The Campaign Builder's Guild

I was asked to create a logo for Kaidan, as products will be released this month. I decided to stay simple, but added a touch of red to enhance an otherwise b/w lineart design. While this does scream Japan, and not so much horror, I think the name does that, plus the color scheme helps.

Thoughts?

GP

 

I like it, though the gradient also being used on the sun draws the eye and seems... off, I guess, somehow.

I know that's probably not terribly helpful. Maybe try inverting the gradient on the sun so that it looks more contiguous with the label?

I agree with Stargate on this one. The sun draws the eye just a little too much. I would daresay that it might look fine even without the sun. Maybe remove the sun and add a soft morning/evening glow behind the building and trees?

A sweet logo, though! Thumbs up!

Like you say, it doesn't scream horror. Have you tried white building on a black background?

If I saw this logo, I would definitely think it was a Japan-based setting, but I wouldn't in the least think of it as horror. It's too peaceful, with the castle and the sakura and whatnot.

Oh yeah, horror. Don't go with the glow thing I suggested. :P

What about displaying a moon instead of a sun?

Looks nice though a few suggestions:

- remove the sun as it's drawing the eyes away from where the focus should be
- change the color to a deep blood red
- possibly remove the leaves from the cherry blossom trees to make it look more horror appropriate (perhaps instead of the sun a moon rising over the castle to push this more)

I'd keep the sun, since it's such a prominent symbol of Japan and Kaidan is so strongly influenced by Japanese myth and history.  Solid red might look better, not sure.

Quote from: SteerpikeI'd keep the sun, since it's such a prominent symbol of Japan and Kaidan is so strongly influenced by Japanese myth and history.  Solid red might look better, not sure.

I would move it however as it is currently drawing eyes away from the focal point. Perhaps if you keep it move it so that is rising from behind the castle.

Agree with the above posters. Castle and trees look excellent, GP. Sun looks kind of weird with a gradient, and doesn't lend the horror vibe so much.

Yeah, I tried a black background with white castle and trees - that didn't work. I tried a solid red in the first place and didn't care for that. I even tried a circular gradiant that didn't work. I tried no moon - sky looked empty.

So here's one with slightly different gradiant, larger sun/moon, placed behind the castle, this might be a little better. But still not screaming 'horror'.

Edit: I changed it once more - bigger castle, stripped the leaves/blossoms off the trees, flipped one tree and made both larger, and placed a tiny skull on the castle to 'horrify' it up a bit.

This is the final (I think).

GP

 

That's a great improvement in my eyes. I don't know about you, but it definitely gives me a "creepy" vibe when I see it. I don't know if you're looking to evoke something more than that, but with my limited understanding I think this would do the trick.

That is MUCH better. Still has the distinctly japanese feel but now it also obviously represents something horrific.

I'm on the fence about the cherry blossoms but overall the second logo is definitely creepier, and I like the skull - nice touch!  The first logo makes me think of Oriental Adventures, the second makes me of an Asian version of Ravenloft.

The second logo seems to suit your aims better than the first. The first looks more generic "eastern". Second's zoom-in on the building is a good idea since that makes the skull the image's focal point.