Fused Text/Object Logos - A bit of Giving Back

[alcbevtesting@alltel.net]

Hello everyone here. I just joined today and tried to see if I could post an image but could not. So I'll do some direction instead. I am by no means a designer nor claim to be any kind of expert but I have developed (with a lot of help of others with due citations given) a neat logo device tutorial that I call "Fused logos".

Others had done this type of thing before but no one has published details as far as I can tell. With extended tools in Illustrator the possibilities are endless and I just created some very nice examples. However, as I cannot post an image for some reason I'll direct anyone interested to www.spedsblog.blogspot.com for the simple early examples and my brief directions on how to do it. It will teach other newbies some neat ways of doing things in the same way that I learned a great deal from doing it.

Feedback is greatfully appreciated and this is just my bit of giving back to those who have helped me with tips, adiice and answers to those seemingly dumb novice questions.

Thanks for any interest and feedback.

[Scott Weichert]

Welcome!

You may find it much easier to simply add a new stroke via the Appearance Panel rather than outlining paths.

[alcbevtesting@alltel.net]

I do not know if I have permission to post images but everytime I try to hit the Insert Image (or upload image) icons my computer locks. Can anyone help here. How do I load images so folks do not need to search my blog site for the pictures I'd like some feedback on?

[alcbevtesting@alltel.net]

Scott,

Thanks for checking out the Logo's and the advice. I just posted a couple of more complex ones but will see if your tip could be applied to make it easier. If it might be useful to others I'd recommend someone like yourself write it up better than I can. I do think there is a lot of potential there as hopefully my new examples will illustrate to others.

Also there is a need for Beverage Labels in my field of interest and the industry folks are always looking for artists who need and can supply that kind of work.

Cheers,

Gary.

[TORCH511]

Do you happen to be using Internet Explorer 7?

The Window locks up, not my whole computer if I try and use the Insert Image icon.

You can get around it by just manually typing in the code wrapped in image tags like so:

<>http://www.somedomainname.com/images/imagefile.ext<>

Omit the < and >, I had to put them there so it does not try to display an image

[alcbevtesting@alltel.net]

http://www.alcbevtesting.com/BlogPostImages/Brew.gif
http://www.alcbevtesting.com/BlogPostImages/CityLife.gif

OK here, at Torch's suggestions are the two images I spoke of on Fused logos.

[TORCH511]

You need to get rid of the > after the leading IMG tag

I like the City Life one, though the tall thin text gets a little lost in all the linework.

And for the record, Beer needs no logo!

[alcbevtesting@alltel.net]

Thanks for the input. Yes it was an IE7 problem. Ah for earlier editions! (Maybe thats is also why I cannot get the spell-checker to work here?)

I test beer for a living and, with over 70 different styles recognized by the World Beer Cup and Great American Beer Festival, I would have to argue against you on the "beer needs no logo" front. Generically no but stylistically yes. But the "brew" was just a test for me. I have gotten these down to just a few minutes in most cases so some are just play-time to see what can be done.

Because the text and objects are fused I am not sure that the earlier comment about just adding a stroke from the appearances pallete would work - but I am probably totally wrong on this. I did try a couple of suggestions from Mordy Golding in a similar vein but could not get them to take. So far Mark Irons is the only one that I know of who could give me instructions on how to get started with these. But as I think they are so neat I welcome anyone taking off with this and doing a pro job instead of my beginners work here.

Cheers,

Gary.

P.S. There is a need for artists to put together striking beer, wine and spirits labels for an overcrowded (shelf) market and there might be opportunities here for some willing members. Labels that stand out from the crowd.

[TORCH511]

You can not have any spaces between the link and the tab.

http://www.alcbevtesting.com/BlogPostImages/Brew.gif

I love beer... I truely do. Favorite has to be Samuel Adams Boston Larger.

[Bobby H]

Here's one suggestion:
Don't distort the fonts.

Lots of people, especially those new to using drawing programs, will often squeeze and stretch type objects. The effect might seem kind of interesting at first glance, but it honestly yields an unprofessional result.

If you need lettering to fit within some pretty narrow spaces try using a typeface that is already naturally condensed or compressed. Fonts like Compacta are very good for that. Some other typefaces might be much better suited to reinforcing the "beer" theme than a squeezed weight of Myriad.

Type designers can literally spend years refining a letter style and crafting many different weights of it. There is a great deal of balance set into any decent typeface. All of that gets knocked out of kilter when the lettering is distorted. Monotone stroked sans serif fonts like Frutiger and Myriad Pro do not respond well to be squeezed. Their vertical strokes are suddenly too skinny and not within balance of the horizontal strokes. The weight and balance is just all wrong and looks like something from a fun house mirror.

Type distortion is not something that will be easy to hide either. Anyone who has looked at type seriously for any significant amount of time can usually tell very quickly when a font has been distorted out of its natural proportions.

[alcbevtesting@alltel.net]

Bobby,

Thanks for the reply. They sound like very good comments and I, and surely others, will take them into account. This will add weight to these type objects which, at least to me, are quite stunning if done right.

Thanks again.

gary.

[alcbevtesting@alltel.net]

I noticed a lot of folks viewing this but do not have a tracker on my blogsite. Please let me klnow if the instructions make sense (if you are visting the link), if they could be written better or if different ways of doing this are relevant. Let me know if the idea is a good one or not.

Gary.

[alcbevtesting@alltel.net]

My user name is GarySped (not alcbevtesting...). I signed up using that but for some stupid reason alcbevtesting is what i am stuck with. There is no way to change this as best i can tell from user CP. Also I got no response from sendind an Admin E-mail note. Anyone know if I am doomed to be alcbevtesting here forever?