[Closed] Logo design - ball park figure/potential work offer

I was just thinking this forum could do with some more pie charts.

I'll do it for £20 but I'm limited to Arial and Comic Sans.

[i]I was just thinking this forum could do with some more pie charts. [/i]

[img] [/img]

I was just thinking this forum could do with some more pie charts.

Or some hilarious animated robots talking to each other.

Don't we have a few of them already??

try [url= http://www.peopleperhour.com ]peopleperhour.com[/url]

to be honest your logo looks fine, I can do a 3d version if you like,

Don't we have a few of them already??

I said animated.

TJ's good with logo's. Loves 'em he does

Right, anyway... is this where the bidding war commences?

[i]Loves 'em he does [/i]

[yoda voice]

weak in that one the logo is

[/yoda voice]

can you do it in word?

Sorry what I meant to say was:

[b]DESIGN ME A LOGO FOR FREE - NOW[/b]

Right, anyway... is this where the bidding war commences?

Is offering paid work and asking for prices frowned on by designers now? It's no wonder they are always whining about there not being enough work. You can email me if you don't want to reveal just how cheap/desperate you are on here. 😉

£400 by an arty, web design mate.

BTW to the OP, any image gallery flash thing that takes more than a few seconds to show the first picture is probably not a good idea.

Dude, your website is slllllllooooooooowwwwwwwwwwww

Spend some money there first

grum - FWIW, the slideshow on your page isn't working for me on Chrome. Clicking on the arrows doesn't do anything either(works OK on IE though).

Balls.

Thanks for the feedback on the website - been having a few issues with it lately. 😡

Though it works fine on my puter/on Chrome, but maybe that's because I've got the pages cached?

(oh, and cheers SSS)

Grum; you have mail....

Thanks Elf.

I've just selected an option to optimise the images rather than show full res versions. If anyone can have another look and tell me if it's any quicker that would be spiffing, cheers.

works here on chrome no probs.

im not sure you need a logo more than you have?

great pics though, as usual.

Yes, great pics grum.

Grum,

I'm a big fan of your photos but the website does need a bit more work. Slow here even over a 30meg connection using Chrome. It should be slick regardless of browser type or version (within reason!). I also find the tooltips on your link-bar distracting since they obscure the menu content and appear to be redundant since they simply echo the menu headings.

I agree with others - invest in functionality and UI before tweaking the look (which I think is fine as it is).

Good luck with the business!

SC

Cheers for the comments everyone.

That's very frustrating that the site is being slow - not sure if it's my web host or something to do with the site itself.

stuartie_c - the tooltips don't appear on my iMac or Macbook but I just tried it on my GF's PC laptop and they appear - I agree they look a bit stupid. WIll try and work out how to get rid of them.

Good luck with the business!

Thanks - I'll need it I think 🙂

Grum my brother is a graphic designer, I have forwarded him a link to this thread.

I'm sure he will be able to help you out.

The plants section and the buildings section seem to work fine for me, the ones in the other format only seem to load the first image, either that or it takes longer to load the second than I've got patience for.

This was on a mac running safari.

Thanks you two. ARGHHH!!! Been wondering about switching to a completely different system for the website - using a photography specific Wordpress template at the moment but I've been having quite a few issues with it. It's just I've put quite a bit of work into it - needs to be right though I suppose.

Geeks - is there some way I can tell whether it's my host or the website itself that's making things slow? 🙂

I used PDC in Manchester to design my logo. Costs were £48 per hour for design and layout.

My mate works for them. Great bunch. Friendly people and Dave that works there is a cyclist so that's a +1.

They did my company logo and I'm made up with the result. Have a chat and see what you think.

russ@pdc-manchester.co.uk

We've engaged a couple of grpahic artists in the past, spent many hundreds and got crap. Have a look at the off-shore online places. They'll do you half-a-dozen to chose from for £50. We've had much better results that way.

They'll do you half-a-dozen to chose from for £50

£8.33 per design, amazing.

If it was me I would charge a full day at £60 per hour and that would guarantee at least three alternatives but usually about five or six - supplied as .pdf files for your feedback and up to three sets of design progression. For that you would get a logo drawn in Illustrator and saved in the native format along with RGB and CMYK .jpg files for your own use. It would not include a style guide but that can be done for an additional fee.

www.mixd.co.uk

I have just looked at your site on Chrome and it all works, but it's very slow.
I clicked on a few images to look at from the gallery and gave up waiting. A few of them didn't take too long, but weren't exactly snappy.

Not trying to be critical, just trying to let you know so you can investigate.

grum - Member
Thanks you two. ARGHHH!!! Been wondering about switching to a completely different system for the website - using a photography specific Wordpress template at the moment but I've been having quite a few issues with it. It's just I've put quite a bit of work into it - needs to be right though I suppose.

Have you looked into the 'photo website' companies like Photium & Clikpic.

I don't know if they are sophisticated enough to get the look you want, but they offer trials, so you can have a fiddle with them.
I have a very basic Photium site, that I have not really done anything with since setting it up. It needs a LOT of work that I just don't really have time for, although I am trying to get back into it. The guy who seems to run the show, Will, is very helpful with any questions you have, problems with set-up etc. and there are numerous sample websites on the Photium website.
My website is in my profile, but please bear in mind that it was very quickly put together and needs a lot of tinkering with. I am not that pleased with many of the photo's and the size of them when clicked on in the gallery etc. But, it might give you an idea.......

For any of the gds looking at this, I thought I'd copy and paste something that mrs deadly got yesterday...I shit you not 🙂 :

I liked our old one (mine is attached) so want to keep it quite similar. All we really need to add is ******** underneath and change the details. I’ve done a quick version (also attached) on paint and I don’t think there is too much detail on it. Obviously the fonts ive put in aren’t correct but if you could match them with the previous font and tidy it up (im sure you can make the twitter part look good) – and see what its like?

To be fair to her, she remains remarkably stoic in the face of it.

We were charged £150, semi mates rates, for something basic but very well executed.

I had expected to pay double that.

To be fair to her, she remains remarkably stoic in the face of it.

At the end of the day any paying work is ok. After a while you learn to give as much back as will be appreciated by the client. Some want good design some just want stuff artworked.

Occasionally I actually prefer the artworking stuff, music's on as loud as you like, churning stuff out on auto pilot. The good stuff takes concentration and effort.

is there some way I can tell whether it's my host or the website itself that's making things slow?

The biggest cause of slow page speed seems to be that all your images are server scaled.

Basically you have large images uploaded. These are then scaled down as they are requested to fit the site design. To increase the page speed the images should be optimised - dimensions & quality - for each instance they are used.

There are also a few coding things that can be improved, these are quite technical and will only give a small gain in comparison to the images issue.

Thanks everyone. stumpy yeah been looking into other options and Photium seems quite popular, will check out your site.

phil.w - I'm pretty sure I uploaded the images in the dimensions they are displayed, they're certainly not full resolution ones. How can you tell they are server scaled? Cheers.

I would like a set of black superstar nanos and you would like a logo designed.

Email in profile if interested.

Obviously the fonts ive put in aren’t correct but if you could match them with the previous font and tidy it up

I'm going out on a limb here, but I'm guessing..... comic sans? 😀

Have a look at the off-shore online places. They'll do you half-a-dozen to chose from for £50.

(Weeps) 😥

Will those be unique original designs though? Just that I've seen companies with very very similar logos, which makes me believe that increasing numbers of businesses are turning to 'designers' using clipart=style templates, rather than working from scratch to provide something which suits the individual needs and requirements of each company. Granted, many businesses just needs something eye-catching and colourful, but it's sad that yet another aspect of something we do really well in this country is being eroded by cheapness from abroad.

Sigh.

I really love designing stuff. Sadly it's a market with a detachable arse, it seems.

Grum; I sent you another email, isn't it?

How can you tell they are server scaled?

One of the tools I have for analysing sites tests page speed.

I only did two or so pages on your site and have assumed a little about the rest. Maybe I just picked the exceptions.

One of the pages I looked at could definitely do with some work here's the results...

[img] [/img]

Euro - is that a serious offer!?

Elf - replied innit.

Thanks for the design advice/offers etc - as suggested above I need to concentrate on getting this slowness issue sorted as it could well be costing me business right now. 🙁

Cheers phil, that's really helpful - what's the tool BTW?

I didn't make the thumbnails, the template system I use generates them from the full size image - it seems it doesn't do it in a very efficient way. Balls.

Will those be unique original designs though?

Lulz, this is graphic design we are talking about. You show me a unique and original design and i'll show you where they copied it from 😀

Yeah Grum, as long as they're new.

Lulz, this is graphic design we are talking about. You show me a unique and original design and i'll show you where they copied it from

[i]Verily, for there is no new thing under the sun,[/i]

BUT

The 'offshore' approach isn't about getting a unique logo designed speshly for you, it's about choosing from a range of 'clipart' designs what've already bin created. Perfectly fine for many people/applications, but doesn't put food on a UK designer's table...

It's a buyer's market. Capitalism, innit?

what's the tool BTW?

I need to concentrate on getting this slowness issue sorted as it could well be costing me business right now

Speaking as a rank amateur, I quite like your logo - clean, serious, the only thing I don't like is the way the text looks out of focus, perhaps not the ideal mental association to be making when you're looking into hiring a photographer 🙂

The site seems to load fast enough, but then I expect a picture heavy photography to site to be a bit slower than average. Still, any speed gain would be worth looking into. (FWIW: Chrome, Linux, and I'm in Spain if that makes a difference.)

Lulz, this is graphic design we are talking about. You show me a unique and original design and i'll show you where they copied it from

[url= http://www.photium.com ]Websites designed for photographers[/url]

+1 on Photium being very good. Will is absolutely second to none when it comes to customer service. I've asked numpty questions at midnight on a Saturday and had a reply within hours (minutes even)!

The templates are very customisable but for me, the most important aspect is the ability to apply SEO to each and every page. When I set up [url= http://www.hairydogphotography.co.uk ]my dog photography website[/url] a few months ago, I went for another Photium site. Within 48 hours, I was on the first page of Google for my chosen search terms (dog photography north east etc, etc.). It's that good!

Obviously if your search terms are things like "wedding photographer London", you're going to need to do a bit more work, but I'm also on page one with my [url= http://www.jamieemersonphotography.com ]main wedding site[/url] (also Photium)...

Apologies for the blatant links 😀

Oh, and I quite like the logo you already have too! I made my own in Photoshop - it's an amalgam of loads of stolen ideas from elsewhere and could probably also use a designer's touch!

What Winegums sez. Before I even start any sketches, I'll be talking to a client to find out exactly what they need from me. I won't charge for an initial 'consultation' although I've learned to be a bit more cagey so's they don't then go and take any ideas they may have gleaned from me, to someone cheaper... 😥

There'll always be someone cheaper, that's the nature of the beast. But as for 'better', well, that' far more subjective. And of course more money does not in any way necessarily equate to better quality. A good strong logo and brand is as important as whole loads of text and other promotional devices mind, and sometimes even more so.

Euro - dang was hoping to palm you off with my battered old ones 🙂
I will email you anyway...

Cheers mogrim - It's weird, I don't think it's always been slow, I don't remember people commenting on it when I posted a thread asking for feedback here before. 😕

You should be able to tell how much of an impact it's having from your Google Analytics.

Bounce rate is 40%, average time on site 3:38, 3.76 page views per visit - I'm a noob to all this, but that doesn't sound toooo bad. Doesn't sound great either.

The templates are very customisable but for me, the most important aspect is the ability to apply SEO to each and every page. When I set up my dog photography website a few months ago, I went for another Photium site. Within 48 hours, I was on the first page of Google for my chosen search terms (dog photography north east etc, etc.). It's that good!

Yeah that's a [b]massive[/b] plus point innit. Ta

For example - here is a logo I created recently.

