posted
Okay here's the deal--a local builder, who is a good client and all around good guy emails me and asks if I can help him with this project. Turns out he and others are donating time and materials to a project facility for unwed mothers as an abortion alternative. I'm glad to help, so he forwards me the info including the "logo". Predictably, it's awful, and so I call the director of the facility and offer to design a new logo in addition to making the sign--all pro bono.
She seems agreeable and I do a couple layouts and sent her thet best one. In the end, guess what?
Yep...she wanted to go with her original idea...without any alteration from us.
Well whaddaya say to that? I ain't gonna work harder just to do something for free, but STILL....
Anyway here are my two layouts and hers...I'll let you guess which is which
posted
my favorite is number one. I bet hers was 3.
btw - where are the flames??
[ May 11, 2006, 04:03 PM: Message edited by: Jerry VanHorn ]
-------------------- Jerry VanHorn, Pres. Pure Sports Designs, LLC Pro Sign Design / United Wholesale Signs www.prosigndesign.comwww.unitedwholesalesigns.com West Liberty, OH 937-465-0595 866-942-3990 Since 1990 Posts: 925 | From: West :Liberty, OH | Registered: May 2004
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posted
That sucks...been there. Yours (I'm assuming the top two) are very nice. I like the top one with the script.
-------------------- Kelsey Dum Dum Designs Sherwood, AR 72120 501.765.2166 kelsey@dumdesigns.com Posts: 827 | From: Sherwood, AR | Registered: Oct 2005
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I'm about to have this same struggle, a gal from a Health Food Deli stopped in today with her "logo that I came up with ::giggle::" It's the font Kid Type Paint in Lime Green and Tangerine Orange alternating every other letter. Worst thing ever. "Maybe you could come up with something better?", she asks.
I have a great fear of this project
-------------------- Jon Androsky Posts: 438 | From: Williamsport, PA | Registered: Mar 2002
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posted
Still too thin if thats a sign for the fascia or whatever. The words will be invisible at more than a 100 feet.
It was likely designed by the siter of the director or something. Usually a print media graphic designer comes up with this thin stroke stuff for signs..
-------------------- Leaper of Tall buildings.. If you find my posts divisive or otherwise snarky please ignore them. If you do not know how then PM me about it and I will demonstrate. Posts: 5274 | From: Im a nowhere man | Registered: Jul 2001
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posted
I'm sure there is politics involved. If she changed the logo she would have to deal with the person that designed it. She probably planned to keep it all along.
My mind wanders. And that's not a good thing, 'cause it's too small to be out there alone. Posts: 3129 | From: Tooele, UT | Registered: Mar 2005
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posted
I thought the rule was that if you were going to do it for FREE you'd better at least make it something you'll be proud to say you donated.
Now not only do you get to grimace everytime you ride by it you get to remind yourself that you didn't get paid for it. That "warm and fuzzy" feeling you get on the inside may just turn out to be heartburn.
-------------------- Pat Whatley Montgomery, AL (334) 262-7446 office (334) 324-8465 cell Posts: 1306 | From: Wetumpka, AL USA | Registered: Mar 2001
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quote:Originally posted by Barry Branscum: OR you can be right, still make the ugly logo...AND still do it for FREE and feel good about yourself at the same time.
Here's the rub. This place is practically across the street from my house. I will literally have to look at it DAILY.
There is always booze......
-------------------- Rick Chavez Hemet, CA Posts: 1538 | From: Hemet,CA U.S.A. | Registered: Jun 2001
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I mean, sure, it's for a good cause and all but tell ya what, beggars can't be choosers.
I don't mind a freebie here and there but if they're the ones looking for a hand-out the project is gonna get done to my specs so *I* can be proud of it and not wince every time someone says "YOU did that one?!?!"
Of course if you turn them down they'll just go to someone else and you still have to look at it every day. At least if someone else looks at it and says "Jeez that sign is ugly, you didn't do it, did you?" you'll be able to smile and say "Nope, I offered them something 20 times better but they insisted on that garbage so I had to pass."
-------------------- "If I share all my wisdom I won't have any left for myself."
Mike Pipes stickerpimp.com Lake Havasu, AZ mike@stickerpimp.com Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
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posted
The third one is horrible. I wouldve taken the top one for sure. That bottom one is pure nephew art if I ever seen it.
-------------------- Maker of fine signs and other creative stuff. Located at 109 N. Cumberland ave. Harlan, Ky. 40831 606-837-0242 Posts: 4172 | From: Ages-Brookside, Ky. Up the Holler... | Registered: Jul 1999
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posted
oh what the hell do the ugly ass sign and write off for a donation of thre etimes what it is worth.
btw i knew it was 3 look at that font! thats one of those fonts that we would never use
-------------------- You ever notice how easily accessible people are when they are requiring your services but once they get invoice you can't reach them anymore
posted
I agree with those who say don't do it. Why would you?
