DoubleC Report post Posted December 31, 2011 My partner and I have been going around and around about this. She started our site but never got much beyond the template. I changed it because she's been too busy to work on the site and used a sketch of hers. She said it looks like a 5 YO designed the site. She doesn't want her sketch on it because she said it wasn't finished. I said the whole reason I liked it was because it conveyed so much in just a few pencil lines. I said since Google is doing this to help small businesses how could we be all about different when everyone and his cousin that's ever seen a horse is using this template. I said it was her sketch and belonged to her and if she insisted I'd take it down as a background, but I would find another pencil sketch free on the internet because I didn't want a standardized template. This may seem trivial but it is really at the root of what we want from the company. I know you're probably thinking...if you can't agree on this, what WILL you ever agree on. But actually she's one of my best friends and we do agree, just not about this. And the people I've had look at the site like it, but then again they're biased. So if you could just take a second to vote, I'd be so appreciative. Cheryl Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bison Report post Posted December 31, 2011 Hi Cheryl, I voted for the template, although like you I am not a big fan of templates. I use Go-Daddy for my web site and I can put my own background into their template. I bought some images from istockphoto.com and arranged them to suit my needs, along with some other elements I created. The reason I didn't vote for the sketches is; 1. Your partner said no to using hers...that'd be good enough for me. 2. Customers expect a certain amount of "polish" on a website. Different is good and a refined sketch can be used pretty effectively (I did one for my wife's children's theatre company here: Scissortail Children's Theatre Company it's the bird in the banner. If the sketch is not refined, it may make potential customers think that the product is not refined and they may keep searching. A web presence is an important element today, so I hope you all can get one up and running soon. I'd love to see it when it's done. Dave Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DoubleC Report post Posted December 31, 2011 Hi Cheryl, I voted for the template, although like you I am not a big fan of templates. I use Go-Daddy for my web site and I can put my own background into their template. I bought some images from istockphoto.com and arranged them to suit my needs, along with some other elements I created. The reason I didn't vote for the sketches is; 1. Your partner said no to using hers...that'd be good enough for me. 2. Customers expect a certain amount of "polish" on a website. Different is good and a refined sketch can be used pretty effectively (I did one for my wife's children's theatre company here: Scissortail Children's Theatre Company it's the bird in the banner. If the sketch is not refined, it may make potential customers think that the product is not refined and they may keep searching. A web presence is an important element today, so I hope you all can get one up and running soon. I'd love to see it when it's done. Dave Thanks so much Dave for taking time to vote. I told Lacey that whatever results I got here I would agree with. I really don't expect my friends, even if they aren't aware of it, to disagree with my choice, LOL. So I'm going to leave the poll over a few days and go with the results. BTW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cogs Report post Posted December 31, 2011 Although I voted for the sketch, at this point I prefer the 'shadow' pic of the cowgirl walking along side her horse, (or something like it), as you main graphic identifier. The sketch is cool. It's original, it's interesting, it has mystery. Perhaps you could agree to use it on a different page. Perhaps she would be inspired to finish it (we would have never known it wasn't finished if you hadn't told us). I like it, and if she does a revision of it, it could be the primary logo graphic. I think original artwork is always best. Good luck! Bill Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DoubleC Report post Posted December 31, 2011 Although I voted for the sketch, at this point I prefer the 'shadow' pic of the cowgirl walking along side her horse, (or something like it), as you main graphic identifier. The sketch is cool. It's original, it's interesting, it has mystery. Perhaps you could agree to use it on a different page. Perhaps she would be inspired to finish it (we would have never known it wasn't finished if you hadn't told us). I like it, and if she does a revision of it, it could be the primary logo graphic. I think original artwork is always best. Good luck! Bill Thanks Bill. I told her the whole reason people like her sketch is because it conveys so much in a few pencil lines. She said, 'it's not even a jpg, it's a scan and anyone can tell that.' ROFL, I'd like to know at what point you look at that wonderful sketch and say, 'don't be silly, it was scanned.' Well ya gotta get it on the computer SOMEHOW, LOL. I think if enough people agree they like it, she'll quit being so stubborn, but I'm not saying that so people will vote for it. I honestly think if people relate to what she's sketched she'll grumble a lot but say OK. Thanks so much Bill, too, Cheryl Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
particle Report post Posted December 31, 2011 I like the photo in the template. It's simple, peaceful, and I love the color. I wouldn't worry too much about "everyone and their dog" using the same template. The chance of stumbling across someone else using the same template is probably pretty slim... If you like the sketch, let your friend modify it until she's happy with it if she's willing to do so. The last sketch (Crazy Horse?) is too busy to me and indicates you'll be selling American Indian products, not "Cowgirl" stuff. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
benlilly1 Report post Posted January 1, 2012 This template is not bad but I don't like templates either... I like the drawing because it's simple and original. I know what she's saying about not being happy with it. Sometimes you just know when it's right and when it's wrong! I don't like the last one. Too much going on. I made my website on Yahoo sightbuilder www.buttskinz.com .... EASY TO DO! I also use (picnik.com) to adjust photos and add fluff. They also have an area that you can take a photo and transform it into a pencil drawing. You might check it out. All in all, I would take the pencil drawing and have her finish it. I do like the cowgirl inside the horseshoe. Good Luck Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rhide Report post Posted January 1, 2012 I also voted for the template. #1 reason being, it's her artwork, so she can decide when and where it is used #2 reason is the professional appearance the template gives ( I also agree with the peaceful look particle mentioned) Best of luck with your business. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chavez Report post Posted January 1, 2012 (edited) Hi! I voted for the girl, just because I think the sketch is amazing and it will make an easily recognisable logo. It's got character and it would be a shame not to use it for your website. I must say, however that I don't see how you can build a whole website around it. Building a website from a template will save you time and make your website look professional - something that's very hard to achieve unless you're a pro in web design. Having used a template as a base for the website does not stop you from using the sketch for a logo. Open up your photoshop (or if you don't have it, use Gimp (http://www.gimp.org/)), play a bit with contrast of the sketch to make it look more "finished", scale it to a logo size and stick it onto the background of your choice. A couple of examples attached - apologies for screwing with your partner's artwork but I thought my post would make more sense with them. If you spend more than 30 seconds playing with contrast I'm sure you'll get the desired balance of sketched/finished image. Good luck with your website! Original size Scaled down for logo Edited January 1, 2012 by Chavez Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Greystone Report post Posted January 1, 2012 find a way to polish / smooth the lines of the art work, it looks great,,, if enlarged it will need, "" little work""",,,ihmo GREAT logo to identify your company factor it in to a site template and go,,, best of luck David Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cogs Report post Posted January 1, 2012 Just a thought.... Tool her drawing in leather, take a picture and use that. yeah/no? Bill Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Scary Leatherworks Report post Posted January 1, 2012 I voted for the template because it seems like it has some emotion to it, although I like the idea of a simple line drawing. If you go to the adult section (if you can) and the tattoo flash, hammerhead has some "nude cowgirls" posted that he tooled and I immediately thought of one of his pic's when I saw your poll. The one I'm referring to is the one on the far right in his first post. I think something like that from the shoulders up would be a nice line drawing for a "couture" site. maybe not the main pic/logo but anyway just my 2 cents Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DoubleC Report post Posted January 1, 2012 I like the photo in the template. It's simple, peaceful, and I love the color. I wouldn't worry too much about "everyone and their dog" using the same template. The chance of stumbling across someone else using the same template is probably pretty slim... If you like the sketch, let your friend modify it until she's happy with it if she's willing to do so. The last sketch (Crazy Horse?) is too busy to me and indicates you'll be selling American Indian products, not "Cowgirl" stuff. Hi Particle, I wasn't going to use the crazy horse sketch, just a free one I could find on the web. However, I'm not going to justify my choices, LOL because I asked for honest opinions on here, and I so appreciate you people giving me your time to do this. You all really do rock!!!! Cheryl Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DoubleC Report post Posted January 1, 2012 This template is not bad but I don't like templates either... I like the drawing because it's