museum logo opinions needed

[Nathan]

Can the design of a logo effect sales and visitation?

What would make a good air museum logo?

Who could I find to design a logo?

Would an logo with an airplane be more appealing then some other type of logo (stars, stripes, etc)

thanks,
nate

[Warbird Kid]

I believe so.

Simplicity, one plane OR stars, stripes, etc. and the name. An ideal logo can be shrunk down to 20% and its still legible.

Me

Matter of opinion.

[mazdaP5]

A sharp logo will go a long way in merch sales.

[p51]

SIMPLICITY is the key. Most people with no graphic design experience always want to put what I refer to as "ten pounds of ideas into a 2 pound bucket."
Take mine for example (in my signature block, below). I used the US national insignia and ran a stylized paint brush through it. Simple, effective, and it gets the point across pretty well. I realized I did okay when Apollo 12 astronaut Al Bean once commented on how much he liked it.
If there was a matrix to assure a good design, people who do graphic design wouldn't have jobs as anyone could do it.

[shrike]

Also make sure that whatever you come up with can be legibly produced in a single color (possibly with a half-tone if necessary). Not only does that design ideal aid clarity, but a one color imprint is loads cheaper on stationary and low budget gift store goodies

[Jim MacDonald]

Nathan,

I've had Django do two logos for me. On the second one, I gave him a rough idea of what I was looking for. He added a few ideas of his own & just absolutely nailed what I was looking for. If I were to get another logo done he'd be the one I'd go to again.

Mac

[Pathfinder]

"A logo for a museum" screams 'committee'.

Artwork cannot be designed by a committee..... Look what happened on the day God took the day off....a committee designed the elephant, the giraffe and the zebra.

[Nathan]

Would a top view of a B-36 surrounded by the museum name plus star and bar be worthy?

[p51]

Artwork cannot be designed by a committee.....

Oh dear God, yes, you're right about that.
Nothing will screw up your logo faster than more than 2 people working on it, and those two really need to have very similar minds and understand each other. Even then, it's not the best idea.
Here's what'll happen if you have someone who has a clue what they're doing:
1. Logo design is done, something basic and gets shown to the group
2. Someone from the group says, "Hey, why don't we add [insert random idea that doesn't belong, here]"
3. Others think it's good idea.
4. Designer's face contorts because they know it'll look horrible.
5. Yet another member says, "Yeah, and why can't we also add [another random element with no place in the logo]"
6. The same others think that's a good idea, too.

Original designer will then do one of the following:
1. Nod, then go back and finish up the original design as he presented it, because he knows the group isn't going to go pay someone to do it again (as the it was a free job anyway).
2. Put all eighteen unrelated elements into a small logo, knowing it'll look like a spaghetti bowl exploded, just so he could make the point that design by committee is an insane idea that must be proven wrong every single time, for all eternity, with nobody ever learning the lesson.

I've done unit, mission and project patch designs for military, aerospace and other units/groups/companies over the years. I make it really clear up front that normally, 3 elements to a logo is at least one more element than should be there. For the most part, I'm usually right.
The most I ever used on one design that worked (sort of) okay was this one:

[Jesse C.]

Which museum? What is the main highlight of the museum? How long has it been around?


As you can see, the San Diego Aerospace Museum uses the Spirit of St. Louis and a very drone/Jet silhouette for its logo. They have a replica of the Spirit, built in San Diego and the jet is for our aerospace industry, or what is left of it.

[Jimmy mcgee]

I think the ww2 emblem for the RCAF is the best looking one ever! This portrays an eagle in flight with the " royal canadian Air Force" , below it on a ribbon. Just beautiful. I'd do something based on this general idea. ( not on their present one. They ruined it. )

[Chris Brame]

The most I ever used on one design that worked (sort of) okay was this one:

Nice job! Did the discussion with the committee go something like this?

Committee: We love the design!
p51: Wonderful! I'll have the file ready to go this aftern...
Committee: Just one more thing - Can you add a kangaroo to it?

[p51]

Nice job! Did the discussion with the committee go something like this?

Committee: We love the design!
p51: Wonderful! I'll have the file ready to go this aftern...
Committee: Just one more thing - Can you add a kangaroo to it?

Yep. That's exactly what happened. We had people from the US, Japan and Australia, and I was already going to incorporate the national flags into it.
Then I was 'challenged' to put a stinking 'roo into it. I made it sound like it'd be tough but I instantly knew I'd just make a land mass into that shape as there was already the edge of a planet (certainly not earth with land masses like this) on it.