Logotype for a rock band

Krzysztof Filimonowicz

Hi there!
I am opening this topic to ask for your advice. Full disclosure: I am a complete amateur, I hardly know any theory or terminology. Yet, I though I might design a logotype for my band, Sonorous Regalia.
I have to warn you, that it might be the cringeworthiest thing you've seen on this forum. Without further ado, here it is:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B9BhtlwviuCcMWJtb3c1S21Oa0U
It might be difficult to decipher, yet I somewhat like the fact that it resembles some exotic glyphs. It shows some potential when the letters are embossed:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B9BhtlwviuCceUg2SlZoUGU2TFE
Alright, I don't expect praises. I am prepared for crushing (but hopefully constructive) criticism.
Best Regards,
Chris

Ray Larabie

Band logos are special. Some of the best ones were designed by the bands themselves. I think the best band logos are easy for fans to carve into their school desks or scrawl on lined paper with a bell point pen. AC/DC, Skrillex, Metallica, Def Leppard, Led Zeppelin, Van Halen, Korn, NIN, Megadeth, Kiss, Iron Maiden, Blitzen Trapper. They're easily reproduced and compact. They contain memorable, interesting letterforms. They're compact...not a lot of white space.

Maybe lose the fancy curves and use straight lines. Keep sketching it on paper to figure out the geometry of it. Tighten it up... make it compact and less delicate. Draw it over and over and find a way to make it all fit together. Then you can draw it in a computer. Forget the embossing, just make it look good in black for now. The S idea can work but you need something extra to let people know that this is not supposed to be an E. The way it is now, it reads as E. Then you look back and see...oh yeah, I guess that's supposed to be an S.

Dyana Weissman

I also had a hard time with that S. While the case could be made that a hard-to-read logo can have some kind of cachet, and secretive lettering and music have long gone together, I'm not seeing this going in that direction. 

Another thing that makes a logo look good is its consistency. Either it should be totally consistent, or consistently inconsistent. If that makes sense. For example, right now, the os and the as are the same glyphs. But then looking at the n and the u, which in many instances are just 180° versions of each other (but need not be), they don't have the same counterspace. So the rhythm is totally weird. It's like having a consistent beat in some places and crazy randomness in others. 

So unless your music is like that, I would pick one way or the other. Consistent (like the logos of Megadeth or Led Zeppelin) or controlled chaos (Korn, Sex Pistols).  

Let me know if any of that didn't make sense and I'll try to elaborate.

Krzysztof Filimonowicz

Thank you for your submissions, I appreciate it.
The logotype is in fact the result of doodling, I have been sketching it for some time now already. I think it has some potential when it comes to the kid-drawing-his-favorite-band-logo stuff. Still, I agree that it requires some work still. The first thing would be the initial "S", since a lot of people confuse it with "E" in the current state. I guess adding some thin lines to connect the current elements would do the trick.
As for consistency I have to say that I haven't thought of inverting letters, but I might fiddle with that as well.

Krzysztof Filimonowicz

Hi there! I've been silent for quite a long period, but I am still working on this project of mine. In the meantime I've tinkered with the worst offenders in this logo: The capital "S" and consistency.

Here it is: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B9BhtlwviuCcNTNyX2lYbEFXSXc

For that purpose I've devised a grid so that all the diagonals line up one by one where they should be (see: bottom "S", top "R" and "e", middle "g").

Now all the letters had their allotted space in the grid so the characters from the bottom line end up under the ones from the top, not somewhere off like "e" previously.

I've also upgraded the design of "n", "r" and "u" characters. Now they are composed of the same elements, so the consistency is retained and the whole top silhouette in the upper row make a nice, regular pattern of bumps (until "u", unfortunately).

What leaves me dissatisfied is the capital letter "R" and the middle line in "g", where I am unsure as to where should it end so that it wouldn't appear too bulky or too small.

Overall I am quite happy with the progress. Thanks for all your advice so far and, rest assured, I'll be happy to hear from you more!

Łukasz Józef

Hello, I think that The Stroke: Theory of Writing by G.Noordzij could be a great help here. (There is polish edition available at bookstores) also I recommend you to stay closer to traditional letterforms (and to study them) because first word of the logo isn't well legible, keep drawing