simple and original. I know what she's saying about not being happy with it. Sometimes you just know when it's right and when it's wrong! I don't like the last one. Too much going on. I made my website on Yahoo sightbuilder www.buttskinz.com .... EASY TO DO! I also use (picnik.com) to adjust photos and add fluff. They also have an area that you can take a photo and transform it into a pencil drawing. You might check it out. All in all, I would take the pencil drawing and have her finish it. I do like the cowgirl inside the horseshoe. Good Luck Been I love your website of the leather instead of a background color, that's really cool. I'm also going to check out picnik and see about making the template a sketch, that i think I would like. Or maybe even our logo although it was a small free jpg, well actually two I combined in publisher and I use a double horse shoe stamp on the back of everything I do as our signature. So the logo might end up really busy, I don't know. You folks are all so creative and have given me so many new ideas, like not running into the template everywhere, etc. And now maybe being able to make it a sketch. I should be more understanding. She thinks she's not creative and anyone can see that's no true. She doodled that at her desk while working. But if she put a product up I made that I didn't think was perfect yet, I'd be really upset. I will send her all the comments people have made about her sketch and maybe she'll try to get it perfect to her standards and we can reuse it at a later time. Thanks so much, Cheryl Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DoubleC Report post Posted January 1, 2012 I also voted for the template. #1 reason being, it's her artwork, so she can decide when and where it is used #2 reason is the professional appearance the template gives ( I also agree with the peaceful look particle mentioned) Best of luck with your business. Thanks Rhide. Lacey thinks the template makes it look more professional too. I am amazed at all of you folks helping and I hope I can help you all sometime in return. I can't believe how she and I have been able to agree on everything but this, LOL. And I knew me asking my friends which they liked wasn't fair because they're aren't going to disagree with me (except Lacey and that's what makes our business relationship and friendship work so well). I told her I was going to do this and would abide by what you folks thought. You have no investment to agree with me. Thank you so much for taking the time to vote Rhide. Oh Jeesh, Happy New year folks. Cheryl Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DoubleC Report post Posted January 1, 2012 Hi! I voted for the girl, just because I think the sketch is amazing and it will make an easily recognisable logo. It's got character and it would be a shame not to use it for your website. I must say, however that I don't see how you can build a whole website around it. Building a website from a template will save you time and make your website look professional - something that's very hard to achieve unless you're a pro in web design. Having used a template as a base for the website does not stop you from using the sketch for a logo. Open up your photoshop (or if you don't have it, use Gimp (http://www.gimp.org/)), play a bit with contrast of the sketch to make it look more "finished", scale it to a logo size and stick it onto the background of your choice. A couple of examples attached - apologies for screwing with your partner's artwork but I thought my post would make more sense with them. If you spend more than 30 seconds playing with contrast I'm sure you'll get the desired balance of sketched/finished image. Good luck with your website! Original size Scaled down for logo You know Chavez, we already have a logo, but it never occurred to me to change it to this. I think that's a great idea and maybe she'll slick it up the way SHE wants it, and then we change logos. That's an excellent idea. I stamp the back of our products with a horseshoe stamp twice for the double c, and this picture would work just as well for that. Thank you for taking so much time to redo the sketch and for the idea and url. Cheryl Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DoubleC Report post Posted January 1, 2012 find a way to polish / smooth the lines of the art work, it looks great,,, if enlarged it will need, "" little work""",,,ihmo GREAT logo to identify your company factor it in to a site template and go,,, best of luck David Thank you David. It is the background on the site we're (well mostly me right now because she's so busy with her other job) building right now. Google has the 'placeholder' templates I found and used that, then uploaded this into it. But she says it looks like a 5 YO did the site. But that's Lacey, you can always count on her honesty if not politeness at all times :-) I think it's more her not feeling the sketch is finished than any intention to be rude. I told her I was going to do this poll, and abide by whatever the results were if she would. I think her 'doodle' as she calls it is is awesome, but I also understand wanting something to be perfect. I would be upset if she put a product up that I didn't feel I had 'finished' yet. Maybe some of everyone's kind and supportive