May 27
Back to the drawing board?
2009 at 10.23 am posted by Veerle Pieters
I’ve been thinking about redesigning my blog’s logo icon for a while now, but didn’t find a moment so far to spend much time on it. Finally, a few weeks ago I thought I had nailed it down and came up with this simple icon…
I was happy with this icon for so many reasons. Most of all it is simple. Simplicity is always something I try to achieve in a logo design and it's often the hardest thing. Circles are my favorite shapes in general. The geometrical style of this icon is exactly what I was looking for. It's also ideal to create a favicon from. The three circles also have an underlying meaning because they represent the three different directions I would go with my new blog (yes, I'm working on this). The number three is always nice to work with, geometrically speaking. The icon kinda reflects my love for colors as well, as it does remind you a bit of the typical RGB model where three circles overlap each other. There wasn't really anything negative about it. I was convinced. Until I bumped into a very similar icon.
This will not be my new icon after all
Guess my happiness didn't last very long. After seeing this icon it's clear I can't use my icon as it is now and I need to either completely redesign it or at least modify its shape so it doesn't look similar to this icon. This is actually the second time something like this happened. Without my knowing I create something that looks scarily similar to what somebody else has created. Then again, this shape is really simple, it's just three circles after all. The other situation had the same problem, so simple that you wonder if anybody else hasn't thought already of this idea. Luckily I was able to change things in time. There are of course these other situations as well where people take my design, change a few tiny details, but definitely not enough to call it being inspired, and claim them their own.
Who's behind the other icon?
For people who wonder where I saw this logo, well stupidly I don't have the URL anymore :( I've been searching and searching in my NetNewsWire's feed archive and couldn't find it, sigh. It was via via, I'm 90% sure it was via Graphic Hug, you know how it goes and I didn't think of saving the URL. Anyhow I can assure you it is out there, so for me it means I'm back to the drawing board.
36served
1
There’s also the ATV ident from 1970s television in the UK!
Having said that, I honestly believe your design is different enough not to worry about it. The three spots you’ve put at the intersections give it a character all of its own.
2
Oh Veerle,
I know that situation for sure! I designed a logo for a personal project years ago. I created it 100% from scratch without any real inspiration from other logos. It was a crown out of circles. I loved the final logotype.
But a few days before I wanted to present it to the clients a friend of mine showed me his photos of his australia-trip.
And there was my logo on one of the pics. Not on a store or some. No! It was on the “Royal Crown Casino Brisbane”!!
I totally freaked out. They where nearly identical!
But I think that is how a designers life goes. We just can not reinvent the wheel. :)
So go back to the drawing board and create another stunning logo. I am sure you will! :)
Cheers from bonn, germany, Oliver
3
You know what I saw that you didn’t mention? The imaginary ‘V’(eerle) if you connect the three white dots in the middle. That’s one important thing the other one doesn’t have ;-)
4
Are you sure it was a logo and not just figure L.16 in ISO-32000-1 (better known as the PDF Reference Manual)? ;-)
5
That’s a tough one! I’m like 99% sure I’ve done this too once, similarly to what Oliver mentioned. This always reminds me of the old saying “it’s all been done”.
With regards to your new logo, I would definitely keep it! I like it a lot, and having been a reader of your blog for some time, I think it absolutely suits your style! I agree with Rose that the white dots, creating the imaginary V in the middle, makes it totally unique from the other.
I think with this type of style, geometric and simple, the field is already very crowded, and you’ll always sorta end up looking like something else. I think the important thing is that there are aspects about it, the colors your chose, the white dots, that are undeniably original.
6
I also think yours is more than different enough to be called your own. Apples and pomegranates.
7
Why worry about it? You couldn’t even find the ‘look-alike’ logo again, anyway!
I say ‘use it, if you are happy with it’.
8
Veerle, if you really do like your design, as I do, then go with it. ‘Legally’ speaking, it is clearly a different logo. My girlfriend is a copyright/patent lawyer and she informs me that you would have absolutely no problems with your design. (With the right counsel, of course :) )
Anyway, I think it’s a very elegant design as is always the case with your work.
