A new logo for SFML

[Cornstalks]

What I don't like:
- glow
- the font (this one is a little too rounded, it reminds me Comic sans MS )

Anyway, I'm gonna play with some effects over the next couple days... For anyone who would like to play around with the font and round and unrounded power symbol I've been using and missed my last post, the font is Geometry Soft Pro and the SVG for the rounded and non-rounded symbol can be found here (and you can find various other versions of this in the thread).

[Nexus]

Thanks, Cornstalks. I used his font and a shadow, I also experimented with a brighter gray:

Variation 1: Dark gray


Variation 2: Dark gray, contour


Variation 3: Dark gray, shadow


Variation 4: Light gray, shadow


Variation 5: Light gray, contour + shadow

[Laurent]

- Font #1 or font #2 (rounded)?

Font #2.

- Should the ellipse be visible above the menu or cropped?

Visible above the menu.

- Is there enough padding between the text and the inner bounds of the ellipse? (I think it's ok with font #1, but with font #2 the text is too close to the power button, cf. matkod's comment).

Yes, you could try with more padding.

For the website I'd also make the whole logo bigger. Don't hesitate to take as much space as you can.

Thanks, Cornstalks. I used his font and a shadow, I also experimented with a brighter gray:

I like them, especially the second one (dark gray, with contour).
The shadow should probably be lighter, it's too heavy.

[Haze]

Bigger and more padding, so be it.
The margin above the menu is 36px.

With dropshadow #1 (light):


With dropshadow #2 (darker):


Full size with gradient:



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[Martin Beentjes]

Laurent, you better choose Haze' logo. It's awesome.

[Nexus]

I like them, especially the second one (dark gray, with contour).
The shadow should probably be lighter, it's too heavy.

I weakened the shadow and tried different contour thicknesses:

Variation 3: Strong shadow (shown before)


Variation 6: Light shadow


Variation 7: Light shadow, thin contour


Variation 8: Light shadow, medium contour

[Nexus]

Laurent, you better choose Haze' logo. It's awesome.

Says the guy who only registered for this thread

In my opinion, SFML should really get a unique logo. And neither an ellipse nor a round power symbol is something that can be associated directly with SFML. Especially the ellipse is seen in so many other logos from all possible fields. How would you make a favicon or square logo out of that? Only the round power symbol? That is not distinguishable from any shutdown button

In contrast, the pentagon-power conveys an interesting background, and people have not seen it a million times before. You can also recognize the library only by the logo itself, without the text.

[Laurent]

My preferred is variation 7. How does it look on the website?

[Nexus]

Don't hesitate to request other combinations!

Same proportions:

Logo exceeds bar:

[Laurent]

Nice.

Let's try:
- big logo (exceeds bar)
- smaller "SFML", light gray variant

If "SFML" is smaller, maybe we can find space below to write "simple & fast multimedia library"? What do you think?

[Nexus]

It's really close, but it might be readable...

Black small text


Black small text, shadow


White small text


White small text, shadow


I'm choosing a few fonts, meanwhile you can tell me if there are other things to do

[Tank]

The "Black small text" looks really good.

[Nexus]

the font is Geometry Soft Pro

I just saw the license, which makes the font unusable for SFML. Next time, please read it

You may install and use an unlimited number of copies of the font within the same household, company, school or institution. You may NOT copy or distribute the font outside of the licensed household, company, school or institution. Please ask external contacts who want to use the font to get their own license at www.CheapProFonts.com.

You may embed the font in electronic documents, but you may NOT include the font in a software product - this requires a special license.

Looks like the choice of a good font begins anew

I attach a PDF with a few fonts. If you don't like them, please search one on 1001fonts.com or somewhere else, I really don't know what else to propose. Actually, I attach 2 PDFs, since the forum limits the file size.


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[Haze]

Laurent, you better choose Haze' logo. It's awesome.

Thank you, but it's hardly mine, krzat did most of the job!

In my opinion, SFML should really get a unique logo. And neither an ellipse nor a round power symbol is something that can be associated directly with SFML.

I know, and you raised some valid concerns, but a multimedia library is something very abstract. I don't think you can come with a logo which has a distinctive visual representation and is simple / minimalist in the same time, for something this abstract.
Regarding the pentagon logo, I like the concept but as I said before I would prefer a logo where "SFML" is directly a part of it.

You can also recognize the library only by the logo itself, without the text.

The pentagon-shaped power button may be more unique, but if taken apart, it's hard to associate it to SFML. That's why I wish "SFML" could be better integrated.
The ellipse/power button may not be distinctive when taken apart, but the logo as a whole is (and the logo should only be considered as a whole IMO).


One thing I like about the ellipse is maintaining a continuity from the current logo.
SFML has been around for 6 years, its logo has never changed and is well known by many users. While I understand the need for a change, which is already reflected by the new website (cleaner, simpler), I wish the new logo reminds a bit of the former one, so users can still recognize easily SFML when they see it.
For example, the Microsoft Windows logo changed at every OS release to fit with design trends of the time, but they nevertheless maintained a continuity and avoided breaking the visual identity.


Anyway, some experiment with the pentagon.
I used Ubuntu-bold font, which is free.



Smaller icon:



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[Cornstalks]

the font is Geometry Soft Pro

I just saw the license, which makes the font unusable for SFML. Next time, please read it

You may install and use an unlimited number of copies of the font within the same household, company, school or institution. You may NOT copy or distribute the font outside of the licensed household, company, school or institution. Please ask external contacts who want to use the font to get their own license at www.CheapProFonts.com.

You may embed the font in electronic documents, but you may NOT include the font in a software product - this requires a special license.

I don't see why that license is problematic. If you read their license FAQ along with the license, it says you can distribute images freely (and doesn't require them to be bitmaps, so vector graphics should be fine), so distributing images of SFML's logo should be fine, even for people to embed in their programs.

Yes, the license says you can't give the font to someone for them to embed in their program, but I really don't think anyone was ever planning on doing that. It's fine for SFML to use the font in its logo, and distribute images of the logo for people to embed in their programs.

Is that really problematic?

P.S. Awesome logos!

Edit: I just emailed the font creator to clarify the license terms...

Edit edit:

I just heard back from the font creator (dang he was fast!) and the font there is licensed for free. He has other variants and other fonts which have commercial licences that must be purchased. The commercial and free fonts are released under the same licensing terms (the only difference is that for some fonts, you have to pay to get them, and for others, like this one, you get the license for free). The license allows you to freely distribute the logo image (in either bitmap or vector form). The only restriction is that you cannot distribute the actual font file itself, which I don't think is problematic at all, since it can be freely downloaded by anyone who wants anyway, plus distributing the logo doesn't require distributing the font file.

If anyone wants the actual email correspondence, I can post it.