There is a huge difference between designs that incorporate strong, conceptual messages and designs that are merely wallpaper art.
Wallpaper Art is empty, cliché symbols that designers slap a name next to. Look at the logos below and notice how their elements are typical:
- The person as the “i” in fit
- Smiling teeth as the “o” in floss
- Houses representing a real estate company
- Roman column representing a law firm
Conceptual Art is when the IDEA behind a design is strong, substantive and unmistakeable within the overall design. Conceptual designs can be simple or more flashy but they are definitely more than the sum of their parts. For example, the Blank logo below is simple, conceptually strong and very effective.
How can you make your designs more original and less like wallpaper art?
Think about your process. Do you quickly read the brief, figure out what kind of business the customer has and then put their name next to some obvious images or empty abstract symbols? Don’t look now but you just might be creating wallpaper art.
However, if you take time to brainstorm and sketch out ideas, you are likely working through the obvious, generic stuff into more original and creative domains.
Brainstorming and sketching are KEY steps in the design process. Not only will your design look great, but it will be MUCH more unique and both you and the customer will be more satisfied.
The most tough of logo design is how make all information can contained into a simple logo. It’s like inserting an elephant into a refrigerator.
Thanks, now I cannot get the image of the elephant in the refridgerator out of my mind. 8)
Wallpaper Art might be empty and cliché but in the case of 99Designs its the CH who picks the winner and most CH’s have absolutly no design, typeface or color sense. I’ve seen at least 75% of the designs picked are the standard wallpaper art logos.
That is a total cop out – isn’t it the job of the designer to show the client what good design is and why it is important for them and their business?
Designers are the experts not the clients.
You absolutly right, that why I don’t win alot haha ;)
Please don’t say anything about a “total cop out”. Most of us work very hard to give the CH the best possible product. If we are lucky we will win 1 out of 100 entries and if we are good we can get 5 out of 100. If we were “cop out” artists most of us would quit after the first 10 rejections. We deserve more respect than that.
Wouldn’t “good design” be more of an opinion ? What I see as a “good design” and what you and the CH see may all be at totally opposite ends of the spectrum. A very large portion of the CH’s give little or no feedback and if they do you have to try to do EXACTLY what they want so that at least you have a chance at winning, even if the beautiful conceptual art that you started with has now become boring “wallpaper”.
Unless you are suggesting that we refuse to submit “wallpaper” even though the CH asks for it (BTW – I know you are NOT suggesting that.) we still have to do what the CH asks even if it is not good for them.
You cannot force a CH to have good taste or common sense. But maybe you can give them a better orientation and many of these issues would slowly disappear.
http://99designs.uservoice.com/forums/198-01-general/suggestions/1862145-better-orientation-for-ch?ref=title
Nicole,
Please do not misunderstand me – I did not call anyone a “cop out artist” nor did I intend any disrespect.
I know designers work very hard and of course design is subject to taste.
My comment was directed at blaming the client for not understanding “good design” – a common complaint among designers.
It is not the client’s job to understand good design – it’s the designer’s job.
It’s the designer’s job to:
- understand as best as they possibly can what the client wants/needs/is trying to achieve
- apply their knowledge and talent for design
- and then communicate why the design they created is the right fit for that client
All that being said I completely agree the more education/orientation we provide the client the better.
Cheers,
Jason
Dear Jason,
I think most of “real designers” here on 99Designs have done the steps like you mentioned, also to educate and give orientation to the CH, but very often that the CH is actually not a person who have the power to make decision of which design will be the winner of his/her contest.
Many of them are actually a design broker who post a contest for job that he/she gets from client and this type of CH is often will end-up time wasting type, for example he gave feedback to do this, that, change that to this and so on for my entry and then after satisfied with his/her taste, they will said “Alright, I will show this to the client and will get back to you again after their comments” … and guess what? another feedback coming in with another series of revision or even worst, I got eliminated because their client don’t like it…
This is a classic issue here because I was a member here since the era of sitepoint contest, and still there until today.
I suggest when a CH fill in the contest form, there’s an option for them to fill in that the contest is for their own use or for other. If I see on the brief that a contest is for other I’m definetely will not entering no matter how big the prize is :-)
Thanks for the comment – I know exactly what you mean.
We will be addressing these type of contests to help fix this issue soon.
Cheers,
Jason
Ultimately, the client is in control of their own contest and will choose designs that they prefer. I’ve seen many contests where conceptual art lost to a generic logo despite protests from the peanut gallery. I’d imagine that the majority of contest holders have chosen 99Designs specifically because they will get a variety of designs that they personally will like.
i go with you…that is the case with the clients here
i think you’re right govner.
There should be a tutorial or checklist for CH to read before choosing winning designs.
