My New Logo Contest

It's quite simple. You design a logo that I can look at every time I read and write at my own blog and you'll earn a permanent link in my footer, before the credits for the software.

The logo needs to be simple, with a transparent or white background. It can be a .png or a .gif, either will work. It's to be a replacement for the plain text in the center of the header. Need I say more? Oh, it should blend in with the color scheme already in place.

Every entry will be featured in a future article once I select the one I like. Don't be shy; you'd be surprised at what I like. Good luck!

Update: I neglected to put a deadline in. Let's make it for July 19th — about 10 days.

Update July 17, 2007: I think the deadline is too soon. Not as many people (those with design skills) have read this as I'd like. I'm moving the deadline out to July 31st and publicizing it on BlogCatalog and MyBlogLog today to see if I can get more people involved.

July 9th, 2007 By RT Cunningham | Categories: Contests, Website Design | |

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Russell Wagner on July 9th, 2007 at 4:27 pm (Reply)

Hey I may submit an entry. When does the contest end?
2. RT Cunningham on July 9th, 2007 at 4:32 pm (Reply)
  
  When I see one I like. Up to a month, I suppose.
hari on July 9th, 2007 at 4:57 pm (Reply)

I just sent you a sample. I want to know along what lines you need it to be designed to get an idea. Hope you like my effort.

I don't have photoshop, but GIMP does as good as job as I can expect, I suppose.
2. RT Cunningham on July 9th, 2007 at 5:03 pm (Reply)
  
  Hari, I forgot that you designed stuff like this. Sorry. I'll have to go check my spam area at gmail now because it didn't come through the POP using Thunderbird.
3. RT Cunningham on July 9th, 2007 at 5:06 pm (Reply)
  
  Okay, I checked it out. This is the kind of logo I'm talking about. If you don't mind, I need to give others a chance to show off their skills as well. I'm editing the post to include a deadline.
hari on July 9th, 2007 at 5:30 pm (Reply)

No problem. I've submitted a second version of it as well.

If you have any specific graphics/graphical elements in mind, let me know.
Jim on July 9th, 2007 at 9:17 pm (Reply)

Hey RT,

It would be nice if you posted the entries you get so your visitors could see them as well. If I were to see some work that I liked I might be inclined to see if they are interested in designing a logo for my site. I'm about as graphically inclined as a chimpanzee with a box of broken Crayolas.
2. RT Cunningham on July 9th, 2007 at 9:22 pm (Reply)
  
  That's in the third paragraph above.
  2. Jim on July 9th, 2007 at 10:50 pm (Reply)
    
    RT,
    
    Oops! I forgot to mention I'm blind in one eye and can't see out of the other.
Rose on July 17th, 2007 at 12:25 pm (Reply)

What did you have in mind? I might give it a try.
2. RT Cunningham on July 17th, 2007 at 12:30 pm (Reply)
  
  If I gave all the ideas, it would defeat the purpose.
  
  Simple is better.
The Irreverent Buddhist on July 17th, 2007 at 2:54 pm (Reply)

Hi there,

Can't resist a challenge. I've broken your brief a bit though - I see the logo on the left - I imagine another one in the middle - I see confusion …

So the logo linked below has been designed to be placed at edge left and replace the centre text and the existing left placed logo.

Best wishes with yr hunt

Matthew
2. RT Cunningham on July 17th, 2007 at 2:59 pm (Reply)
  
  I don't see the link. Don't wrap it in the tags, just put the url itself. (I defeated tags in comments for a variety of reasons).
The Irreverent Buddhist on July 17th, 2007 at 2:59 pm (Reply)

hmmm .. yr platform snipped my link to the logo I designed for ya if you click on my name ^^^^ here .. it should take you there …
2. RT Cunningham on July 17th, 2007 at 3:01 pm (Reply)
  
  I see it! That's pretty good!
  
