Logo

[dsernst]

Only thing we have now resembling a logo is the favicon image of a globe. It is sized at 16x16 pixels, I believe, so comes out looking horribly rasterized when used in larger sizes elsewhere, such as Twitter.

[dsernst]

One question: is this logo worth sticking to? Are the more compelling alternatives?

[dsernst]

If worth sticking with, need to make vector file that can scale up cleanly.

[dsernst]

Alexander P had begun to take a stab at this back in February, and Margot L said she could help work on this together.

[dsernst]

@LetsFix/artisans designers want to chime in?

[alexperryfun]

Get a magnifying glass

On Thu, Jul 10, 2014 at 12:48 AM, David Ernst notifications@github.com wrote:

@LetsFix/artisans https://github.com/orgs/LetsFix/teams/artisans designers want to chime in?

— Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub https://github.com/LetsFix/letsfix.net/issues/10#issuecomment-48564936.

[dsernst]

Here are a number of other logo icon ideas I really like:

http://thenounproject.com/term/patch/20090/

http://thenounproject.com/term/heart/52346/

http://thenounproject.com/term/wrench/16906/

http://thenounproject.com/term/wrench/20387/

http://thenounproject.com/term/fire/44220/

http://thenounproject.com/term/tools/8182/

http://thenounproject.com/term/doctor/22779/

http://thenounproject.com/term/band-aid/11226/

[dsernst]

More:

http://thenounproject.com/term/arrow-up/11585/

http://thenounproject.com/term/buddhism/17024/

http://thenounproject.com/term/arrow/45017/

http://thenounproject.com/term/buddhism/38764/

http://thenounproject.com/term/plus/58733/

http://thenounproject.com/term/column/43629/

[dsernst]

one idea:

(based upon Tools, designed by Shane Miller from the Noun Project)

things i like about this iconography:

• its unique. wouldn't easily be confused with almost any other high profile brands
• it sorta says "fix". writing (pencil) and action (wrench)
• the shape of the X could be like "No, we don't want this problem -> let's fix it!" _X it away_ or sort of recalls the distinctive FIX sound.
• its somewhat graphically simple / clean

it's inspired in part by the logos of GitHub & Gittip/Gratipay (new name)

would love to hear more opinions. what connotation does it have for you? any problems with it? any ideas for a more effective alternative?

[dsernst]

Tom B says:

you know the tools icon was always my favorite. I like this. And I like the slight purple. 'regal'

[aneeqa8952]

-patch is a good one, but is too visually similar to a computer chip, hence confusing

-like:

http://thenounproject.com/term/wrench/16906/ http://thenounproject.com/term/wrench/20387/ http://thenounproject.com/term/fire/44220/

-really like: the concept of the column

http://thenounproject.com/term/column/43629/

[aneeqa8952]

Of the few I came across, I liked this one: http://thenounproject.com/term/fist/29627/

Let's get together (fist) and do something (strike like lightning), make change!

[aneeqa8952]

The X tool symbol, is by-far, the strongest contender.

On the 'slight purple' - I sincerely believe that regality is not a tone that we would want to set among the platform and its users.

[dsernst]

Thanks for the comments! :dragon_face:

I like the fist!

• My biggest concern is it feels a little violent -- e.g. "Resistance!" especially on first superficial impression. Do you know what I mean?

Still like the flame a lot, maybe my second favorite. Concerns:

• Generic? hard to distinguish?
• Used by lots of gas companies, or even Feedburner. Unsure how much of a problem this is
• It's very evocative emotionally, e.g.: "get that fire burning!". Which is great! But I worry that it could attract / be confused for "some people just want to see the world burn".

I find the column really beautiful. Concerns are:

• hard to identify. not associated with "Fix" at all, or "Open", or "grassroots" etc.
• Elitist, via association with banking or higher ed / ivory tower ("...used to designate a world or atmosphere where intellectuals engage in pursuits that are disconnected from the practical concerns of everyday life"). Not what we're going for
• Classical, ultra conservative ideals. Supreme Court. Institutions that have typically lagged behind progressive values of inclusiveness & the open-source ethos.

Still like the wrench icons, especially this one.

• My concern is the exact opposite as with the flame: that it's too detached emotionally. Or maybe it appeals to engineer types, but excludes non-technical folk?

So trying to retain this clear "fixing" aspect, but also incorporate more emotion, lead to the above mockup adding the pencil. Still unsure if it's not a tad boring.

And totally agree that regal is not the thing to emphasize. Do you think it's an issue for the current mockup?

That color choice was meant more in the spirit of empathy & care. Partly inspired by The Color Purple and its themes. Yet intentionally not a strong in-your-face color of purple. Alternative color suggestions welcome.

---

...Hope that wasn't too much at once! Of course there won't be one "right" answer with matters of style like this. Just trying to explore associations &c! :smile:

[aneeqa8952]

Color matters:

Purple, when used in web design and marketing, signifies luxury and extravagance.

I suggest:

Why orange?

• It's attention grabbing, but just the right amount (a tamed version of red, if you will). 'Get noticed without screaming'.
• It's energetic, friendly, sociable and inviting.
• 'Orange increases oxygen supply to the brain, produces an invigorating effect, and stimulates mental activity.' Use it to get people thinking or to get them talking.

[aneeqa8952]

It is important that we evaluate at different levels of depth.

The fist is a very clever rendering, yet at face-value, it imparts a violent vibe (exactly what you said).

With the column, I was thinking more along the lines of 'to hold up the weight of' fixing, but its one of the murkier concepts.

I like the set of wrench icons, too. I like this one better.

• Similar concerns regrading these being 'chunks of metal' and not demanding any emotional or mental urgency from the user.
• At first glance, any user that identifies as 'non-technical' may easily feel intimidated and decide against visiting the page (NOT something we want!)

The two things that I really admire about your mockup:

• the formation of the letter 'X'. That is hard to come by.
• the incorporation of the pencil. It brings a touch of mindfulness to the logo and platform and consequently begs the user of the same. I'm unsure of how exactly it incorporates 'emotion'.

[aneeqa8952]

Not a big fan of the fire icons in themselves but I like the 'idea' of the flame.

My initial idea was to design a gear flambé, but I definitely saw it clearer and better with a wrench.

Here's what I came up with:

• Wrench, incorporating the gist of the platform, i.e. to fix
• Flame, adding that well-needed sense of urgency

[dsernst]

These comments ROCK! :rocket: Especially love the in depth color analysis link.

Your flame+wrench mockup is interesting!!! Might be a tad confusing in it's current form? Contradictory concepts? I think it's close to something really cool!

Still digesting how best to proceed, but I suppose I will make a different colored version of the tools mockup for comparison.

[k00kykelly]

I'd love to see a wrench in a speech bubble mockup. The speech bubble makes me think about communication or working together.

[dsernst]

Great suggestion! :smiley_cat: