Design decisions: Outsourcing Logo design

As we continue to make changes to Webbynode – in this case to provide a better identity that fits us better. We find ourselves making some crucial design adjustments – which I wanted to share with you.

In this case, due to the serious lack of my logo design skills – I had to reach for help from a very gifted called Fabio Sasso who runs Abduzeedo.

So, here’s where I had started:

Fair attempt right?, all I did was use a font that matched the overall “Webby” name, makes for a good logo? Wrong.

So, a few months went by and then I got an email from my friend Fabio, with a proposal to help us with design related work starting with our logo. What a nice way of saying our logo needs some work, right? Well, we started going back and forth on what I wanted for a logo, and here’s my descriptive but terribly written email to him.

Fabio

Webby: I thought of the word webby because the purpose of each server is to serve ‘web’ sites so, ‘web’ was a good word to give it, but I thought it had to be ‘tangible’. Something that you could be touched or ‘counted’ as a unit, so I thought of ‘webby’.

Node: The word node comes from a technical term. In our case a “node” is the actual real physical server in the datacenter, which inside contains many different “webbies”. Also the name “host” for webbyhost was taken, so I thought “node” would be even better than host, for the actual relation to a webby itself.

So, the main thing about “webbynode” as a whole, is that we offer servers OR in our terms – we offer “webbies (plural)/webby (singular)”.

Let me know if this ‘brain-storm’ helps you or something!

The email sure did help! Here’s some examples I got back from him.

A. This was a very good idea. The W is very unique, and it matches nicely with our name. I am not so sure about the colors tho.

B. After hearing me mumbling about the ‘physical’ webby idea, fabio delivered this. It resembles the individual webby inside of a node.

C. This was an attempt to improve the 1st one, however It wasn’t fitting us.

D. This is another very very good representation of the W plus the webby idea of ‘isolation.

E. This ‘idea’ has been my favorite. In Fabio’s words.

Carlos,

Take a look at this logo I did.

The whole idea is link the logo with the web and all its links allowing the user to be always connected, getting updated and promoting their work. Something like a loop, and endless loop. To do that I used a triangle with a sort of 3D effect. I followed some of the design trends for 2009.

I believe it’s a very good logo and fits pretty well with the layout of the site. Giving the idea of modern, respectful and reliable service.

Let’s talk about it man. I can do the rest of the identity too, and I have a proposal for you.

Thanks a lot and I look forward to hearing from you.

Fábio Sasso

F. This is just a color variation from the original idea.

G. I loved this badge, I feel it represents us.

You’ll be able to find the latest additions to our Logo ‘pool’ here: http://webbynode.backpackit.com/pub/1693415

So, at this point we’re still working on finding the option that matches and identifies us best. Whats your opinion? Which one do you like?

I’m looking forward to your comments!