[img] [/img]

Looks simple and 'easy' doesn't it? But I can justify it on several levels - firstly the shape - the 'O' signifies the circular nature of a literal oasis, as well as the initial letter of the word, but on meeting with the clients and having a creative 'mood board' session the team agreed on colours, type etc as well as, most significantly, the client came up with the term 'whole person learning' and 'completing the circle' as key 'tones of voice' which are (I think) perfectly communicated with the large circle above the type - enclosed, circular etc

Because the logo is justified the client has bought into it and has confidence in it reflecting their organisation correctly.

I have no idea if some offshore company could have come up with it or not, but lots of time, effort and several stages of progression were required to come up with this solution and both me and the client are very pleased with it.

[url= http://www.oasishumanrelations.org.uk/ ]And this is it on the website...[/url]

I have no idea if some offshore company could have come up with it or not, but lots of time, effort and several stages of progression were required to come up with this solution and both me and the client are very pleased with it.

Well done on managing to convince them to spend hundreds of pounds on a circle that's just the first letter of their name, but stop hijacking my thread. 😛

Well done on managing to convince them to spend hundreds of pounds on a circle that's just the first letter of their name, but stop hijacking my thread

Well played!

User-removed....

Blimey. I have only looked on the home pages, so far, but your Photium site looks a lot better than mine. Although as I mentioned earlier on I threw mine together ages ago to a starting point and it's kinda just sat there ever since. Bit stupid really. It needs a whole re-think. Perhaps this thread will urge me to get back into it.

How much time did you spend getting your sites looking like that?

I need to go back to basics with mine. My google analytics are woeful....I suspect most views are from friends looking to see if I had done anything to the site, since the last time they looked!

Oh, and I can confirm what you say about Will. I have had replies from him at 10:30pm on a Friday night within 6 mins!!

You show me a unique and original design and i'll show you where they copied it from

[img] [/img]

😉

[img] http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT5vjuFheI2Li8QARI1yoofyj0KZbktRfrENUvvcppORvuYTX-xbw [/img]

[img] http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRQF7V8rCPBhmg2Ms2bSSL_tMKEMOouPPI8VWIhF4xAUdECkw_EEQ [/img]

If your client was happy to spend £60 per hour to feel special and involved in the process then great. The [s]bullshitting [/s] justification of a design was never something I felt comfortable doing (I was good at it though 😀 ). To me it either works for the client/their target market or it doesn't and if you have to make stuff up to sell it to them then it hasn't really worked.

edit: great minds eh?

Oof. That's got to hurt...

I can't see this ending well

Brew anyone?

Actually Binners I've run out of milk. How bloody inconvenient.

EDIT: And biscuits! Society is collapsing as we speak! 😯

You know that bit in Terminator 2 in the mental hospital where Sarah Conner sees Arnie again for the first time, turns, runs and screams?

I'm her right now.

[img] ?m=1297371747[/img]

👿

😆 excellent

You show me a unique and original design and i'll show you where they copied it from

I need a wheel, can anyone help me invent it?

(-:

By the way, thanks for all the emails/offers etc - I will follow them up, I'm just having major issues with my website which need sorting first. Think I'm going to switch the whole thing over to Photium, but make a separate wedding site as well.

Forgot about this! 😀

Ah, there's still some fun to be had, I see....

Try 99 Designs http://99designs.co.uk

Worked well for us as you get loads of design ideas and options. Probably not the best way to get the ultimate logo where you work closely with the designer.

I used ClikPic for quite a few years and was always very pleased.

Looks simple and 'easy' doesn't it? But I can justify it on several levels - firstly the shape - the 'O' signifies the circular nature of a literal oasis, as well as the initial letter of the word, but on meeting with the clients and having a creative 'mood board' session the team agreed on colours, type etc as well as, most significantly, the client came up with the term 'whole person learning' and 'completing the circle' as key 'tones of voice' which are (I think) perfectly communicated with the large circle above the type - enclosed, circular etc

Because the logo is justified the client has bought into it and has confidence in it reflecting their organisation correctly.

That's copied straight out of one of the Modern Parents sketches from Viz.

Do I win £5?

[img] [/img]

Been to Meadowhall recently Fanylion?