brooklynflea
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March 27, 2008
Flea Circus
Senor Flea is feeling a little discombobulado this week, what with the flea buzz approaching bee-swarm levels. But we would like to take a moment to thank the Academy, as well as the Daily News, the New York Times, the New York Observer, Brooklyn Based, and of course all of the vendors and pals who are turning April 6 into a true flea-for-all.
With all this coverage pushing our interested vendors past the 750 mark, and April 6 a mere 10 days away, our posts here may be a bit sporadic.
So let's get interactive: See the little guy up there to the right? (Yes, he's a flea.) We'd like to know what you think of this fella as our mascot, and to be one of our T-shirt and promo designs. Any and all thoughts are welcome.
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Comments
Speaking as a graphic designer, the rest of the logo type treatment suggests a nod to a different era but the illustration does not. It doesn't feel to me that the juxtaposition works all that well together. He seems a bit too gestural/modern/simple for the type style.
But hey, it's just my opinion, though I do branding and logos for a living. Obviously, if you love it go for it but I'm feeling that if you did love it that you wouldn't really be here soliciting opinion. That's usually a sign of the little feeling that something's not quite right but you don't know what it is.
My suggestion if the goal is to continue to use a flea of some sort would be may be play off more of a flea circus idea in a wood cut or rough texture illustration style. Or a more detailed illus. of a flea in a cartoonish style. Just a thought.
Posted by: kensington gal at March 27, 2008 1:35 PM
I like the idea, but I agree with some of the points made above. If I get a chace I might take a crack at the drawing part myself.
Wes
Posted by: guest at March 27, 2008 2:48 PM
I think this is working. My 4 y.o. will get a kick out of him.
Posted by: guest at March 27, 2008 2:57 PM
I'm not a pro like kensington gal, but i really like it. It would be fun to see other ideas though.
Posted by: guest at March 27, 2008 3:21 PM
i agree with kensington gal
i like your chosen font, and i love your little flea guy - but the two side-by-side is not necessarily ideal.
i LOVE her circus idea and think that'd be awesome if you went with that.
or anything looser, closer to handwriting, to go with the cartoony little dude.
definitely keep the flea dude, regardless! love him!
Posted by: guest at March 27, 2008 3:47 PM
Looks like a bed bug - wouldn't want to be associated with them ;)
Posted by: guest at March 27, 2008 3:56 PM
Don't like the antique style font. Would like to see the bugs legs. There has got to be some taggers out there with street cred who could design something more BROOKLYN.
Posted by: guest at March 27, 2008 4:19 PM
I think the flea is cute and smart-looking (hand on hip is nice). Though what's with his paunch? (Or maybe fleas are all paunchy?)
I have no problem with the font or the juxtaposition of the cartoon with the sort of hipster retro type.
If changes are made, I would just warn against letting it become too cutesy or too folksy.
Posted by: guest at March 27, 2008 4:37 PM
That is a really stupid amateurish looking logo. You really should hire a professional graphic designer.
Posted by: guest at March 27, 2008 4:57 PM
I would suggest leaving out words like "Stupid". Even if you are right, no one's going to care about your response if they think you are being an a**.
Wes
Posted by: guest at March 27, 2008 5:14 PM
Skip the bug, it's too cartoonish. you've got real vendors coming to this thing, you should have a design that's clean, professional, stylish. Better to do a shirt with just the words BROOKLYN FLEA, in my opinion, than to have something that can be criticized for looking silly. you also don't need the word "brownstoner's" if you ask me. why limit your audience to brownstoner readers? some people might be less inclined to buy a shirt if it's got a brownstoner logo on it. Brooklyn Flea has a come one, come all ring to it. it invites everyone, whether they live in a brownstone or not. keep it simple, you can't go wrong.
Posted by: Vanderman at March 27, 2008 5:53 PM
Is this official? How about a contest (though we're so close to opening)
If not, if you must incorporate the flea, i think that it's too big proportionately to the old-timey lettering. Make it smaller, and don't put "brownstoner" in a semi-circle.
Posted by: guest at March 27, 2008 9:03 PM
cute! Yes!
Posted by: guest at March 28, 2008 9:23 AM
I agree that it's cute but think it looks sort of amateurish -- and kind of not that cool or interesting. Can't imagine people wanting to wear a t-shirt with the flea, but certainly could if it was just the retro font and "Brooklyn Flea" (agree also that "Brownstoner's Brooklyn Flea" gets a little bulky).
