New Paint.NET logo

[HCGS 9]

Following the recent conversations regarding the modernization of Paint.NET (1,2), I realized that even if the icons and the website get updated, there will be an obvious update missing: an update to the logo. This is the current logo:

 

 

It's not that bad, right? It looks actually kind of nice and easily recognizable. However, it is a bit outdated. If the icons ever get changed to something more Office-like, and if the site ever gets modernized, I feel like a small update to the logo would be beneficial.

 

Just as an idea/concept art, I have recreated the logo both in the Microsoft Metro/Office style and in the Google Material style.

 

Microsoft Metro:

 

 

Google Material:

 

 

...and a comparison of the 3 logos, with a context background:

 

(in fact, those images are quite low res. The Material one is by far my favorite and I thought that it needed to be shown in full hd... here it is.)

 

What do you all think?

[BoltBait 2,170]

My thoughts:

 

8 minutes ago, HCGS said:

 

Looks too much like the Photoshop logo:

 

 

9 minutes ago, HCGS said:

 

Too childish.

 

I'd rather stick with the original one.

[welshblue 1,834]

FIW I like the original logo and wouldn't change it drastically.

 Personally I don't think the shadow on the frame is needed or maybe not be so drastic - looks too obvious and in your face especially on EEr's mock up / trial run of the website.

 

On that I'd question the Paralegal button.  Must be a better word to use  - the first thing that comes to mind when I see it is - not quite a solicitor

[HCGS 9]

I guess you are right. There shouldn't be such a drastic difference. How's this?

 

[BoltBait 2,170]

7 hours ago, welshblue said:

On that I'd question the Paralegal button.  Must be a better word to use  - the first thing that comes to mind when I see it is - not quite a solicitor

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=define+paralegal

 

Seems fine to me.

[GillFelis 24]

Have you been knitting with hemp fibre? It's a travesty.

[Rick Brewster 1,159]

I'm not planning on changing the logo.

[welshblue 1,834]

2 hours ago, BoltBait said:

Seems fine to me.

 

Maybe it's because I've never seen it used in that context on a website before.

Plus I know I can be pretty fffick at times but I can't work out if it means the legal bits or help and support ... but I guess it's immaterial seeing as you can't click on it

[Ego Eram Reputo 2,186]

11 hours ago, welshblue said:

On that I'd question the Paralegal button.  Must be a better word to use  -

 

I did a lot of thinking about that. Contents of the menu are licencing, privacy & copyright. I wanted a single word which covered this quasi-legal stuff. @BoltBait nailed my intent with the link to the adjective definition.

I explained elsewhere that the demo posted was a draft. I'm happy to consider alternatives.

[Ego Eram Reputo 2,186]

4 hours ago, HCGS said:

I guess you are right. There shouldn't be such a drastic difference. How's this?

 

^^ this is my favorite with Google Materials close behind. You've got quite a talent for this. I'm impressed with how you've put these alternatives together. Great job.

[Rick Brewster 1,159]

(addendum to my earlier comment..., which was terse because it was BC or "before coffee" ...)

 

I agree with EER... that one looks pretty good, although it lost all of the mountains and clouds, which are iconic for Paint.NET. And I always found it difficult to get the brush looking just right, but it looks good there.

[Pixey 3,233]

Yes, the last one is good ...... but I like the old paint.net original better - it's no secret, I hate to change anything when it's not broken

[TrevorOutlaw 158]

Throwing in my 2 cents...I like the original PDN logo as it is unique and synonymous to the software.

[HCGS 9]

12 hours ago, Ego Eram Reputo said:

You've got quite a talent for this. I'm impressed with how you've put these alternatives together. Great job.

 

Thanks a lot!

 

10 hours ago, Rick Brewster said:

that one looks pretty good, although it lost all of the mountains and clouds, which are iconic for Paint.NET.

 

I did include the mountains, albeit in more of a symbolic way - they're that slab in the bottom of the "picture". I didn't include the clouds because I wasn't sure how to. I do agree that they are quite iconic, though.

 

This was a quick attempt at adding them, but I'm not really sure.

 

 

To be honest, the only big problems I have with the current icon are the big dark shadows and lines it has, plus the shading on the brush. I tried making a version that is as similar to the original as possible, just with the problems fixed and with the new brush, that you mentioned liking:

 

 

And with a context background:

 

(this would look sweet on the website, eh?)

