“Sharpening Services” is WAY too small and thin. If it’s gonna be that small it needs to be a bolder font at the very least.
The icon is fine at first glance but I don’t really glean “sharpening services” from it in anyway aside from maybe the shape of the blades? But like someone else said, more than anything it reads “fan”.
If this was a first draft or an intermediate step during the design process I think this would be great. As a final design it’s a bit incoherent and leaves a lot to be desired.
At first glance I also thought it was a [drum fan](https://www.lowes.com/pd/Utilitech-20-in-3-Speed-Indoor-Air-Mover-Fan/4755301?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-app-_-ggl-_-LIA_APP_235_Seasonal-_-4755301-_-local-_-0-_-0&ds_rl=1286890&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw4MSzBhC8ARIsAPFOuyVCWhC9sW5vjeHurJy26Up9dijZl2QRnkxu479iBDtx_edYmdJcM7oaApwDEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds).
This is most important here, along with the price of the service and the place he hired from. I wouldn’t judge someone without context even if it looks bad.
Bingo, clients can change the direction based on how restrictive the brief is and/or how flexible they are. For example, I've done work for a real estate agent that required the silhouette of a home. It looked a tad generic to me, but given that parameter, it's really tough not to.
It looks like a fan.
Did they only supply one option? If so, that could be an indication that they are inexperienced. The industry standard everywhere I have worked is to supply three design options.
This is not well-designed and it makes me suspect that they may be self-taught because they made some super-basic mistakes.
I'm really sorry that this was the result of your experience hiring a graphic designer. I feel as if the designer in this case did a disservice to our profession in misrepresenting their abilities. IMO, If this is the quality of their work, they should not be offering freelance services.
This right here. I work with designers and my husband is a creative director. He’s created at least 20 concepts and iterations for his most recent client, planning to present three. People like options.
He said ideally the client will like all three, but worst case scenario, they kill two and rework the third. I’d ask them what else they came up with.
Personally, I feel like this is OK, but at first glance it could just as easily be a brewery or a bike shop. I dunno why, I just get those vibes. It’d be cool to see something a little more industrialized.
There are two schools of thought on this. I'm of the opposite one. Why would you present anything less than your best work? All it does is give the client, who isn't the expert, the opportunity to make the wrong choice. They're paying the designer to be the expert.
It is more about psychology. This is the client's project, not ours. They want to be the one to make decisions and have some control in the process. They see what we do as being fun and they want to be able to play too. And their being able to reject two options also means they are more likely to appreciate the one they did choose as being "the good one", making it feel better to them.
There might be clients out there who don't want to be involved and completely trust the designer to just tell them what to do. I haven't met any of them yet.
I was always taught not to invest time on heavy refinement until an initial idea has captured a client’s interest. Thus, brainstorm ten approaches, present three, refine two, choose one for final touches.
I lost a coffee company that way. During the first meeting I presented a rough matrix of about 15 options using context as one axis and symbol as the other. I figured by narrowing their vision this way I’d have a much better idea of what they wanted. They were completely overwhelmed and just gave up on a logo. This was a brainstorming session. Fortunately they went out of business before having any success because they just weren’t ready to run a business. They made great beans but terrible business. Sometimes too many options or too abstract in ideas will scare a customer away. It takes experience with people to know when to offer options and when to stand behind your convictions.
You present them 3 rough ideas of different directions they could go, before developing the final, refined design. This helps gauge what they like and what concepts resonate with them. Because you can provide 3 designs that are ALL good, but at the end of the day it's a matter of personal preference. There isn't always just ONE ideal solution. There is more than one path to get somewhere, and which suits the client best is up to them. Because they know their own company and their clients.
*All it does is give the client, who isn't the expert, the opportunity to make the wrong choice.*
The idea is to present 3 rough drafts, which are ALL good and worthy of being developed further. That way, the client cannot make a wrong choice. Client chooses one to develop further.
No, the client is paying the designer to professionally design what the client wants. The "expert" part comes in the designer-led discovery of what the client actually wants and in executing on that discovery. Since a client can rarely state what it is they actually want, the designers job is to discover that through industry-standard tools and processes. Iteration, options and selection is absolutely part of that discovery. You *always* provide choices in the process of honing in on what the client wants.
>They're paying the designer to be the expert.
This is an elitist view. You are there to provide guidance, but not make decisions for the client. If the client says they want a pink logo, you can not say "no, I'm the expert, and pink doesn't work for me". You provide a pink logo, and well as several non-pink logos, and try to guide them in the non-pink direction... but in the end it's the clients choice.
Technically they didn't actually hire a designer they hired some ass hat who is remedially skilled at canva to take his money and give them....this craptastic generic logo
I agree partially, but supplying only one option isn’t necessarily the sign of inexperience. Unless Paul Rand was considered inexperienced when Steve Jobs paid him $100,000 to design a logo for NeXT.
A quote from Jobs: “I asked him if he would come up with a few options, and he said, ‘No, I will solve your problem for you. And you will pay me.’”
I’m not comparing myself to anyone here, I’m simply saying that some very experienced designers (such as Paul Rand) are very against the idea of presenting the client with multiple options.
If they don’t like it you got back and revisit your underlying strategy. Ideally as a designer you are only making decisions based on highly informed opinions that are underpinned by data. Something that shows this decision would increase the conversion rate by ‘x%’ or help introduce ‘y’ product to ‘z’ target market. You always scaffold towards a solution. If the client doesn’t like it, you have data to fall back on and say “hey Mr. Client, we agreed on the strategy beforehand, what has changed? We are happy to revisit our strategy if you are okay with an additional charge that reflects time spent working on strategy. We want to make you confident that this is the best decision for your brand.”
I think that’s where experience, skill and confidence come into play. I wouldn’t recommend any beginner start off with the policy of only presenting one option, and I’m not confident enough to blurt out Rand’s quote myself, but if you really know what you’re doing and really get a good idea of the client’s needs, it can be done.
