I'm a novice in graphic design and Adobe Illustrator/Photoshop but gave this logo for my social media a good try. I would appreciate some brutally honest suggestions on needed color changes and such before I commit to my website and possible print. One think I do like about it is being able to change the egret to another animal, tree, etc. depending on my usage.
Thanks!
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Replies
For a first try that is great work. I like how the upper wavy white line flows with the curved body of the bird. You have placed the bird nicely with plenty of looking space and colours work well together. The text is maybe a tiny bit cluttered, and the condensed font is adding to that effect. Have a look at he variable fonts that came out last year (I think). They are so useful — try Acumin Variable Concept for instance.
I really like the logo... and creating an image was the focus of my company... which was bought by the New York Times. In other words, I must have known what I was doing and doing it well.
I will point out one thing that I noticed on first pass. After my eyes gotadjusted to looking at the various multi-colored and well-done logo... it was difficult to quickly re-adjust to instantly grasp the most important word in the single colored title. It was a lot like a "word find".
We did a lot of experiments on this and you have to really consider what your outlets will be and how long your target audience will have to view it. If is it on a billboard on I-95 and cars are zooming passed at 75mph... They loved your logo. They might think there is a bird sactuaary nearby... but you will not be getting any bang for your buck from your advertisement.
You just have to coordinate for our eyes and brains so that we do not have to readjust in the split second that we have... be it a billboard or tv commercial... to take it all in. I would try using slightly lighter shades and smaller font sizes on either side of the word Florida. If nothing else, they will know where to look for you.
That is the psychological aspect. I think that the other input is valid as well, however, you are the one who is the expert in the field. Trust your instinct. After you do that... Call a magazine named "Sunny Day Guide". They are based here in Virginia Beach and have magazines in just about every coastal town in the southeast. Great people. If you plan on spending a lot of money on advertising... send them your logo and pay a small fee for them to put the finishing touches on it. They truly are the best graphic artists I have ever met and I have been either a tv executive or owned my own company for the past 35 years. (I have literally worked my way across the country... from Texas to California to Oklahoma, Nebraska and Virginia... with a few consultations mixed in there.)
You might be able to find someone local... just pick up some of the magazines at your local hot spots, grocery stores, etc. If one of them really blows you away... then you have a source. If you are trying to save money and you will not be buying the spot before the Superbowl... keep getting feedback. There are literally thousands of sites you can go to submit your work. Just be prepared to thicken your skin. We really do not compete against each other here at Adobe... that's not the case at the other sites, but at least you will get true opinions and a bunch of different ideas.
One last idea is to go to an advertising firm to talk to them about placing 'buys' for you. Take your logo... have them send it to their art department while you get their spiel... ad prices... commission rates, etc. You'll get your artwork back before you go with some suggestions of what they would do with it and you take all the info home to consider it. Just don't sign anything! 
It is what they for a living so you are not really "using" them. Who knows, you might even find an avenue that you had never considered and end up spending some money with them. Just do not pay the full 6% over and above commercial prices. Make sure you also get a price list from the local and national sales managers of each affiliate station before you meet with the sales reps or... I would meet with the president of the firm. Sometimes they tend to raise the commercial rate and then add their commission on top. Then they lop off part of their commission to show good will, but they are just ripping you off less. Last piece of advice... do not ever let them promise to put you on a show if you advertise. It is against the law. They can call you and use you as an advisor or consultant if there is a timely issue in the news, but they cannot just have you on because you buy a spot or two!
Good luck! I probably gave you more info that you will ever need, but maybe it will save you a question or two! One last, last thing... always try your logo in black and white. It might eventually end up in the newspaper... whether an ad or a story. Make sure there is enough contrast.
Really great job!
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