Plus, I also kind of agree with the bedbug comment -- I think people selling upholstered items at the market would not be happy to have a flea as a logo.
That said...so psyched that this is coming together and can't wait for the first week!!! Thank you for bringing this to the 'hood.
Posted by: guest at March 28, 2008 9:32 AM
I LIKE IT!
Posted by: guest at March 28, 2008 2:12 PM
I love the flea! I'd buy a tote with this logo in a heartbeat.
Posted by: guest at March 28, 2008 4:21 PM
how about someone offer to design one in exchange for credit on the site, mercnahdise etc. a graphic designer gets the exposure and the bug gets a makeover.
Posted by: guest at March 29, 2008 9:22 AM
EVERYONE is a designer!
And since I am, in fact, a designer – and a brander - here's my take.
Not a problem to combine modern and old fashioned. It works. Don't overthink the flea.
Nice idea to expand the concept into a circus - maybe a poster by the same illustrator? Maybe there are a BUNCH of fleas (a flea family for instance) and various applications.
That's your best bet - expand the flea concept.
DK
Posted by: dkholland at March 29, 2008 10:17 AM
The flea with a hobo's bindle is cute, although I think the drawing could use a little slicking-up. I'm an illustrator; drop me a line if you'd like to try something a bit more polished.
Posted by: dannyhellman at March 29, 2008 6:25 PM
I agree with the first response; the flea and the type do not meld in any satisfying or logical way. Also like the "Flea Circus" idea and imagine a poster that appears at first blush to be advertising a Flea Circus might be an interesting avenue to explore.
Also, Danny Hellman is a fantastic illustrator with a great sense of design and an equally great sense of humor and you could do a helluva lot worse than him. If he's offering up his services I'd jump.
Posted by: guest at March 29, 2008 7:50 PM
OK, look at this flea illustration. Yes it's cartoony, but it's slicker. Maybe try to capture its vibe:
http://boingboing.net/color/flea.jpg
Danny, great work! I think your offer is generous.
Posted by: guest at March 29, 2008 10:55 PM
I actually think the type looks cool. If you stick with the current design, I'd make that flea brown, to match the type, or maybe have the flea in white and drop him onto a brown oval or half circle. Right now, the type and the flea doodle feel disconnected.
A poster that mimics a circus poster sounds like lots of fun, maybe with a lion tamer gal holding a flaming hoop with an enormous cartoon flea jumping through. Then again, I wonder if it might leave some viewers confused, ("hey, are we going to a circus or a flea market here?").
(thanks for the compliment, guest!)
Posted by: dannyhellman at March 29, 2008 11:14 PM
If you do a circus, it should also have an edge a la Coney Island sideshow kind of vibe.
Posted by: guest at March 31, 2008 9:34 AM
i like the little guy, it reminds me of krazy kat. unfortunately many people in brooklyn have a bad association with bugs, particularly of the bed variety :(
Posted by: guest at March 31, 2008 3:31 PM
I love it!
Posted by: guest at April 1, 2008 1:15 PM
like the simplicity and hand-drawn feel of the flea illustration, like the old-fashioned font, don't like them together. think it needs go one way or the other---font/writing to match the illustration, or taking it in a circus/coney island direction with a different illustration (of one or a family of fleas, very cute). also agree that i'd be more likely to buy a shirt/tote bag/whatever if it just said "brooklyn flea" without the "brownstoner's".
Posted by: guest at April 1, 2008 9:16 PM
A non-illustrated logo of just the name "brooklyn flea" seems the best idea so far to me.
After checking out the types of vendors on the site, the market seems more like a higher end, indie/artisan designer market, not really a flea market anyway. So maybe skip the flea altogether, in the logo.
Posted by: guest at April 1, 2008 10:11 PM
I don't like it. It's too madeinpaint looking. I think using a flea is cute but he's not sophisticated looking at all.
Posted by: guest at April 2, 2008 3:11 PM
i'd like to see a more designy/crafty looking logo seeing as the caliber of the vendors is going to be pretty high. the logo should reflect that. i like the idea of a logo design contest!
Posted by: guest at April 3, 2008 2:51 PM
I like the typography, and the flea is cute, but wondering why he(?)'s running away from home. And clearly, the sack is too small to carry a bunch of new finds at the Flea
Posted by: guest at April 5, 2008 7:18 PM
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