I agree to that.
the conceptual art is the best, but it’s very difficult to use this way, the CH generally has an idea in his mind that often is a real “illustration” instead of a logo. Often the CH wants a logo similar to something he viewed somewhere and that he liked without being sure if that will go well for their business.. etc..
Isn’t easy to use a clean conceptual art if we want to sell/win something.. ;)
Could be helpful some guide lines that explain what is a “logo”..
Yeah… so if you’re a designer, you know this. Just sayin’.
Hi 99, as much as I want to create such creative, clever and more powerful logo for my client. Still they end up looking for some traditional graphics or approach in their logo requirement. One note I remember is when the client gave me this feedback on a particular design which I believe was one of my best and one of my most unique: “This is a perfect logo! The most creative and genius logo I have ever seen in this contest so far, but I would like to keep it more recognizeable by almost every type of people (he might also be referring to slow thinkers)”. But it is obvious that some logo style same to your samples are very much intended to good thinkers right? So, do you have any idea on how do we or how should I deal with such feedbacks? It is a matter of giving them my genius idea while satisfying their simple thoughts right?
All I can say is ‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder’…the CH is the beholder. If the CH taste’s suck then you’re screwed.
Agree with everything said here. It’s frustrating to spend/waste time coming up with original ideas and concepts to end up having them eliminated or rejected. The number of times I have submitted a design different to the rest, to find the CH is favouring a boring cliche design and then to have half a million other designers who end up copying that idea (through no fault of their own, as obviously all designers are in here to win). I can’t understand why the CH’s go through this process if they’re not prepared to consider originality.
And all this time wasted on competitions that only pay out feeble amounts. Thank goodness this is just an occasional hobby for me.
Agreed with the blog but after experiencing clients at 9 designs most of them look forward to having the wallpaper art logos… very few go for the conceptual logos. My personal experience.
Seems like there are some of my same experience. Can you just give us some advice. Do we have to choose between being a logomaker or a moneymaker (or maybe call it just want to have some income)? Or can you give us some points on how to balance that? It is really happening, some Contest holders can’t leave the traditional styles or the overused styles, they are asking for it. They even state that clear in their comments, “follow my instruction or your design will not be considered”. Are we violating some rules if we give that obvious thing they want?
I’m fan of conceptual design, it’s more artistic and innovative.
to be quite honest, that is a brilliant post but clients coming to 99designs should to be made to read this more than the designers here.
As a CH, not a designer, I have to say I agree with all of your opinions and frustrations. While I can’t design my way out of a paper bag (heck, I don’t even write neat), I truly appreciate the work you all put into the creative process. Over the past 15 years I have worked with many a great designer, and have come to be very thankful for your gifts.
I am new to 99 (first contest started just 2 days ago) but so far I am very impressed with the quality and dedication that I have seen you all put towards new designs. I can only imagine how painful it is to have your creativity overlooked or dismissed for the mundane.
If there is anything I can do to help teach other CH please let me know. It would be an honor to educate them on the design process from your point of view, yet through the lens of how we interpret those procedures.
Making money aside, I do encourage each of you to continue to be innovative with your designs. One day us regular folk will catch up to the bold new worlds only the dreamers and magic makers called “graphic designers” are so desperately trying to lead us to.
Peace be with you all.
As a CH myself, I totally agree with your statements! I hope to get more entries in my contest–the down side is the odds for the designer and all there hard work!
https://99designs.com/logo-design/contests/cocktail-cowgirl-needs-logo-84455/brief
Very interesting suvject you got going here.
I do specifically remember getting my account suspended for a day a little while ago when I was still a really junior member(I’m just junior now)….and let me elaborate a bit on the occassion please so if you will just read on.
So, the CH, presents us with a rather typical brief. The good thing about it is they know exactly what their business is doing(Trust me, I can tell that is not the case with most contest holders which only means they’re not running the contest for their own business I guess), the bad thing is that they have a vision about their logo.
Anyway, about 2 days into an 11 day contest I just upload my only submission really. I’ve taken a completely radical path with it! I completely disregarded the CH’s “creative guidelines” and just produced a logo that I thought would provide an icon for their business and also one that was clean and obvious. And you know what? The CH loved it the first day they saw it. They rated it with the only 4 stars they had spared so far and we were 2 days away from the end of the contest! Oh, was I happy?! I was ecstatic!
And then my competitor designers decide to take matters into their own hand and decide to drag my submission through the mud. So, someone out of the crowd starts bitchin on the public comments board how I never followed the brief and got so high rating and on and on and how the contest holder is a despicable guy. And another guy joins in who seems to be one of those retards that design with their mouths cuz their ailment has denied them use of their arms and tries to convince the contest holder that if they depart from the shitty old concept and pick my “flashy” new design they were using they’re gonna lose the recognition they had as a brand. I mean come on! Like we’re talking about the Coke Company FFS!!!!!!!