 

...and I think that might be the best I can do. Here's the .pdn:

 

logo.zip

 

Use as you wish! Thanks for the comments, everyone.

Edited September 15, 2018 by HCGS

[welshblue 1,834]

12 hours ago, Ego Eram Reputo said:

Contents of the menu are licencing, privacy & copyright

 

That and taking into account the second definition of paralegal make the button make sense 

 

TBH I like the mock up ... some not all graphic designers I know say that drop shadow is outdated and if used should pick up the background tones, but I guess that's difficult when it overlaps a white background...  but I like it here.  Just a tad lighter/thinner to be not so pronounced ? 

 

@HCGS ... I like the second one but maybe not so much blur on the bottom clouds ?  Looks cool on the context background but looks out place a bit on the larger one. IMO.

And maybe have the brush tip match the sky colour for more contrast against the white ?

 

But it's all subjective.  

 

 

[GillFelis 24]

The present icon is iconic and should be kept in place in perpetuity.

 

UIs come and go. The ghastly 'https://www.getpaint.net/' may change. And I guarantee that my last lucid thought will not be 'I wonder if that nice Mr Brewster has kept his word about not changing the.........................'

[Drydareelin 204]

 

These two look a little too similar, even if outlook isn't graphics-related.

I like your most recent one though, based closer to the original.

[HCGS 9]

6 hours ago, welshblue said:

I like the second one but maybe not so much blur on the bottom clouds ?

 

It's an icon. It's meant to be seen from far away. Small details should not be present on icons. The blur smooths out the small details. And I barely changed it - just added a bit of median, really.

 

3 hours ago, GillFelis said:

The present icon is iconic and should be kept in place in perpetuity.

 

Could you imagine if icons and logos never changed? Do you miss the original Apple logo? Or maybe the original Windows logo? 

 

Everyone thought Google's logo was super iconic and eternal. They changed it anyway. They modernized it. They made it suitable for every occasion. The new Google icon is already iconic, and I admire them for that.

 

Also... I barely changed the current one (on my last image). Just cleaned it a bit.

[GillFelis 24]

26 minutes ago, HCGS said:

Everyone thought Google's logo was super iconic and eternal. They changed it anyway. They modernized it. They made it suitable for every occasion. The new Google icon is already iconic, and I admire them for that.

 

Also... I barely changed the current one (on my last image). Just cleaned it a bit.

 

Golly gosh!  I disagree.

[SodiumEnglish 29]

Well, if we were to go back in time... here's some logo history via wayback-machine:

 

(circa 2006)

 

(also circa 2006)

 

(circa 2013 to present)

 

In my opinion, it has been modernized to an extent. The current logo looks nice and shouldn't need to change aside from a potentially higher resolution.

 

 

Edited September 15, 2018 by SodiumEnglish

[Pixey 3,233]

36 minutes ago, HCGS said:

Everyone thought Google's logo was super iconic and eternal. They changed it anyway. They modernized it. They made it suitable for every occasion. The new Google icon is already iconic, and I admire them for that.

 

 

 

I do not like the new Google Logo!  It looks too contrived.  I'm willing to bet that most people over 50 like to keep things status quo.

[GillFelis 24]

Ah!

Google images led me to this: https://icons8.com/icon/60851/paint-net

 

Do feel free to talk amongst yourselves.

 

Me? I stay with what I posted.

[welshblue 1,834]

1 hour ago, HCGS said:

It's an icon. It's meant to be seen from far away.

 

Yep.  but if it was used like on EER's mock up it wouldn't be ?

 

I actually really the circa 2006 one.

 

But as Rick says ... he's keeping the current one and who cares about an icon as long as the software itself keeps moving on.  I'd have a black dot as an icon if it meant layer masks ...

 

1 hour ago, Pixey said:

I'm willing to bet that most people over 50 like to keep things status quo.

 

If my wife hasn't binned me in the next four years I might have a chance of staying married. 

Although she did remind me yesterday that for her 21st I got her a card with Son on.  and 18.  ooops

[Ego Eram Reputo 2,186]

Minor variations on @HCGS last version above. Just for fun ?

 

I gave the mountains and clouds a chunkier look with a Kuwahara filter and reworked the brush tip.

[AndrewDavid 574]

5 hours ago, Ego Eram Reputo said:

Just for fun ?

Me too - Not to be taken seriously