The Evolution of The Dennis Crew
(Cringe-worthy and all...)
When I started TPT back in 2017, it took me a while to decide on a name for my store. I'm the type of person who wants to change her branding constantly and did for many years. It's only now that I'm really trying my hardest to stick to the branding I've given myself for the past few years. There were several names I started with and several cringe-worthy logos created. Oh geez! So now, I'm taking the time to show you my logos through the years.
I'll point out the great things I included in each one and what logos I created that belong in a dumpster fire.
Summer 2017
So, I've already started the fire in the dumpster for this one. There are so many things wrong with it, but I'll share my thoughts:
The good:
I "attempted" at branding by deciding on colors for myself. Good start, but I just chose colors that I thought were cute and didn't think about what the combination would look like together.
I incorporated 'Dennis' into it, so I knew that was the path I needed to go.
The bad:
You can't read the words on the logo due to the stripes in the back. If I can't read this now, how did I think people could read it back in 2017?
Font choice. "Dennis Firsties" is too skinny to read when you zoom out. "Sparkle" is to hard to read by itself with the shadow and cursive font.
Also, Dennis Firsties Sparkle? Just no. No. No. No. Go back to the drawing board for a new name.
Probably a week later, Summer 2017
The good:
Name change! I was already "The Dennis Crew" that year in my classroom, so I just moved it over to my store name.
I've actually got a normal circle logo (for TPT) happening. No frilly sides. Good change.
I've included a bold font for "Dennis," and started to make it the focal point of my store name.
I've included a picture of myself so my customers can see the person behind the store.
The bad:
The size of "The Dennis Crew" is still a bit too small. If I were to zoom out on the logo, I wouldn't be able to read it well.
A little judgmental of myself, but I don't think I should have used a picture that makes me look younger than I am.
Font choice again. I needed a font that was easier to read (from a distance) for "the" and "crew."
Summer 2018
The good:
I feel like I'm much more relaxed in this picture, therefore I think the logo seems a bit relaxed.
The colors in the picture seem to compliment the colors in the logo to a certain extent. Not the best, but they do match.
The bad:
The background behind me in the picture is a bit busy and my eyes can't seem to focus on the text or myself. A blurred background might have been better.
The text is still a bit small, but we're heading in the right direction.
When I zoom out, I can't really see "Dennis" very well, so that will need to be changed.
July 2020
The good:
I loved this color change and it really makes "Dennis" stand out!
I brought back the apple and loved the accent it gave the logo.
I like how the white circle around the image makes the logo 'pop' a bit.
The bad:
Now, I can't read "the" or "crew" very well if I zoom out.
Although the picture seems a little more muted in color, it still is a little busy on the eyes.
Because there is text on my shirt, my eyes wander in that direction of the logo as well. You want your eyes to focus on the name on the logo!
February 2021
The good:
This was post-baby Caileigh and I felt that it was time for another change. This was also when I decided to incorporate some of my current branding colors. So proud of this mama!
I finally found a spot in my house that I was able to take a decent picture of myself without a distracting background.
You can still read "Dennis" fairly well.
Leaving that white circle, I see....
The bad:
This logo was created prior to me creating logos for others AKA prior to my Procreate journey on my iPad. I had an idea for another outlined circle that would incorporate my colors, but GIRL... those dot circles were NOT IT.
The cursive in "the" and "crew" are incredibly hard to read now. Once again, shrink your logo and see if the wording is too small. Just do it.
February 2021 (like 3 weeks later)
The good:
I decided to keep the picture, but just flip it since it didn't have a distracting background.
I feel like the glitter compliments the logo and doesn't take away from it.
When I zoom out, I can actually STILL read the entire logo.
The bad:
Not much I dislike about it (currently) since the text is set up just like my current logo.
I need to incorporate my entire palette somehow (which you'll see in the next logo change)
Current logo (Changed around September 2021)
At this point, I was starting to see a trend on Instagram of people just including a picture of themselves and having their text logo separate from their profile picture. I took another photo with a non distracting background. Then I incorporated my entire color palette into my text logo (which in turn matches my TPT store covers.)
I really appreciate the fresh look of JUST the photo as apposed to logos I've created with text in them as well.
As far as the text logo below, this is when I really leaned into all of my colors in my color palette. There are 6 colors, which is the highest number of colors I'm willing to have in a color palette.
So in the end, here are some things to think about when you create your own logo:
Font choice:
You'll want to incorporate fonts that are easy to read from a distance. What I mean is you'll need to zoom away from your logo as far as you can to see if your logo is easy to read. This includes fonts that are bold, modern, vintage, handwritten, etc.
Try to incorporate bold fonts into your logo if you can. This will help make the text stand out.
If you plan on changing the color of your font, it's always a good idea to have an outline around your text. I typically like to give an offset outline around my text. (See example below)
Color Palette:
When creating a brand (which a logo is just one piece), you'll want to typically stick to 2-6 colors in your color palette. I would say 7 is your max because too many colors will confuse your buyers. Your customer may not be able to identify your brand or may be focused on the colors in your branding (and not what you have to offer) if you have too many.
Elements & Graphics:
If you are adding clip art into your logo, you need to read the Terms of Use of the artist before incorporating anything. You'll need to check to see if that artist allows use of their clip art in logos & such. Some people may allow it, where others may require you to overlay text over their clip art or may not allow it at all.
Suggested Fonts to include in Logos:
