Another logo created with Anime Studio

[heyvern]

Here's another logo created mostly with Anime Studio. It's for my brother's community theater in Harrisonburg VA.
When I say "mostly" done in Anime Studio, I mean that all the initial drawing and tracing was done in Anime Studio and then it was converted to Adobe Illustrator via SWF export for better usage options I can't get with just raster export from Anime Studio. Also I get "cleaner" text output with AI.

Final Logo



Steps I used to get to the final

First step was to create a basic 3D stage light in Animation Master. Nothing fancy just very basic shapes. I did this in Animation Master so I could rig the light "flaps" and get a faster 3D visualization.



Next I traced the 3D rendering in Anime Studio. Tweaking and adding details and stylistic shading.
Exported a single frame to SWF.
Open in Flash Player and print to a PDF
Open PDF in Adobe Illustrator and do some "clean up" and add the text elements of the logo. This last step involves as much work as I desire to put into it. The basic "look" after removing document "boxes" and clipping paths that aren't needed is fine and wouldn't really need any clean up. It basically looks exactly like the Anime Studio file. I just like to simplify and merge shapes and clean things up a bit once in Adobe Illustrator.

For example, exporting to SWF with variable line widths, creates stroke "shapes" that are "split" at each point along a path in Anime Studio. A single stroke with variable widths are separate shapes next to each other instead of one shape. I like to merge these split shapes into one shape when I convert to Adobe Illustrator format.

[Danimal]

Simple yet awesome. Very well done!

[heyvern]

Thanks for the comment!

I really like the new workflow for converting to Adobe Illustrator. Keep in mind I don't want or need AI type drawing tools, I just need a way to export vector for small, resolution independent graphics that I've drawn in Anime Studio. I do a lot of print work with Anime Studio. Lately I've been doing logos with it and need that small, scaleable EPS vector file for desktop publishing.

It would be nice if Anime Studio had a direct export to AI or EPS using the SWF export. But in the meantime the extra steps using PDF works.

Sometimes with a specific style I find Anime Studio easier and faster to get the results quickly. I find the variable widths in Adobe Illustrator very difficult to work with. It's hard to select the width "points'. I often spend more time fiddling with something so simple that could be done in 5 seconds with Anime Studio.

[drichird]

Looks good! There is a slight rocket thrust look to the emanating light, was wondering would it be an interesting experiment to keep everything the same but show a little bit of the stage light lens cover and/or some of the outline of the hardware behind the light beam ? Anyways looks great and always great to hear the exact process you are using to create stuff. Thanks!

[heyvern]

Looks good! There is a slight rocket thrust look to the emanating light, was wondering would it be an interesting experiment to keep everything the same but show a little bit of the stage light lens cover and/or some of the outline of the hardware behind the light beam?

Interesting idea. If this were an illustration or had a different use I might consider it. However, I need that "clean" empty area for the text. Any extra bits showing behind the text could interfere. Not sure if you mean like "ghosted" lines behind it, but I need it a solid one color. No grayscale or screens.

My main concern was: "Does it look like a stage light?". So far I've gotten positive feedback from people I've shown it to who don't have any connection with the previous logo or the theater.

I point at it and ask,
"What is that?"
"It's a stage light right?"
"No! It's suppose to be a horsey! Back to the drawing board."

Back Story
The old logo was pretty bad, but not horrible just old and out of date. For years they have been trying to get a new one but won't pay for it. I've been putting it off because as has been pointed out in other topics, you shouldn't work for free. They first tried a "contest" for the new logo but... apparently no one entered anything, or I think one person did. I just couldn't figure out why they can pay for lumber and paint for set design, but can't scrape up a few bucks for A NEW GOOD LOGO!

Recently my brother showed me the "new" logo that the president of the theater contracted to be done without consulting the board. It was... well... it was... to be blunt is was god awful. It broke my heart. I do the posters for all of my brothers plays for free (I know I know, I shouldn't but it's fun) and the thought of ruining those posters with an absolutely horrifically ugly logo stuck on it... makes my skin crawl... so I did this for him out of desperation.

Unfortunately this logo may still get rejected due to egos and politics. The president of the theater board won't reject it because it's "bad", but because she isn't willing to admit her ability to judge good design isn't very good. You don't have to be an "artist" to be a good stage director. You don't have to feel "hurt" or offended if you don't know what looks professional.

[3deeguy]

heyvern, excellent logo. I also do things for my brothers for free because they are my brothers.
We don't have to be geniuses to know that Mozart was awfully good at creating music.

[lwaxana]

That logo looks great! Hopefully they will use it.