I need some constructive criticism

Hello,
I would like to hear the opinion of those with more experience in the design area. I have participated in some contests, haven't been successful and that's why I would to know how I can improve and how good or how bad I am.

I am including here an entry I submitted to a contest that is already fiinished, please take a look at my profile at the other entries I have submitted, I want to hear honest opinions, no matter what they are.

Thank you

Edited by zylax, 21 August 2013 - 06:04 AM.

Hi zylax Going through your profile, one thing I can recommend is to maybe try a more simplistic approach with logos. Sometimes less is more. Your PersonalManagement.info is a good example of a simple but effective logo. Logo contests on this website can be tricky because every Contest Holder is looking for something different. Plus you've only uploaded 20ish designs so far, which isn't a good indicator of how good you can be! So keep submitting work and be patient. Hopefully you will see results in the near future

Thanks for taking the time to reply HappyGD, and thanks for your words too. By the way, I saw your profile and I liked a lot the work you do, keep up the good work!

Thanks and no problem, just keep at it!

It doesn't matter how many entries you submitted and how many of them in your profile. Just make a nice logo.
You can try an old school technique: start designing in black and keep it simple. If needed start to make sketches on paper to develop the idea. Avoid overused shapes and fonts. Be original. If you can, make the typeface on your own, you don't need to come up with the entire font from a to z. I know it's hard, but if you don't want to design typeface, try to use heavily modified commercial and rare fonts. Pay attention to the details and curve's anchor points. One more thing: You should concentrate on one thing (accent) in your logo. Only one. Don't put everything in it. Sometimes CH wants everything, that logo needs to show this and this and this. Don't do that. Maybe you can win with such logo, but I wouldn't include it in my portfolio for sure. Don't use gradients too much. Stay away from them. You always can add them after. Think about possibility of engraving your logo. Don't use thin lines and shapes and the gaps in between. Don't look on the submitted entries by other designers. Sometimes it's enough to get an inspiration (the bad way meaning) from a single glance to copy someone.

Unfortunately, the specifics of such contest platforms is that most winning logo designs here are far from the professional logos frankly speaking, mine included, because in most cases CHs are far from this industry and you can't connivence them by providing arguments and comparisons in the comment section why this will not work and why other designer's logo is bad or good, etc etc. You can't even get a feedback from CH and don't understand his preferences and expectations. Briefs usually are mediocre. Another reason – a price they pay for the logos is too low comparing to the professional agencies/designers where logo concept develops for weeks or even months. When you work with the CH in person everything goes differently. So here, in order to earn money, you have to provide exactly what CH wants.

Read some articles online about color theory, corporate identity and illustration design, copyright infringements in the design industry.

Regarding your logo posted. It's hard to say... From the first glance it's the Days font. XY letters connected in a weird way and don't look like normal letters. Connection of the anchor points could be more accurate. The font has roundish corners, your shield in the XY has sharp corners, so my eye refuses to "read" it as something cool and original ... no offense.

Cheers, and good luck.

Edited by eximius, 14 August 2013 - 11:12 PM.

Thanks Eximius, that is valuable advice. I take no offense on any comment because I truly want to improvee and the only way to do it is to know the truth. I appreciate that you took the time to reply.