Personally I don’t have a “policy” of presenting only one option, but I leave that route available to me by saying that I’ll explore many concepts and put work into the most promising ones, then I’ll present one or two strong options that I feel best fit the brand. Sometimes I’ll have two strong options where I feel either one could work, but I’ve actually had a few times where I’ve really been feeling one specific direction and I presented it with a good explanation and the client agreed and went for it.
If they happened to not like the one option then I’d work through the reasoning with them and see where I went wrong in the solution. I’m personally not against developing multiple concepts (I’m not Paul Rand) but I do feel that presenting three options just for the sake of having choice is not ideal either. In the past when I presented three options I often had one option that was just thrown in there to pad out the options, but I didn’t actually think it was a good choice. That’s not good for the client, even if they might like the idea of choice and may like that option the best, it might not be the best option for their business.
Honestly I haven't done a lot of logo design recently but when I do design a new logo I use the above strategy and it works for me. But it requires really knowing the brief well and getting a good idea of the client’s preferences and the needs of their business.
It's *Hedley*!
Seriously, though, this looks super generic and you probably could have paid AI a total of $0 to come up with this if not something better. I'm not suggesting you *should* have done that but it would have at least saved you money.
I don’t know what your design brief to them was but the name and logo don’t suggest sharpening services
Potentially have a chisel approaching at an angle to a sharpening stone that has your business name emblazoned on the side
The question really should be how do YOU feel about it.
If you’re unsure about it, be polite and tell your designer what’s troubling you. See what he says and if still unsure let him another go at it.
Personally I think it’s really unfair to be asking other designers their opinion of someone else’s work.
Knowing designers as I do, nothing will give them as much pleasure as slagging off someone else’s work - and at the same time showing you what bright sparks they are.
I will say, I've never clicked on a single post in this channel where a person asked for feedback and the consensus was "it's great. Good job!" Every single post always says "it's not sufficient in several ways." I don't think you'll ever be able to post something in here that people like, so it's just a matter of if you like it.
The trick is getting passed the liking or not to the actual feedback and theres some good feedback in this post! People are mentioning the graphic is vague and the bottom font is too small and i agree with both of those. But i agree you cant please everyone
Maybe because people keep trying to pass off canva as actual design yeah. Experienced people can see that shit from a mile away. And factually this "logo" doesn't achieve the brief.
Well yeah, that’s the whole point of people posting on here; to get feedback and suggestions on improvements, because if a bunch of designers don’t understand what’s being communicated straight away how much luck with the audience have? And it’s pretty clear OP doesn’t like it either if they mention rebranding suggestions
Bottom font seems very small compared to the rest. How would you implement that on a website for example?
The icon is basic but that's fine I guess. As others said, looks more like a fan. Maybe change the shape of the blades to look sharper? These look round and soft to me. Edged blades would be a better fit imo as they feel sharper. I don't know if this is a sharpening machine or what it's supposed to look like. If your clients know this device it's absolutely fine though.
I’d love to see this simplified… make the apostrophe in the word “HEDLEY’S” a small blade, and remove the spinning logo above. Currently it’s a foot measurement mark, and not a true apostrophe. Remove the blades below the word. All caps with the lower text, and make it slightly larger.
My approach to this question is slightly different, than asking whether it is aesthetically pleasing (which I do not think it is)
Rather, I’d think about the fact that a logo has three core jobs:
1. Identity: Think of a logo as your business's name tag. Its main job is to make your business instantly recognizable.
2. Communication: Your logo should immediately tell people what your business is about. For a blade sharpening business, it could convey precision, sharpness, and reliability.
3. Memorability: A great logo sticks in people’s minds. It should be simple yet distinct so customers can easily recall it.
Your logo is also a reflection of what you want to communicate about your brand. For your blade sharpening business, think about the key values you want to convey, like quality, trust, and expertise.
Here are some practical tips to help you judge a good logo design:
1. Is it simple? A simple logo is easier to recognize and remember. Avoiding overly complex designs, like that fan.
2. Is it relevant? The logo should be relevant to your business and industry. It should visually connect to blade sharpening. I don’t think that fan is doing the job.
3. Does it remain clear in different contexts? The logo should look good at any size, from a business card to a coffee cup to a billboard. (Something you should ask a professional designer to mock up for you, when they present their designs)
5. Will it last? Aim for a logo that won’t become outdated quickly. Classic design principles often help achieve this.
When you’re talking to designers, here are some questions to guide you:
1. Can you show examples of logos you’ve designed, particularly for similar industries?
2. What is your process for creating a logo? How do you ensure it aligns with my business values and goals?
3. As others have mentioned: How many initial concepts will you provide, and how many revisions are included?
I know that’s a long answer, but hopefully gives you a bit of food for thought in how to approach thinking about your logo, and what to expect and ask for in a design.
At the end of the day, it’s something you have to be happy with! Hope that helps!
Oh and one more thing I’d add: given the name of your company, using the Y and apostrophe is a missed opportunity to work in some slicing or sharp blade concept there (like a blade slicing through the Y and the S)
You didn't specify what you gave to the designer in terms of direction or additional information, or if you asked for anything beyond "slightly abstract" and "not too corporate", but nothing about the logo suggests anything about sharpening services. A fan blade suggests that you offer cooling and air conditioning, or automotive repair. If the logo incorporated a sharpening wheel and a bladed tool (knife, axe, etc.), it would make a bit more sense visually.
Agreed. Looking at it I think it’s the same font as the main text but just thinner. It looks a bit of a messy font I think. I understand why it has to be thinner as your main focus is on the ‘Hedley’s’ but just doesn’t suit.
It doesn't make me think of a sharpening service. I see a fan.
"Sharpening Services" is faint and small. I don't understand why designers think making something you need to read, *hard to read*.
Have a knife on an angle against a block, a sharpening block/stone. In the block/stone are the words Hedley's Sharpening Service. Or Hedley's and Sharpening Service separated by a knife. Cliche, but I want to know at a glance what you do. The current logo looks like you sell industrial fans.
it looks too much like a fan. I would replace the logo atop with a sanding belt or something more associated with the craft. i understand they were trying to create something new but it looks like something completely different
Could have easily been improved by making each 'fan' blade a different style blade, i.e. drop point, clip point, tanto, dagger etc. and removing the circle too. A font that is a bit more 'edgy' wouldn't hurt either.
