-
1 Attachment(s)
Logo competition
We're developing a product called the Xara Picture Editor which is a simple, slick, general purpose bitmap preview and editor tool. We need a logo for this and since I know there have been many great logo designs shown on this forum, we thought it would be a good idea to have a little competition for those that might be interested.
The prize is a full boxed copy of all the main Xara products, Xara X, Xara 3D, Webstyle, MenuMaker (CD only), ScreenMaker 3D (CD only), or $300 cash for those that already have the Xara products. Xara will pick only one of any submitted designs.
Attached is a screenshot of what the product looks like which may influence the logo design. You can see brushed metal dialogs. Many icons have a purple flower theme (we had to think of something that sort of represented a generic 'photo'.) You can see the crop icon enlarged. We have a purple / blue theme to much of it.
The logo could either be the full name 'Xara Picture Editor' or could use the abbreviation XPE, but in the latter case it's important that the name Xara Picture Editor be incorporated into the logo so that people can understand what XPE stands for. If the word Xara is a large part of the logo then it should be in Xara logo style. See the MenuMaker logo on the xara.com website to see what I mean. (Not that the MM logo is meant to influence or restrict your creative freedom at all). If the Xara name is just a small part, for example it could be just simple small text saying 'Xara Picture Editor' under a larger XPE logo, then it's not important that the Xara be in the right font. The design needs to be able to work quite small so it can be reproduced on websites etc.
Ideally I'd like this to be a public competition where ideas are posted to this forum where everyone can see and provide feedback. Previous feedback from the forum to posted designs has been good natured, helpful and positive and we'd like to keep it like that and see what the wider audience think of any submitted designs.
We will require the final artwork to be created in CorelXARA or Xara X (for the purposes of posting previews, JPEGs / GIFs etc are fine).
-
Hi Charles,
Pretty neat looking.
Could you give us a thorough run down on what this little wonder can do??
Many thanks! http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/smile.gif
-
I don't know... I think the icons look pretty straight forward... http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/wink.gif I'm not sure what to think of your guesses... http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif You are not serious are you?! http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/confused.gif http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif
The icons themselves look very friendly... and inviting, for people that don't normally open graphics applications.
I think it's a good idea for Xara to sponsor a little competition like this. The stakes are not high, so I'm sure it can be done in a friendly, supportive and fun atmosphere, just like Charles hoped for.
-
Ha, well done. Almost spot on with your icon guesses there. The three icons in the group with the magnifier are Fit to Window, Full Size and Magnify.
The 'Lost' one is 'free rotate'.
The air con is actually the enhance dialog you can see on screen. Otherwise pretty good guess.
As to what it's features will be - well you've guessed most of them. I suppose I should clarify that the program is not a painting program. The Paint icon will launch whatever painting / bitmap you've got installed on your computer. (So logos that imply painting would not be such a good idea). It's similar in design to the standard Windows XP Picture Viewer on which this UI is based, except it does a more of course. There are a few 'world's first' features that will be in it, but it's too early for me to say any more really. The program is 'simpleware', in a similar manner to Xara3D. It doesn't provide a huge range of features, but what it does do, it does better than anything else out there. More info in a few weeks.
-
The slide show button intrigues me. Any chance for some transition effects (or will this then become bloatware)?
-
1 Attachment(s)
Come on Guys and Gals in Xaraland ... Charles has thrown down the gauntlet and issued us a genuine challenge. That's kind of like the Wizard-of-Oz asking the munchkins to build a new Yellow Brick Road http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif
But seriously ... someone from this forum SHOULD have the chosen design for this new piece of XARA software ... am I RIGHT???
So GET EXCITED ... and get out your wacom tablets (or fingernail and touchpad in Jolande's case) ... and let's throw so many designs at this thing it will make Charles dizzy http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/eek.gif
To get everyone started I have traced (and not very well I might add) the Xara logo. Take it ... use it ... embellish it ... and post your entry right here for everyone to enjoy. Not everyone can be a Gary Priester when it comes to logos ... but that doesn't mean we can't all try and have fun doing it! I'm going to be disappointed if I don't see 20 different logo's by this weekend.
Here's the XAR file ... if anyone can smooth it out a bit you might re-post it.
-Ed.
-
1 Attachment(s)
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>
Here's the XAR file ... if anyone can smooth it out a bit you might re-post it. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Can't remember which thread it was posted in, but shortly after CorelXara became XaraX, this .web file was posted to the forum. Ungroup and delete the shadow to get the Xara logo.
-
1 Attachment(s)
Another suggestion
Christine
-
1 Attachment(s)
-
1 Attachment(s)
Here's my first try. I was going for a similar look as the other Xara products, using a slight bevel on the Xara logotype. Pastel colours used, could possible be a bit brighter, as in the screenshot by Charles. The holes in the photo strip can also be interpreted as bits (as in a digital photo).
-
-
1 Attachment(s)
-
1 Attachment(s)
Wow, coming thick and fast now. I like what I see already.
To add to the mix here are three more examples that we produced in house. I have to say straight away that I'm not that keen on these, and that's partly why we decided to do a competition. None of our three strike me as particularly strong or stand-out enough. A bit flat. We won't be choosing our own submissions. These are just here to give some more ideas and inspiration.
