guitar trio of musicians.
All of the band members reside on Thursday Island and all contribute to composing, singing and playing of the guitar.
Performing at The Grand Hotel, Gab Titui and other private functions.

A Competition is being held to invite awareness of the new group.

The Competition is in two parts.

Part 1 - Design the Band Logo.

Come up with your own interpretation of the below image.

[Image: http://forum.northernxposure.net/nx.jpg]

The logo should contain the bands primary colours which are Cobalt Blue, Red and Fluorescent Green. But is not restricted to those colours if it inhibits your creativity. Two images need to be created, the full logo and an abreviated logo. Preffered that all the images are saved as png files.

As an example, NX's Current Logo's
[Image: http://forum.northernxposure.net/nxlogo.png] [Image: http://forum.northernxposure.net/testNX.png]

The Prize Money

"00 will go to the best logo that is selected by the band members themselves (they could decide to keep the current one)

If the band does not choose any of the logo's, then I will set the prize money to $50 to first place as voted by the members of the NX Forum, and $25 to second place.

All entries must be posted Here.

Part 2 - Button Icons.

Design New Buttons for the header of the Northern Xposure Website

Current Buttons are :-
[Image: http://forum.northernxposure.net/buttons.jpg]

Download the current buttons zip file
http://forum.northernxposure.net/buttons.zip

All files should be in png format or able to be opened and edited using programs like fireworks. Should be made on transparent background

The Prize Money

$40 will go to the best button package that is selected by the band members themselves (they could decide to keep the current ones).

If the band does not choose any of the buttons, then I will set the prize money to "0 each for each button that results in being used on the website.

Again all entries must be posted Here

All entrants should register on the NX Forum, and post thier entries Here.

To get an idea of the Bands Image and Music please visit http://www.northernxposure.net

Thanks Go Out to the Moderators and Members of Gamers-Underground

Nah mate all good. Good luck to all entering, and good idea P-air.

Thanks OD

Good luck guys

I look forward to seeing what creations you can come up with

I have a few questions for you...

What format do you want the files in? e.g. jpeg, gif etc
The band is indigenous, right? Are they looking for a logo that reflects the fact that they are indigenous?
Do you want the logos to be the same size as the current ones? If not then what size?
Are there any preferred colours?

Hi Brookie,

Preffered that the files are png files with transparent backgrounds

The logo should contain the bands primary colours which are Cobalt Blue, Red and Fluorescent Green.

Have a quick look at their web site, pictures etc, and have a listen to the music, to get an idea of what style you think is suitable, they do not wish to be classified as an indigenous band.

www.northernxposure.net

I'd also recommend that anyone designing please create something in the largest resolution you can, with at least a 300dpi for print purposes.

If you have Adobe Illustrator, that's optimistically the application you should be crafting it in, and then exporting to other formats.

The sand looks cool the other 2 looks like logo for a freight company ^_^

Just something rough to start off with... I really think those three colours are possibly the most difficult colours to work with as they don't compliment each other at all. Anyway, I'm willing to integrate those colours into my design if absolutely necessary, but I just don't know how to make them work together :/

[Image: http://images.golivewire.com/ib/119968_f.jpg]

[Image: http://images.golivewire.com/ib/119969_f.jpg]

[Image: http://fc01.deviantart.com/fs14/f/2007/074/4/e/logo1_by_scarlet_rain.png][Image: http://fc01.deviantart.com/fs13/f/2007/074/d/4/logo3_by_scarlet_rain.png][Image: http://fc01.deviantart.com/fs13/f/2007/074/c/0/logo2_by_scarlet_rain.png]

I tried to keep it simple as logos are meant to be that way, but if you want anything extra just let me know.

Edit: Forgot to add the simplified version:

[Image: http://ic1.deviantart.com/fs14/f/2007/075/d/f/Northern_Exposure_small_by_scarlet_rain.png]

If you remove the drop shadows, outer-glows and bevel/emboss effects from the text itself, I reckon that'd look pretty snazzy.

O_o

I put them there to make it less 'flat'... why remove them?

Because it's a logo, yeah? Ie; being used on business cards, letter heads, signage etc. etc.

Monochrome designs are ideal, but outside of that, it's a big no-no to include things like drop-shadows which have an area of partial transparency.

I guess the bevel/emboss could stay, but it still looks a tad unprofessional with it.

Well that would really all depend on how it's being used.

Take Google for example, works well for them because they always use it on a white background, which i'm sure their business cards, tshirts, letters, etc all are also.

But you're not always limited to that, there is no harm using a different version for a different colour, ie: that black example posted above which could be used on a black tshirt.

Calling it unprofessional (while it maybe your opinion) seems a little much, when done right it looks great, but it has to be done right.. But who am I trying to convince, your job afterall :p

I am however of the opinion that simple is good when it comes to logos though.

Edit: I like the first example.

Quote from rec;301868:
Because it's a logo, yeah? Ie; being used on business cards, letter heads, signage etc. etc.

Monochrome designs are ideal, but outside of that, it's a big no-no to include things like drop-shadows which have an area of partial transparency.

I guess the bevel/emboss could stay, but it still looks a tad unprofessional with it.

