I like what you’re on to so far. What I would say though, is that I think you should be a bit more subtle with the flourishes/flourish. The borders you have, I think, are just a bit too obvious. Try just the text, with maybe a subtle, unexpected flourish on one of the characters (as the ligatures alone may not be enough to carry the design).

penn

Lindsey

I am showing this to make a point, not as a suggestion, and I am sure you will get many.

If you are going to use flourishes, use them in an organic fashion. Have them as an integral part of your key word. Make it a cartouche (sp?) as opposed to a disassociated (although pretty) bookplate.

Does that make sense? Good luck.

Michael

with Michael ... make it part of the same.

—————
Paul Ducco
Logo Design Melbourne

So I’ve given these comments much thought. I agree that using flourishes with the word is a bit obvious. It seems difficult not to go there though. Maybe I should try designing it upside down so I stop reading the words and designing by association. As far as Michael and Paul’s comments, I think you’re making a valid point. My only problem is that I don’t want to go completely organic or scripty. I also thought of bookplates with my former designs, and although I like them, it doesn’t make much sense unless I solely did book designs. It’s feeling a little too crafty.

So here’s the problem. This word is just not lending itself to meshing in some flourish elements, unless of course I move to a font that lends itself better. But I just don’t want to go in that direction...it seems too “wedding invite” or “floral design”.

Here’s my one poor attempt. Unless somebody says otherwise I think I’m going back to the drawing board and choosing a new name. I’m actually starting to read it flour-ish at this point. Ugh! I hate designing for myself...it’s impossible.

I quite like the direction this is taking. The “o” doesn’t seem to fit the rest of the design. It looks like it’s being hugged. The flourish you added to the “h” is simple and elegant. I believe that is what Penn, Michael and Paul were suggesting - having the flourish graphic as part of the logotype - not as a separate element surrounding it. Will you be adding any other text like “graphic design” or “design services” to your word mark? If so you should start incorporating that now.

That last one looks like it was done with a couple generic flourish brushes. And Baskerville is, by nature, not a font that lends itself well to flourishing.

I do think that your idea about starting over is probably best. If you can’t actually flourish by hand, it’s probably a bad name for a business. And the baroque/victorian flourishing trend is already on its deathbed, so you’ll just end up needing a new name/identity in a year or two with this one.

James- Thanks for your input. The flourishing trend is exactly why I wanted to stay away from flourishes at all. But like I said in my above comment, it was hard to not go in that direction. The name was chosen mainly for its alternate meaning, to succeed, to grow. As in “if you use me for design services your business will succeed.” The embellishment meaning was secondary and more of a nod toward the design meaning of the word.

But, I think you’re right, I can’t get it to go in the direction I want it to, so it’s time for a new idea. It’s coming off too dainty and crafty. I wanted to give it one last shot taken in the suggestions of others before I gave up.

fyi- I was using Mrs Eaves (not that it makes too much difference), and I wasn’t using a flourish brush.

@everyone. Thanks for your help and comments. I’ll post once again when I come up with something else.

Have you tried having the name “flourish” in something simple, like neutraface condensed, and having the actual flourish a separate element?

Sharon

If you want to combine the meanings of “flourish”, try combining both in the design. Try making one of the flourishes look organic/plant like. (not a vector vine - stay away from the GoMedia vector pack look!)

penn

“the baroque/victorian flourishing trend is already on its deathbed,”

Properly applied to the “correct” product any sort of flourishing will out live you and me James. One of the reasons devices such as flourishes come in and out of fashion is that they are overused or improperly used to excess. In this case, I think, it is ill advised and adds nothing to the product except a frame. First off, the elephant in the room is the OBVIOUS. Flourish on “flourish” is redundant and lends nothing to his desired (meaning) intent of the chosen word.

Peter Thornton a British calligrapher one said... “if you cannot flourish, do not prove it.” I say, if the shoe does not fit, do not wear it!

Before we dismiss flourishing in the future I think we should take a hard look at the popularity of Zapfino and all the similar spinoffs! Nuf said?

Michael