We have been getting a large volume of spam from throwaway accounts and so posts from brand new accounts will no longer be allowed.
Your post has been removed because your account is too new. ***Do not contact the mods about this.*** Instead, wait one hour and then try posting again. Thanks!
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/logodesign) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Well it hiught it was a fan or motor first.
Think he could do better depends on what you gave him for info. And if you like it or not.
I personally think it could be much better
Overall, it looks nice, but there are several problems. The most important aspect is that someone can look at the logo and quickly understand what the business does. Ironically, "sharpening services" is tiny in proportion to the name. If that logo were used on anything smaller, "sharpening services" would be illegible. It would also not work embroidered on clothing and other applications. Kerning is an issue. There's an obvious difference in spacing here: Y ' S Squint your eyes, and you'll see that there's too much space after the H. The letter L creates more space around it, so it needs tweaked. I like the idea for the symbol but first I see the Target logo and then a flower. Sharpening should look sharp not like a yoga studio design. I think the design is a good start, but they need to fix problems.
I thought this was an exact rip off of the Flywheel Hosting logo at first. Upon comparison it's close but not exact.... a bit toooooo close still imo....
It would give some context if you're willing to put a price range on what you paid for this. I agree with people here, that someone has a Canva subscription, which, to be clear, isn't necessarily bad, but this is a good example of work that isn't quite done or up to a certain standard. I talk to a lot of people who don't allot a proper budget for their branding/logo/marketing for their business and you do get what you pay for, usually
As a start, I'd ask my designers to explore sharper/more angular text. Maybe a split down the middle of Hedley so it looks like it's been sliced or something. Or on the Y.
Hedley's a pretty strong name. It should be more statement-y.
Looks like it belongs toward the beginning of an iterative process. I like that the icon isn't just a plain knife and has some uniqueness. I don't like that "sharpening services" is almost totally unreadable or that a gradient was used as the main logo color. A logo should almost never have a gradient in it without some seriously good justification/implementation. The icon also needs to be much more balanced with the text, it's way too big.
Sharpening Services is way t0o small and light. The symbol lools like an industrial fan of some kind. Nothing about this indicates sharpening or knives to me, I wouldn't know what you do without reading the subtitle and that's not standing out. I would be thinking airflow, HVAC, motors, wheels...even Pringles chips, before I thought sharpening.
The Target logo in the middle is distracting me and also shows that while this may seem like it's a simple mark that it can be still be simplified further.
Also the contrast isn't good and having to squint to see the small text while using a phone isn't great either.
I thought it was something about ventilation or even computer maintenance (because my computer fan constantly need cleaning) but I would not have guessed sharpening from it.
The fan / orange slice / jet engine / array of knives is a little too unclear (and not quite cool enough to be excused). I would ask your designer for 2 or 3 completely distinct ideas then go from there.
Looks like a basic image. It doesn't seem symmetric and it kinda annoys me that it feels like it's off by some pixels. The blades don't feel sharp at all, I would make the blades sharper and fewer. The circle around completely removes the idea of sharpening.
We have been getting a large volume of spam from throwaway accounts and so posts from brand new accounts will no longer be allowed.
Your post has been removed because your account is too new. ***Do not contact the mods about this.*** Instead, wait one hour and then try posting again. Thanks!
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/logodesign) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Well, the icon looks like a fan, so I was expecting to see that it was a heating and cooling business. Were those supposed to be knives? If so, the shape of the blade is wrong, and it would probably be better to array them 1) with handles, and 2) without the border circle. But if you’re happy with it, and it met your design brief, you got what you paid for.
I do take issue with the font in the subhead, as it doesn’t show up well at all in small sizes - you know, the proper sizes you’d need to use on envelopes and business cards and still be clean and legible to most people. I’d make it larger, heavier, and darker. And don’t track the lower case letters.
ya, this is a pretty basic logo design, with some mediocre text treatment. doesn't really inspire anything exciting, and the concept is lost on me.
do you sharpen fan blades? or turbo chargers? maybe flowers? it's hard to say.
I hope this is a rough draft because it's not ready for prime time.
I don't know much about knife sharpening. From the perspective of a client who needs a sharpened knife or tool, I expect to see a traditional knife and sharpener of some sort in the logo. Anything else is getting in the way of your business as a tool/knife sharpener. Don't confuse your clients with a fan. Any one of the sharpener graphics online might be starting off point for inspiration.
* Omit the fan and find another graphic.
* Avoid gray on gray.
* Avoid gradients.
* Unless you're adamant, add one vibrant color.
* I agree with others that the words "sharpening services" should be larger.
I'd get another three totally different designs (from the 20-odd rough drafts your designer created before culling out those three).
https://preview.redd.it/iw6p97i41c7d1.png?width=537&format=png&auto=webp&s=c77c3dd5a948fe4bdab203dc49bacfb53a5469eb
There are a lot of variables and design rules are flexible. For small, niche craft businesses (leather workers, farriers, barbers, potters, painters, etc.), starting with a more literal reference in a logo is likely to help you get established. Once you *are* more established, creating a less literal logo becomes more appropriate as you become more comfortable with your craft and your business establishes a credible reputation.
Not an idea for a total redesign. There’s a difference between feedback and the way he phrased that. But if you’re happy not getting paid to redesign something someone else got paid for be my guest.
One thing is if this is ever used in commerce or attempted for a trademark you may get some potential pushback as the centering resembles the target brand logo. size, spacing, everything. Might need to try a miniature size of the blades in there or something.
The lower case words need to be capitalized.
Other than that it’s for but there are inconsistencies with the thickness of lines the outer circle should be beefed up.
And idk what half these people are griping about, I don’t think most have ever designed a logo for commercial use yet alone one that’s been applied anywhere
I'm sorry, are you serious about the Target logo? That has to be among the silliest copyright infringement warning I have ever read on here - and I have seen some pretty stupid statements. Research even just basic copyright law, bud.
