Graphic Design/Logos

gran_national

Any of you guys have a resource for logos and designs for the sandblasting industry? I'm looking to get some business cards made up and I'd like to have a logo or something to go on it. Nothing cheesy though.

CO2Solutions

My buddy just starting a business last week and wanted the same thing, a great logo for his business - a great marketing tool that helps you stand out from the others. He did one of those design contests, I think he paid out $150 for his logo - which is pretty good. Here's a site that does it:
http://www.designcontest.net/
I think the idea is a bunch of graphic designers will design a logo each (my friend had approx 50 to choose from) from your description and then you choose the winner and pay. Check it out...at least this way you see various samples...

gran_national

Wow, that's really cool! I never knew there was anything like that! How do you copyright the logo they design for you? Do you have a link to the logo your buddy had made? It'd be neat to see.

mickeyco

Where are you located?



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__________________
Some people climb mountains. I take out the trash. But we both do it for the same reason.

gran_national

South Cental Pennsylvania

CO2Solutions

not sure about copy right laws in the US and how it works? I'm sure there's some litiature on the site about this.
Of course here I never copy righted my logo either - I personally wouldn't put too much worry into it.
No, he doesn't have a site yet. My other friend that is a graphic designer did my logo:

He currently does other work, otherwise I'd get you to e-mail him a request.

firemike

I also know a great graphic designer, he does work for clients all over the country and is very good. PM me is you need his contact info

__________________
-Mike-

MEDIA MAN

I just want to make some comments and offer my advice.I had a silk screen, embroidery and vinyl graphic business for 13 yrs. Just got out this Jan. due to dishonest partners.
Anyway, I exclusivly did the graphics. Some things to think about are keep your logo simple. Incorporate common fonts. Try to keep it to 1,2 or 3 colors only. Can it be used stacked as well as in a straight line.
The more you have in a logo the harder it is to take in and remember all of it. Stay away from small or too thin of lettering. You never know what you will put your logo on. Small lettering does not work well in "Left Front Chest" embroidered logos. Lettering for Embroidery should remain 1/4" tall to be legible.
The CO2 Solutions concept logo is good. It's simple and clean. But tough to reproduce in embroidery as is. The small letters will have to be manipulated a little as to not sink away into the material and bolder so they are legible; the gradient fill on the bottom element is also hard to reproduce in embroidery. It can be done but usually does not look good because of the small size (LFC) and thread does not blend like ink does. It works well if the substrate is white but what if you put it on something darker. What happens to the 'Ice Cubes"?
What you should keep in mind is what are you going to be putting this logo on. You never know in the beginning but you may want to do a show and have pens to pass out or what ever. As a graphic artist one thing always bothered me. People who create logos don't always take into concideration what the logo will be used on. A logo should reproduce well on a pen as well as on a billboard.
Also do not incorporate a lot of different colors into a logo. The more colors the more it will cost. Silk screening is based on number of colors in a design and most count white and black as colors in a design. Embroidery is largely based on the number of stitches in a design. Use common fonts that most shops will have. If its custom; it will have to be reproduced if you take your logo somewhere that does not have it. Therefore costing you more money for computer time.
As for vinyl graphics. The real pains are rivits on trailers. Here again make sure your lettering is bold enough to cover if it would fall on to a rivit. Just remember you may label your equipment; helmet, blast pot as well as your compressor so make sure the logo works well with it all. It is good to have everything labeled on large job sites so you go home with what you came with.
Again I want to stress make sure who developes the logo understands that you may want this silk screened on t-shirts; embroidered on jackets and shirts for trade shows; the doors of your truck, the sides of your trailer and all your equipment. Be prepared to pay a set up for each medium because each is produced differently.

gran_national

Great advice MEDIA MAN. I was looking at CO2's idea of the designcontest.net and the logo's people are getting on there are awesome. You basically tell them what you're looking for, colors and any other details, post how much you're willing to pay the winning entry and they fall over themselves to design really cool logos. Not one that I've seen is anywhere near cheesy! I might go that way, but I want to just get a few jobs under my belt to see how this goes before I go putting money into logos, sticker, shirts and that kind of thing.

CO2Solutions

MEDIA MAN is right - keep it simple and a couple of colors. You want it simple to digest for anyone that looks at it...still try to have it be different though - not too plain and boring.
And yeah, MM you are right - on my shirts and hats, embroidery is enlarged a little for my logo to come out perfect. Actually the ice cubes turned out really well...I dropped them (cubes) from my hats because of the stitching on the hats were too thick in the front for the embroider to get through.
Good luck!

blastserv

i used flying rhino for a logo design first...it went so well that i had him layout my business cards...that also went so well i went ahead and had him do my website.the guy is good and very responsive to what youask...maybe copy mine,idont care.

blasterv.com

blastserv

sorry...flyingrhinocmg.com

killzoneq2

Here is mine, I had a local print shop come up with it and this is my business cards and magnets that I have on my trucks. It is pretty generic but it has worked so far. The next batch of cards will have a small list of things I do. Most people who call for sandblasting know what its used for. The list will be for those who don't have a clue as to the versatility of blasting.

blastserv

wether or not if your are actually using sand i think it is important to use the word sandblasting in your name or some kind of slogan/signage due to the huge amount of people the have no idea what media is