branding my freelance venture

[mikey-Oh]

Hello s101! Making the most of my snowday. Instead of playing, I've decided to brand my freelance venture. Just to be clear, my dream job in freelance and life would be to make artwork and logos for bands, musicians and to make fine art. This includes and is not limited to gigposters, album covers, tshirts. Basically upper echelon design that's fun.

I get plenty of soccer decals, political signage, real estate with my day job, so these people are not my target. I'm looking for the youngish hip audience that can afford to drop some cash on artwork. Had bunches of fun playing around with letterforms.

What do y'all think?

 

[thinksigns]

I'd like to see Mikey, in red in a finger paint font paired with the Bloodbath from #2 in black. Maybe quotation marks around Mikey.

If I were to choose among the options as is, I think #3 is the most interesting.

 

[mikey-Oh]

Thanks Think! I plan on getting messy and working some splatters in once it's not 12degrees outside. Slinging paint might take on a whole new meaning, after couple beers and a decent backhand. Though I've always made some of the best splash/blotches with an ole toothbrush dipped in whatever medium.

 

[artbot]

if that's going to be your identity for his clientele, you're going to need to abandon any font. instead, build your name from scratch in illy or corel. stack it into some kind of emblematic sheild or something. bloodbath and cursive just don't brand together.

 

[MikePro]

i don't think i've ever seen "bloodbath" in any font that seems appealing. I definately like making it more personal and creative by fingerpainting/scanning/vectorizing in illy to give it more of a smear-signature effect.

 

[Rick]

Nothing beats real blood...before the computer, I got an exacto and cut my finger, flicked it on some paper, and got real splatter... blood has a certain consistency thats a little difficult to replicate.

I have always dug the clean logos of Aesthetic Apparatus, Heads of State, The Decoder Ring/Helms Workshop, Jay Vollmar, Little Jacket, and Methane Studios... your name may not work in that retro look, but you don't even need one logo with this type of work.

 

[Pat Whatley]

Nothing beats real blood...before the computer, I got an exacto and cut my finger, flicked it on some paper, and got real splatter... blood has a certain consistency thats a little difficult to replicate.

Ahhh...these darn kids today don't have that kind of dedication.

 

[VinylLabs.com]

Is bloodbath your last name?

even if it is, I don't know if I would use that as a company/consultancy name, it has a certain negative connotation

although if you do use it, I'd really suggest what rick said. let me do a quick 5 min concept.

 

[Fanaticus]

when I read this your post number was 666.

 

[VinylLabs.com]

I just re-read your post. which kinda nullified my styling I guess go with someting gritty and memorable? anyways, here's my 5 min concept.

 

[natedawg9640]

you could just go really informal with it. especially if you are going for the "music" crowd.

 

[thinksigns]

not to change your company name, but this keeps coming to mind

 

[Rick]

I was trying to get my kid involved with this type of work... one example is of his work in various forms (you can tell he likes psychobilly) the other is something that was done a while back. i think you can have a main logo, but have a few others. There are so many types of bands around.

With a "straight" but cool logo, you might have a wider range of bands to market too, but you can also make up your own stuff to put in a portfolio that shows you have a wide variety of illustration and lettering styles.

The last examples are not great, but start plastering up concepts but theme them... clever, and smart ass is good, even bad ideas are good because you get them out of the way or revisit them later to see if they can work after some thought.

 

[mikey-Oh]

Thanks for the input y'all!

if that's going to be your identity for his clientele, you're going to need to abandon any font. instead, build your name from scratch in illy or corel. stack it into some kind of emblematic sheild or something. bloodbath and cursive just don't brand together.

I like the shield or a crest concept. I'll give it a shot later tonight

i don't think i've ever seen "bloodbath" in any font that seems appealing. I definately like making it more personal and creative by fingerpainting/scanning/vectorizing in illy to give it more of a smear-signature effect.

This one's in the works. Just I've waiting for the weather to get better, cause it's gonna get real messy

but you don't even need one logo with this type of work.

That's the real problem I'm faced with. For the past six months I've sketched countless concepts, pushed letters around on a screen.... just need to finally commit and get that vacant webpage up and some business cards. Plan to run with the idea of multiple takes.

Ahhh...these darn kids today don't have that kind of dedication.

Oh, I wouldn't be too sure about that. Us okie's are a crazy lot. Here's a video of Wayne Coyne using his "dedication" to make a poster

Is bloodbath your last name?

Nope, it's a play on my last name, which is easily misspelled.

when I read this your post number was 666.

hehehehe

you could just go really informal with it. especially if you are going for the "music" crowd.

I like that natedawg, thanks for sharing!

not to change your company name, but this keeps coming to mind

and I'll keep doing it, until they catch me

 

[Craig Sjoquist]

If your trying to appeal to people that have money for design using your name which is fine..
Go with a rich looking simple card with your name on it in a modern plain font only, on back what, how, where, ...cutting edge design.. phone address, website. the simpler the better.

 

[Bly]

I think you're targeting the wrong market if you are looking for anybody with cash to splash around.
Any bands/young hipsters I ever did anything for were always dirt poor.

 

[drive]

I think you're targeting the wrong market if you are looking for anybody with cash to splash around.
Any bands/young hipsters I ever did anything for were always dirt poor.

So very, very true. I get requests from fellow dj's to do stickers for them. It usually goes something like "i have $40 to work with when my unemployment check comes in. I'm looking for about 200 stickers on reflective like the promoter guy."
(Promoter guy is a business man and we do real business.)