9
I’m not sure you really have anything to worry about here.
I think three intersecting coloured circles has been done enough times (and in enough infant school art classes) to brush aside any potential accusations of plagiarism here.
10
Why don’t you make a variant, the idea is really good:
I’ve had the same with a logo once. It’s really sad when you have a really good idea.
There’s a theory that every logo is allready made once, so that might relax you :)
11
This is one of the drawbacks of trying to make something nice with only a few basic elements or shapes. Chances are that somebody (maybe not even on purpose) already “designed” it. But it also works the other way around, creating a logo with limited elements increases the risk of someone creating more or less the same thing (without knowing this).
The design piracy you are referring to is imho different since your design was more than “carefully placed and colored shapes” and “used” as it was with a few tweaks.
When I saw your logo it instantly reminded me of the visualization of the closure gestalt principle:
And there are probably a lot more equivalents of this shape/ordering idea. That does not mean that a variation of not one of the many can really stand out or the rest. I personally think it is a interesting addition to the other design.
In the end it all boils down to the story behind your design :)
12
I’ve suddenly started seeing variations of the overlapping circle design everywhere. Which is disappointing, as I had made a few variations on my own:
The first one doesn’t really do any color mixing:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ialexi/2727146362/
The second one, which is less creative but simpler and, perhaps, more suited to its purpose, is pretty much the most visible item on the home page of a website I made:
http://create.tpsitulsa.com/
And, just yesterday, I found out that the most recent Wired magazine (which was sitting in my Dad’s office) had a cover design somewhat similar as well. True, none of these match exactly, but it is still a bit disconcerting.
I suppose it is just a common design.
On the other hand, I think your design is one of the more unique variations. As others have said, if you like it, keep it. The basic premise of three overlapping circles is so simple that no one person or entity can hold claim to it. And you added to the basic concept as well, making it your own.
13
It’s a color venn diagram. It’s pretty common image:
http://similar-images.googlelabs.com/images?q=-&qtype=similar&tbnid;=-W8ZM4cdv1jZGM&ndsp=21
I think your design is maybe a bit unremarkable (though the white dots are something I haven’t seen before), but it’s definitely not any kind of intellectual theft.
14
Hai Veerle,
I made a logo last year for a project of mine Duurzaam Webdesign.
After a while I discovered that the
Centerparcs logo is looks like mine. See centerparks homepage
Funny isn’t it?
Gr, Edgar
15
I tend to sit on the side of simplicity and the more complex veriations posed above seem to take away from the simple but impactful look or your first go.
In comparison with the version you found, yours still came across as distinct - and we where not left craving wonder bread.
16
Veerle, you’re working with very basic shapes. This combination is not special in itself. Doesn’t need to be because simplicity in shape is what you’re looking for. But with these ingredients you can’t re-invent the wheel.
As some others here I too think that the difference between your shape and the one you found is big enough to continue with it.
Just think how many logo’s are made just with rectangles, circles and triangles. Yours is made up of different colors. This is a choice you made, a design choice that is relevant. Also you have placed white circles on top of the intercection of the larger circles. Now this is a big one! All in all reasons to claim that your logo/shape stands on it’s own.
Come on, go for it! I like it a lot.
17
Got an idea for another variant:
Might inspire you to take a new look at the concept, it’s easy to continue on the same path after all.
18
Dont take this the wrong way - I LOVE your site design. But maybe its time to throw a refresh on that drawing board as well?
When you have time of course. ;)
19
Was this the similar icon you saw? http://www.tmpworldwide.com.au/
20
Keep trying, i’ve been keeping an eye on your work for a while now, you are very inventive. I’m sure you will come up with something new!