  I just had an idea. If I get a lot of good ones, I'm going to have difficulty selecting. Perhaps I should put up a poll and let the readers choose the best of the best?
The Irreverent Buddhist on July 17th, 2007 at 3:05 pm (Reply)

Hey I'm glad you like it … that took me .. oooh … twenty minutes with Photoshop … I'm not a designer but working in publishing and Marketing for years I have a "feel" for these things.

Reader Poll = not such a grand plan, imho … it is your blog and if you let the readers decide they may well chose something you don't like.

Thats OK if you are fairly unattached to your site but most people are more attached than they believe to such things. I would be surprised if you are not disappointed by leaving it to readers.

Matthew
2. RT Cunningham on July 17th, 2007 at 3:08 pm (Reply)
  
  You're probably right. I may end up rotating headers month by month instead. At this point, I don't know how I'll select the best. Oh well, I'll cross that bridge when I get there.
  2. The Irreverent Budhist on July 17th, 2007 at 3:15 pm (Reply)
    
    .. rotation also a bad plan … readers won't know if they are coming or going …
    
    One way or another you have to bite a bullet with such things. Why don't you do this, two stage process:
    
    1/ Reader poll, which
    
    2/ You "bear in mind" when making your own final choice.
    
    You could display all of the submissions on a page for a week and ask people to leave comments on how they see the entries and vote for their fave.
    
    This way you get reader involvement - which will help inform your decision, maintain ownership of that decision and come up with one logo you then stick to.
    
    I tweak and redesign my site constantly, sometimes completely (at least once a year), but every time a few readers complain.
    
    Its not where I want it to be, graphically, in any sense at the moment - just can't face doing the whole redesign thing at the moment.
    
    Looking forward to seeing all the entries when you post them. The wonderful variety of creative responses to such a challenge can be awesome.
    
    Matthew
    2. RT Cunningham on July 17th, 2007 at 3:41 pm (Reply)
      
      Thanks for the ideas, Matthew! I'll certainly think about it before doing anything.
The Irreverent Buddhist on July 20th, 2007 at 4:02 am (Reply)

RT

Would you use a jpeg/jpg image? my logo comes out much nicer jpg because of the colour depth. its still only 25k

if yes http://www.fuckum8.com/Untwisted.jpg

You'll see what I mean.

matthew
2. RT Cunningham on July 20th, 2007 at 4:06 am (Reply)
  
  jpg, gif, png, doesn't matter - whatever looks the best. I'll change it to the jpg version for the next update (in about a week).
  2. The Irreverent Buddhist on July 20th, 2007 at 4:16 am (Reply)
    
    ta v much yr a gent even more so if you do it sooner I dont like the GIF version lol
    
    There's some real talent in the entries. You will have a challenge chosing.
    
    I've been pasting each logo into the header on a snapshot of your screen to see how they look "on the page".
    
    People paid £400,000 for the Olympic logo and the website gave twelve people epileptic fits and the logo is a misfit.
    
    You're gonna pay nothing (ok a link ) and have at least four or five logo's that are better at communicating your brand. hehehehe - no wonder anything government gets involved in is crap.
    
    matthew
Ms. Latina Renee on July 23rd, 2007 at 2:55 pm (Reply)

Hey There!

Thanks for the invite. Good idea. I hope you get something nice.

Maybe you could refer a few designers my way. I'm willing to give credits for a few logos also. Perhaps Matthew would be interested, or any other of your friends.

Here's my email: signup@msmoneygirl.net

Lets keep in touch!
The Irreverent Buddhist on July 27th, 2007 at 6:02 pm (Reply)

Sorry ms Latina Renee but your blog looks like you are trying to make a buck from it - it has no soul - in which case I can't help you.

Even if RT happens to make a buck on the side from his I don't see that as being his main purpose - perhaps more of a lucky discovery that might help boost his pension - so I don't mind helping out.

If you are in the blogging game for profit then why not pay a designer and coder to create your site for you. Nothing else will maximise your profits to the same extent and you will be paying a fair price for their services.

Best wishes

Matthew