Anyway, worse part is the contest holder starts buying into their crap!!!! Even worse part is I decide to let off all the steam that’s been building up inside me and give them all a piece of my mind, still on the public message board!!!! Next thing I know, the CH stops talking to me, he removes a star from my rating and brings me down to 3 while he hands out a a couple of extra stars to a couple other abominations that he spotted, and then that’s pretty much it.
Oh, let me add that one of my fellow designers who I had an intimate conversation with on the matter, also proceeded to report me to the 99 staff and I guess that’s why I got suspended, for not being nice to the guy. AND I ASK YOU, IS THAT ANY FAIR??? Well yeah it is kinda cuz I said all kinds of stuff but then again I sincerely was all kinds of RIGHT dammit!!!!
Now, what was the final outcome.you may ask? Well the contest’s over for almost 2 weeks now and there’s still 2 days left for the ch to pick a winner but they still haven’t. The onviously got back into their senses and didn’t pick one of the other abominations but they didn’t pick mine either. So I know I lost my time, my temper AND my money(both in the sense of time invested and also yeah I’m talking about the damn reward which I deserved!!!!
Please feel free to check the actual contest while it still stands….and tell whether you think I was wrong with my approach…
http://99designs.com/logo-design/contests/logo-wanted-pitkin-avenue-81093
Also my point isn’t that there’s people that are idiots on this site. That’s no big deal as there’s such people everywhere and yet somehow other sites have managed to contain them instead of letting them take over.
I mean seriously, 99 guys I’m talking to you, You oughta put some kind of Design Police out there and set them loose against exactly those kinds of people that came on a design site to show off their cliparts or practise their drawing skills and then have the attitute to tell you that you’re the one doing it wrong.
On the other hand I have to admit that I had gotten carried away and although, luckily for me, my most abusive comments have been removed from the board by now I still apologised to “the Guy” for any personal insult I might have dished out on him when my account got reactivated the next day…
And one last thing. I appreciate it that some of you poeople, that are also very good designers, are here to compete, show off your work, make intesresting acquaintances blah blah blah.
That’s not the case for me, I live and work out of f#cken Greece for Pete’s sake! I have had a serious meltdown in my professional life the last couple of years and unfortunately, though definitely I’m not based on 99 designs for survival I do kinda do it to put food on the table!
So my suggestion is that other than making this a cool place to hang out for aspiring designers, which it already is, also try to give it an air of professionalism so that us people trying to get some work done on here can hook up with the clients that are looking to get some work done and not just “receive suggestions and input as to what their brand identity should be like”!!!
I am terribly sorry for the ranting I hope some of you will actually read it and appreciate it…
With due respect,
YCDzign
I’ve only recently joined the site and entered (unsuccessfully) a couple of comps to see how it works. It’s quite obviously more difficult than I originally thought. It’s amazing to see some many of the clients on here think a logo for a company MUST have an illustrative element of the thing they are selling in the logo – “I sell cars, my logo needs a car in it”. Do VW, Honda, Toyota, BMW, Mercedes etc have a picture of a car in their logo?
I’m thinking of changing my approach and designing awful logos – bevels, gradients, highlights – and seeing if they get more interest than the minimal, conceptual approaches.
I think I am what is considered a CH (whatever that stands for!). I have read what many of you designers have posted and I can feel for you all–seeing what the odds are in winning considering your amount of hard time/work put into a project. . I now kinda regret not going with my gut–not giving preconceptions of ideas, fearing it might interfer with the creative process. Of course the more I wrote on my ideas, the more specific I got! On one hand, some CH’s might be VERY adament they want this feature or that but others may be like me…I have ideas but I am “open”, knowing that I am not a design/art person, thus the reason why submitting contest on this site. Perhaps in my brief that is not obvious and I need to re-do it, but for those of you that want to stray from what the client has in mind, maybe just ask if they are “open” to other ideas. However, it is hard once a person has a preconceived idea, but even I kinda get the point of wall paper art vs. conceptual theory blog! So many of you are so talented it is really hard to chose…it does not mean your work is less than. Sorry, went into mom mode! I have viewed many entries and I can tell you I sometimes wonder why one won over the other…but again, probably because of personal preference and/or matching the CH’s pre-conceived ideas. Anyhow, still time to enter my contest! Think I will change my brief! https://99designs.com/logo-design/contests/cocktail-cowgirl-needs-logo-84455/brief
Thanks for the comment Tiffany.
CH stands for “contest holder”
Cheers,
Jason