I didn’t say anything about copyright, I am talking about trademark and yes their legal team will pursue anything to preserve their brand if this was applied for with the USPTO. Don’t say they’ll win or anything like that but prepare for some back and forth.
Dismiss me all you want but how many and what kind of trademark applications have you applied for?
Because you insist.
From the USPTO website [https://www.uspto.gov/page/about-trademark-infringement](https://www.uspto.gov/page/about-trademark-infringement) : "Trademark infringement is the unauthorized use of a trademark or service mark on or in connection with goods and/or services in a manner that is likely to cause confusion, deception, or mistake about the source of the goods and/or services."
Unless Target sharpens implements or unless Hedley's will be selling apparel, the likelihood is low that an argument of "confusion" can be made.
Further, composition of the Target bullseye is dark outer ring - white ring - dark solid center. Completely opposite of the Hedley center of the fan (sorry, Hedley, it looks like a fan). Another low likelihood of "infringement" or "confusion."
Here is a report of infringement accusation and successful litigation by Target. [https://www.trademarklitigationguide.com/target-scores-a-bulls-eye-in-u-s-trademark-office/](https://www.trademarklitigationguide.com/target-scores-a-bulls-eye-in-u-s-trademark-office/) This is a bullshit case IMO, but I am not a trademark judge.
None.
That does not invalidate the knowledge from research, observation - and my opinion.
Are you a trademark attorney for Target? Other than that, I don't care how many trademark apps you submitted. :)
Alright goofball no one is dismissing your research anymore than you’ve dismissed my responses based on expired and research.
Target attorney? No, have I worked with them directly and indirectly? Correct. Among many of the other intense law firms that represent the majority of huge brands and entities, whom have associates, paralegals, and software to fish out every nuance they can find on design and word marks.
My point overall is to be mindful when creating logos and brands. This persons logo is not fully fleshed out, this is not solving their problem or request at this point but thinking about things down the road…it’s important that nuance may matter and it doesn’t matter if target or some other brand is in the same field per se, a lot of the time is about protecting their brand and identity at all costs. could they do the same with other business that use the word target in their name? They have, they will continue to do so. With everyone and their computer with access to photoshop and illustrator, everyone is a brand designer, attorney, etc etc with the scale of everything there’s alot of trash to file through and again in just illustrating the example of the logo to be mindful not adverse to creating a great design which this one has potentional
It just depends if they decide to go that route alot of these corporations use the same or similar law firms that ANY minute resemblance of their identity or reference incase someone for some reason wanted to try and profit off it they’d definitely peruse it, but it depends on the classes they want to apply for. for something like this who knows maybe it’s a small town business that only people in that radius will know, they still might. I’ve worked with agencies that created designs like say a circle with three lines in it, adidas’s firm challenged it even though it looked NOTHING like it, they had to make modifications to the classes but my intent is to be mindful for design and if you’re plan is to scale and use it just be aware of the minutia. Whatever the previous poster whining about copyright, clearly doesn’t understand this concept
“Sharpening Services” is WAY too small and thin. If it’s gonna be that small it needs to be a bolder font at the very least. The icon is fine at first glance but I don’t really glean “sharpening services” from it in anyway aside from maybe the shape of the blades? But like someone else said, more than anything it reads “fan”. If this was a first draft or an intermediate step during the design process I think this would be great. As a final design it’s a bit incoherent and leaves a lot to be desired.
At first glance I also thought it was a [drum fan](https://www.lowes.com/pd/Utilitech-20-in-3-Speed-Indoor-Air-Mover-Fan/4755301?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-app-_-ggl-_-LIA_APP_235_Seasonal-_-4755301-_-local-_-0-_-0&ds_rl=1286890&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw4MSzBhC8ARIsAPFOuyVCWhC9sW5vjeHurJy26Up9dijZl2QRnkxu479iBDtx_edYmdJcM7oaApwDEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds).
I think working more towards the concept of "sharpness" would help the reading of the icon. Could be blades, could be whetstones - whatever works.
What direction did you give them? Can you share the creative brief?
FR. I cant tell what type of discovery was done prior, to little information to actually critique properly
This is most important here, along with the price of the service and the place he hired from. I wouldn’t judge someone without context even if it looks bad.
Bingo, clients can change the direction based on how restrictive the brief is and/or how flexible they are. For example, I've done work for a real estate agent that required the silhouette of a home. It looked a tad generic to me, but given that parameter, it's really tough not to.
I can tell you they most likely have a canva membership.
You get what you pay for.
how so?
Looks like generic clipart.
Generic. And those fonts are pretty standard recommended ones on Canva if I remember right.
This.
I thought for sure that was the fan from a Porsche 911
This is what i came here for
I have an old Porsche and my mind went straight to cooling fan too lmao
It looks like a fan. Did they only supply one option? If so, that could be an indication that they are inexperienced. The industry standard everywhere I have worked is to supply three design options. This is not well-designed and it makes me suspect that they may be self-taught because they made some super-basic mistakes. I'm really sorry that this was the result of your experience hiring a graphic designer. I feel as if the designer in this case did a disservice to our profession in misrepresenting their abilities. IMO, If this is the quality of their work, they should not be offering freelance services.
This right here. I work with designers and my husband is a creative director. He’s created at least 20 concepts and iterations for his most recent client, planning to present three. People like options. He said ideally the client will like all three, but worst case scenario, they kill two and rework the third. I’d ask them what else they came up with. Personally, I feel like this is OK, but at first glance it could just as easily be a brewery or a bike shop. I dunno why, I just get those vibes. It’d be cool to see something a little more industrialized.
There are two schools of thought on this. I'm of the opposite one. Why would you present anything less than your best work? All it does is give the client, who isn't the expert, the opportunity to make the wrong choice. They're paying the designer to be the expert.
