Logo Contest

[Matthew Schenker]

Everyone,
I am proud to announce a logo contest as part of the Festool Owners Group re-design effort (see discussion here).  The logo is the graphical element that appears at the top of the forum screen.  It plays a big part in identifying the community, and welcoming visitors into an interesting and unique place.  It has always been my goal for the the forum to reflect members' ideas, and a logo contest seems like a perfect way to put that philosophy into action.

The plan
We'll open the contest up to member contributions starting today.  As members design logos, they will post them here (as attachments).  After we have several contributions to consider, I'll create a poll and members can vote on their favorite logo.  The logo that gathers the most votes will be the winner, and will become the logo for the re-designed forum.

If you have experience designing graphics, please take part in this contest!

Technical requirements for the logo

• Should somehow convey the range and excitement of the tools (it's up to you how to accomplish this).
• Must include the text "Festool Owners Group" (again, it's up to you how this is done).
• Must be 1000x120 pixels.
• Must be JPG format, with a quality level of 85.
• Left and right edges must contain the same solid color, to blend in with the header background.  Provide the edge-color definition (e.g., #00ff00).

Timeline

• 1/15/08: Announce the logo contest.
• 1/15/08 - 2/5/08: Gather entries for the logo contest.
• 2/5/08: Create a poll with logo entries.
• 2/5/08-2/8/08: Vote on logo entries.
• 2/8/08: Announce logo contest winner, as well as second-place, and third-place entries.

Prizes
Festool has generously donated several items as prizes for the contest, which will be awarded as described below:
Winning Logo Entry -- Festool "Rotex 25 Years" watch in metal Rotex case, Festool protective glasses in padded hip case, Domino key ring.
Second-Place Entry -- Festool protective glasses in padded hip case, Domino game in magnetic Festool case, Domino key ring.
Third-Place Entry -- Solid-chocolate C12 Drill, Domino key ring.

Sneak preview of prizes
"Rotex 25 Years" watch in metal Rotex case:
[attachthumb=1]

Festool protective glasses in padded hip case:
[attachthumb=2]

Domino key ring:
[attachthumb=3]

Domino game in magnetic Festool case:
[attachthumb=4]

Solid-chocolate C12 Drill:
[attachthumb=5]

Matthew

 

[tvgordon]

Hey Matthew,

Any thoughts on having some merchandise (hats, shirts, keyrings, etc) made up with the new logo?  I'm not sure how many members would be interested in them, but it may be a way for you to earn a little money for all the time you put into creating and running this forum.

Thanks, Tom.

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Tom,
Interesting idea.  I'm not sure how that would work, but let's keep it on the back burner.
Thanks,
Matthew

 

[CharlesWilson]

I happen to be a dark chocolate person. That looks like milk chocolate.

Charles

 

[Eli]

Does the C12 come with any bits or just bites? :

 

[Scott W.]

Here's One:

[attachthumb= 1]

Edge color is: 003981

Regards,
Scott

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Scott,
Thanks for kicking off the contest with your concept.  Good start!
Matthew

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Scott,
Can you check your edge color?  The color code "#003981" is darker than the one in the actual graphic.  Look at the test site to see what I mean.
Thanks,
Matthew

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Scott,
I edited your logo to have a background color of #3D71AD, which works better with the message notices in the header region.  Take a look in the test site.
Matthew

 

[Scott W.]

Scott,
Can you check your edge color?  The color code "#003981" is darker than the one in the actual graphic.  Look at the test site to see what I mean.
Thanks,
Matthew

Have at it Matthew! If you want the original file I'll be happy to send it to you.

I got the code with the color checker on my Mac... Maybe it changed a little when it got converted to jpg ??

I'll be happy to make any changes you want

Scott

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Scott,
Thanks for your work on the logo.  Feel free to submit other designs you come up with.
Matthew

 

[Scott W.]

Scott,
Thanks for your work on the logo.  Feel free to submit other designs you come up with.
Matthew

Matthew,

If you can give me some idea of how many pixels you need on the right hand side for the login info, I can try to work around that area.