21
Good News - the logo you saw was…
http://graphichug.com/2009/05/15/atelier-1a-glenn-garriock/
Now as a saught after art director / designer and illustrator my onpinion is that it is not close enough to stop you using what is a great peice of work and identity creation - without subliminal influence nothing would ever change and it is clear that ou didnt sit there with the illustrator file open and a coppy of the image you felt you copyed side by side while “changing it enough to get away with it” like some non creatives! Use the logo its sweet!
22
Hi,
I wouldn’t worry because of similarity with shown sign. You could play a little bit with sizes so there is more flexible use of icon. Also, it could work well as three donuts, so, you can make a little plastic feeling to it. But, who am I to measure. Your work is great and shows that you clearly developed your skills and style, and you know what you’re doing. At least for your clients ;)
23
Veerle, your title reminds me of an old studio saying from the days when we actually used drawing boards. You will understand the subtlety - back to the drawing BORED !
24
Surely that image can’t be protected. It is basically a primary colour diagrams (isn’t it paint primaries?).
http://www.webreference.com/programming/javascript/mk/column3/
25
Thanks for commenting. I know a lot of you say if I’m happy with it I should keep it, and I appreciate it, but honestly, I’m starting to hate it more and more now. The more variations I see, the more I’m convinced this icon might not have enough personality that I thought and the more I’m convinced to start over from scratch.
Diana said:
and,
Monkey said:
I’m afraid not, no, but thank you for sharing. It’s really exactly how it is in the image as this is a screenshot.
26
Another similar one with a different twist at Logo of the day and some interesting comparisons at Logo design love. Looking forward to seeing what you end up with! Always a pleasure following your projects.
27
I sympathize. I went through a couple of iterations of design and layout for my blog.
28
Veerle,
After you came up with all of those new shapes and designs in your spirograph tutorial, I would think that you could use one of those, or a modification thereof as your logo, without a problem. The circles and primary colors are just basic to graphic design, and since you put that tutorial up, I have noticed other similar examples on the web, but not just like yours! A lot of logos are constructed of those basic shapes - if they were all copyrighted, we would have run out of shapes a long time ago! I think you should go with whatever you like, and not worry about it - I am sure you can come up with something original, even if based on overlapping circles, with some other shapes, too!
29
Don’t mean to be insulting, but the overlapping circles reminded me of Mickey Mouse! I understand the attraction to circles, (circles represent femininity but I think you can come up with something much better than that.
30
Love the colors in your logo so don’t scrap em!
Funny, the same thing happened to me recently and my work was already off to the printers so it could be worse, trust me! I guess the simple/obvious solutions are no longer a slam dunk; sigh. Too many people :)
31
Another idea - it is always nice to put a unique shape inside of a circle as the background, using two different colors, like white on something else. You could create a unique shape and plop it onto the circle as a cut-out, (for lack of better word) and come up with a new logo - taking ideas from your designs with the spirographs… There are a lot of circle logos out there with leafs, or other organic shapes that look really good, and the basic idea is used over and over just with a new shape image in the center.
32
I believe you could do much better than that logo, based on your other artwork and tutorials. These colors do not compliment each other well, even if they are your favorites. They create an unbalanced appearance because the dark pink is overpowering the blue which is overpowering the light greenish. I know you can do better. And the three white dots seem out of place within the entire thing, as if they were an afterthought.
It also seems like it might be a logo for a button manufacturer rather than graphic designer.
33
As you might have seen from the comments, this sort of logo has been done a thousand times already, but mostly this was done using the primary colours, which you didn’t.
Saying that PLUS the fact there’s 3 dots that make a “V” in your logo/icon thing, make yours far more original than those others.
I’d say go ahead and use it!
This also reminds me of some annoying episode of southpark.. “Simpsons Did It!”
34
Thank you all again for taking the time to comment. I think I have seen enough circles to last me a lifetime :) It’s very clear this icon was a bad idea and I trashed it the moment I wrote this post. The new icon is coming along nicely. It’ll be colorful for sure, with way more personality, but no circles… Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have an icon to finish ;)
35
No here is one more… :-) dropshado.ws
36
Out with the old,in with the new. Good Luck!
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