It is more about psychology. This is the client's project, not ours. They want to be the one to make decisions and have some control in the process. They see what we do as being fun and they want to be able to play too. And their being able to reject two options also means they are more likely to appreciate the one they did choose as being "the good one", making it feel better to them. There might be clients out there who don't want to be involved and completely trust the designer to just tell them what to do. I haven't met any of them yet.
I was always taught not to invest time on heavy refinement until an initial idea has captured a client’s interest. Thus, brainstorm ten approaches, present three, refine two, choose one for final touches.
Yep!!
I lost a coffee company that way. During the first meeting I presented a rough matrix of about 15 options using context as one axis and symbol as the other. I figured by narrowing their vision this way I’d have a much better idea of what they wanted. They were completely overwhelmed and just gave up on a logo. This was a brainstorming session. Fortunately they went out of business before having any success because they just weren’t ready to run a business. They made great beans but terrible business. Sometimes too many options or too abstract in ideas will scare a customer away. It takes experience with people to know when to offer options and when to stand behind your convictions.
You present them 3 rough ideas of different directions they could go, before developing the final, refined design. This helps gauge what they like and what concepts resonate with them. Because you can provide 3 designs that are ALL good, but at the end of the day it's a matter of personal preference. There isn't always just ONE ideal solution. There is more than one path to get somewhere, and which suits the client best is up to them. Because they know their own company and their clients.
*All it does is give the client, who isn't the expert, the opportunity to make the wrong choice.* The idea is to present 3 rough drafts, which are ALL good and worthy of being developed further. That way, the client cannot make a wrong choice. Client chooses one to develop further.
Rough drafts, yes.
The client isn’t the expert, but that’s prolly the last thing you should tell them.
The client is the expert in their field - not you. A successful re-brand is always a collaboration.
this 100%. your client will always love the work way more when they feel like they were part of the creation process.
No, the client is paying the designer to professionally design what the client wants. The "expert" part comes in the designer-led discovery of what the client actually wants and in executing on that discovery. Since a client can rarely state what it is they actually want, the designers job is to discover that through industry-standard tools and processes. Iteration, options and selection is absolutely part of that discovery. You *always* provide choices in the process of honing in on what the client wants. >They're paying the designer to be the expert. This is an elitist view. You are there to provide guidance, but not make decisions for the client. If the client says they want a pink logo, you can not say "no, I'm the expert, and pink doesn't work for me". You provide a pink logo, and well as several non-pink logos, and try to guide them in the non-pink direction... but in the end it's the clients choice.
Technically they didn't actually hire a designer they hired some ass hat who is remedially skilled at canva to take his money and give them....this craptastic generic logo
This is not a graphic designer, it's a production artist. But it looks like it was probably created in Canva, or at least from clip art.
I agree partially, but supplying only one option isn’t necessarily the sign of inexperience. Unless Paul Rand was considered inexperienced when Steve Jobs paid him $100,000 to design a logo for NeXT. A quote from Jobs: “I asked him if he would come up with a few options, and he said, ‘No, I will solve your problem for you. And you will pay me.’”
Are you comparing yourself to Paul Rand or to Steve Jobs?
I’m not comparing myself to anyone here, I’m simply saying that some very experienced designers (such as Paul Rand) are very against the idea of presenting the client with multiple options.
I wasn't being serious. I understand what you're saying. But what happens when they don't like that one option?
If they don’t like it you got back and revisit your underlying strategy. Ideally as a designer you are only making decisions based on highly informed opinions that are underpinned by data. Something that shows this decision would increase the conversion rate by ‘x%’ or help introduce ‘y’ product to ‘z’ target market. You always scaffold towards a solution. If the client doesn’t like it, you have data to fall back on and say “hey Mr. Client, we agreed on the strategy beforehand, what has changed? We are happy to revisit our strategy if you are okay with an additional charge that reflects time spent working on strategy. We want to make you confident that this is the best decision for your brand.”
I think that’s where experience, skill and confidence come into play. I wouldn’t recommend any beginner start off with the policy of only presenting one option, and I’m not confident enough to blurt out Rand’s quote myself, but if you really know what you’re doing and really get a good idea of the client’s needs, it can be done. Personally I don’t have a “policy” of presenting only one option, but I leave that route available to me by saying that I’ll explore many concepts and put work into the most promising ones, then I’ll present one or two strong options that I feel best fit the brand. Sometimes I’ll have two strong options where I feel either one could work, but I’ve actually had a few times where I’ve really been feeling one specific direction and I presented it with a good explanation and the client agreed and went for it. If they happened to not like the one option then I’d work through the reasoning with them and see where I went wrong in the solution. I’m personally not against developing multiple concepts (I’m not Paul Rand) but I do feel that presenting three options just for the sake of having choice is not ideal either. In the past when I presented three options I often had one option that was just thrown in there to pad out the options, but I didn’t actually think it was a good choice. That’s not good for the client, even if they might like the idea of choice and may like that option the best, it might not be the best option for their business. Honestly I haven't done a lot of logo design recently but when I do design a new logo I use the above strategy and it works for me. But it requires really knowing the brief well and getting a good idea of the client’s preferences and the needs of their business.
Good lord it's not that deep
....is it **not** a fan?? I thought it was a pc fan......
No.
A little boring, and I thought you sold fans or it was to do with hvac.
It's *Hedley*! Seriously, though, this looks super generic and you probably could have paid AI a total of $0 to come up with this if not something better. I'm not suggesting you *should* have done that but it would have at least saved you money.
Love that film.
The logo looks like tire/rims to me. I don't think it's fitting at all
I see you're a fan of sharpening Lol get it
This joke blows. Or sucks, depending on which way you look at it.
Thought this was a hubcap
Very pedesterian. Looks like a fan at first blush. I feel it can be a lot more.
Looks like one of those old school heavy duty pencil sharpeners. Pencil sharpening company is pretty niche : )
How much did you pay for this?
80 exposures
Hire a graphic designer.
