I've been dying to create a new logo since I created my old one a little over a year ago. I wanted something fun and colorful since my packaging is colorful and I photograph about 99% children. I am in love with it, but of course there can always be room for improvement!

Let me know what you think.

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And then there's the not so colorful version.

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I like what you're getting at, with the colorful/whimsical thing...it just feels a bit too chaotic. I'd try and simplify somehow...in all honesty, I prefer your current logo over this, but see room for improvement for that too--in the colorful/whimsical department.

Thanks so much for the input! I love colors so I want to do something fun, but may end up sticking with the brown and blue. I used to like my old logo, but not anymore. *goes back to photoshop to think and create*

I really love this logo the brown and blue version, but i think all the stars are a bit too much...but they work for the colorful version

just my .02

I like stars, so I see where you're coming from, but there are tooooo many in this new version. I'm not a logoist, but I love to chime in with my opinion when it's asked for

I prefer the blue/brown version to the multi-colored and here's my suggestion...

I love it!either one!

I like the colorful version...it's whimsical and fun. I looked at your blog and I think it goes with your style very nicely. Now I don't know anything about designing logos...I just know what I like. Good luck!

I like this but do it in color. Make all the colors pop and vibrant. The one pink is clashing with the other colors you chose.

like the second of your logos, brown and blu, with the crown on the circle, dont like the swirly off the circle under the type, it looks like its out of proportion and stretched, and the stars are too much. remember you may want to print this small, so simpler will show better than small detail unless you pay for higher quality printing.

think the blue star is better than the brown star on the i. like lucky red hens script font over the sans photography.

try simply removing the swiggle and making a few adjustments, get it on a normal page and try printing it out to see which you prefer, see how it looks over images also. give yourself some options.

just my tfirst thoughts but definately a nice logo and font.

Oh Goodie! Ross responded to your post! Listen to him! He KNOWS what he is talking about. : )

I just wanted to add that it's not really about whether *you* like or get bored with your logo.
It's natural for us to get bored with this stuff... we live with it every hour of every working day! But imagine what the world would do if suddenly McDonald's trademark Arches suddenly changed to something like... cute panda bears and balloons! (It would be a marketing disaster, at best.)

I'm in the process of changing my logo, but it's only because our business' name is changing after 6 years, so I had little choice. And even then, it took me MONTHS to decide, OK... this really has to happen.

If you change your logo / marketing / branding often, it can come off as unprofessional and confusing for any potential clients out there.

Just my .02

As always, I'm captain negative...

• The ball/circle/A thing is disproportionately large to the rest of the name. It makes your name feel like a tail or some strange appendage.

• If the "A" is too large, then the "photography" is definitely too small.

• The letters in the name are spaced too far apart, making it difficult to read and causing it to feel like a bunch of separate units instead of a single name.

• The mark will never work small. Logos should work at the size of a quarter. If that happens, "photography" will never be legible.

• As Hen pointed out, too many stars.

• The colored version has way too many colors. The brown/blue is nice.

• Hen's version is an improvement; photography is larger (though not in a terribly legible font), and the A/circle is still too large to be in balance, but overall it's much cleaner. I'd continue down this path.

Some things to ponder:
What does the A in a circle mean? Is there a reason for it, or do you just like it?
Do you need the A in a circle AND the stars AND the swirlies? Or can you get a way with the A in a star?

(As always) I recommend hiring a designer to finalize your vision. You've got ideas, but your lack of experience as a pro designer will hurt you here. Just like someone who just bought their first point-and-shoot probably shouldn't be shooting a wedding; people with no design training shouldn't necessarily be doing their own logos--no matter how creative they are. That's not meant to be an insult, I'm just trying to advise you in a purely business sense. I want the best for you and your brand!

$.02

I'm noticing a trend with D.I.Y. logos. They suffer from excessive style. They're overcooked.

Remember that with logos that less is more (there are exceptions). When a logo tries to be too clever it suffers from meaning overload. It's like when everyone is screaming, noone listens. So try to stick to 1 maybe 2 design elements that communicate your message. The idea of simplicity is one of the many reasons why designing a logo is so difficult.

By the way, what happened to the lowercase "a"? It looks like the top part of the counter was flattened. Watch out for small details like that!

Hey there. I like the overall look in that it's pretty work. Pleasing, but I don't think it works very well as a logo.

A few things that stand out to me.

• Already been said, but the spacing of the letters. I see "dieLane" first and then I see the rest. That "d" should scoot over to the left if nothing else.

• The swirls coming off the circle and being the same color as the rest of your letters made me see a big fancy "Q" before I ever saw the "A". Maybe the "A" (if it has meaning to you) could be the focal point instead of the circle?

• Try to imagine what this would look like if you had to have it embroidered on a shirt in one color (ie. white thread on a black polo) at about an inch in width. It has the potential to get messy really quickly. The "A in circle" or maybe even the star could work on it's own, but the whole thing wouldn't make it at a small size.

If you look at my signature, the orange box with JG is my logo. That's the part that doesn't change no matter what I put around it. Kevin's KISS lips, New School fish etc. are all recognizable logos on their own. What you put next to it when you can is a whole other matter.

This is not meant to be harsh in any way, I promise! If you look at the other logo threads you'll see what looks like me always kissing Kevin's butt, but he really gives good advice about logos. Not that you should go out and do everything anyone says, but the things he's saying are definitely worth pondering.

-JG

I'll be honest - I think there's WAAAYY too much going on - esp in the first one. I like the concept, just think you need to simplify it a bit.

I quite like Shannon's go at it!

Thanks for the info. everyone! I thought I was fine, but you're right, simple is better. I'm chaotic and so was the first logo draft, but I don't want my clients to know that!

Here's my revisions.

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Love the blue and brown one very cute

i like the change and i still like the colorful version...i think it matches your style...you should go with the one you are leaning toward.

I'm kinda leaning toward the colorful one now that you've saturated the colors and changed the circle to bright pink. I think the dot over the i is better than the star since you're keeping the star in the circle (too many stars the other way). As Govinda mentioned, it matches your style and great for children (reminds me a little of Jinky Art's brightness).

I like version 2 on your 2nd post. I too like bright colors and less simplistic logos. As a consumer, they capture my eye better too. I am the odd ball!