remarks will at least get her to finish it to the point we can use it for our logo even if she still wants a template. Thank you so much for taking the time to respond. Cheryl Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DoubleC Report post Posted January 1, 2012 find a way to polish / smooth the lines of the art work, it looks great,,, if enlarged it will need, "" little work""",,,ihmo GREAT logo to identify your company factor it in to a site template and go,,, best of luck David Thank you David. It is the background on the site we're (well mostly me right now because she's so busy with her other job) building right now. Google has the 'placeholder' templates I found and used that, then uploaded this into it. But she says it looks like a 5 YO did the site. But that's Lacey, you can always count on her honesty if not politeness at all times :-) I think it's more her not feeling the sketch is finished than any intention to be rude. I told her I was going to do this poll, and abide by whatever the results were if she would. I think her 'doodle' as she calls it is is awesome, but I also understand wanting something to be perfect. I would be upset if she put a product up that I didn't feel I had 'finished' yet. Maybe some of everyone's kind and supportive remarks will at least get her to finish it to the point we can use it for our logo even if she still wants a template. Thank you so much for taking the time to respond. Cheryl Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DoubleC Report post Posted January 1, 2012 Just a thought.... Tool her drawing in leather, take a picture and use that. yeah/no? Bill DO WHAT? Oh my, is the leatherworker forum, I thought it was dabbling around. LOL. I think that is such a good idea Bill I want to get offline and start it. I honestly do. When we first came up with the name Double C Cowgirl Couture (Conn and Crossan) it took a friend of mine to send me a graphic of double horseshoes (doesn't know a rein from the horses tail, but always helping me) for me to do that 'slap upside your forehead DUH.' I use a horse shoe stamp on the back of everything now, overlapping them. I can't believe what a good idea this is and how it should have been right in front of my face, or at least my workbench. I will see if she minds if I do it that way and then it'll be on me see? How can her sketch not be done if I'm the one reproducing it in leather. Man my forehead is gonna be flat if this keeps up!!!! Cheryl Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DoubleC Report post Posted January 1, 2012 I voted for the template because it seems like it has some emotion to it, although I like the idea of a simple line drawing. If you go to the adult section (if you can) and the tattoo flash, hammerhead has some "nude cowgirls" posted that he tooled and I immediately thought of one of his pic's when I saw your poll. The one I'm referring to is the one on the far right in his first post. I think something like that from the shoulders up would be a nice line drawing for a "couture" site. maybe not the main pic/logo but anyway just my 2 cents LOL, Scary, I'm old enough to be your uh, really old aunt! I will go and look and see what hammerhead has. Well that's assuming I can FIND it. For my first week here I thought this forum ended at the first brown line. That's for telling me about his stuff and taking the time to respond. Cheryl Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DoubleC Report post Posted January 1, 2012 I voted for the template because it seems like it has some emotion to it, although I like the idea of a simple line drawing. If you go to the adult section (if you can) and the tattoo flash, hammerhead has some "nude cowgirls" posted that he tooled and I immediately thought of one of his pic's when I saw your poll. The one I'm referring to is the one on the far right in his first post. I think something like that from the shoulders up would be a nice line drawing for a "couture" site. maybe not the main pic/logo but anyway just my 2 cents Hi again Scary. I'm sorry I was so flippant, didn't realize you need admin permission to get in the adult forum. So I've PM admin. Thanks, Cheryl Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Scary Leatherworks Report post Posted January 2, 2012 Hi again Scary. I'm sorry I was so flippant, didn't realize you need admin permission to get in the adult forum. So I've PM admin. Thanks, Cheryl Well after you peruse the adult section Double C may end up changing their target marketing LOL Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DoubleC Report post Posted January 2, 2012 Well after you peruse the adult section Double C may end up changing their target marketing LOL ROFL, at this point anything could happen. The excitement of a baby business, how will it grow up? Cheryl Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chavez Report post Posted January 2, 2012 No problem, Cheryl, It only took 30 seconds in gimp. Just really liked the artwork =) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DoubleC Report post Posted January 2, 2012 No problem, Cheryl, It only took 30 seconds in gimp. Just really liked the artwork =) Me too :-( Emailing partner about the comments now Chavez Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