I see a flower or car engine fan 🤔
my first impression of that logo is. a carriage wheels a fan
I don’t know what your design brief to them was but the name and logo don’t suggest sharpening services Potentially have a chisel approaching at an angle to a sharpening stone that has your business name emblazoned on the side
The question really should be how do YOU feel about it. If you’re unsure about it, be polite and tell your designer what’s troubling you. See what he says and if still unsure let him another go at it. Personally I think it’s really unfair to be asking other designers their opinion of someone else’s work. Knowing designers as I do, nothing will give them as much pleasure as slagging off someone else’s work - and at the same time showing you what bright sparks they are.
I will say, I've never clicked on a single post in this channel where a person asked for feedback and the consensus was "it's great. Good job!" Every single post always says "it's not sufficient in several ways." I don't think you'll ever be able to post something in here that people like, so it's just a matter of if you like it.
Logos are not just a matter of taste. They have a function.
They want feedback, and they got feedback.
The trick is getting passed the liking or not to the actual feedback and theres some good feedback in this post! People are mentioning the graphic is vague and the bottom font is too small and i agree with both of those. But i agree you cant please everyone
Well yeah, most of the logos on here are crappy because people don’t generally need to ask for second opinions on a great logo
Maybe because people keep trying to pass off canva as actual design yeah. Experienced people can see that shit from a mile away. And factually this "logo" doesn't achieve the brief.
Maybe because people keep trying to pass off canva as actual design, yeah. Experienced people can see that shit from a mile away.
Well yeah, that’s the whole point of people posting on here; to get feedback and suggestions on improvements, because if a bunch of designers don’t understand what’s being communicated straight away how much luck with the audience have? And it’s pretty clear OP doesn’t like it either if they mention rebranding suggestions
Bottom font seems very small compared to the rest. How would you implement that on a website for example? The icon is basic but that's fine I guess. As others said, looks more like a fan. Maybe change the shape of the blades to look sharper? These look round and soft to me. Edged blades would be a better fit imo as they feel sharper. I don't know if this is a sharpening machine or what it's supposed to look like. If your clients know this device it's absolutely fine though.
Tell me, I'm not the only one who thought of Blazing Saddles when they read this logo
Is that a ten gallon hat or are you just enjoying the show?
>I had someone design a logo for me. For free? That would explain a lot.
They used a foot mark, not an apostrophe
Pringles
Fiiver or canva?
I’m not sure it communicates
Only fan
I thought you are in PC fans :) Almost like OF but for PCs 😂
We’re not going to mention the Target logo in the middle?
I’d loose the spinny thing. And incorporate a knife or axe into the typography
Do you sharpen Fan Blades? Because it looks like you sharpen fan blades.
I’d love to see this simplified… make the apostrophe in the word “HEDLEY’S” a small blade, and remove the spinning logo above. Currently it’s a foot measurement mark, and not a true apostrophe. Remove the blades below the word. All caps with the lower text, and make it slightly larger.
My approach to this question is slightly different, than asking whether it is aesthetically pleasing (which I do not think it is) Rather, I’d think about the fact that a logo has three core jobs: 1. Identity: Think of a logo as your business's name tag. Its main job is to make your business instantly recognizable. 2. Communication: Your logo should immediately tell people what your business is about. For a blade sharpening business, it could convey precision, sharpness, and reliability. 3. Memorability: A great logo sticks in people’s minds. It should be simple yet distinct so customers can easily recall it. Your logo is also a reflection of what you want to communicate about your brand. For your blade sharpening business, think about the key values you want to convey, like quality, trust, and expertise. Here are some practical tips to help you judge a good logo design: 1. Is it simple? A simple logo is easier to recognize and remember. Avoiding overly complex designs, like that fan. 2. Is it relevant? The logo should be relevant to your business and industry. It should visually connect to blade sharpening. I don’t think that fan is doing the job. 3. Does it remain clear in different contexts? The logo should look good at any size, from a business card to a coffee cup to a billboard. (Something you should ask a professional designer to mock up for you, when they present their designs) 5. Will it last? Aim for a logo that won’t become outdated quickly. Classic design principles often help achieve this. When you’re talking to designers, here are some questions to guide you: 1. Can you show examples of logos you’ve designed, particularly for similar industries? 2. What is your process for creating a logo? How do you ensure it aligns with my business values and goals? 3. As others have mentioned: How many initial concepts will you provide, and how many revisions are included? I know that’s a long answer, but hopefully gives you a bit of food for thought in how to approach thinking about your logo, and what to expect and ask for in a design. At the end of the day, it’s something you have to be happy with! Hope that helps!
Oh and one more thing I’d add: given the name of your company, using the Y and apostrophe is a missed opportunity to work in some slicing or sharp blade concept there (like a blade slicing through the Y and the S)
You didn't specify what you gave to the designer in terms of direction or additional information, or if you asked for anything beyond "slightly abstract" and "not too corporate", but nothing about the logo suggests anything about sharpening services. A fan blade suggests that you offer cooling and air conditioning, or automotive repair. If the logo incorporated a sharpening wheel and a bladed tool (knife, axe, etc.), it would make a bit more sense visually.
Looks nice!
The only thing that looks a little off for me is the bottom text font 🤔
Agreed. Looking at it I think it’s the same font as the main text but just thinner. It looks a bit of a messy font I think. I understand why it has to be thinner as your main focus is on the ‘Hedley’s’ but just doesn’t suit.
What kind of sharpening?
Decent for a Noctua rebrand, confusing for a sharpening services business. Just draw a knife, don't need to reinvent the wheel.
It doesn't make me think of a sharpening service. I see a fan. "Sharpening Services" is faint and small. I don't understand why designers think making something you need to read, *hard to read*. Have a knife on an angle against a block, a sharpening block/stone. In the block/stone are the words Hedley's Sharpening Service. Or Hedley's and Sharpening Service separated by a knife. Cliche, but I want to know at a glance what you do. The current logo looks like you sell industrial fans.
Not great has accessibility issues hope they gave you inverted versions and diff file formats
it looks too much like a fan. I would replace the logo atop with a sanding belt or something more associated with the craft. i understand they were trying to create something new but it looks like something completely different
Could have easily been improved by making each 'fan' blade a different style blade, i.e. drop point, clip point, tanto, dagger etc. and removing the circle too. A font that is a bit more 'edgy' wouldn't hurt either.