Meh. Most fair-priced commercial printers are quite capable of blending gradients, shadows, transparent images these days.

It's not so much about printer capability, but adaptability and use in different mediums. Take it or leave it, it's just a word of industry advice.

For example's sake... see the attached logos. From those basic origins, you can manipulate and change it however you see fit based on its purpose. Opaque drop shadows, bevels, all kinds of additional effects.

But it's extremely important that what you create to start with enables that.

[Image: http://cache.jalopnik.com/cars/mcdonalds_logo.jpg] >> [Image: http://www.capeairfestival.com/images/photos/mcdonalds_logo.jpg]

[Image: http://jamieskella.com/random/applelogo.jpg]

Of course I still have the original .psd file and can easily remove/add the shadows if absolutely necessary. I can also provide Peter with as many versions of the logo as he likes, or even give him the .psd file if that's what he/the band wants. I'm not so stupid as not to allow the client the flexibility that they require.

It's great that you can use it and provide him with as many logos as he likes, but what about future designers that work with the band and your logo?

You shouldn't be distributing or offering a PSD file. It's just not feasable - size and DPI being the biggest issues. Blow it up past it's original creation size and you've got dramas. A logo should be layerless once finalised. An Illustrator format is ideal as the content is vectorised and can be blown up to infinate proportions without loss of quality.

Basically; something like that original Apple or McDonalds logo is perfect, so effects can be added, rather than people having to attempt to remove them. Sure; show them how it may be "spiced up", but that original concept is what must be delivered and used as a base, to enable any future designer working with the company/organisation/grooup to successfully incorporate it across varied mediums.

For an example of what I'm talking about in terms of a finished product, check out this Playstation logo...

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/fi/0/00/PlayStation_logo.svg

Open that up in Illustrator or view it with IE7 (but you can't alter colours/size in IE, obviously).

Anyway, you've obviously made up your own mind on standards and what is or isn't acceptable, so I'll drop it and let you be. Just trying to offer a hand is all, no skin off my nose if it's not taken.

Quote from Brookie23;301879:
Meh. Most fair-priced commercial printers are quite capable of blending gradients, shadows, transparent images these days.

However it doesn't get so friendly when you're printing off something with a 4 colour print press. Which will happen at some point in time if the logo is going to be used.

You want a logo to be succint and clear, outer glow and all the other gidgets and gadgets of photoshop add on just detract from the clear purpose of a logo. Something simple for people to recognise and attach to a branding of intent for recall in future.

Quote from "rec":
It's just not feasable - size and DPI being the biggest issues. Blow it up past it's original creation size and you've got dramas. A logo should be layerless once finalised. An Illustrator format is ideal as the content is vectorised and can be blown up to infinate proportions without loss of quality.

Just needed to be posted again because I was too lazy.

Quote from Brookie23;301858:
I really think those three colours are possibly the most difficult colours to work with as they don't compliment each other at all. Anyway, I'm willing to integrate those colours into my design if absolutely necessary, but I just don't know how to make them work together :/

thanks for the entries so far brookie,

And yes as rec mentions, it will be planned that the logo will be used on products and other forms of media other than just the website.

The colours for the logo came from the bands interest in my customised order ive been planning :) , and they loved the colour scheme so much they wanted to use it for thier logo. The colours look great on polished aluminium.

[Image: http://www.northernxposure.net/PJLorder.jpg]

Really like those colours because they can be used well to really play tricks with your eyes.

The colours also derive from the fact that they live by the sea, and that some of the colours identify with thier regional colours,

ie Torres Strait Region

http://www.ausflag.com.au/flags/torres.html

and

http://www.tsra.gov.au

rec - might want to split the thread as Critique of Brookies work isn't necessarily relevant to the thread bro ;)

Brookie - nice work, good to see someone taking an interest. I also looked at your Deviant folio, nice photography mate :)

Quote from Milenko;301972:
rec - might want to split the thread as Critique of Brookies work isn't necessarily relevant to the thread bro ;)

Prefer to keep the critique of the work here, as this was the original intention of the thread.

Official entries to the comp are to be listed elsewhere

And eyp, nice work on the photos brookie

Fair enough, my bad.
I figured you were only after entries :)

I still don't understand why attempting to give constructive critisism and help someone out is being frowned up. Upside down world.

P-air: Which version of the design do you want me to post on their website? All of them or is there one in particular you like?

Brookie - You can submit any or all as you wish, there is no limit to the number of entries.

Maybe number each image so that they can correspond accordingly http://forum.northernxposure.net/showthread.php?t=3

thanks for the submission brookie

'Sok.

I was wandering around town on St Patricks day yesterday and by complete coincidence stumbled across a doorway with a logo printed remarkably similar to what you've just designed, Brookie.

I'm going to automatically give you benefit of the doubt and assume it's just a stock "shape" item you've used in your NX stuff, rather than something more sinister? :P

It's pretty easy to make. The lines are just a stroke in illustrator. All I did was draw a circle, fill it with orange, set the stroke to that particular stroke, and change its colour. I have seen a similar logo somewhere before, but not in Darwin.

The dude behind you is checking out your ass Jamie :p

ROFL

Sorry Guys, going to cancel the competition due lack of interest

:(