It wasn't that long ago that I would have been content to do a sign like that. That speaks wonders for this site. We all start somewhere.
-------------------- “Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?” -Winnie the Pooh & A.A. Milne
Kelly Thorson Kel-T-Grafix 801 Main St. Holdfast, SK S0G 2H0 ktg@sasktel.net Posts: 5496 | From: Penzance, Saskatchewan | Registered: May 2002
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posted
Is it just me, or does it seem ironic that you are giving this place a choice? Anti-abortion means anti-choice. Life Choices inc. seems to mean that they will decide for women what to do with their lives, and their bodies. When it comes to MY medical choices "I'm the Decider". I can assume that you men have never had to make that tough decision. An unwanted pregnancy is no picnic. I've been there. Just imagine a tumor growing inside of you, you want it removed, but a group of ignorant nutjobs believes in the rights of tumors. Their fearmongoring and intolerance appeals to the uninformed. Laws are passed. Tumor removal clinics are shut down. Your choice is denied. Your 'tumor' will alter the course of your life. "A good cause"? I beg to differ. Right to Life? Who's life? What life? Who gets to decide? I know that this is thread is just about a logo for a sign. But there is alot of political crap going on in this country that scares me right now. If we don't stand up for our rights, they will be taken away. It is already happening, on our watch. Letterhead Women: Where are you? Who are you?
-------------------- Nancy Waller Wasteland 318 west 42nd street Minneapolis, MN 55409 Posts: 16 | From: Minneapolis, Minnesota USA | Registered: Mar 2006
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posted
THank you Nancy---for taking a decidedly ONtopic post and sending it SPIRALING in the direction of your own particular political bent. If you want to say that young women in trouble should have NO OPTION but ABORTION and you can live with that, that's up to you, but as for me your slanty comments are wasted and outta place.
Please guys....let's just pretend the above never happened. I don't wanna debate the political particulars here.
[ May 12, 2006, 10:30 AM: Message edited by: Barry Branscum ]
quote:Originally posted by Nancy Waller: Letterhead Women: Where are you? Who are you?
We're trying to keep this thread focused on it's topic: a customer's nasty "logo" and their refusal to use something better instead of turning it political, which is supposedly against the rules of the site. No offense or anything Nancy, but a lot of us are sick & tired of the enormous amount of political & religious crap that we've had to wade through here lately.
Barry, if you saw the church sign I posted on the portfolio page a couple weeks back I had a somewhat similar situation going on. The woman who thinks she runs the church didn't want the sign green cause "it'll blend in with the trees". (Like the old white one wouldn't blend in with the snow???) Since I was donating the sign, I walked into the meeting with the attitude of "It's my way or no way, I am the expert here". Not an ego thing, but I was donating the sign. I was not going to allow my name to be associated with a nasty mess, especially if I wasn't getting paid well to do so.
One thing I've used to show customers "the light" is to have them print out both versions, tack them on a wall, then walk across the room and see if they can still read the garbage they want. We have visual minds, we're totally able to imagine how things will look. Not everyone can do that.
-------------------- Chris Welker Wildfire Signs Indiana, Pa Posts: 4254 | From: Indiana, PA | Registered: Mar 2001
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posted
So Sorry, I'm new to Letterhead and didn't know that there were rules about opinions on the Bullboard. I didn't mean to take your post off track. It just seemed ironic to me, about the choice thing. Where are the Bullboard rules listed? I guess I need to learn more about this site. It may not be what I thought it was.
-------------------- Nancy Waller Wasteland 318 west 42nd street Minneapolis, MN 55409 Posts: 16 | From: Minneapolis, Minnesota USA | Registered: Mar 2006
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posted
Nancy, As all of us have had to learn from time to time, ME ESPECIALLY, we have had to learn the hard way that this site works best when we focus on what we have in common.
You and I differ politically, but here, that ought not to matter. The purpose of letterheads is sharing the craft, and helping one another to be better at this thing we all love.
posted
Hey, This topic was about poor design Choices...
"Just imagine a tumor growing inside of you, you want it removed, but a group of ignorant nutjobs believes in the rights of tumors."
Well....life has had it's ups and downs. The bad times have been bad but, the good times have been wonderful. Yesterday ended sorta rotten...but the sun's shining today! I'm glad my Mom didn't remove her "tumor".
Count your blessing Mom....I could have been TWINS Happy Mother's Day!
I prefer design #1
-------------------- Wayne Webb Webb Signworks Chipley, FL 850.638.9329 wayne@webbsignworks.com Posts: 7404 | From: Chipley,Florida,United States | Registered: Oct 1999
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posted
I just have to say it: We were listed with the adoption agency for 8 (eight)years, waiting for a child, before we finally gave up and decided it wasn't meant to be. In maybe 97% of all cases the woman has at some point agreed to an action leading to the "tumor" growing inside of her. When has personal responsibility ceased to exist?