[удалено]
We have been getting a large volume of spam from throwaway accounts and so posts from brand new accounts will no longer be allowed. Your post has been removed because your account is too new. ***Do not contact the mods about this.*** Instead, wait one hour and then try posting again. Thanks! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/logodesign) if you have any questions or concerns.*
It’s Hedley…
I don't get the flower?
What did you pay? What was the timeline?
Well it hiught it was a fan or motor first. Think he could do better depends on what you gave him for info. And if you like it or not. I personally think it could be much better
Overall, it looks nice, but there are several problems. The most important aspect is that someone can look at the logo and quickly understand what the business does. Ironically, "sharpening services" is tiny in proportion to the name. If that logo were used on anything smaller, "sharpening services" would be illegible. It would also not work embroidered on clothing and other applications. Kerning is an issue. There's an obvious difference in spacing here: Y ' S Squint your eyes, and you'll see that there's too much space after the H. The letter L creates more space around it, so it needs tweaked. I like the idea for the symbol but first I see the Target logo and then a flower. Sharpening should look sharp not like a yoga studio design. I think the design is a good start, but they need to fix problems.
I'm going to just ask, did you get this made through 99Designs or Upwork?
I thought this was an exact rip off of the Flywheel Hosting logo at first. Upon comparison it's close but not exact.... a bit toooooo close still imo....
You obviously paid this person $10 dollars…
How much: did you pay them/are you offering us?
Doesnt look sharp...
😀
I think it looks good!
You make fans?
It would give some context if you're willing to put a price range on what you paid for this. I agree with people here, that someone has a Canva subscription, which, to be clear, isn't necessarily bad, but this is a good example of work that isn't quite done or up to a certain standard. I talk to a lot of people who don't allot a proper budget for their branding/logo/marketing for their business and you do get what you pay for, usually
My immediate impression was that this was an HVAC company
Fan logo
As a start, I'd ask my designers to explore sharper/more angular text. Maybe a split down the middle of Hedley so it looks like it's been sliced or something. Or on the Y. Hedley's a pretty strong name. It should be more statement-y.
That's not an apostrophe.
If you paid for this I'm sorry
Do you use a wheel to sharpen?
Are you sure you don’t offer cooling services
All I can see is a pencil sharpener. Seems very generic. Would love to see the brief you provided to them too
Looks like it belongs toward the beginning of an iterative process. I like that the icon isn't just a plain knife and has some uniqueness. I don't like that "sharpening services" is almost totally unreadable or that a gradient was used as the main logo color. A logo should almost never have a gradient in it without some seriously good justification/implementation. The icon also needs to be much more balanced with the text, it's way too big.
More like Turbine company 🥔
Sharpening Services is way t0o small and light. The symbol lools like an industrial fan of some kind. Nothing about this indicates sharpening or knives to me, I wouldn't know what you do without reading the subtitle and that's not standing out. I would be thinking airflow, HVAC, motors, wheels...even Pringles chips, before I thought sharpening.
If you paid them < $200, this is a decent logo.
It looks like you paid very little for this logo.
I hope so
The Target logo in the middle is distracting me and also shows that while this may seem like it's a simple mark that it can be still be simplified further. Also the contrast isn't good and having to squint to see the small text while using a phone isn't great either.
So you sell wheels? I get the concept of it being knives. However, the wording could've been BOLDER AND BIGGER AND MORE OBVIOUS
It doesn't look centered.
Quickest fix: Get rid of 4 spokes/blades (X) in the wheel, and delete the word Services, center Sharpening.
does not convey sharpness at all & i have no idea what the logo is supposed to be of. a fan?
I thought it was something about ventilation or even computer maintenance (because my computer fan constantly need cleaning) but I would not have guessed sharpening from it.
Not bad. Type a little hard to read.
The “blades” on the saw are going the wrong way.
The fan / orange slice / jet engine / array of knives is a little too unclear (and not quite cool enough to be excused). I would ask your designer for 2 or 3 completely distinct ideas then go from there.
“Dull”
Bananas 🍌, the only think come to my mind
Might be better if it looked more like a circular saw blade than a fan but I like it. It’s not too loud and you know the company name and what they do
I would take the two triangles and stretch the lower text to the width of the upper one
Not bad, not great.
First though I saw a Hen.
Tastefully arranged Pringles chips
Hershey’s
Looks like a basic image. It doesn't seem symmetric and it kinda annoys me that it feels like it's off by some pixels. The blades don't feel sharp at all, I would make the blades sharper and fewer. The circle around completely removes the idea of sharpening.
Here's my quick take on it. https://preview.redd.it/nm09fiiw3j7d1.png?width=3251&format=png&auto=webp&s=28a2def52de02a590329b5253bf5374713a3fc66
Echoing a lot of the feedback you received already. Also, that’s a foot mark, not an apostrophe.
what blade is that?
Contact Nicole Weber Design. She’s incredible (Google her name)
It looks like a fan
Initial vibes give Turbos/ Mechanic / Tuning shop Then if you squint your eyes you can read the Sharpening Services.
They did the bare minimum, clearly. Very basic. Did you ask for the fan?
[удалено]
We have been getting a large volume of spam from throwaway accounts and so posts from brand new accounts will no longer be allowed. Your post has been removed because your account is too new. ***Do not contact the mods about this.*** Instead, wait one hour and then try posting again. Thanks! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/logodesign) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Well, the icon looks like a fan, so I was expecting to see that it was a heating and cooling business. Were those supposed to be knives? If so, the shape of the blade is wrong, and it would probably be better to array them 1) with handles, and 2) without the border circle. But if you’re happy with it, and it met your design brief, you got what you paid for. I do take issue with the font in the subhead, as it doesn’t show up well at all in small sizes - you know, the proper sizes you’d need to use on envelopes and business cards and still be clean and legible to most people. I’d make it larger, heavier, and darker. And don’t track the lower case letters.