Also, do you know what the hex value of the green you are using is? What about the blue my meter says 003981 which is what I sent yesterday, but you said you changed it. Am I missing something??

Thanks,

Scott

 

[Scott W.]

Here's another one...

[attachthumb=1]

I tried to leave you some room on the right (took a guess)
Colors are from 2007 catalog & tools are no longer screened

Scott

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Matthew,

If you can give me some idea of how many pixels you need on the right hand side for the login info, I can try to work around that area.

Also, do you know what the hex value of the green you are using is? What about the blue my meter says 003981 which is what I sent yesterday, but you said you changed it. Am I missing something??

Thanks,

Scott

You don't need to worry about the pixels for the login information.  Here's the way the header is designed: the header contains your logo, and extra space to the right, which is filled in with a background color that matches the color on the right edge of your logo.  The logo itself only takes up about 80% of the header area.  The rest of the header is a solid color that matches the background color in your logo.  That way, your logo blends in with the background color seamlessly.  The only catch is, I need to know what HTML code you're using in the logo.

I set the background to be #003981 in your last logo, and I set the extra background area to the right of your logo to also be #003981.  Notice how, in the test forum, you cannot see where the logo ends and the solid background continues to the right, where the login information is displayed.

Does that make sense?

Matthew

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Scott,
When I check the background color in your logo, it comes up as #012148.  Is that what you get on your system as well?
I'm using the color picker in The GIMP to test it.
Matthew

 

[Scott W.]

Scott,
When I check the background color in your logo, it comes up as #012148.  Is that what you get on your system as well?
I'm using the color picker in The GIMP to test it.
Matthew

Matthew,

I also get 012148 in RGB 8 bit Hex.
FYI
I was playing around earlier and also discovered that the color space setting in Photo Shop has an effect on the 8 bit rgb hex reading. If my color space is set to Adobe SRGB (default) I get a different tone than if it is set to calibrated LCD. How this effects the whole thing I have no idea 

The numbers I gave you yesterday may have been RGB actual instead of hex...

I can send you the Photo Shop layered files if you like, or I will change them to whatever you wish.

Scott

 

[Scott W.]

.....  Notice how, in the test forum, you cannot see where the logo ends and the solid background continues to the right, where the login information is displayed.

Does that make sense?

Matthew

Maybe to you  ???

Na, I get it.  Why can't you just use transparent image(s) for the logo? Does it have to be jpg?

Scott

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Scott,
Can't use a transparent image, since the portion directly behind the logo is white.  It's amazing how convoluted these things get!
The best method is for you to design a logo you like, and I'll match the background color to it.
Take a look at the test site now.  It has your latest logo on it.  I think the deeper color shows the login information more clearly.
Matthew

 

[Scott W.]

Scott,
Can't use a transparent image, since the portion directly behind the logo is white.  It's amazing how convoluted these things get! .........

I like the over all color of this one better but...

I see what's going on now with the white text. It floats with the resolution and only the right side expands (I couldn't understand what people were talking about before because on my screen the white text was over the background only not the logo)... humm

I got no idea how to design around that off the top of my head. It will be in a different location relative to the logo image depending on the users resolution AND the size of their browser window.

Can you make the background expand even from both sides -or- make an absolute position for the white text?

Obviously I'm no web site designer 

Scott

 

[Scott W.]

I see what's going on now with the white text. It floats with the resolution and only the right side expands (I couldn't understand what people were talking about before because on my screen the white text was over the background only not the logo)... humm

I got no idea how to design around that off the top of my head. It will be in a different location relative to the logo image depending on the users resolution AND the size of their browser window........

Here's what I'm talking about;

1024 x 768
[attachthumb=1]
1152 x 720
[attachthumb=2]
1280 x 800
[attachthumb=3]
1280 x 1024
[attachthumb=4]
1440 x 852 (my default)
[attachthumb=5]
1650 x 1050
[attachthumb=6]

Scott