Thoughts on this layout?

[sinetist]

So the cook has bought the small restaurant and wants a sign change and new image for the place. All he has is the name. He wants something simple but classic that says "Craftsmanship in cooking" (but not those words). No idea about a byline (but something along the lines of what I've put here). If there's any graphic it should be simple, he says. ( I sorta swiped the frypan idea from one of Joe Diaz's designs.
This will likely be routed from HDU (background taken down) with a dark green background, white letters and gold accents.
Here's a quick first stab in B&W. Any thoughts anybody?

 

[signgal]

neat name... I like the diamond thingies (thingies?! brainfart) but it doesn't say restaurant so much to me and it doesn't feel like the font style goes with the frying pan. I'd keep a easy-to-read font for the bottom line and use a looser/more casual font for the name. the pan gives it a gitchy feel but the font is very straight lace... man, I need sleep. LOL

 

[Mosh]

Make the top diamonds stop by the "F", so it is not above the F but kinda comes off of it, make the F a bit larger, but not much. Good start on the design. Oh and make

 

[iSign]

I had some ideas to try for you.. also, I heard green isn't always a good color for food related graphics... but I like green... just thoughts i'd repeat that anyway...

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[Mosh]

just an idea...Gold leaf letters....

BTW the last S needs to be fixed. but this was a two minute design....

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[Fitch]

Just a QUICK variation on iSign... does not always have to be square or rectangular.

 

[sinetist]

Very nice, Isign. thanks for taking the time. Good input from all. I'm working with it all.

I've also heard that green might not be a good color for restaurants and I'm trying to think if I've noticed it anywhere. There's a red awning over the door and small outside patio that's faded and worn that he wants to replace with a dark green one .... which would get the name on it also.

An aside -- Mosh, something I've noticed on all of your posts lately ... in the bottom right corner ... the little spinning icon ... it's there on your last one and every one I've seen in the past few days .... haven't seen that on anyone else's posts. I wonder if you or anyone else has noticed that.

 

[sinetist]

Lots of great input. I know he's gonna love what this ends up.

 

[Mosh]

I work down at the internet part time so that might be the reason for the green light thing...

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[Fitch]

Ah yes Mosh..... GOLD for sure

 

[iSign]

some nice looking ideas coming up for you.
I like fitch's sign shape & even one diamond looks good.

I didn't like the long rows of diamonds, as you can see, & I don't like the central "S" hanging below the baseline either. I felt you could get away with matching the F with the S at the far end, for symetry, so those were the first few impressions I got from looking at yours & tried to address in mine.

Your tagline seemed awkward to me... almost like saying "Artist drawing" where one of the two words needs to be plural.. something like that, so i came up with mine instead.

As far as a graphic goes, I didn't hate the pan, I just didn't like it there. Once I tried my 5 diamond rule line, especially at this black & white stage, it reminded me of the wrought iron hanging hook contraptions that cooks can hang pots from... like if you look at my sketch & picture the H is actually the last S in the smaller size, & picture my last big S being a pan, hanging from that rule line?? just a thought...

The only other half-baked graphic idea (pun intended) I had was some kind of blending of typical artist icons: brush, pallette, easel, french dude with a baret... and some chef icons like kinves, pans, chef hats, apron etc etc...

 

[sinetist]

Lots more to work with. The drawing board is getting full. My mind too. Tomorrow I know I'll pull something nice from it all.
Thanks all.

 

[acothran]

Some nice ideas. I like the pan/skillet in the original and would like to see Fitch's variation of iSign's idea, but with the skillet under the "S". I'm not so bothered by the big "S" hanging below the rule line but it does bother me that the "F" rises above the top rule line but the big "S" does not. I think the "F" either needs to come down or maybe even try to move the top of the "S" up, without skewing the letter of course. Thank for sharing.

Allen

 

[Jillbeans]

While I do like the tooled look of the font iSign chose, I do not like a layout with big capitals on both ends.
I used to think this was such a cool look, but now it just seems dated.
Also the chosen font looks stretched and I don't like that either.
Here is something using a font called Dominican and a skillet I made using the O and I from the font. I think maybe I should have put it on the left.
Just some food for thought.
Love.....Jill

 

[Salmoneye]

I normally love your designs Jill but this one conjures up images of Medieval times cookery than modern artisan cooking to me. It is very rustic. I liked Fitch's last effort, it looks 'high end'.

 

[sjm]

While I do like the tooled look of the font iSign chose, I do not like a layout with big capitals on both ends.
I used to think this was such a cool look, but now it just seems dated.
Also the chosen font looks stretched and I don't like that either.
Here is something using a font called Dominican and a skillet I made using the O and I from the font. I think maybe I should have put it on the left.
Just some food for thought.
Love.....Jill

Love it. Rustic, simple and speaks of quality in a tried and true tradition.

I think, a bit of flash doesn't hurt and while it makes a statement it does become a fad and boring rather quickly.

 

[Jillbeans]

OK, nixed the medieval look.
What? You don't like eels?

 

[sjm]

Salmoneye, notice the pan theme, ouch!

 

[Fitch]

Don't get me wrong here... PLEASE.

The only thing that bothers me about the last one that Jill submitted is this:

There is a basic saying in the sign industry... "You designed it... now build it".

This is NOT an old timer / youngin' thing nor a digital v paint point I am making. It is about DESIGN, and the ability to execute that design.

Now before anyone jumps on my case for saying this: let's just say that Jills design is going to be installed in Arizona - in 365 day sun. Inks from a digital printer are going to fade it quite quickly, even with lamination. Good for "repeat" business, but the owner has to either fork out more money, or be dissatisfied with a fading sign he can't afford to keep replacing.

Are you seeing my point (of design flaw v capability) yet?

So maybe lets use paint ( for longevity) as an alternative in the manner the sign is created in the first place. Now... I know Jill and I know she has the skills to do this. There are however many on the forum that just simply do not have either the desire or ability to work with paint. That blend Jill - as perfect as it is - VERY hard to do - even for an experienced person.

So I guess what I am putting forward is : think about the final output re design. Can it be painted, digitally printed, routed, plotted, embroidered, small, large, super large, gigantic etc.

Remember... the point to a good design is to have it as a tool to have your clients business grow and hence more business for you.

And before someone takes the route of " i'll just outsource it ", the idea in business is to make maximum $$$$ - not just a commission on others work.

Cheers

PS I actually like the design Jill.

 

[sinetist]

I know what you mean Fitch. I'm almost always thinking about how I'm going to produce what I design on the computer. I don't have a big printer but I do occasionally sub something out so not many of my signs are printed. It's easy to use a nice computer generated gradient on a design ... not so easy to reproduce it with a brush or spray gun. I can and do work with brushes and spray guns and do achieve some nice effects. I could probably do Jill's last layout with the tools I have but might make that skillet simpler.

I like both of Jill's contributions (thanks Jill) and have added her concepts to the drawing board. Trying to pull all of what's on that board together into a few really good possibilities to send to the client tonight/tomorrow

About the green color thing and restaurants .... did a search on that and found a few good articles about it. Blue is the color a restaurant should steer clear of according to a couple of them. Green seemed to be OK for accents. These, of course, were about colors inside a restaurant. Interesting.