What's Your Handle? (Origins of your maker marks)

[Mjolnir]

2 minutes ago, alpha2 said:

whoa! I just ate, and now I'm hungry again! Ellie sounds like gal that knows her way around catfish!

LMBO! Ellie was a golden retriever  Best catfish and hushpuppies in town!

[olfart]

As a hobbyist with no plans to go commercial, I don't have or need a maker's mark.  My screen name is just an apt descriptor of me. 

[alpha2]

An apt descriptor of a few of us...

[olfart]

2 minutes ago, alpha2 said:

An apt descriptor of a few of us...

[mikesc]

Hey..I resemble that remark ..

[eglideride]

9 hours ago, olfart said:

As a hobbyist with no plans to go commercial, I don't have or need a maker's mark.  My screen name is just an apt descriptor of me. 

If I may Olfart, 

I have been in leather work and woodcarving in one form or another for the last 30 years, as a "hobbyist" also. I started signing my work years ago after a fellow woodcarver pointed out that the items that I "made" as gifts for family and friends, were my legacy of sorts. I know that might sound presumptuous. But if you think about it, most people (especially family) appreciate your work (deserved or not in my case!). I believe my friend was correct. Signing and dating gives your work relevance. 

Besides, how many artists and craftspersons over the decades have become famous posthumously?  Just my 2 cents. 

[alpha2]

"Besides, how many artists and craftspersons over the decades have become famous posthumously?  Just my 2 cents."

That's what I'm holding out for!

[Orangeleather]

23 hours ago, Mjolnir said:

my best suggestion is to advertise at a local college that has a graphic design program. There is always one kid that has talent. pay them what you think is fair, they will accept. While I was in college I did a logo for a restaurant ( does any one else hate spelling restaurant!) $300 bucks. rendered in photoshop. A catfish in a rocking chair was the image.

Thanks for the advice,  just out of curiousity what's the situation from the leathercrafters viewpoint towards 'copyright or ownership' of an individual handle.

As my work is a combination of certain small accessories and periodically bespoke 'one off items' made to order only.

[mikesc]

Thanks for the advice, just out of curiousity what's the situation from the leathercrafters viewpoint towards 'copyright or ownership' of an individual handle.

Depends, if "the handle" is / was already being used by another leatherworker, ethics and decency , not to mention courtesy would say that one could not use another's "handle".

Also ,if "the handle" or "logo" or "brand" or "makers mark" or name , is / was already being used by another leatherworker or business or company etc or in conjunction with leather items, using it would be illegal..not just abuse of copyright, but also in many countries would be criminal ( in the UK for example it would be considered amongst other things as "passing off" ) the various laws that it would be breaking depend on the countries and most "names" are valid EU wide ( meaning you can't use* in one country a name that has been registered ( prior to your use ) in another country for a similar business )..It is similar legislation to that relating to "trademarks".

From a practical point of view, if anyone is considering eventually using a "name" for a business, it make sense to see if it is available in their own country and not already in use fro a similar business..for example ..you could be "orangeleather" and "orange leather garage" could not say anything, but "orange leather bags" could very easily prevent you doing so. Worth thinking about too ( in the case of someone in the UK** )is .."is the dot com" of your name available ? and the .co.uk and the .uk ( and maybe the .net ) and the ( at least until brexit happens in 2019 ) the .eu..Most people type the dot com , and even for those who do not, the dot com and the .co.uk and the .uk say "credible business" <= people will take out their credit card and order..whereas orangeleather.biz ..they are less likely to do so.

Graphics, something many people forget when designing a "logo" or "mark"..is KISS..make it too "wordy" ..and most will either not bother reading it, or they won't remember it, you'll be "the place where we bought the leather "thing", can't remember their name, you know, wossname" ( "wossname" is already registered ) ..make the name and the logo or mark something that they will remember ( don't ask friends and / or family what they think of your ideas, they'll say what they think you want to hear )..ideally you should choose a logo or a mark that does not require words, because some customers don't read so well, some customers maybe don't have English*** as a first language.

Very simple example.."orangeleather"..use the leather symbol ( because it says "leather" in most languages ) , just that..make it orange rather than brown or beige..or use it "orange" inside it write "orange leather", on two lines and in a simple typeface..I can think of other "riffs" on the same idea, some of them better, one in particular, but, as I used to say to my students ( I taught graphics and life drawing, sculpture, design and other things at artschool / university for a time, a long time ago ) " thinking is good for you".." and " businesses pay a great deal of money to have logos designed for them, I know , I've designed some that paid me very very well, so, I'll prime the ideas pump for you, but I won't do the work, nor give away the best ideas, not for less than 5 figures in front of the decimal, in cash"..

Something that signwriters ( many of the old school ones were / are far better graphic designers than many "designers" ) know too, make it so it is "readable" and "understandable" and "sticks in your mind" if it is written on the side of a truck going the other way at 50mph..think MS ( with all the variants upon windows logo down the years ), think Mickey D, think Coke and Pepsi ( similar but distinct ) or the double C of Chanel of the interlinking letters of YSL..

Those ( and many others ) "work"..and then think of some of the worst examples of the joss-sticks and whalesong "designer logos"..such as the UK Olympics logo in 2012

Some background to "logo" design..( note who owns ca.com..probably not who you'd think at first guess)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logo

If you want to see some real "horrors" type
"bad logo design"
into a search engine..( the UK Olympics 2012 one is probably up there in the all time top 10 bad designs ) plenty of articles about what not to do..and why not.

One last thing..leatherwork is a "craft", so it is natural to want to include imagery that says "craft"..but, bear in mind that we know what a swivel knife is , but most people buying leather items have no idea what is "that weird stick like thing with a sickle curve on one end"..especially when it is really small like on a makers mark..whereas an outline of a saddle, with a name, will work for anyone from Delaware to Darwin passing through Vladivostok and Tokyo.

HTH :-)

*there are exceptions , but don't count on them, finding that you do not fall into the "can use" can be expensive ..most registered business will fight for "damages"..losing to them could break you for years to come.

**same kind of thing applies to those in other countries, if you are in the USA, better if you can get the dot com and the dot net and the dot us.

*** Even in your own country, you may have potential customers whose first language is not the same as your first language..words can be far more of a barrier to communication ( and sales ) than well thought out images.

Edited January 15, 2018 by mikesc

[sheathmaker]

My handle here is "sheathmaker", and is a natural because I specialize in custom knife sheaths.  I have few professionally made maker's marks, but My daughter-in-law made the beautiful piece shown below that I use on my table at shows which is an exact representation of my maker's mark.

 

 

 

Paul