These all use the XPE theme, which is OK (although they should say picture editor not photo editor).
Remember people that the logo need to be able to be scaled down to this size or smaller and still be recognisable, hopefully instantly recognisable as the logo of the product. That's one the benefits of having a simple XPE logo instead of the the full name. Also keep in mind that if the Xara name is too prominent that when scaled down it could look more like a Xara logo only and not a logo for Xara Picture Editor.
-
1 Attachment(s)
-
1 Attachment(s)
-
Great ideas so far. Guess there is no need for my logo, huh? :-)
Gary
-
Gary,
Oh NO you don't ... this is a community project and your talent is required Mr. Moderator person http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/wink.gif
JohnR,
I'm with you ... Paul raised the bar on that one, although Christine, Mark, and Xander are giving him a run for his money.
-
Hi everyone,
Well, after lurking on this excellent and very helpful forum for a few months I decided to make my first post an entry to the comp http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/smile.gif
Here's my first attempt:
http://www.mediatec.ie/xara/xpe.jpg
-
Hi Ford ... Welcome to TalkGraphics.
A VERY nice effort indeed.
-Ed.
-
That's not THE Ford Prefect from the Hitch-hikers Guide to the Galaxy by any chance?
Egg
-
Hi Ed, thanks, it's a bit rough round the edges and the camera needs more work.
I just hope Canon don't notice I used a nice image of the EOS 300D as the basis for that graphic http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/smile.gif
Hi Egg, fraid not, the REAL Ford was last seen snooping around in the bowels of the HGTG building.
Again.
Now where did I leave my towel.... http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/wink.gif
-
1 Attachment(s)
a logo suggestion and the box that might go with it.
-
-
Hi Bundera ... Welcome to TalkGraphics!
It never ceases to amaze me when someone's first post is of this caliber ... nice work http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/cool.gif
I hope you stick around awhile and show us some more of your work.
-Ed.
-
Nice to see the ideas. I'm feeling a real flower-power vibe from many of them.
It's funny though because I was scanning down the thread paying no attention to names, and two of my favourites were in one post. I looked to see whose they were... and it was Charles posting the in-house ones.
But non–in-house ones, I really like some of what Mark is up to. But then... oh so many are good.
I'm nothing to do with this competition by the way, so my views are my own and I'm not anything to do with deciding the winner!
-
1 Attachment(s)
Well, that was fun!
Mickie
-
1 Attachment(s)
Some great logo designs so far. Looking forward to seeing what Gary and some of the other Pro's post.
-
Ford Perfect and Paul's ideas really got me to look. The camera angle is a good one.
A couple of Christine's examples were nice and happy and eye catching too!! http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/smile.gif
-
Downloaded the trial version to see how it runs. Very impressive. Xara X runs as advertised. Here's my first XX test run. Now I know why Richard loves his bevels http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif.
http://home.pchome.com.tw/art/grafixman/xpe1.jpg
-
1 Attachment(s)
-
Hey lookin' great everyone! Charles is getting his money's worth with this project. Excellent! http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif
Since Charles came in with a point about using the XPE angle... i decided to create some variations on a theme using his suggestion.
http://photoshopgurus.com/temp/xara_...tor_Logo-5.png
http://photoshopgurus.com/temp/xara_...tor_Logo-6.png
http://photoshopgurus.com/temp/xara_...tor_Logo-7.png
http://photoshopgurus.com/temp/xara_...tor_Logo-8.png
------------------------------------------------
I'd like to mention too, particularily to Charles, that if these logos are to be scaled down to a 'mini' size, in order for some of the text to remain legible, it will need to be added to the main logo using a program other than XaraX (say Photoshop for instance). Unfortunately, at this time XaraX simply smooths the edges of the text a little too much to retain readability at very small sizes.
I hope that's ok. http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/smile.gif
-
Here are my attempts. My philosphy is to get things simple, clean, printable. Related to previous products identity.
http://www.studiostyle.sk/xaraphotoeditor.gif
roman
-
1 Attachment(s)
Just my two (euro)cents ..
-
Dmagician - #3 is brilliant idea
-
1 Attachment(s)
-
1 Attachment(s)
-
1 Attachment(s)
-
It's so cool seeing everyone's creativity in action.
I personally don't like the replaced X on the Xara logo. To me the Xara logo should left be intact. But then I have a background in branding and corporate identity, so I may well be more over-sensitive when it comes to logo usage. http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif
I don't envy Charles judging the entries. So many cool ideas.
-
Immediatelly after I posted the logos I got another idea to make the bitmap-editor idea more distinc by putting eye into bitmap, byt I had to go away from Xara to make photos for 2 clients. When I returned I checked if I could make small part of the flower there (everyone uses this flower and it's also used in applications icons so I thought it could be more "coroporate" than eye ;-). It fitted well. So here it is, maybe not so clear as first batch, but I hope someone will like it. ;-)
http://www.studiostyle.sk/xaraphotoeditor2.gif
Access, thanx for the compliment. Your logos are clean and representative too.
-
1 Attachment(s)
I've gone in a slightly different direction.