Sorry, Barry. Your designs are better, but don't sweat it. Just smile and do it.
posted
Can someone (Steve or Barb) please moderate this thread to keep it on topic? This is getting to the point of rediculous.
As per the sign, I guess I would let the customer's attitude sway my decision. If they were easy to work with, but opted for their original design, I wouldn't have a problem. If they were difficult to deal with, I'd politely decline. Of course, I wouldn't want my name associated with it.
My mind wanders. And that's not a good thing, 'cause it's too small to be out there alone. Posts: 3129 | From: Tooele, UT | Registered: Mar 2005
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posted
I agree that you should not do the job if their being picky about the design. You could just do it and not put your name on it but that can be even more frustrating.
I was called to "fix" a mural someone had started. He got paid up front and left the job half done with lots of proportional mistakes. They didn't want to pay me much so I told them I could make it salvageable at most for what money they wanted to spend. Everytime I drive by it on the freeway I cringe...and they wondered why I didn't want to put my name/number on it? hhmmmmmm?!
Do what you want to do is the main thing.
-------------------- Kelsey Dum Dum Designs Sherwood, AR 72120 501.765.2166 kelsey@dumdesigns.com Posts: 827 | From: Sherwood, AR | Registered: Oct 2005
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My mind wanders. And that's not a good thing, 'cause it's too small to be out there alone. Posts: 3129 | From: Tooele, UT | Registered: Mar 2005
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posted
The way I see it, Nancy is new and not in the 'clique' yet.
Yes, this can be very cliquey place at times. Most here are very decent people, and I would be happy to meet any of you in person.
"tumor" may not have been the best way to say it but Nancy expressed a personal opinion, just as anyone of you have done on this board several times before. Threads often get off course by the fourth post and no one complains then.
She DID apologize.
btw - welcome to the board Nancy!
Just me two cents worth.......probably worth less than that.
-------------------- Jerry VanHorn, Pres. Pure Sports Designs, LLC Pro Sign Design / United Wholesale Signs www.prosigndesign.comwww.unitedwholesalesigns.com West Liberty, OH 937-465-0595 866-942-3990 Since 1990 Posts: 925 | From: West :Liberty, OH | Registered: May 2004
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posted
I would ahve said........ "I ain't workin' on no project where the kid looks like Alfred Hitchcock." heh................
P
-------------------- Pierre St.Marie Stmariegraphics Kalispell,Mt www.stmariegraphics.com ------------------ Plan on knowing everything before I die and time's running out! Posts: 4223 | From: Kalispell,Mt 59903 | Registered: Mar 2000
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posted
I was asked to donate a 4x8 once. I was to do a number of proofs and let their committee decide which one they wanted, if any. THEY NEVER DID GET THAT DONATION!
By-the-way, I visited with my ex's unwanted pregnancy this past weekend. She is now 35 and has given me four wonderful grand children. I wouldn't trade her for the world!
[ May 12, 2006, 09:58 PM: Message edited by: Roy Frisby ]
-------------------- Frisby Signs, Inc. El Dorado, Arkansas Posts: 902 | From: El Dorado, Arkansas, USA | Registered: Apr 1999
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posted
A homeless man once asked my sister for money. She handed him a couple of dollars and after we were a little way past him, a friend said, "He's only going to use it to buy alcohol." My sister replied, "I gave it to him. It's not my business what he does with it now."
I think it's not a bad idea to always try to adapt to that thought no matter what we give.
You offered to donate a sign. They already had a "design" for the sign. And as Russ said, maybe it would offend someone if they opted for the new design (which is of course much more effective in my opinion). You did your best trying to sway them in the right direction, unfortunately, they didn't understand your wisdom. We've all been there (I had one today as a matter of fact), and frustrating as it is, I think you are now obligated to do the sign. You feel it's a good cause, and you are still helping the cause. Time to put away that ego, which we all know we have. The sign will be done regardless if you do it or not. You will still have to drive by it everyday. And you will be remembered by them as the guy, who reneged on the charitable gift because "they wouldn't do it your way."
Just don't put your lable on it, and if you have to install it, put a bag over your head.
-------------------- Tracie Johnson Signovations Ventura, California Posts: 444 | From: Ventura, California | Registered: Nov 2005
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Topic Closed
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stopped in today with her "logo that I came up with ::giggle::" It's the font Kid Type Paint in Lime Green and Tangerine Orange alternating every other letter. Worst thing ever. "Maybe you could come up with something better?", she asks.![[Frown]](frown.gif)
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It wasn't that long ago that I would have been content to do a sign like that. That speaks wonders for this site. We all start somewhere. 
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Happy Mother's Day!
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