RNEST Logo Update

I've been working on the RNEST logo some more. They turned out agreeing on using mine...mostly because no one else submitted any. There were some notes from September's meeting (which I was not able to attend) about the logo...that they wanted a color version. I was stuck on using the Hand version I had done and was getting frustrated with trying to color it. The best I had come up with was the version below, but I was still not satisfied with it. It just didn't look right to me.

October's meeting was last night and I was able to attend. We talked about the logo and the difficulty I had been having with figuring out a color version. It tuns out I was trying to make it too complex. For one thing, they liked the most basic logo (the one with no extra graphics). They agreed that it was hard to make a "color version", but someone had the brilliant idea of just putting a colored "swish" behind it. Brilliant! Why didn't I think of that? (oh...that's right, because I was trying to make things too complicated!)

So pulled out my laptop and whipped up a quick "swishy" version while we moved onto other business. They loved it. Then when I got home, I came up with this version with colors for Halloween (when I asked about color scheme at the meeting, they said it would be cool to just change it with the seasons).

I did another version with a little spider for some extra Halloweeny spookiness...

A square avatar/icon version with just the "R" was also requested...

The other night, I was taking a break from the frustration of colorizing the logo. I was looking at new fonts on DaFont.com and after finding some new, crafty fonts, I was playing around and came up with this alternate version of the logo...

It's a bit edgier looking, I think. I don't think we'll change to this logo or anything. I didn't even really bring it up at the meeting. I really just wanted an excuse to play around and use some of the new fonts...particularly that button "R".

RNEST Logo

I've been working on a logo for a craft community I'm a part of called RNEST (Rochester NY Etsy Street Team). At the last team meeting (which I actually made it to!), we talked about designing a logo for the team, and having a contest among the members to determine what logo we would end up with. I am a graphic designer (it's what I actually went to school for) so I got all excited and have been working on my submissions. I have one central "RNEST" design...

And I have 2 more elaborate designs that include the basic design. My main goal was to encapsulate as many craft types as I could, since the team has members who work in many different crafts and mediums. It's challenging to come up with a way to say "handmade" visually without sticking with one particular craft...like sewing or knitting.

(I used Adobe Illustrator for these and "drew" most of the aspects freehand. I'm a big fan of the "fude" brushstroke. The only non-brushstroke aspects are the R and the main part of the E...where I used a font for the text. And obviously, the "Rochester NY Etsy Street Team" part is a font.)

I'm leaning toward liking the "hand" one better (the first one). We'll just have to see which one my fellow RNESTers like...If any! Another artist might make a logo better than either of mine. Which do YOU like better? (tell me in the comments!)

Doodley Monster Designs

I got emailed by Happycloud Thunderhead today to give me the options for my custom monster finger puppets I won. I started out with doing some doodles to try to figure out how I wanted my puppets...

But then I decided to take the options diagram he sent me and use Photoshop to edit it into a diagram of what I wanted my custom monsters to look like. I did it mainly so I could easily edit the colors. Deciding what colors I wanted was the hardest part. I could design a dozen! These were my final choices... (I can't wait until they arrive! It should be sometime in the next two weeks)

Speaking of monsters and doodles, here are my doodles for those Where The Wild Things Are Nubbins I want to make...

Mad Scientist Studio

I have a fascination with how certain people can use found objects and old random junk and turn it into beautiful art or shabby-chic, rustic decor. I can be such a style schitzophrenic sometimes, because I love so many different styles, but can't possibly do them all cohesively in one apartment.

Anyway, check out this post over at Design*Sponge. I only skimmed over the words, I was looking more at the pictures.

Sometimes I wish I had a space to have a "mad scientist" studio. That looks a mess, but isn't a mess all at the same time. My "studio" right now is just a plain mess. That's why we have bamboo screens to shut it away from view when we have people over.

~Sigh~ I'll get organized someday.