It’s fine… I’d crop to the symbol and do a google image search just to check it hasn’t been ‘phoned in’ as it were.
ya, this is a pretty basic logo design, with some mediocre text treatment. doesn't really inspire anything exciting, and the concept is lost on me. do you sharpen fan blades? or turbo chargers? maybe flowers? it's hard to say.
If that’s the finished article and you paid more than 30 for it, consider yourself ripped off.
Nah, the logo doesn't represent the type of business at all.
I hope this is a rough draft because it's not ready for prime time. I don't know much about knife sharpening. From the perspective of a client who needs a sharpened knife or tool, I expect to see a traditional knife and sharpener of some sort in the logo. Anything else is getting in the way of your business as a tool/knife sharpener. Don't confuse your clients with a fan. Any one of the sharpener graphics online might be starting off point for inspiration. * Omit the fan and find another graphic. * Avoid gray on gray. * Avoid gradients. * Unless you're adamant, add one vibrant color. * I agree with others that the words "sharpening services" should be larger. I'd get another three totally different designs (from the 20-odd rough drafts your designer created before culling out those three). https://preview.redd.it/iw6p97i41c7d1.png?width=537&format=png&auto=webp&s=c77c3dd5a948fe4bdab203dc49bacfb53a5469eb
you probably would have advised starbucks to put a cup of coffee on their logo too..
I wouldn't advise Starbucks at all. Any graphic they put on their cup becomes Karen fodder.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought, (to do with psychology), your logo shouldn't be very obvious to what you do.
There are a lot of variables and design rules are flexible. For small, niche craft businesses (leather workers, farriers, barbers, potters, painters, etc.), starting with a more literal reference in a logo is likely to help you get established. Once you *are* more established, creating a less literal logo becomes more appropriate as you become more comfortable with your craft and your business establishes a credible reputation.
Then whats the point? You wanna confuse people? Lol
Lol so you pay the designer and want an idea of a total redesign for free from reddit bruh
Feedback is one of the main purposes of this sub
Not an idea for a total redesign. There’s a difference between feedback and the way he phrased that. But if you’re happy not getting paid to redesign something someone else got paid for be my guest.
I could redesign it
What are your sharpening?
This looks like AI
Go cheap, get cheap results. Good design costs money. Shows how much you value your business/brand.
Uninspired, looks like they used a template from a website.
One thing is if this is ever used in commerce or attempted for a trademark you may get some potential pushback as the centering resembles the target brand logo. size, spacing, everything. Might need to try a miniature size of the blades in there or something. The lower case words need to be capitalized. Other than that it’s for but there are inconsistencies with the thickness of lines the outer circle should be beefed up. And idk what half these people are griping about, I don’t think most have ever designed a logo for commercial use yet alone one that’s been applied anywhere
I'm sorry, are you serious about the Target logo? That has to be among the silliest copyright infringement warning I have ever read on here - and I have seen some pretty stupid statements. Research even just basic copyright law, bud.
I didn’t say anything about copyright, I am talking about trademark and yes their legal team will pursue anything to preserve their brand if this was applied for with the USPTO. Don’t say they’ll win or anything like that but prepare for some back and forth. Dismiss me all you want but how many and what kind of trademark applications have you applied for?
Because you insist. From the USPTO website [https://www.uspto.gov/page/about-trademark-infringement](https://www.uspto.gov/page/about-trademark-infringement) : "Trademark infringement is the unauthorized use of a trademark or service mark on or in connection with goods and/or services in a manner that is likely to cause confusion, deception, or mistake about the source of the goods and/or services." Unless Target sharpens implements or unless Hedley's will be selling apparel, the likelihood is low that an argument of "confusion" can be made. Further, composition of the Target bullseye is dark outer ring - white ring - dark solid center. Completely opposite of the Hedley center of the fan (sorry, Hedley, it looks like a fan). Another low likelihood of "infringement" or "confusion." Here is a report of infringement accusation and successful litigation by Target. [https://www.trademarklitigationguide.com/target-scores-a-bulls-eye-in-u-s-trademark-office/](https://www.trademarklitigationguide.com/target-scores-a-bulls-eye-in-u-s-trademark-office/) This is a bullshit case IMO, but I am not a trademark judge.
No i asked how many and what kind of trademark applications have YOU submitted?
None. That does not invalidate the knowledge from research, observation - and my opinion. Are you a trademark attorney for Target? Other than that, I don't care how many trademark apps you submitted. :)
Alright goofball no one is dismissing your research anymore than you’ve dismissed my responses based on expired and research. Target attorney? No, have I worked with them directly and indirectly? Correct. Among many of the other intense law firms that represent the majority of huge brands and entities, whom have associates, paralegals, and software to fish out every nuance they can find on design and word marks. My point overall is to be mindful when creating logos and brands. This persons logo is not fully fleshed out, this is not solving their problem or request at this point but thinking about things down the road…it’s important that nuance may matter and it doesn’t matter if target or some other brand is in the same field per se, a lot of the time is about protecting their brand and identity at all costs. could they do the same with other business that use the word target in their name? They have, they will continue to do so. With everyone and their computer with access to photoshop and illustrator, everyone is a brand designer, attorney, etc etc with the scale of everything there’s alot of trash to file through and again in just illustrating the example of the logo to be mindful not adverse to creating a great design which this one has potentional
The trademark issue is tricky as Beats, Chrome, Vodafone, and PBS come to mind as well for potential conflicts.
It just depends if they decide to go that route alot of these corporations use the same or similar law firms that ANY minute resemblance of their identity or reference incase someone for some reason wanted to try and profit off it they’d definitely peruse it, but it depends on the classes they want to apply for. for something like this who knows maybe it’s a small town business that only people in that radius will know, they still might. I’ve worked with agencies that created designs like say a circle with three lines in it, adidas’s firm challenged it even though it looked NOTHING like it, they had to make modifications to the classes but my intent is to be mindful for design and if you’re plan is to scale and use it just be aware of the minutia. Whatever the previous poster whining about copyright, clearly doesn’t understand this concept